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Jack Stratton #1
Girl Jacked
"Jack knew pain. They were old friends. He knew only one way to deal with pain. Hunt it down and kill it."
Police Officer Jack Stratton is hiding. Hiding from the world. From pain. From the memories of losing his best friend, Chandler, in Iraq. Suffering from PTSD and isolated from those he cares about, the last thing Jack expects to hear is his foster sister Michelle, Chandler’s sister, is gone. The words cut straight to his core. Although the police think she just took off, he knows Michelle would never leave those she loved behind–like he did. Now he must take action, find Michelle, and bring her home or die trying.
The first novel in the Jack Stratton Collection introduces us to handsome rogue, Jack Stratton. A debt of honor to his dead foster brother drives Jack into a world of deception and lies. As Jack’s walls begin to crumble, he must navigate the quirky characters that seep into the mystery of his foster sister’s disappearance. And in the sleepy community of Darrington, like so many places in this world, nothing is as it appears. The hidden mysteries that often go unnoticed begin to emerge as Jack and his new unpredictable sidekick begin to turn over the rocks. Following a trail that has grown cold, Jack must tread carefully to protect his job, his family, and his life.
This stand-alone novel features rogue hero Jack Stratton. Look for other books in the Jack Stratton Collection including Jack Knifed, Jacks are Wild, and now Jack and the Giant Killer. They can be read in any order, however, they are best experienced in sequence.
Police Officer Jack Stratton is hiding. Hiding from the world. From pain. From the memories of losing his best friend, Chandler, in Iraq. Suffering from PTSD and isolated from those he cares about, the last thing Jack expects to hear is his foster sister Michelle, Chandler’s sister, is gone. The words cut straight to his core. Although the police think she just took off, he knows Michelle would never leave those she loved behind–like he did. Now he must take action, find Michelle, and bring her home or die trying.
The first novel in the Jack Stratton Collection introduces us to handsome rogue, Jack Stratton. A debt of honor to his dead foster brother drives Jack into a world of deception and lies. As Jack’s walls begin to crumble, he must navigate the quirky characters that seep into the mystery of his foster sister’s disappearance. And in the sleepy community of Darrington, like so many places in this world, nothing is as it appears. The hidden mysteries that often go unnoticed begin to emerge as Jack and his new unpredictable sidekick begin to turn over the rocks. Following a trail that has grown cold, Jack must tread carefully to protect his job, his family, and his life.
This stand-alone novel features rogue hero Jack Stratton. Look for other books in the Jack Stratton Collection including Jack Knifed, Jacks are Wild, and now Jack and the Giant Killer. They can be read in any order, however, they are best experienced in sequence.
264 pages, ebook
First published July 31, 2013
7152 people are currently reading
4233 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Greyson
64 books1,078 followersMy name is Christopher Greyson, and I am a storyteller.
Since I was a little boy, I have dreamt of what mystery was around the next corner, or what quest lay over the hill. If I couldn’t find an adventure, one usually found me, and now I weave those tales into my stories. I am blessed to have written over twenty novels.
My love for tales of mystery and adventure began with my grandfather, a decorated World War I hero. I will never forget being introduced to his friend, a WWI pilot who flew across the skies at the same time as the feared, legendary Red Baron. My love of reading and storytelling eventually led me to write and it’s the best job I’ve ever had.
I love to hear from my readers. Please visit ChristopherGreyson.com, where you can become a preferred reader, download an exclusive Jack Stratton mystery, and receive advanced notifications of book releases and more! Please follow Detective Jack Stratton on Twitter @chris_greyson and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherG.... Thank you for reading my novels. I hope my stories have brightened your day.
Sincerely,
Christopher Greyson
Since I was a little boy, I have dreamt of what mystery was around the next corner, or what quest lay over the hill. If I couldn’t find an adventure, one usually found me, and now I weave those tales into my stories. I am blessed to have written over twenty novels.
My love for tales of mystery and adventure began with my grandfather, a decorated World War I hero. I will never forget being introduced to his friend, a WWI pilot who flew across the skies at the same time as the feared, legendary Red Baron. My love of reading and storytelling eventually led me to write and it’s the best job I’ve ever had.
I love to hear from my readers. Please visit ChristopherGreyson.com, where you can become a preferred reader, download an exclusive Jack Stratton mystery, and receive advanced notifications of book releases and more! Please follow Detective Jack Stratton on Twitter @chris_greyson and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherG.... Thank you for reading my novels. I hope my stories have brightened your day.
Sincerely,
Christopher Greyson
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 583 reviews
May 6, 2014
I picked up Christopher Greyson’s book ‘Girl Jacked’ after seeing the glowing reviews on the Amazon website.
