Split Second

FBI Thriller #15

by Catherine Coulter

A serial killer is on the loose, and it's up to FBI agents Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock to bring him down. They soon discover the killer has blood ties to an infamous and now long-dead monster. Savich and Sherlock are joined by agents Lucy Carlyle and Cooper McKnight, and the chase is on. At the same time, Agent Lucy Carlyle learns from her dying father that her grandfather didn?t simply walk away from his family twenty-two years ago: he was, in fact, murdered by his wife, Lucy's grandmother. Determined to uncover the truth, Lucy moves into her grandmother's Chevy Chase mansion. What she finds, however, is a nightmare. Not only does she discover the truth of what happened all those years ago, but she faces a new mystery, one that has been passed down from mother to daughter for generations. As the hunt for the killer escalates, Savich realizes he's become the killer's focus, and perhaps the next victim. Only Lucy can stop this madness before it's too late.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Fiction, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Crime

355 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 19, 2011

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite Catherine Coulter books! We have a serial killer on the loose, stalking women in bars and killing them. Savich and Sherlock, along with two new agents, are trying to track down this mysterious killer who dresses all in black, when DNA testing reveals that not only is their suspect actually a woman, not a man, but she is likely the daughter of notorious serial killer Ted Bundy. Much drama ensues as they fly around the country pursuing leads, and the craziness and intrigue hits a new level once they start digging around into the potential suspect’s past.

In several secondary stories, an elderly shop owner is targeted for murder, and one of the FBI agents is at her father’s bedside as he passes, only to hear him blurt out information about a crime committed long ago. Could this be true, and what really happened? And what is this family trying to hide? A really cool, twisty thriller with surprises around every bend!

[Brandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever read a book from a favored author and found that it wasn’t the best you’d ever read? Did you feel let down? Or just glad that the series was moved along with another book? Well, I’ve had such an experience with Split Second, the latest installment of Catherine Coulter’s FBI series. Rationale and the Law of Averages suggest that I can’t have an awesome book every time, but I still have hope with each new printing. The idea of the book was great and I was caught immediately in the chase of the daughter of a prolific and infamous killer and also the mystery in the life of another FBI agent. Of course, Savich and Sherlock are back but their roles are more supporting than in previous books. I don’t know if I like that as I have gotten used to them being in the forefront at all times.
Somehow, I missed the action in this book. The timeline of the book says everything happened in under two weeks, the action and intensity just weren’t there, even when chasing a serial killer. Also, I missed the sinister mood that Coulter usually evokes with her books. I mean, I’m reading about the daughter of one of the world’s most known killers and I don’t feel like she is coming for me. Also, what was the story with the aunt? That went nowhere; just left me wondering if I needed to read a few chapters over again. I just didn’t feel the urgency with this book. And the side story of agent Lucy Carlyle……just felt under developed and, in the end, unfinished. The thing paranormal connection just wasn’t there, not in the way that it had been with Hemlock Bay with the Satanist twins.
I know this sounds a bit ironic but I did like this book…only not as much as I thought I should. Does that make sense? I have been reading the FBI series since The Cove and The Maze and will continue to read as long as Ms. Coulter chooses to write them.

[Christi Snow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full review reposted from my Smitten with Reading blog...
My Review:
Reviewing this book makes me sad. I was sent an ARC of this book by the publisher in return for an honest review. Honest is the key work there, but I hate it when I don't enjoy a book and have to give it a bad review. I used to read Catherine Coulter and always loved her books, but this one was just not a book that I could enjoy.

I would classify this book as a suspense. The main story line is about 4 FBI agents: Savich & Sherlock (married), and Lucy & Coop (falling in love) who are all after a serial killer who just happens to be the daughter of Ted Bundy. Intermixed within that story are several other little side stories:
1. Lucy & Coop's romance which really was sadly only about a page or two of the book because I would have liked to have read more along this line.
2. a paranormal side story featuring Lucy's murdered grandfather and a magical ring.
3. an investigation that Savich is doing about a convenience store shooting which features some real soap-opera-like drama which had NOTHING at all to do with any other part of the story. I have no idea why this was in the book.
All three of those stories could have been non-existent and it would have helped to make the main story line stronger because they just helped the entire book feel disjointed and unfocused. Unfortunately, the main story line about Bundy's serial-killing daughter was simply not strong enough by itself to make up for the distractions that came from the other stories.

