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Butterfield Institute #2
The Delilah Complex
Twelve sexually adventurous women form a secret club that becomes the center of investigation when several men they've recruited to dominate are murdered. Turning to sex therapist Dr. Morgan Snow for grief counseling, the group may be harboring a murderer.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
67 people are currently reading
1063 people want to read
About the author
M.J. Rose
89 books2,290 followersNew York Times Bestseller, M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother's favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice... books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it.
Her most recent novel, The Last Tiara, will be published Feb 2, 2021
Rose's work has appeared in many magazines including Oprah Magazine and she has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, WSJ, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com
The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Reincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and currently serves, with Lee Child, as the organization's co-president..
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
August 19, 2017
This brilliant thriller has a wonderful surprise ending. It's amazing.
August 6, 2018
Excellent book by M. J. Rose.
January 27, 2012
I loved this book, and it was even better that it was free on Amazon for Kindle! It's the second in the series, and I bought the first (though I thought for a second it was free...until I clicked and realized I'd just paid $2.99! Oh well, I think it'll be worth it).
Anyway, Rose is an excellent author who weaves together the mind of a psychopath and the complex mind of a successful therapist.
From Amazon:
"Twelve sexually adventurous women form a secret club that becomes the center of investigation when several men they've recruited to dominate are murdered. Turning to sex therapist Dr. Morgan Snow for grief counseling, the group may be harboring a murderer."
What I love:
1. Morgan Snow's POV is obviously different than the narrator's. The POV occasionally goes to that of the killer as well as that of the cop Noah Jordain, but Morgan's voice is more intelligent. She uses larger words, but it fits her personality. Her thoughts are complex as she delves into every angle of everything, probably digging deeper than most people would, but it fits because of her vocation.
2. Though there are no sex scenes, per se, the love scenes are perfect - hot and heavy and quite a turn-on without feeling goofy and silly.
3. The intricasies of the relationships are real. The reader understands them because they've experienced them also. Morgan and her daughter, Morgan and Noah, Morgan and her work partner/mother-figure, and even Morgan and her patients. Morgan is REAL, despite her job and tendancy to get stuck in the middle, solving violent crimes.
4. The best thing? That there's really nothing for me to say I DON'T like!
Anyway, Rose is an excellent author who weaves together the mind of a psychopath and the complex mind of a successful therapist.
From Amazon:
"Twelve sexually adventurous women form a secret club that becomes the center of investigation when several men they've recruited to dominate are murdered. Turning to sex therapist Dr. Morgan Snow for grief counseling, the group may be harboring a murderer."
What I love:
1. Morgan Snow's POV is obviously different than the narrator's. The POV occasionally goes to that of the killer as well as that of the cop Noah Jordain, but Morgan's voice is more intelligent. She uses larger words, but it fits her personality. Her thoughts are complex as she delves into every angle of everything, probably digging deeper than most people would, but it fits because of her vocation.
2. Though there are no sex scenes, per se, the love scenes are perfect - hot and heavy and quite a turn-on without feeling goofy and silly.
3. The intricasies of the relationships are real. The reader understands them because they've experienced them also. Morgan and her daughter, Morgan and Noah, Morgan and her work partner/mother-figure, and even Morgan and her patients. Morgan is REAL, despite her job and tendancy to get stuck in the middle, solving violent crimes.
4. The best thing? That there's really nothing for me to say I DON'T like!
September 28, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It's a suspense thriller and though it's got a psycho killer baddie, (just tired of that old plot line), I consider it a good read. If Law and Order SVU's BD Wong character is played by a woman (the heroine) and her "love interest" would be Hartigay's character- only a man( the hero cop)- you would have this book. It's told mostly in first person, from the heroine's pov but when the psycho is on the scene it's third person. I liked this one because Morgan Snow, the heroine, is a consuler/therepist/psychologist specializing in the sexual arena. I love getting into the nitty gritty of why people do things the way they do, which is why I didn't mind the info. dumping. (Next time Show, don't tell, M J.)
There's also an entire send up on high-powered women involved in a secret club that caters to their "dominance" desires. Not out right S&M, but women who treat men like men have been treating women through the ages- in other words, women as the dominate gender-especially where sex is involved! Difficult to explain but i'm totally digging the author delving into this area of the human psyche! The pyscho killer part comes in when the male members of their club- the men who enjoy being "dominated", are being killed off. The scenes from the "club" were highly erotic, though not necessarily plentiful or explicit. I also enjoyed the romance between Morgan and her cop- although it certainly took a back seat to everything else going on.
