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Lydia Strong #1
Angel Fire
From Book 1: The gripping New York Times bestselling debut that established Lisa Unger, writing as Lisa Miscione, as a novelist to watch!
The childhood murder of her mother has turned Lydia Strong into a woman obsessed with bringing brutal killers to justice. The reclusive, bestselling true-crime writer and investigative consultant now spends her life chasing monsters.
When three adults--loners, drifters--go missing, no one seems to notice except for Lydia. Enlisting the help of her friend, former FBI agent Jeffrey Mark, Lydia starts an investigation of her own. But when someone raises the stakes and goes after Lydia--just as fifteen years ago when she put the FBI on the trail of her mother's killer--the real hunt begins.
The childhood murder of her mother has turned Lydia Strong into a woman obsessed with bringing brutal killers to justice. The reclusive, bestselling true-crime writer and investigative consultant now spends her life chasing monsters.
When three adults--loners, drifters--go missing, no one seems to notice except for Lydia. Enlisting the help of her friend, former FBI agent Jeffrey Mark, Lydia starts an investigation of her own. But when someone raises the stakes and goes after Lydia--just as fifteen years ago when she put the FBI on the trail of her mother's killer--the real hunt begins.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 11, 2002
468 people are currently reading
3900 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Unger
51 books10.8k followersLisa Unger is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of twenty-three novels, including her upcoming release SERVED HIM RIGHT (March, 2026). With books published in thirty-three languages and millions of copies sold worldwide, she is regarded as a master of suspense.
Unger’s critically acclaimed novels have been featured on “Best Book” lists from the Today show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, People, Amazon, Goodreads, L.A. Times, The Boston Globe, Sun Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times, and many others. She has been nominated for, or won, numerous awards including the Strand Critics, Audie, Hammett, Macavity, ITW Thriller, and Goodreads Choice. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations in the same year, an honor held by only a few authors including Agatha Christie. Her short fiction has been anthologized in The Best American Mystery and Suspense, and her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. Lisa is the current co-President of the International Thriller Writers organization. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her family.
Unger’s critically acclaimed novels have been featured on “Best Book” lists from the Today show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, People, Amazon, Goodreads, L.A. Times, The Boston Globe, Sun Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times, and many others. She has been nominated for, or won, numerous awards including the Strand Critics, Audie, Hammett, Macavity, ITW Thriller, and Goodreads Choice. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations in the same year, an honor held by only a few authors including Agatha Christie. Her short fiction has been anthologized in The Best American Mystery and Suspense, and her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. Lisa is the current co-President of the International Thriller Writers organization. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 205 reviews
October 20, 2021
3.5 stars. Angel Fire is the first book in the Lydia Strong series by Lisa Unger, writing under her maiden name and published many years ago. I have been meaning to read these earlier novels for quite some time, as I always enjoy Lisa Unger's books. This was a decent story about Lydia's hunt for a serial killer, while battling her own personal demons. After a slow start, the plot moved along quickly to a satisfying conclusion. I just didn't find it as compelling as her more recent books, but still an easy and entertaining read.
January 2, 2015
This was a first effort that read like one. While the plotting was decent, the execution felt amateurish in multiple places with bizarre point-of-view shifts and nonsensical plot point thrown in.
The heroine Lydia is someone for whom the reader should be able to root, however I found her to be one of the most annoying main characters I've read recently. She's a writer of true crime books and a private investigator who, when she was a teenager, discovered her mother's bound and mutilated body. She is generally horrible to everyone who has the misfortune to encounter her.
Her love interest Jeffrey is also a private investigator. He happens to be the FBI investigator who was assigned to her mother's case and has looked out for her all these years. I love a good May-December romance (in fairness this is more May-September) but this pairing was squicky. Jeffrey is actually quite nice, but so enamored by her that he allows her to lead him around by the nose. She even makes the observation at one point, something to the effect of, "he would always come when she called."
My primary issue with the story though is that everyone, including the Chief of Police, allows Lydia to run the investigation. She's a writer, yet she directs even the seasoned investigators through the missing persons and murder investigations. She barks orders at the uniforms regarding the processing of evidence, rakes the Chief over the coals regularly, and tells Jeffrey when to jump and how high. They all let her do so, bowing to her "expertise." It made zero sense.