The one thing that I did really enjoy about the book was husband and wife team, Savich & Sherlock. I may just have to look up some of Catherine Coulter's older book(s) that feature their story. They were a great couple and the scenes featuring them were fun to read.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story suffers from too many characters that leads to confusion around aimless plots. 4 of 10 stars

[Richard Wolf]

Preposterous. A thriller, science fiction, serial killer, romance novel.

I'm one of the 5% that did not like this book. I have a hard time understanding why anyone would like it. No real characters, just stereotypes. No real adventure or excitement.

SPOILER ALERT - How can you get into a book in which the female FBI agent is needy and independent at the same time; where her dying father spurts out with his last breath, "Mother, what did you do to Father(the above woman's Grandfather)?"; where a serial killer who is Ten Bundy's daughter is on the loose; where above FBI female finds her grandfather's body in a trunk in Grandmother's attic 22 years after death; where same FBI female discovers a ring that in the right hands can turn time back 8 seconds?

After the last item (about half way in) I said "ENOUGH!"

This is going on my "won't finish" shelf.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[pineapple · Rating 1 out of 5]

too many characters, too many things going on at the same time that doesn't even relate with one another; unnecessary, confusing, hard to finish

[Evelyn Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book since it has plently of action and enough sub plots to keep you guessing. Savich and Sherlock still have the necessary magic between them to keep you invested in them. Each story line is brought to its conclusion by the end of the book. I did not lose interest mid way the book as I have done in some other books I have read. That said.... there could have been a lot more sizzle between Coop and Lucy. Coop was a very likable character that you would not mind knowing. He knows his job and how to work with his co-workers. He is centered. He is dedicated. He is virile. Lucy, on the other hand is not very likable (and I tried), she does not work well with others nor does she show the level of maturity you would expect of someone with her accomplishments. Why does she assume the worst of Coop? Why does she not confide in Savich when she thinks something is odd in her background. Why does she not let someone(where are HER friends???) help her when she searches the mansion? Why does she lie to Coop and Savich when they try to let her know they are there for her?
Why is the woman so dang secretive and over what? After all once she has discovered what IS in the attic, and its all out and in the media what point did she have in not coming forward with whatever information she had like a FBI agent should do and utilize her resources?

I hate a character expecially a female who is a ditz for no good reason. Lucy is exactly that.

[Shan · Rating 1 out of 5]

The FBI series started off with good promise and a good premise...slowly degenerating to cliches and the 2 heroes(ine) degenerating into a couple of bumblers that made the books from about #12 onwards very painful reading experiences. It felt strongly of the author attempting to write a book with movie casting aspirations in mind, by injecting (non-surprising unbelievable) suspense elements and convoluted descriptions of chases, etc which more often than not didn't make any sense, and obvious attempt to stretch the story to the 400 odd pages long. Storyline has evolved from fiction to fantasy where civilians are welcome into investigations, every male and female lead in each story are paired up romantically, and are simply clones of the original Savich and Sherlock coupledom, the list goes on. Being no writer myself, I can figure how difficult it is to write a page, much less a series of almost 20 books. However, this series would have been remembered a lot more fondly had it stopped with the juices... like they say, you can't squeeze blood out of stone. Unfortunately, the author tried, with dusastrous results.