This is a follow-up to The Halo Effect, but you can read it as a stand alone just fine.
There's also an entire send up on high-powered women involved in a secret club that caters to their "dominance" desires. Not out right S&M, but women who treat men like men have been treating women through the ages- in other words, women as the dominate gender-especially where sex is involved! Difficult to explain but i'm totally digging the author delving into this area of the human psyche! The pyscho killer part comes in when the male members of their club- the men who enjoy being "dominated", are being killed off. The scenes from the "club" were highly erotic, though not necessarily plentiful or explicit. I also enjoyed the romance between Morgan and her cop- although it certainly took a back seat to everything else going on.
This is a follow-up to The Halo Effect, but you can read it as a stand alone just fine.
November 15, 2016
I really enjoyed M.J. Rose's writing style. This is a great series so far and I think that this book was a great installment of this trilogy and I think that the author has a great knack of making you second guess yourself and wonder who is the murderer.
This book kind of picks off where the last one ends. You have Morgan Snow, a sex therapist and her daughter Dulcie. You also see Noah, the detective whom Morgan had a very short lived fling with in the last book. I really love Noah. He's a great guy, a great cook and so much more. I think he's the perfect guy to be honest. I love a man who can cook and treat a woman right!
Anyway, this story had a little romance, very little. So if you're looking for a romantic suspense, this isn't it. This is more of a mystery/suspense story about a serial murderer. I will say, the ending was not what I was expecting at all.....
Can I also just say, the "group" that was dominant throughout, wow at their extracurricular activities!
Definitely a great read.
This book kind of picks off where the last one ends. You have Morgan Snow, a sex therapist and her daughter Dulcie. You also see Noah, the detective whom Morgan had a very short lived fling with in the last book. I really love Noah. He's a great guy, a great cook and so much more. I think he's the perfect guy to be honest. I love a man who can cook and treat a woman right!
Anyway, this story had a little romance, very little. So if you're looking for a romantic suspense, this isn't it. This is more of a mystery/suspense story about a serial murderer. I will say, the ending was not what I was expecting at all.....
Can I also just say, the "group" that was dominant throughout, wow at their extracurricular activities!
Definitely a great read.
June 23, 2012
Another free Kindle read from Amazon, The Delilah Complex is a good, simple read with lots of interesting twists. This is the first book that I've read of M. J. Rose's, and I enjoyed it enough that I would certainly read the other books in this series.
Morgan Snow is a sex therapist at the prestigious Butterfield Institute in New York City. When the first of a series of gruesome murders starts happening, Snow is approached by a group of twelve women in need of grief counseling. The women belong to a secret sex club called the Scarlet Society, and the male members of this club are being murdered by a psychopath. The women reveal information that Morgan knows that she should take to the police, but she's bound by doctor/patient confidentiality. To add to the confusion, Snow has feelings for Detective Noah Jordain, the lead detective on the Scarlet Society Case.
All in all, a great book with a terrific opening that keeps you glued to the very last page.
Morgan Snow is a sex therapist at the prestigious Butterfield Institute in New York City. When the first of a series of gruesome murders starts happening, Snow is approached by a group of twelve women in need of grief counseling. The women belong to a secret sex club called the Scarlet Society, and the male members of this club are being murdered by a psychopath. The women reveal information that Morgan knows that she should take to the police, but she's bound by doctor/patient confidentiality. To add to the confusion, Snow has feelings for Detective Noah Jordain, the lead detective on the Scarlet Society Case.
All in all, a great book with a terrific opening that keeps you glued to the very last page.
August 6, 2012
Book 2 in the Butterfield Institution series, a group of women belonging to a secret society appeals to Dr Morgan Snow for therapy sessions when one of their members is apparently killed. But can she help them when there appears to be dissension within the group itself and where the members only share first names with each other? At the same time, someone appears to be kidnapping some of the members of this society and mailing photographs of their dead bodies to a reporter at a newspaper. But without the bodies actually being found, the police are stumped for clues as the body count rises.
What makes this novel more than passably interesting is the amount of psychological analysis and process that is described. It's a pretty sexually graphic book, but the sex is not gratuitous. The author does a wonderful job of keeping the suspense taut throughout.
What makes this novel more than passably interesting is the amount of psychological analysis and process that is described. It's a pretty sexually graphic book, but the sex is not gratuitous. The author does a wonderful job of keeping the suspense taut throughout.