There is the promise of good writing here if the author has honed her talent, so I will try other books by her. But maybe not the ones featuring Lydia.
The heroine Lydia is someone for whom the reader should be able to root, however I found her to be one of the most annoying main characters I've read recently. She's a writer of true crime books and a private investigator who, when she was a teenager, discovered her mother's bound and mutilated body. She is generally horrible to everyone who has the misfortune to encounter her.
Her love interest Jeffrey is also a private investigator. He happens to be the FBI investigator who was assigned to her mother's case and has looked out for her all these years. I love a good May-December romance (in fairness this is more May-September) but this pairing was squicky. Jeffrey is actually quite nice, but so enamored by her that he allows her to lead him around by the nose. She even makes the observation at one point, something to the effect of, "he would always come when she called."
My primary issue with the story though is that everyone, including the Chief of Police, allows Lydia to run the investigation. She's a writer, yet she directs even the seasoned investigators through the missing persons and murder investigations. She barks orders at the uniforms regarding the processing of evidence, rakes the Chief over the coals regularly, and tells Jeffrey when to jump and how high. They all let her do so, bowing to her "expertise." It made zero sense.
There is the promise of good writing here if the author has honed her talent, so I will try other books by her. But maybe not the ones featuring Lydia.
June 17, 2021
Angel Fire by Lisa Unger is the first book featuring Lydia Strong. Lydia Strong was traumatised by the murder of her mother and had subsequently become a best selling crime writer and criminal investigative consultant. She becomes involved in a series of missing person cases. An interesting and fast paced book that I enjoyed. The mystery was rather obvious but I liked getting to know the characters and look forward to reading more.
August 11, 2021
Read 2015
December 19, 2018
A repetitive, dull romance with a serial murder thrown in. Beautiful crime writer Lydia with a tragic history works with handsome PI Jeffrey on what she "feels" -- with a buzz -- is a serial killer case despite there being no bodies found. Jeffrey trusts her buzz. Plus he's been crazy in love with her for years and years. He's devoted to her, knows they belong together, and puts up with her pushing him away whenever they get close. You can't miss this as it is mentioned about a million times. Yeesh. 2.5 stars
July 17, 2023
It started a 3.5 stars but clawed it’s way to a 3.9 stars.
A lot of people like their detectives damaged and flawed well Lydia sure is just that. I felt the author at times when it came to the murderer plotting was convoluted. Would I read the next book in this series, you bet I would. I want to know how Lydia Strong grows.
A lot of people like their detectives damaged and flawed well Lydia sure is just that. I felt the author at times when it came to the murderer plotting was convoluted. Would I read the next book in this series, you bet I would. I want to know how Lydia Strong grows.
June 19, 2021
Another great read from Lisa Unger. Fast-paced and thrilling. I loved the complexity and strength of the characters, and some romance too.
February 7, 2025
Enjoyable first book. Looking forward to catching up and reading subsequent ones.
February 4, 2014
Goodreads Description- The gripping debut thriller that established Lisa Unger, writing as Lisa Miscione, as a crime novelist to watch.
The childhood murder of Lydia Strong's mother has turned her into a woman obsessed with bringing brutal killers to justice. The reclusive, bestselling true-crime writer and investigative consultant has made a life out of chasing monsters. And her powerful intuitions rarely fail her.
When three adults--loners, drifters--go missing, no one seems to notice except for Lydia. Enlisting the help of her friend, former FBI agent Jeffrey Mark, Lydia starts an investigation of her own. But when someone raises the stakes and goes after Lydia--just as fifteen years ago when she put the FBI on the trail of her mother's killer--the real hunt begins.
Lydia Strong, a true crime writer and private investigator, is a deeply emotionally damaged character. After finding her mother brutally murdered at the tender age of 15, she has kept a distance between her and anyone she finds herself getting close to. Her reasons for this is that if she loves someone too much she will undoubtedly lose them, therefore she doesn't get close to anyone. The only person in her life that she has allowed into her life is Jeffrey Mark, the young FBI agent who was involved in searching for her mother's murderer and who always maintained contact throughout Lydia's life. However by pushing everyone away, Lydia is beginning to realize that she is alone. Who would care if she disappeared? Would anyone miss her if she were gone? She struggles with this more and more as the story moves forward.