[Connie · Rating 1 out of 5]

OK, I admit it, I read the FBI series. Usually they're ok as "escape" reading. Lately though, I am wondering if Coulter has just been phoning them in. The more recent books, this one included, are not nearly as good as the first two or three in the series. After reading this one, my initial reaction was "Really?! That's several hours of my life I won't get back." Psychic Savage?! C'mon. The premise of the family history of the killer in this one is just too ridiculous to take seriously, even for an "escape" book. I hate to leave a series unfinished, but I don't know if I can continue with this one-- unless the writing gets a lot better with the next one. If you want to try Coulter's FBI series, try The Maze, Target or The Cove instead.

[Cyndi · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I've always been (and will continue to be)a great fan of Coulter's FBI series, I afraid Split Second was not one of my favourites. I actually found myself skipping pages, as I just wanted to get through the book. I felt the book lacked the edge that I've come to expect in Coulter's FBI series. And the detour storyline regarding Lucy's ring...What was that about? If that was supposed to be a nod to today's ever popular paranormal literature, in my opinion, it was a dismal failure (and I LIKE paranormal storylines). The wrap up endings of the three storylines - no grand finales here,(I mean "Really?"). This is one of Coulter's that I will not be reading a second time.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe I'm just a snob and am used to reading better quality literature, but I felt the writing in this book was so bad, like laughably bad, and corny. I've never read anything by this author or in this series before, so I don't really have much to base it on, but just not my cup of tea. Didn't expect much more than a crime thriller from an author who seems to pop out one a year, but I had a hard time staying interested in it or buying into the hokey nature of every level of then plot line. Not worth the 500 pages.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Split Second suffers from Hodge-Podge Disorder - too many storylines and too many characters competing for top and second billing. The premise of the main plot is a doozy - and fairly irresistible (imagine the daughter of one of the world's most famous serial killers follows in her father's footsteps). It was that story that kept me reading through the end, but it gets muddled with too many other extraneous stories. Would have been a better book if it stayed in one lane.

[Brian Ming · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty descent novel about some FBI agents. There are a few twists and turns, and some good action sequences. But, other than that, it was pretty straight forward. I enjoyed it, though, and kept reading because I wanted to see what happened. It didn't wow me. But, I'm certainly glad I read it.

[Jazmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could Ted Bundy have an illegitimate daughter - and could she be killing innocent women?

That's the questions that are answered in this book and damn this one is awesome! It's #15 in a series but reads very nicely as a stand alone. Highly recommend to any murder mystery fans!

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good up until the time stuff started happening. There is a time and a place where that kind of stuff works and to me this wasn't either. The A plot would have been enough without all the stuff with the grandfather.

[Joe Baker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited for this book because it was an FBI novel. however a main story line is about a ring with magic power turning the book into a sci-fi type book which I loathe. because I like the writing I'll read another by her and just hope it's not a sci-fi book

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of action going on in this book but almost too many story lines. I didn’t have a lot of time to read daily when reading this book, and found myself not remembering the characters names from each of the story lines as the chapter progressed. Other than that, it was a good read.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast-paced book that is hard to put down. May read others in the series.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two-haiku review:

Ted Bundy's daughter
Goes on major killing spree
And ring turns back time

This one has three plots
Characters are pretty good
Three-and-a-half stars

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd call this a 4.5 rating actually but bumped it up to the 5 stars due to the author's ability to manage three separate mystery plot lines throughout the book.

In the first, Dillon stops at a convenience store for a few items, but realizes there's something wrong and manages to prevent both a robbery and the shooting of the owner. When the owner is the victim of a second attempt on his life, Dillon knows there's more going on & turns to Metro PD detective Ben Raven for assistance.

The second but focal story centers on a serial killer who is picking up women in bars, seeing them to their home, and then killing them with a wire garrote. DNA evidence ties the killer to infamous mass murderer, Ted Bundy. This was fascinating to me, but I could understand where younger readers of the book might not have the knowledge background from the 1970's-80's to fully appreciate the plot nuances. The killer in this case keeps Savich, Sherlock, and agents Lucy Carlyle and Cooper McKnight on their toes and criss-crossing the country. I have the feeling that the loose ends from this part of the story may turn up in a future book.