July 1, 2012
I got this book on Audibles.com, my first audible book. I was very interested in the story line and the narrators were pretty good. I didn't know that this was the second book in the series until after I started listening to it. I was still able to follow along with the characters not knowing all about there past connections. All and all this was a good entertaining read. I would recommend this as an audible book as I listened to it in less then a day. It had me hooked, as I wanted to find out who was taking the men in the society. The ending was also a nice surprise.
August 31, 2017
Once you start with the Butterfield Institute-books you become addicted to Rose's seductive voice, thrilling plots and fascinating peek into the darker side of sex.
June 25, 2012
Awesome read!
June 6, 2018
SPOILERS BELOW--
This book fell very short for me. With the narrator being a sex therapist, I expected there to be more psychological insight to sexual behaviors and intrests, but for the most part, the story just read like a soft-core without any real psychological study. Most of Dr. Snow's observations as well as personal thoughts were pretty basic and didn't reflect the education of someone with a PhD. Additionally, most of the characters made unrealistic observations about other characters, which wound up causing inconsistencies in their personalities. I felt this was especially true for Liz/Betsy, who could tell her young coworker was in awe of her, yet she knew none of the men in the society wanted her. There were other inconsistencies in character as well.
I gave it 2 stars because it was good enough for me to actually finish. I am a sucker for crime novels, and this did have me wanting to know who did it. However, I did find the ending improbable and disappointing for several reasons. One, why would someone continue into someone's house when they see gruesome paintings through the windows? Why would she keep walking into a dungeon without calling the police? Why would she keep standing there, watching this couple go at it instead of fighting her way out of the basement? Furthermore, how could a man be so enticed by sexual activity that he ignores 4 naked men screaming and moaning around him, a sex therapist begging for help, and the pair of scissors in his wife's other hand?
This book fell very short for me. With the narrator being a sex therapist, I expected there to be more psychological insight to sexual behaviors and intrests, but for the most part, the story just read like a soft-core without any real psychological study. Most of Dr. Snow's observations as well as personal thoughts were pretty basic and didn't reflect the education of someone with a PhD. Additionally, most of the characters made unrealistic observations about other characters, which wound up causing inconsistencies in their personalities. I felt this was especially true for Liz/Betsy, who could tell her young coworker was in awe of her, yet she knew none of the men in the society wanted her. There were other inconsistencies in character as well.
I gave it 2 stars because it was good enough for me to actually finish. I am a sucker for crime novels, and this did have me wanting to know who did it. However, I did find the ending improbable and disappointing for several reasons. One, why would someone continue into someone's house when they see gruesome paintings through the windows? Why would she keep walking into a dungeon without calling the police? Why would she keep standing there, watching this couple go at it instead of fighting her way out of the basement? Furthermore, how could a man be so enticed by sexual activity that he ignores 4 naked men screaming and moaning around him, a sex therapist begging for help, and the pair of scissors in his wife's other hand?
February 18, 2023
Really enjoyed this one and got through it very quickly.
I liked the angle of the protagonist, Morgan, being a sex therapist who becomes involved in an investigation where men are being abducted and photographed dead in a very sexual way. The connection the men had and the group of women Morgan takes on as clients was also very unusual and made for compelling reading. If I had one complaint, I felt like the romance between Morgan and Noah was a little harlequin for my tastes, but it’s a small gripe and it did kind of fit in context of the back story of the other characters.
This was a random grab from a little free library that I really didn’t expect much from and knew nothing about. I think I’m going to have to track down the other books in this series now (though it works fine as a standalone).
I liked the angle of the protagonist, Morgan, being a sex therapist who becomes involved in an investigation where men are being abducted and photographed dead in a very sexual way. The connection the men had and the group of women Morgan takes on as clients was also very unusual and made for compelling reading. If I had one complaint, I felt like the romance between Morgan and Noah was a little harlequin for my tastes, but it’s a small gripe and it did kind of fit in context of the back story of the other characters.
This was a random grab from a little free library that I really didn’t expect much from and knew nothing about. I think I’m going to have to track down the other books in this series now (though it works fine as a standalone).
April 8, 2020
I have to admit that when I first started on this book my initials thoughts were centered on two words only - 'Trash' and 'Filth' - both of which could be preceded quite happily by the word 'Utter'!
However, once I got into the story, I couldn't put it down. Yes, it has issues - it was pretty easy to spot who the perpetrator was, the police seemingly do nothing to solve the case and Morgan only accidentally does. So for fans of police procedural type whodunits, this is never going to be a favourite.