While you could classify it as a mystery thriller, it doesn't conform to some norms in this genre. As in any mystery novel, you expect your sleuths to engage their wits in uncovering the perpetrator of a heinous crime or murder. That is a given. However, in 'Girl Jacked,' this heinous crime/murder is not confirmed till you've read about a third of the book. This in no way takes away from the beauty of this story as we get to root for the main protagonists: Jack Stratton and Alice a.k.a Replacement. Officer Jack Stratton has to find the killer of his foster sister, Michelle and clear her good name which is tarnished by the incidents surrounding her death.
Greyson writes in a way that is vivid and puts the reader smack bang in the middle of the action taking place on the page. The dialogue in the book is witty and fast paced. There was a lot of internal monologue in the book that served to add value to the action taking place. I haven’t seen this much use of internal monologue in a while and some people might find it distracting but I got used to it after a few pages.
I found the chemistry between Jack and Replacement was akin to a big brother and his little sister although there were moments when the sexual tension between them was a bit uncomfortable. Replacement is a worthy side-kick and I believe inherits some of the author’s background in the Computer Science world. Don’t expect to delight in guessing ‘whodunit’ as you read this book but rather enjoy the evolving relationship between Jack and Replacement as they discover a world filled with inflated egos, sadistic ambitions and barbaric violence.
I’ll be reading the other books in this series and have a feeling it’s only going to get better and better.
While you could classify it as a mystery thriller, it doesn't conform to some norms in this genre. As in any mystery novel, you expect your sleuths to engage their wits in uncovering the perpetrator of a heinous crime or murder. That is a given. However, in 'Girl Jacked,' this heinous crime/murder is not confirmed till you've read about a third of the book. This in no way takes away from the beauty of this story as we get to root for the main protagonists: Jack Stratton and Alice a.k.a Replacement. Officer Jack Stratton has to find the killer of his foster sister, Michelle and clear her good name which is tarnished by the incidents surrounding her death.
Greyson writes in a way that is vivid and puts the reader smack bang in the middle of the action taking place on the page. The dialogue in the book is witty and fast paced. There was a lot of internal monologue in the book that served to add value to the action taking place. I haven’t seen this much use of internal monologue in a while and some people might find it distracting but I got used to it after a few pages.
I found the chemistry between Jack and Replacement was akin to a big brother and his little sister although there were moments when the sexual tension between them was a bit uncomfortable. Replacement is a worthy side-kick and I believe inherits some of the author’s background in the Computer Science world. Don’t expect to delight in guessing ‘whodunit’ as you read this book but rather enjoy the evolving relationship between Jack and Replacement as they discover a world filled with inflated egos, sadistic ambitions and barbaric violence.
I’ll be reading the other books in this series and have a feeling it’s only going to get better and better.
May 20, 2014
This mystery had a lot of good elements. Jack Stratton is a flawed but interesting character. The sidekick character was intriguing, but we didn't get much introduction. Still, I was interested and kept reading despite the very distracting need for a good copy edit. The main problem was the lack of commas. (For example, "Get him Jack" and "Get him, Jack" mean entirely different things.) I found myself skipping through to avoid the issues and to get the main idea.
October 31, 2014
I really enjoyed reading this book. In "Girl Jacked", "Jack Stratton" a late 20's something police officer, and the product of the child welfare services system since the age of 7. But was he "Jack Stratton" ? No, he didn't know. Luckily his adoptive parents named him as they saw fit to. One of Jack's former foster sisters shows up one night unannounced at his apartment but finds Jack's jealous girlfriend Gina. Gina explodes a wonderful late night scene for Jack's landlady. Coming home from being on duty Jack steps into one wild scene. Jack knew this foster sister as "Replacement", and not her actual given name. Replacement who at just 19 years old, has come to inform Jack of the disappearance of another foster sister, Michelle. Jack and Replacement head out in search of Michelle. They know she was attending a local college as a computer major. Jack finds out Michelle was on a special team setting up the computer system for a new state of the art psychology center. Jack needs to interview Doctors Hahn, and Franklin who run the center. It seems Michelle for no apparent reason decides to transfer to a college far far away. But did she ?, and why ? Before long Michelle's car turns up badly damaged and then Michelle turns up dead. A pretty good story line keeps this yarn moving at a quick pace. The book reads very quickly. It's enjoyable characters are well developed and have some snappy dialog. Jack does find out what Replacement's name as the mystery goes along. This is the first in a series of Jack Stratton mysteries by Christopher Greyson. Todate there are 3 books in the series. I'd recommend this book "Girl Jacked" to those who like a quick and easy moving mystery. It's simple in it's plot which is an advantage to reading a series like this. It's easy to move into the next book and on. 5 stars out of a possible 5 stars. I liked it. Give it a read, you'll like it as well. I'm already well into the second book of the series. Fun reading.