Lydia is spending time in her home in Angel Fire, New Mexico looking for the next "buzz" which is what she calls the feeling she gets when she sees some connection in crimes that may lead to a bigger connection. Recently in the small town of Angel Fire a medical supply warehouse has been burglarized, a dog has been found mutilated with "surgical precision" in the small local church's garden and 3 people have gone missing. Normally this wouldn't catch the attention of anyone but Lydia has a knack for seeing the big picture. She sees the fact that the dog's mutilation with medical precision linked with the burglary of the medical supply warehouse. And even though the 3 people missing have risk factors for going missing such as being previous runaways, addicts, and victims of abuse, Lydia just feels that something is off in her town.
When another woman, Maria Lopez, not only goes missing, but her apartment looks like not only has a struggle has occurred but is also covered in blood, the chief of police cannot ignore that there truly is a problem in his small town. Lydia has already called her friend and private investigator to come to town to help her look into the happening in Angel Fire. Together they approach Chief Morrow and offer their services. Soon Lydia herself finds herself a target of this madman and is now more motivated to find this guy before he finds her.
In general the writing is good. Lisa Mascione is the pen name of Lisa Unger and Angel Fire is one of her earlier works that jump started her career. I can definitely tell that this is immature writing in comparison to Unger's more recent writing. While I liked the book in general, I have to admit that I didn't much like Lydia, even though I understood why she acts the way she does. Due to the damage from the loss of her mother, she puts off a coldness and arrogance that really didn't endear her to me. And then we have her friend, sometime work partner and, by the end of the book, lover, Jeffrey. I liked him except when he was being a door mat for Lydia. Then not so much. And, of course, at the end of the book she has to do Something Stupid in order to bring about a dramatic climax to the book. I can't stand Something Stupid plot devices. Would I read another book in the series? Probably, but I won't spend money on it. 3 stars.
The childhood murder of Lydia Strong's mother has turned her into a woman obsessed with bringing brutal killers to justice. The reclusive, bestselling true-crime writer and investigative consultant has made a life out of chasing monsters. And her powerful intuitions rarely fail her.
When three adults--loners, drifters--go missing, no one seems to notice except for Lydia. Enlisting the help of her friend, former FBI agent Jeffrey Mark, Lydia starts an investigation of her own. But when someone raises the stakes and goes after Lydia--just as fifteen years ago when she put the FBI on the trail of her mother's killer--the real hunt begins.
Lydia Strong, a true crime writer and private investigator, is a deeply emotionally damaged character. After finding her mother brutally murdered at the tender age of 15, she has kept a distance between her and anyone she finds herself getting close to. Her reasons for this is that if she loves someone too much she will undoubtedly lose them, therefore she doesn't get close to anyone. The only person in her life that she has allowed into her life is Jeffrey Mark, the young FBI agent who was involved in searching for her mother's murderer and who always maintained contact throughout Lydia's life. However by pushing everyone away, Lydia is beginning to realize that she is alone. Who would care if she disappeared? Would anyone miss her if she were gone? She struggles with this more and more as the story moves forward.
Lydia is spending time in her home in Angel Fire, New Mexico looking for the next "buzz" which is what she calls the feeling she gets when she sees some connection in crimes that may lead to a bigger connection. Recently in the small town of Angel Fire a medical supply warehouse has been burglarized, a dog has been found mutilated with "surgical precision" in the small local church's garden and 3 people have gone missing. Normally this wouldn't catch the attention of anyone but Lydia has a knack for seeing the big picture. She sees the fact that the dog's mutilation with medical precision linked with the burglary of the medical supply warehouse. And even though the 3 people missing have risk factors for going missing such as being previous runaways, addicts, and victims of abuse, Lydia just feels that something is off in her town.
When another woman, Maria Lopez, not only goes missing, but her apartment looks like not only has a struggle has occurred but is also covered in blood, the chief of police cannot ignore that there truly is a problem in his small town. Lydia has already called her friend and private investigator to come to town to help her look into the happening in Angel Fire. Together they approach Chief Morrow and offer their services. Soon Lydia herself finds herself a target of this madman and is now more motivated to find this guy before he finds her.