But for a piece of fast-paced, easily read, attention keeping bit of entertainment, it's perfect. Maybe leave brain at the door but otherwise enjoy the story as it swiftly unfolds before your eyes.
However, once I got into the story, I couldn't put it down. Yes, it has issues - it was pretty easy to spot who the perpetrator was, the police seemingly do nothing to solve the case and Morgan only accidentally does. So for fans of police procedural type whodunits, this is never going to be a favourite.
But for a piece of fast-paced, easily read, attention keeping bit of entertainment, it's perfect. Maybe leave brain at the door but otherwise enjoy the story as it swiftly unfolds before your eyes.
January 29, 2017
The book focuses on the Club of powerful women who feel that women are looked down upon by the society. It has a good psycho killer, whose motivation for its activities truly requires a sex therapist like Morgan snow.
I felt like the book consists of characters full of hypocrisy. There is absolutely no deduction as such, but there is a lot of dumb relationships - Parent & a teenage girl, Woman & Her Godmother cum Boss, Between Lovers, etc. etc.
The book is written nicely and you would definitely like to continue reading to know about the killer till the very end. Everything apart from that is not that good.
I felt like the book consists of characters full of hypocrisy. There is absolutely no deduction as such, but there is a lot of dumb relationships - Parent & a teenage girl, Woman & Her Godmother cum Boss, Between Lovers, etc. etc.
The book is written nicely and you would definitely like to continue reading to know about the killer till the very end. Everything apart from that is not that good.
January 21, 2025
I started this in desperation because it was on my Kindle and I was between reads. It seemed far fetched and smutty but it sucked me. Like Tom Clancy and Lake Wobegone every character is gorgeous, striking, confident, chiseled, talented, and poised. Every scene is expensively furnished in antiques. Makes you want a hero or anyone in the book to be just regular, common, in a middling apartment with a 15 year old beat up couch.
But then I think I read the second half in one day because I had to know whodunit and does the hero win the day?!
But then I think I read the second half in one day because I had to know whodunit and does the hero win the day?!
March 4, 2021
Excellent story, well written
First time reading thus author, won't be the last. Enjoyed the story, although the love story is more frustrating than fulfilling, especially considering one involved is supposed to be a therapist. Great characters and plot
First time reading thus author, won't be the last. Enjoyed the story, although the love story is more frustrating than fulfilling, especially considering one involved is supposed to be a therapist. Great characters and plot
August 7, 2018
No surprises, no suspense, I guessed all the twists way ahead of time. So cliche and obvious!
March 3, 2019
This isn't a murder mystery, but it has plenty of suspense and surprises to keep you on the edge of your seat. The chemistry between Noah and Morgan sizzles on the page.
June 7, 2019
A good book to read. It lets you explore a taboo subject and gives you alternative point of view about gender dynamics
December 21, 2020
Great Book. Great Series
February 13, 2025
Really enjoyed this one, want to read the first one though. Whoops didn’t know it was a series 😂
November 16, 2012
"when you dance with the devil..."
"....the Devil don't change...you do"--one of my favorite quotes from the movie 8mm...I think that's pretty fitting of how the character of Dr. Morgan Snow is being developed in this series. But that's only one part of the story.
The main story of this novel centers around the Scarlet Society, an ultra secret sect of powerful and rich NYC women who attend meetings which is more or less a sex club. This club is different though in that the men that are there to service them are basically willing sex slaves. When a charter member of the male slave contingent goes missing and has pictures of his lifeless body sent to a reporter at the New York Times, the head of the NYC sex club gets in contact with Morgan Snow because of her involvement in the Magdelane Murder case from the previous year. They are not only upset about the men they knew intimately going missing but they're afraid for their lives as well.
At its heart this book is a sexually charged thriller. There are some twists and turns in there but I would be lying if I didn't say I knew who the criminal mastermind behind the whole plot was about half way through the book.
Some of the more graphic sexual imagery comes when the leader of the Scarlet Society sends Morgan a video tape of what the club is all about. I'm of two minds on this:
Mind 1) It almost seems as if Rose is trying really hard to get an erotic element in the book. Maybe that's my interpretation and it could be the wrong one mind you but that was my first impression.