April 24, 2017
I was fortunate to have read the recently published prequel And Then She Was Gone
to this book before reading this, the first book in the series. I think I had a richer experience reading this book because the prequel introduced me not only to Jack Stratton as a 17 year old with plans to go to the military to earn money for college and to then to go to college as a criminal justice major and then the police academy but to his foster brother Chandler, Chandler's sister Michelle, Aunt Haddie-a sweet black lady who worked 2 jobs so to care for foster kids, and Alice who preferred to be called Replacement. Those would just be names to me if I had not grown to love and care for them in the prequel.
In this book we see an even more wounded Jack. He had spent his first 7 years with his neglectful hooker mother in whore houses until she abandoned him. He didn't even know his real name (she had just called him Boy, Kid, and a variety of curses) or birthday. He was white but lived with sweet, compassionate black Aunt Haddie who knew just how to love traumatized kids. He got adopted to a white couple after 4 years but both he and the couple stayed close to Aunt Haddie. Reading about her in the prequel made me wish she could be my Aunt Haddie too! Chandler and Michelle were biological brother and sister who were Aunt Haddie's foster kids and Replacement was a 11 year old girl who became Aunt Haddie's foster daughter the year Jack and Chandler finished high school.
When we catch up with Jack at the beginning of this book, he had finished his military service in Iraq, gotten a 4 year college degree in criminal justice, graduated from the police academy and is now a rookie cop. It is shocking to learn that he has not visited Aunt Haddie, Michelle, and Replacement/Alice since he left the army though he lives very near. It is because he blamed himself for the death of Chandler, that gentle bear of a man, despite the fact that he did not cause Chandler's death.
Aunt Haddie, in the early stages of Alzheimer's, is in a nursing home now. Replacement is homeless and living in an indoor storage bin. Michelle had taught herself about computers and at age 24 had gone off to college nearby on a full work scholarship at the psychology/neuropsychology center on campus where she has a roommate that looks like Little Lulu. Then suddenly before Christmas, she disappears. Aunt Haddie places a missing persons report and tells Replacement to go find Jack and ask him to help.
Jack has been living a self-destructive life, still angry and upset at his biological mother after 20 years, and wrongly blaming himself for Chandler's death. He is less than thrilled when Replacement shows up, doesn't remember her (which is weird since he knew her well only 6 years earlier), and doesn't want to get involved but Replacement guilt-trips him into it.
He soon becomes intrigued and begins looking for clues. People at the college- including security, the creepy room mate, and two weird professors- act suspiciously. They try to convince him that Michelle suddenly changed colleges to go to one thousands of miles away in California, a place where no has laid eyes on. Together Jack and Replacement work to find what has happened to Michelle.
I got this very unique mystery at Kindle Unlimited on Amazon.
to this book before reading this, the first book in the series. I think I had a richer experience reading this book because the prequel introduced me not only to Jack Stratton as a 17 year old with plans to go to the military to earn money for college and to then to go to college as a criminal justice major and then the police academy but to his foster brother Chandler, Chandler's sister Michelle, Aunt Haddie-a sweet black lady who worked 2 jobs so to care for foster kids, and Alice who preferred to be called Replacement. Those would just be names to me if I had not grown to love and care for them in the prequel.In this book we see an even more wounded Jack. He had spent his first 7 years with his neglectful hooker mother in whore houses until she abandoned him. He didn't even know his real name (she had just called him Boy, Kid, and a variety of curses) or birthday. He was white but lived with sweet, compassionate black Aunt Haddie who knew just how to love traumatized kids. He got adopted to a white couple after 4 years but both he and the couple stayed close to Aunt Haddie. Reading about her in the prequel made me wish she could be my Aunt Haddie too! Chandler and Michelle were biological brother and sister who were Aunt Haddie's foster kids and Replacement was a 11 year old girl who became Aunt Haddie's foster daughter the year Jack and Chandler finished high school.
When we catch up with Jack at the beginning of this book, he had finished his military service in Iraq, gotten a 4 year college degree in criminal justice, graduated from the police academy and is now a rookie cop. It is shocking to learn that he has not visited Aunt Haddie, Michelle, and Replacement/Alice since he left the army though he lives very near. It is because he blamed himself for the death of Chandler, that gentle bear of a man, despite the fact that he did not cause Chandler's death.