In general the writing is good. Lisa Mascione is the pen name of Lisa Unger and Angel Fire is one of her earlier works that jump started her career. I can definitely tell that this is immature writing in comparison to Unger's more recent writing. While I liked the book in general, I have to admit that I didn't much like Lydia, even though I understood why she acts the way she does. Due to the damage from the loss of her mother, she puts off a coldness and arrogance that really didn't endear her to me. And then we have her friend, sometime work partner and, by the end of the book, lover, Jeffrey. I liked him except when he was being a door mat for Lydia. Then not so much. And, of course, at the end of the book she has to do Something Stupid in order to bring about a dramatic climax to the book. I can't stand Something Stupid plot devices. Would I read another book in the series? Probably, but I won't spend money on it. 3 stars.
did-not-finish
September 19, 2024This ended up being a DNF for me. I'm around 20% of the way in, but I just can't get into it at all. I'm getting romance vibes and it's not enjoyable. It probably gets better later on, but I don't have the interest to keep going.
November 19, 2012
I admit I'm pretty late to the party however I've been a fan of Lisa Unger for a while and finally got around to reading her novels written under her maiden name.
I found Angel fire to be well written and engaging as are her later works. I sort of saw the ending coming or at least figured out the 'whodunit' before the end of the book but that doesn't change the fact that this is a fun read.
Lydia Strong is a true crime novelist, a role she was born into when her mother was killed by a serial killer when she was in her teens. Lydia has an uncanny knack for being able to spot clues and put them together. While her gift was born from great tragedy, she's not without her obvious issues. Every year around the anniversary of her mother's death she gets cagey, anxious. She's battle with the why's of her mother's death her whole life and as a defense mechanism from losing the thing she loved most at such an early age she keeps everyone at arm's length.
Enter Angel Fire New Mexico. Lydia's home away from home. She owns a home in this remote and cozy small town in order to get away from it all, but the past will not let her go as her intuitiveness and ability to spot clues lead her into the path of serial killer while the local law enforcement, lead by a man who's reputation she helped ruin years ago, see some newly emerging local crime patterns as random acts of violence and unrelated.
With the aid of Jeffrey Mark, former FBI agent who worked on her mother's case year ago (and whom she's been too afraid to admit she cares about more than she wants to) she helps turn the town of Angel Fire on its ear.
I can't say enough good things about Lisa Miscione/Unger. She's a great thriller and mystery writer that always has the right blend of believable characters that are the right mix of flawed and likable intertwined with stories that are just twisted enough as to keep your interest and keep you turning pages without crossing the line into shock value and cheap thrills. Can't wait to read the rest of this series as well as her new book when it arrives later this year!
I found Angel fire to be well written and engaging as are her later works. I sort of saw the ending coming or at least figured out the 'whodunit' before the end of the book but that doesn't change the fact that this is a fun read.
Lydia Strong is a true crime novelist, a role she was born into when her mother was killed by a serial killer when she was in her teens. Lydia has an uncanny knack for being able to spot clues and put them together. While her gift was born from great tragedy, she's not without her obvious issues. Every year around the anniversary of her mother's death she gets cagey, anxious. She's battle with the why's of her mother's death her whole life and as a defense mechanism from losing the thing she loved most at such an early age she keeps everyone at arm's length.
Enter Angel Fire New Mexico. Lydia's home away from home. She owns a home in this remote and cozy small town in order to get away from it all, but the past will not let her go as her intuitiveness and ability to spot clues lead her into the path of serial killer while the local law enforcement, lead by a man who's reputation she helped ruin years ago, see some newly emerging local crime patterns as random acts of violence and unrelated.
With the aid of Jeffrey Mark, former FBI agent who worked on her mother's case year ago (and whom she's been too afraid to admit she cares about more than she wants to) she helps turn the town of Angel Fire on its ear.
I can't say enough good things about Lisa Miscione/Unger. She's a great thriller and mystery writer that always has the right blend of believable characters that are the right mix of flawed and likable intertwined with stories that are just twisted enough as to keep your interest and keep you turning pages without crossing the line into shock value and cheap thrills. Can't wait to read the rest of this series as well as her new book when it arrives later this year!
October 16, 2013
This was a free book, likely a promotional giveaway from Shelf Awareness or Goodreads, been a couple years but I promised myself I’d get around to it, so here we go! Apologies to Ms. Unger for my procrastinaton.