Mind 2) going back to my quote from 8mm. I don't care how strong a person is but being a psychoanalyst, having to deal with the darkest depths of peoples minds has to take its toll on the professional. This is where I think the tapes from the Scarlet Society served their greatest purpose in the book: that of delving deeper into the character of Dr. Morgan Snow. As she watches these images of these powerful women debasing men and doing it willingly (something of a role reversal in the societal paradigms of men traditionally being in the role of power), Dr. Snow starts to reflect on her marriage and its breakup, her own sexual identity and the whirlwind of feelings she has for Noah Jordain. Hearing people's desires, fears, turn ons and turn offs for so many years has gotten to her. It's not only her mother issues that makes her have problems with relinquishing control and just letting herself go. It's the hubris that she felt her fulfilling yet vanilla sexual identity and sex life with her ex Mitch that starts to bother her not to mention that she has a problem keeping her patients torrid and disturbing stories out of her head in her own personal life. Very interesting stuff.
I will also say that the end, when we find out it was "Colonel Mustard in the study with the candlestick", that the final scene was so sexually charged that I almost found it a little ridiculous. I suppose in the confines of the book and what the main plot was that it, in a way, makes some kind of sense, but once again I go back to what I said earlier about the author trying to force an erotic/sexually charged atmosphere into the book.
In my review of the Halo effect I said something along the lines of the sex serving the story, not BEING the story, but it seems that this one takes a little step closer to trying to be a little too arousing and erotic. It really is a little step and a minor quibble but I think it's there. Once again, my own humble opinion!
I will say that once again it's well written and each character has their own distinct voice and it's a pretty entertaining novel for sure. Just a couple issues that kept it from getting a 5 star.
"....the Devil don't change...you do"--one of my favorite quotes from the movie 8mm...I think that's pretty fitting of how the character of Dr. Morgan Snow is being developed in this series. But that's only one part of the story.
The main story of this novel centers around the Scarlet Society, an ultra secret sect of powerful and rich NYC women who attend meetings which is more or less a sex club. This club is different though in that the men that are there to service them are basically willing sex slaves. When a charter member of the male slave contingent goes missing and has pictures of his lifeless body sent to a reporter at the New York Times, the head of the NYC sex club gets in contact with Morgan Snow because of her involvement in the Magdelane Murder case from the previous year. They are not only upset about the men they knew intimately going missing but they're afraid for their lives as well.
At its heart this book is a sexually charged thriller. There are some twists and turns in there but I would be lying if I didn't say I knew who the criminal mastermind behind the whole plot was about half way through the book.
Some of the more graphic sexual imagery comes when the leader of the Scarlet Society sends Morgan a video tape of what the club is all about. I'm of two minds on this:
Mind 1) It almost seems as if Rose is trying really hard to get an erotic element in the book. Maybe that's my interpretation and it could be the wrong one mind you but that was my first impression.
Mind 2) going back to my quote from 8mm. I don't care how strong a person is but being a psychoanalyst, having to deal with the darkest depths of peoples minds has to take its toll on the professional. This is where I think the tapes from the Scarlet Society served their greatest purpose in the book: that of delving deeper into the character of Dr. Morgan Snow. As she watches these images of these powerful women debasing men and doing it willingly (something of a role reversal in the societal paradigms of men traditionally being in the role of power), Dr. Snow starts to reflect on her marriage and its breakup, her own sexual identity and the whirlwind of feelings she has for Noah Jordain. Hearing people's desires, fears, turn ons and turn offs for so many years has gotten to her. It's not only her mother issues that makes her have problems with relinquishing control and just letting herself go. It's the hubris that she felt her fulfilling yet vanilla sexual identity and sex life with her ex Mitch that starts to bother her not to mention that she has a problem keeping her patients torrid and disturbing stories out of her head in her own personal life. Very interesting stuff.
I will also say that the end, when we find out it was "Colonel Mustard in the study with the candlestick", that the final scene was so sexually charged that I almost found it a little ridiculous. I suppose in the confines of the book and what the main plot was that it, in a way, makes some kind of sense, but once again I go back to what I said earlier about the author trying to force an erotic/sexually charged atmosphere into the book.
In my review of the Halo effect I said something along the lines of the sex serving the story, not BEING the story, but it seems that this one takes a little step closer to trying to be a little too arousing and erotic. It really is a little step and a minor quibble but I think it's there. Once again, my own humble opinion!
I will say that once again it's well written and each character has their own distinct voice and it's a pretty entertaining novel for sure. Just a couple issues that kept it from getting a 5 star.
January 25, 2012
This book is apparently the second in a series of mysteries involving Dr. Morgan Snow, but it stands alone just fine. In fact, the author did a good job of showing how the events of the previous book affected the characters without giving anything away for people who may want to go back and read it.