The third story brings events in Lucy's past front & center in the present day. Upon her father's deathbed, it is revealed that her grandfather, whom Lucy believed to have simply left & never returned when she was a child, had in fact been killed by her grandmother and the killing was concealed by her father & grandmother. Lucy moves back to the family home to try to figure out what prompted her grandmother & father to act that way. Then the paranormal activity in the book steps up when Lucy receives a curious ring left to her by her grandfather.

At this point, I found the ring plotline a little hard to swallow, especially when it seemed to be based on the Omega 13 device out of the movie Galaxy Quest. But, as ever, I was willing to go with the flow and stay along for the resolution. It did bring up an interesting point to ponder as to if you yourself would use such a ring and to what purpose. And, yes, I know I'm being vague - read the book to find out what it's all about.

[Shendoah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been following this series from the get go. I love these guys, but I got a few books behind, so I'm catching up.

I love the mystery, the cop stories, I love Savich and Sherlock.

As a health coach I don't love the misguided, if not completely WRONG nutritional asides that get tossed in, but hey, I can't coach a fictional character. We all have our neurosis.

I'm not sure why the woo got mixed into this series. I'm a bit tired of the woo. I like my crime-drama-suspense-with-a-dash-of-romance just fine without the woo. I like woo too, but it has become a bit tiresome in this series. Ok, where's the magic item, or person with some sort of special power or dead person to communicate with this time? The CAU needs to become the WAU.

Fortunately in this one the woo was downplayed, and a bit nifty. I don't quite buy that Dillon didn't clue into it, especially in the park. He's too quick to have not picked up on it. The scene with Lucy and Miranda was awesome though, and really makes you think, what would YOU do with eight seconds? When would you use it, why, and why not. A moral quandary more than a magic one. I'm on the fence with Lucy's choice, but I can see why she made it.

I loved Mr. Patil. What a character he is! I love his response when they figured out who was trying to kill him. I felt bad for him, and Dillon, who seems lately to keep walking in on robberies gone wrong. (is it him? makes you wonder!)

Kirsten was just bat shit crazy. It takes skill to write that level of crazy. Her aunt was equally crazy, but in her way, I think far more evil. She's insidious. Kirstin was a fun twist and a curious one that makes you wonder. Sick, twisted and just plain crazy.

All in all, a good read. I'd say page-turner, but I read it on the Kindle. So a fast clicker? :) It'll get re-read a few times before being archived.

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really a 3.5 star book. Since there is no 1/2 star, I had to truncate to a 3. This was much better than the historical romance novel I just read of Ms. Coulter's. I love Dillon. He's hot and smart. Sherlock always amuses me. In this latest series, we are once again treated to multiple threads. I like how Ms. Coulter shows that a life in the FBI isn't just one case. There are multiple cases going on. Sometimes, one of the cases doesn't receive enough attention and bad things happen.

In this one, Lucy and Coop are the main focus. They work for Dillon and are on the trail of Ted Bundy's serial killer daughter. Yes, I too was a bit flabbergasted and had to read on. Ted's daughter was pretty crazy. What I thought was creepy was the "mother" Elizabeth and twin Sentra. I think Aunt Sentra is really mommy dearest. I don't know if we will ever learn more about this piece, but boy, that family is crazy. I enjoyed the sleuthing in this book as each piece of the puzzle was found and added to the whole picture. I also enjoyed how the threads pulled together.

Lucy's mystery about her grandparents was just weird. This added psychic element was interesting for me because I like psychic stuff. I liked the ring and I wished there was more to it. It's like the Lord of the Ring ring - who will own it next? HAH.

All in all, this was a delightful read which I read in one day. I recommend it to romance lovers who enjoy a more complex plot along with some thrilling detective work.