This book was published some years ago under Ms. Unger’s maiden name of Misicone, and from other reviews I’ve looked at, Ms. Unger’s writing has improved a great deal since then. This is the first in a series (Hey! Ms. Cornwell! Hey! Ms. Evanovich!) starring Lydia Strong, true-crime writer and police consultant, whose mother is murdered when Lydia is fifteen. The FBI agent on the case, Jeffery Mark, becomes Lydia’s mentor, protector and confidant, and during the book becomes more than that…The murderer is eventually caught but the whole traumatic event sparks her career tracking down bad guys. By the way, Angel Fire is described as a suburb of Santa Fe, where Lydia lives when not on book tours or following this or that investigation to write about.
OK, so now we have several disappearances in Angel Fire, with the victims eventually found eviscerated. There is some connection to a local church and its blind caretaker Juno, who is himself taken care of by his uncle, the pastor, Fr. Luis. The plot entails finding connections among the victims, as well as finding romance for Lydia and Jeffrey and redemption for the police chief, Simon Morrow (who had to resign when a mistake he had made in New York was highly publicized by Lydia).
The reading goes quickly and the mystery is solved, with the requisite coming-together of perpetrator, Juno, Jeffery, Lydia and Simon in a dramatic climax. It was an OK read, entertaining, but not enough to keep me interested enough to read the rest of the Lydia Strong series.
This book was published some years ago under Ms. Unger’s maiden name of Misicone, and from other reviews I’ve looked at, Ms. Unger’s writing has improved a great deal since then. This is the first in a series (Hey! Ms. Cornwell! Hey! Ms. Evanovich!) starring Lydia Strong, true-crime writer and police consultant, whose mother is murdered when Lydia is fifteen. The FBI agent on the case, Jeffery Mark, becomes Lydia’s mentor, protector and confidant, and during the book becomes more than that…The murderer is eventually caught but the whole traumatic event sparks her career tracking down bad guys. By the way, Angel Fire is described as a suburb of Santa Fe, where Lydia lives when not on book tours or following this or that investigation to write about.
OK, so now we have several disappearances in Angel Fire, with the victims eventually found eviscerated. There is some connection to a local church and its blind caretaker Juno, who is himself taken care of by his uncle, the pastor, Fr. Luis. The plot entails finding connections among the victims, as well as finding romance for Lydia and Jeffrey and redemption for the police chief, Simon Morrow (who had to resign when a mistake he had made in New York was highly publicized by Lydia).
The reading goes quickly and the mystery is solved, with the requisite coming-together of perpetrator, Juno, Jeffery, Lydia and Simon in a dramatic climax. It was an OK read, entertaining, but not enough to keep me interested enough to read the rest of the Lydia Strong series.
October 19, 2011
This was an easy read and a good page turner. It kept me going but not as suspenseful as I like my mysteries to be. I liked how it had many characters but too many that you had to keep track of them as they came in and out of the chapters. There was some romance in the book but not enough to overpower the book and make it a dominating factor in the book. As another reviewer mentioned, this is one of Lisa's first books so I will be reading another one of her books as I liked her style and I know she has potential.
May 30, 2016
I love Lisa Unger, & to b honest, I didn't enjoy the book a great deal at first because even though it was well-written, I didn't "hear" Lisa Unger n it. This is, of course, one of her earliest books, when she wrote under the name Lisa Miscione. Fortunaly, it didn't take long to hear her, to recognize Lisa Unger & her unique style, n the sound & feel of the story & n the characters. I did ultimately enjoy getting to know Lydia & Jeffrey, & I look forward to the next n a series by the Lisa Unger I love!
May 27, 2015
didn't even finished it
March 10, 2018
I had to stop reading it because I was so bored.
March 31, 2019
This was an audiobook I listen to on vacation. I did not like it and only finiahed about 1/2 of the book
June 12, 2020
If you read a lot of mystery/crime books file this one under the sub-genre of serial killer books. And, expect the standard plot line. A mysterious and ghoulishly cruel murderer who is killing seemingly innocent victims with no apparent motive. Expect, a lot of bodies, expect detailed descriptions of victim's bodies exhibiting all the telltale evidence of their last minutes on earth. Expect the perpetrator to succumb to justice in the end with equally graphic and violent details. And, expect the protagonist to survive numerous harrowing experiences along the way.