I enjoyed this book, which was a pleasant surprise after my last few experiences with free Amazon titles, but it was not without its problems.
First, I found the constant POV switching to be a confusing choice. Only Dr. Snow's scenes are in the first person. Everything else is told in the third. I suppose it was a stylistic choice, but it left me wondering just who was telling this story, which took me out of the book a bit. I preferred Dr. Snow's narrative and found myself wanting to get back to her whenever the POV switched. Dr. Snow is an interesting, smart character and I enjoyed her psychological insights into people around her.
Second, the "murderer" was much too easy to figure out. There were only two sets of characters that were plausibly behind the crimes. One was an obvious misdirect, leaving the other as the only choice by about half way through the book. Despite that, there was a twist with the ending that I certainly didn't expect and thought was pretty unique for a murder mystery.
Third, the ending. It was rather abrupt, but that was not my main problem with it. What bothered me is that it just didn't make a lot of sense. *SPOILER ALERT*
These weren't exactly minor nitpicks to me, but they didn't keep me from enjoying this book and even seeking out others in this series.
Finally, some scenes in this book were pretty sexually explicit. If that bothers you, this may not be a story you want to pick up.
I enjoyed this book, which was a pleasant surprise after my last few experiences with free Amazon titles, but it was not without its problems.
First, I found the constant POV switching to be a confusing choice. Only Dr. Snow's scenes are in the first person. Everything else is told in the third. I suppose it was a stylistic choice, but it left me wondering just who was telling this story, which took me out of the book a bit. I preferred Dr. Snow's narrative and found myself wanting to get back to her whenever the POV switched. Dr. Snow is an interesting, smart character and I enjoyed her psychological insights into people around her.
Second, the "murderer" was much too easy to figure out. There were only two sets of characters that were plausibly behind the crimes. One was an obvious misdirect, leaving the other as the only choice by about half way through the book. Despite that, there was a twist with the ending that I certainly didn't expect and thought was pretty unique for a murder mystery.
Third, the ending. It was rather abrupt, but that was not my main problem with it. What bothered me is that it just didn't make a lot of sense. *SPOILER ALERT*
These weren't exactly minor nitpicks to me, but they didn't keep me from enjoying this book and even seeking out others in this series.
Finally, some scenes in this book were pretty sexually explicit. If that bothers you, this may not be a story you want to pick up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2012
From my blog
I have read Halo Effect, the first in the trilogy and gave it a 3 but no review, this one I enjoyed even more. There are story lines that continue from one to the other but both can be read as stand alone's.
It started off with a great bondage crime scene, what a way to capture your attention immediately.
I really enjoy stories with counseling sessions, to be a fly on the wall, so real and energised. Dr. Snow is a sex therapist which her daughter calls Dr. Sin as a cute joke between them. The fascination of this story is knowing some of the dark sex secrets from The Scarlet Society and how everyone is scared with the mystery of who is involved and how is edge of your seat entertaining. Missing men that of course the women from the SS realise, so they are feeling guilty, grieving, emotionally angry with each other and then you have the other men that realise they are at risk to be the next victim.
Every character and storyline are interesting and keep you glued to the pages waiting for the outcome. I loved the additions on breaking the case and thinking they were done then BAM what a great ending. And to understand the reason behind the serial killer, fascinating, such a great Dr. Snow storyline.
I recommend this trilogy, can't wait to read the next one. Sexy, addicting, thrilling with a great ending.
Favourite quotes
You don't ever stop missing someone you have loved, you simply learn how to make the longing for them a piece of you. You learn that missing them is the part of loving them that never leaves, but that doesn't mean that every once in a while it doesn't catch you unawares and shock you with its potency.
He inflicted the kiss on me. I accepted it as my sentence. I argued with my mouth. It had not been all my fault. He had not fought back. But he was fighting back now.
I have read Halo Effect, the first in the trilogy and gave it a 3 but no review, this one I enjoyed even more. There are story lines that continue from one to the other but both can be read as stand alone's.
It started off with a great bondage crime scene, what a way to capture your attention immediately.
I really enjoy stories with counseling sessions, to be a fly on the wall, so real and energised. Dr. Snow is a sex therapist which her daughter calls Dr. Sin as a cute joke between them. The fascination of this story is knowing some of the dark sex secrets from The Scarlet Society and how everyone is scared with the mystery of who is involved and how is edge of your seat entertaining. Missing men that of course the women from the SS realise, so they are feeling guilty, grieving, emotionally angry with each other and then you have the other men that realise they are at risk to be the next victim.