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book of mystery, murder and FBI agents to solve the crimes. I will continue to read the books written by this author who does not resort to foul language to get the point across. The worst word in this book was not offensive to me and sex was not written in minute detail. If she can write books this great without the use of foul language and explicit sex so can others.
I recommend this book to all mystery lovers.
There are acutally 3 mysteries to solve in this story. The first one involves a store keeper who is shot on the first page and then the end is on the last pages of this book. The second is a murderer who is the daughter of Ted Bundy, an executed murderer of years past. She has killed many woman since a teenager and the FBI is now after her.
In the middle of these incidents is the story of one of the FBI agents, Lucy and the death of her father and the telephone call from an attorney saying he has a letter for her from her grandfather to be given to her after her father's death. An unbelievable story around the inheritance of a
ring which belonged to her grandmother. Too much magic for me. Otherwise this was a very good book. Oh yes Lucy falls in love with her FBI partner who she initailly disliked. As always Savich and Sherlock are the two main FBI agents giving us lots of action to the end.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

When FBI agent Dillon Savich walks into a convenience store one evening, he hadn’t expected to find himself in the midst of a robbery. Nor had he expected to be handed a case that involves the capture of a serial killer who happens to be Ted Bundy’s daughter. Dillon’s subordinates Lucy and Cooper are also on the case, but Lucy must deal with the sudden death of her father and his unsettling last words. The agents have more than enough on their plates as the hunt for Bundy’s daughter turns extremely dangerous not only for the three of them, but for family members.

Split Second is a fast-paced read that tells three separate stories, although the robbery becomes a minor subplot. Lucy’s personal story is given more attention for good reason, however, it veers off in an unexpected direction with the discovery of a mysterious ring. Although the story is primarily a gritty police procedural, there’s definitely a romantic component and, to a lesser degree, a paranormal aspect. Although I love cross-genre stories, this blend seems a little off balance. Having said that, I really liked the characters. It’s also refreshing to read about competent cops who, although not perfect, don’t make many mistakes.

[Thrilled by Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this novel, I liked it and disliked it at the same time. It started off with the FBI tracking a serial killer from San Francisco that was drugging and killing women picked up in bars. At first the killer was thought to be a man but it was soon discovered to be a woman, Ted Bundy's daughter no less. And so the chase for a madwoman began.
First of all, I felt as though there was too much going on in this book. There were three seperate story lines going on, the main story about the hunt for a serial killer, a side story that opened the book about an attempted robbery/homicide Savich walked in on, and another side story about a bunch of drama with Lucy, her family, and a "magic ring" (eye roll). Personally, I felt as though I could have done without some of the extra stuff and a little more time could have been spent on developing the main story better with some more details.

You can view my complete review here:

http://thrilledbybooks.blogspot.com/2...

[Barbara ★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this series. Usually Savich and Sherlock head the show and I guess they do in this one too but Lucy Carlyle and Cooper McKnight are front and center for this serial killer chase. Believe it or not Ted Bundy's murdering daughter is the villain in this book! Yup and that's not all that's going on in this book. There are three main plots: (1) Ted Bundy's murderous daughter, (2) the Stop N Go robbery/shooting, (3) Lucy's murderous Grandmother and the ring. There is enough action and suspense to keep even the most jaded reader's attention. I love the way Ms. Coulter lays out the stories - no red herring's necessary to maintain the suspense. Everything just flows from one crazy incident to the next with some supernatural elements (usually psychic stuff). As long as Ms. Coulter is writing this series, I will be reading it.

[Cheryl Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Ms Coulter's FBI series for some time now. I love the relationship between Savich and Sherlock who kind of take a back seat to Lucy and Coop, 2 other agents. In this book there are actually 3 story lines going on. The main story is about a serial killer who turns out to be the daughter of Ted Bundy. Next we have Lucy trying to discover what happened to her grandfather and finally there's the robbery of Mr. Patil that Savich walked in on. I would have preferred more emphasis to have been on the main story line but by the end I was anxious to find out what happened on all of them.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

The FBI agents are investigating a serial killer and learn not only that it is a woman, but also that she is Ted Bundy's daughter and a chip off her Daddy's block. Lucy Carlyle is introduced and, in a subplot, is investigating her Grandfather's murder by her Grandmother.