Aunt Haddie, in the early stages of Alzheimer's, is in a nursing home now. Replacement is homeless and living in an indoor storage bin. Michelle had taught herself about computers and at age 24 had gone off to college nearby on a full work scholarship at the psychology/neuropsychology center on campus where she has a roommate that looks like Little Lulu. Then suddenly before Christmas, she disappears. Aunt Haddie places a missing persons report and tells Replacement to go find Jack and ask him to help.
Jack has been living a self-destructive life, still angry and upset at his biological mother after 20 years, and wrongly blaming himself for Chandler's death. He is less than thrilled when Replacement shows up, doesn't remember her (which is weird since he knew her well only 6 years earlier), and doesn't want to get involved but Replacement guilt-trips him into it.
He soon becomes intrigued and begins looking for clues. People at the college- including security, the creepy room mate, and two weird professors- act suspiciously. They try to convince him that Michelle suddenly changed colleges to go to one thousands of miles away in California, a place where no has laid eyes on. Together Jack and Replacement work to find what has happened to Michelle.
I got this very unique mystery at Kindle Unlimited on Amazon.
September 13, 2014
This wasn’t a bad book nor a good one. It was just okay.
I never really got ‘into’ Grayson’s main characters – Jack and Alice (aka Replacement) – as they try to uncover who killed Michelle, a woman from the same foster care family.
There was some tension throughout the book, but not enough to get my breath racing and my heart pounding.
On the positive side, Grayson wrote one of the best climaxes I’ve read recently.
Christopher Grayson is not an author I’d hunt down to read but I won’t bypass his books if they come my way.
I never really got ‘into’ Grayson’s main characters – Jack and Alice (aka Replacement) – as they try to uncover who killed Michelle, a woman from the same foster care family.
There was some tension throughout the book, but not enough to get my breath racing and my heart pounding.
On the positive side, Grayson wrote one of the best climaxes I’ve read recently.
Christopher Grayson is not an author I’d hunt down to read but I won’t bypass his books if they come my way.
February 23, 2017
Most painful book. I didn't finish it. I just wanted to smack the main character continuously for being such a jerk. Waste of time.
January 24, 2023
The subtle colors of the pretty cover do signify to me that a mystery is waiting to be solved in Girl Jacked by Christopher Greyson. This is a standalone book in the Detective Jack Stratton Mystery Thriller Series and I am loving it. It left me craving more of Jack…and his sidekick, Replacement. Does the name make you curious? This is a must meet character!
Detective Jack Stratton is a damaged character filled with self loathing. I think he is way too hard on himself. He was raised by a foster family and I love that Haddie, the foster mother, did not care what color they were, she loved them all. Twenty seven to be exact. He had served in Iraq, and lost his foster brother and best friend in action. His nightmares haunt him.
Haddie had every belief that, “Jack will find Michelle.”
“You suck” one of the chapter headings made me smile.
Two ‘women’ have their opinions about Jack. When I found out why woman #1 said it, I couldn’t help but smile. And woman #2, well, she is here to stay. I immediately loved her. She is bright, persistent, determined, loyal…and so adorable. When Christopher Greyson describes some of her actions, I can SEE her. I smiled, I laughed, sometimes had tears in my eyes, and, at times, my heart breaks for her…and Jack. She feels he is Batman, but he feels he is a failure.
The humor added to the mystery, suspense and thrills, made me so happy I had finally ‘cracked the spine’ on Girl Jacked by Christopher Greyson. The characters, good and bad, are richly developed, with their actions described in vivid detail, sharing all the good, the bad and, the ugly.
The mystery of Michelle, the danger and suspense of the journey for answers, took second place to the characters. It is rare when they shine so brightly to me, but I fell in love with Replacement, especially, but Jack too. To watch them heal, grow, and change into richer characters, leaves me wanting more…and more. Any book that can end with me having tears in my eyes is a winner!
Detective Jack Stratton is a damaged character filled with self loathing. I think he is way too hard on himself. He was raised by a foster family and I love that Haddie, the foster mother, did not care what color they were, she loved them all. Twenty seven to be exact. He had served in Iraq, and lost his foster brother and best friend in action. His nightmares haunt him.
Haddie had every belief that, “Jack will find Michelle.”
“You suck” one of the chapter headings made me smile.
Two ‘women’ have their opinions about Jack. When I found out why woman #1 said it, I couldn’t help but smile. And woman #2, well, she is here to stay. I immediately loved her. She is bright, persistent, determined, loyal…and so adorable. When Christopher Greyson describes some of her actions, I can SEE her. I smiled, I laughed, sometimes had tears in my eyes, and, at times, my heart breaks for her…and Jack. She feels he is Batman, but he feels he is a failure.