OK, enough of that. Why? three stars despite the predictability and over reliance on violence to build suspense? Well the characters and in particular the protagonist kept my attention. Quirky, strong minded and capable of surprising you with her complexity while fighting her inner-devils. I know, I know you've heard that one before too. But I liked her characterization anyway, even if it to, fell among familiar lines. Also, this was Lisa Unger's first book, so some forgiveness should be allowed.
So, that's what I liked and disliked about the book.
And, that's all I have to say.
OK, enough of that. Why? three stars despite the predictability and over reliance on violence to build suspense? Well the characters and in particular the protagonist kept my attention. Quirky, strong minded and capable of surprising you with her complexity while fighting her inner-devils. I know, I know you've heard that one before too. But I liked her characterization anyway, even if it to, fell among familiar lines. Also, this was Lisa Unger's first book, so some forgiveness should be allowed.
So, that's what I liked and disliked about the book.
And, that's all I have to say.
March 22, 2023
The bloody murder of her mother when she was a teenager made Lydia Strong into a woman obsessed with bringing brutal killers to justice. Now thirty years old, she is a reclusive bestselling true crime writer and investigative consultant whose intuitions never lie. The latest case to capture her attention is the disappearance of three adults, each the kind of loner whose sudden absence isn't missed-they have no family, few friends. The Santa Fe Police don't see a pattern, just three people who left their empty lives behind. But when another woman turns up missing, her apartment streaked with blood, even the police have to admit that something is wrong in their usually quiet town. Lydia and P.I. Jeffrey Mark, the ex-FBI agent who solved her mother's murder, begin a relentless investigation. But it is only when the killer ups the ante and goes after Lydia herself that, just like fifteen years ago when she put the FBI on the trail of her mother's killer, the real hunt begins...
October 21, 2025
A solid three stars. I enjoyed it. The writing, although occasionally clunky, was overall quite good, and some of the writing was insightful and memorable. Characters were well-drawn. Lydia was difficult and not always likable, but I was on her side. I’m very glad Unger did not keep Lydia and Jeffrey in a will they/won’t they situation for three more books.
Especially for a first novel, I thought it was really strong. I’m already reading Book 2.
Unfortunately, book 2 has the same narrator, Emily Beresford, as book one. Berresford gets a 2.5 for her narration. Her voice isn’t bad, but her acting is mediocre, she doesn’t pay attention to the words she’s reading as she voices the characters (So conversation is delivered in tones at odds with how Unger has described the character’s tone.), and there were two inexcusable mispronunciations.
Especially for a first novel, I thought it was really strong. I’m already reading Book 2.
Unfortunately, book 2 has the same narrator, Emily Beresford, as book one. Berresford gets a 2.5 for her narration. Her voice isn’t bad, but her acting is mediocre, she doesn’t pay attention to the words she’s reading as she voices the characters (So conversation is delivered in tones at odds with how Unger has described the character’s tone.), and there were two inexcusable mispronunciations.
June 20, 2022
I liked the rhythm, I liked the story BUT there are a bunch of details that didn't sit right with me, the translation (I read it in French) had a transphobic line (a transexual woman compared to a man and refered to as a "he"), not sure how that was presented in the original version, the author talks about rapists like they are just responding to incontrollable impulses rather than calculated decisions (if it was an impulse, they'd rape in the middle of the streets in the middle of the day in front of anyone standing there, they don't, it's therefore, not an incontrollable impulse), things like that and just.... it's poor writing at that point. Too bad because I did like the plot and the characters. I enjoyed the relationship between Lydia and Jeffrey as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2022
This first work by Lisa Unger (writing as Lisa Miscione) was okay, considering it was early in her career. I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy it or not, but aside from the overly descriptive wording in places (something common with new authors) and some jumping around with the plot, it was surprisingly readable. I had only discovered Lisa Unger recently, reading her most recent works, and so impressed with those books that I thought it made sense to go back to her first works. Would I recommend it? Sure, as long as you've already read her most recent work - so that you realize this - 'Angel Fire' - isn't an example of all her books. In the end, I was captured enough by the storyline and characters to read to the end.