Every character and storyline are interesting and keep you glued to the pages waiting for the outcome. I loved the additions on breaking the case and thinking they were done then BAM what a great ending. And to understand the reason behind the serial killer, fascinating, such a great Dr. Snow storyline.
I recommend this trilogy, can't wait to read the next one. Sexy, addicting, thrilling with a great ending.
Favourite quotes
You don't ever stop missing someone you have loved, you simply learn how to make the longing for them a piece of you. You learn that missing them is the part of loving them that never leaves, but that doesn't mean that every once in a while it doesn't catch you unawares and shock you with its potency.
He inflicted the kiss on me. I accepted it as my sentence. I argued with my mouth. It had not been all my fault. He had not fought back. But he was fighting back now.
May 2, 2013
I applaud M. J. Rose for her knowledge of the English language. She makes the world come alive with impressive and lush descriptions aided by linguistic obscurity. A couple times while reading I just had to stop and read a sentence again because the way it was pieced together sounded like poetry on my lips. I really felt engaged with the world and the characters while reading this book.
The glaring problem that I se with this book will not be a problem for everyone, so take this with a grain of salt. I found the sex to be very explicit and just made me feel dirty while reading. I actually put the book down after the first 50 pages because I was incredibly disturbed by the sexuality. This has its pros and cons. It shows that Rose knows how to draw a reader into her world. As a reader, I was supposed to be disturbed / intrigued by the Scarlet Society when it is first introduced, so my reaction was well founded in the story. I felt what Morgan Snow (the protagonist) was feeling and was engaged with the world... but I didn't like what I was feeling.
This book deserves high praise in its own right. Rose is a great author with a good handle on the English language and how develop real characters, drawing the reader into her world. It is not my preferred style of book and I'm sure this played into me being disturbed by the sex involved. Despite this, I had to pick the book up again after a couple of days because I really wanted to know what happened to Morgan Snow as a character. This proves to me that, despite it not being my preferred style of novel and my general repulsion to some of the mature content, M. J. Rose is a talented artist who deserves much praise. If you like mystery/crime-romance, and are not turned off by *very* mature content, this book is a must.
The glaring problem that I se with this book will not be a problem for everyone, so take this with a grain of salt. I found the sex to be very explicit and just made me feel dirty while reading. I actually put the book down after the first 50 pages because I was incredibly disturbed by the sexuality. This has its pros and cons. It shows that Rose knows how to draw a reader into her world. As a reader, I was supposed to be disturbed / intrigued by the Scarlet Society when it is first introduced, so my reaction was well founded in the story. I felt what Morgan Snow (the protagonist) was feeling and was engaged with the world... but I didn't like what I was feeling.
This book deserves high praise in its own right. Rose is a great author with a good handle on the English language and how develop real characters, drawing the reader into her world. It is not my preferred style of book and I'm sure this played into me being disturbed by the sex involved. Despite this, I had to pick the book up again after a couple of days because I really wanted to know what happened to Morgan Snow as a character. This proves to me that, despite it not being my preferred style of novel and my general repulsion to some of the mature content, M. J. Rose is a talented artist who deserves much praise. If you like mystery/crime-romance, and are not turned off by *very* mature content, this book is a must.
November 15, 2011
This is the first book by M.J. Rose that I have read and I was impressed. When I read a book, I want to connect with the characters quickly and I think this is one of the strengths of M.J. Rose's novel The Delilah Complex. It is easy to start rooting for Dr. Morgan Shaw as she gets drawn into a a series of "murders" that rock New York and leave the police baffled. Even though Snow is a sex-therapist, she is portrayed as a real human being, with real emotions, struggling with the same challenges most of us face in our lives (from raising a teenaged daughter to buying clothes when she is stressed out). She is easy to connect with because she doesn't drown the reader in psych-speak, but narrates in a straight-from-the-hip style that I appreciated, even as she becomes ever more deeply involved in the murders and the Scarlet Society (a secret sex club). M.J. Rose writes unabashedly about sex (the sparks practically leap from the pages as I read about the confused relationship between Snow and Detective Noah Jordain) and manages to intertwine the "psychology of love" with physical need, all the while progressing a nice little murder mystery along. I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more of Rose's work. The only reason I gave it four stars, instead of five is because I was able to figure out "who done it" about half way through the book.
Nice job M.J., keep writing!
Nice job M.J., keep writing!