May 23, 2017
I would actually rate this a 3.5, because I was fairly sure who the villain was 1/3 into the book.
This is the start of a series about a woman who came home as a child to find her mother brutally murdered. Since then, she has felt driven to figure out the patterns of serial murders in order to get them arrested. Lydia is also well-to-do, since she not only solves complex crimes, but also writes bestselling books about it. (Bones, anyone?) There are some interesting character, including a blind guitar player who may or may not be a healer. However, I did not feel that the characters were as well developed as they should have been.
This is the start of a series about a woman who came home as a child to find her mother brutally murdered. Since then, she has felt driven to figure out the patterns of serial murders in order to get them arrested. Lydia is also well-to-do, since she not only solves complex crimes, but also writes bestselling books about it. (Bones, anyone?) There are some interesting character, including a blind guitar player who may or may not be a healer. However, I did not feel that the characters were as well developed as they should have been.
December 31, 2017
I’m a fan of Lisa Unger so I thought I would give her first novel a read. Lisa openly admits that looking back at her first novel she can see the errors and growth in her writing, saying I don’t think you know how to write a book until you have written one. That said the book concept is good, the characters and plot, but it was the hardest Lisa book to read. Normally her books are quick page turners, this one just had too much excessive detail in unnecessary places it took awhile to get through. Lisa is a great author and her growth is impressive. Don’t let this book turn you away from her writing.
July 5, 2023
Lisa Unger’s very first novel shows glimpses of her trademark thriller writing. There’s an intelligent, badass female main character, accompanied by a helpful man, multiple POV, plenty of human darkness (sociopath), and troubled pasts. The problem here is that I just didn’t connect with Lydia and didn’t want to read 3 more books all about her. She really comes in and pushes everyone around, doing all the jobs- interrogator, police, author, local expert. I just didn’t feel that anyone would step aside to let her and a PI (Jeffrey) run a serial killer investigation, when all she went off with was a “buzz.”
TW- animal mutilation, graphic victim mutilation
TW- animal mutilation, graphic victim mutilation
December 30, 2024
Set in Santa Fe, NM. 304 pp. Well paced, fast-moving thriller about Lydia Strong and her involvement solving a serial killing spree. I was glas that ; who knows what will happen in future books? Quick read with a straightforward, satifsying resolution.
Angel Fire (Lydia Strong, #1) by Lisa Unger
Angel Fire (Lydia Strong, #1) by Lisa Unger
May 15, 2017
When I read what I thought was Lisa Unger's first book, I was instantly hooked and knew I'd be a fan of all her books. That prediction came true except I didn't realize then that it wasn't her first book. Angel Fire was really her first book, written under her maiden name, but that fact would not have changed my prediction. Angel Fire is compelling, suspenseful and engaging with intriguing characters. I'm so glad that Lisa Unger finally made her initial dream come true in this novel and the series. I can't wait to read them all!
May 22, 2017
The plot of this book was solid – great who-dun-it, serial killer thriller! But I had to give it three stars because of the constant whining about how the main character can’t find the courage to love. Really? Why do authors make strong female leads who can survive an attack by a serial killer but have the emotional sensitivity of a teenage boy? It just doesn’t make sense and it gets OLD. But, the story was great and it kept me interested. I may come back to this character’s series because I like Lisa Unger. But I need to take a break from the whining.
June 16, 2023
Thank God is over.
The Audio production is good and the story in is whole is interesting.
But after the initial chapters I've lost all the patience with Lidia strong. She is good in everything she does, and beautiful, rich, well connected, famous, with at least 2 jobs, but distant and mysterious.
Perhaps I could handle all her perfection if she wasn't so ready to be rude, uncivil and patronizing. Everyone treats her well and do what she wants, understand her background, and she's so full of herself. A brat. the cleverest one of course.
The Audio production is good and the story in is whole is interesting.
But after the initial chapters I've lost all the patience with Lidia strong. She is good in everything she does, and beautiful, rich, well connected, famous, with at least 2 jobs, but distant and mysterious.
Perhaps I could handle all her perfection if she wasn't so ready to be rude, uncivil and patronizing. Everyone treats her well and do what she wants, understand her background, and she's so full of herself. A brat. the cleverest one of course.
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