February 22, 2015
Dr. Morgan Snow is a Sex Therapist and some of her patients are involved in dangerous aspects of life, after her recent case in The Halo Effect had her in clutches of a serial killer Dr. Morgan Snow has been popular than ever. After doing a TV interview reluctantly, Morgan has been contacted by a women who belongs to a secret society group called "The Scarlet Society" , the group is made up of twelve powerful women who love to dominate sexually in the bedroom. The men who come along tend to be powerful men who are dominant in the workforce but in the bedroom, they love to be made submissive. Someone is killing off their members and now the women are getting worried as their group is slowly crumbling apart. Can Morgan help the women and then in turn help the police to find out who is killing and torturing these powerful males. Also included in the storyline is a couples therapy of Nick and his wife , we discover that this couple also belongs to the Scarlet Society and the group is ruining their marriage. Is there some deeper resentments and issues going on ? Is the two cases related to the ongoing murders ?
Find out in Book #2 -The Delilah Complex, if you love Erotica Fiction as well as the suspense of thrillers and psychiatry problems , then this is up your alley of books to read.
Find out in Book #2 -The Delilah Complex, if you love Erotica Fiction as well as the suspense of thrillers and psychiatry problems , then this is up your alley of books to read.
February 8, 2012
This is the first of M.J. Rose's books that I have read & I have to say, I've found a new favorite to add to my list. I adored the characters simply because they are all flawed just like us regular human beings. I could connect with them, particularly Morgan Snow. I loved that she is a strong woman, confidant in her skills as a therapist, but, typical of nearly every parent, constantly unsure of her skills as a mother. Her daughter Dulcie is gorgeous too, but again she is flawed as a typical teenage girl can be. I could feel Morgan's fear of being let down, the pressure & loss of childhood that she had forced on her - maybe because of similarities between us but probably more because she was so well written. I wanted to kick her for not accepting Noah Jordain into her life, but I could understand. And what can I say about Noah - smart, sexy, passionate, protective & absolutely smitten. I could hear that molasses New Orleans accent every time he spoke, and the way he speaks to Morgan made me melt (one of my favorites - "You make me ache" Oh. My. God.). I fell absolutely in love! And I fell absolutely in love with the idea of them together. I can't wait to read the next in the series. Well done M.J.!
January 7, 2015
Listened to this on audible. I didn't read the first in the series, but was not at all feeling like I was missing anything. The author did a good job of putting in enough backstory that I don't feel left out. The story itself is interesting and well plotted with a nice thriller build up and ending with a fun twist. I did figure out who the killer was fairly early on, but that was okay, it was still Interesting to watch the main characters figure things out. There is definitely some character growth going on here,and I actually want to see what happens in the next story.
The only negative for me was the use of two narrators. That in itself isn't always a problem, but in this case, the audio would use a female narration in dialogue for parts that are being was by the male narrator. That's totally a personal preference as I like one narrator who "act" all the parts. Still,I got used to it and enjoyed the story.
There's some pretty explicit sexual content, so not a good one to listen to with the kids in earshot. As someone who enjoys reading and writing femme-dom in erotica, I don't get the sense the author has spent much time with a man on his knees in front of her, or would enjoy it much if she did.
The only negative for me was the use of two narrators. That in itself isn't always a problem, but in this case, the audio would use a female narration in dialogue for parts that are being was by the male narrator. That's totally a personal preference as I like one narrator who "act" all the parts. Still,I got used to it and enjoyed the story.
There's some pretty explicit sexual content, so not a good one to listen to with the kids in earshot. As someone who enjoys reading and writing femme-dom in erotica, I don't get the sense the author has spent much time with a man on his knees in front of her, or would enjoy it much if she did.
May 31, 2012
Figured out who the criminal was early on. It was quite simple, very formulaic for these suspense stories. Author throws in a lot of red herrings but there are sections of this book while on the surface appear related yet random is what gives it away. I was also able to figure out what was exactly going on with the victims but I actually enjoyed that little tidbit. It was an interesting twist to an old scenario. The main character (Morgan Snow) to be such a strong woman; therapist, mother, intelligent turns into a whiny child around her Godmother/Boss/Colleague/conflict of all kinds of interest and seems to become completely clueless as the book progresses. Then there is her daughter who is conveniently never at home because she decided to stay with her dad a little while longer or it was his week to keep her. When she finally is involved in the story, its some after-school special type scene. I was thoroughly disgusted by that aspect. It was not moving in any way. I wasn't much interested in Dr. Snow but the descriptions of the crimes in progress were much more interesting. The ending kind of fizzled out. It was a good for a Kindle freebie though.
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