The humor added to the mystery, suspense and thrills, made me so happy I had finally ‘cracked the spine’ on Girl Jacked by Christopher Greyson. The characters, good and bad, are richly developed, with their actions described in vivid detail, sharing all the good, the bad and, the ugly.
The mystery of Michelle, the danger and suspense of the journey for answers, took second place to the characters. It is rare when they shine so brightly to me, but I fell in love with Replacement, especially, but Jack too. To watch them heal, grow, and change into richer characters, leaves me wanting more…and more. Any book that can end with me having tears in my eyes is a winner!
November 26, 2013
"Deep down inside Jack knew he was a violent man."
What a great start to a new crime/thriller series!
Exciting, thrill-a-minute story; engaging characters; snappy dialogue - all come together in "Girl Jacked" by author Greyson.
There's a bit of police procedural, crime drama, murder mystery, along with the antics of the two protagonists - Jack Stratton, a cop on a downward spiral until his foster sister Alice aka Replacement comes back into his life. I loved Replacement. She's my favorite new character in a novel in a long time. She's got huevos the size of beach balls.
Short chapters and fast paced action let me zoom through this story in just a few hours. I am already looking forward to the next book in the Jack Stratton series - "Jack-Knifed."
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
What a great start to a new crime/thriller series!
Exciting, thrill-a-minute story; engaging characters; snappy dialogue - all come together in "Girl Jacked" by author Greyson.
There's a bit of police procedural, crime drama, murder mystery, along with the antics of the two protagonists - Jack Stratton, a cop on a downward spiral until his foster sister Alice aka Replacement comes back into his life. I loved Replacement. She's my favorite new character in a novel in a long time. She's got huevos the size of beach balls.
Short chapters and fast paced action let me zoom through this story in just a few hours. I am already looking forward to the next book in the Jack Stratton series - "Jack-Knifed."
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
October 19, 2013
First off let me say I usually run the other way when I see mystery novels. Every one I read seems to have the Noir style and a character that came out of the 1960's. I was completely surprised when I read the sample on amazon and I was hooked. The Main character Jack Stratton is very believable. He feels like what you would expect from a person who has his own issues that define who he is. The internal conflict that he displays just makes the character feel more rounded. Unlike most mysteries I found few areas that dragged on. This book was hard to put down, and kept me turning pages till I finished it. This was a refreshing mystery, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a refreshing mystery novel.
February 26, 2017
Boring story. Stereotypical characters. Horrible writing: "She’d come back that morning with her hair trimmed and colored. Her medium-brown hair was now almost black. Her shoulder-length hair hung down." Slush pile.
November 12, 2017
Fair read
An enjoyable read, recommend consideration. Rm
An enjoyable read, recommend consideration. Rm
February 2, 2022
What a treat to read this series! I love this imaginative author. He is pure hearted! Jack is fully fleshed out. I promise you will be entertained for a long time to come!
What's your ETA=estimated time of arrival
What's your ETA=estimated time of arrival
January 17, 2016
This book is one seriously complicated action packed mystery. It's one story that will take you on a journey of lies, deception, death, family and friendship. It'll pretty much keep you guessing right up to the very end.
The story line is great and it's written wonderfully. Each chapter keeps you guessing and it's a must flip to the next page gotta see what happens next kind of story. I kept wanting to call 911 for them. Ducking, cringing, and crying out in pain are all something this book makes you want to do while reading it.
The charters are very well written and defined. They know their parts well. I can't wait to read book two Jacked Knifed. This story is not a cliffhanger but book two appears to be a continuation of book one. I think that's another great thing about this story NO Cliffhanger :0)
I know these books are kind of old but this is the first time I've read one in the series I think it's safe to say I'm hooked. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone that loves a good mystery/thriller.
The story line is great and it's written wonderfully. Each chapter keeps you guessing and it's a must flip to the next page gotta see what happens next kind of story. I kept wanting to call 911 for them. Ducking, cringing, and crying out in pain are all something this book makes you want to do while reading it.
The charters are very well written and defined. They know their parts well. I can't wait to read book two Jacked Knifed. This story is not a cliffhanger but book two appears to be a continuation of book one. I think that's another great thing about this story NO Cliffhanger :0)
I know these books are kind of old but this is the first time I've read one in the series I think it's safe to say I'm hooked. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone that loves a good mystery/thriller.
January 4, 2016
Great book
A lot of suspenseful chapters, exciting all the way thru. I will continue to read these books. I enjoyed this story
A lot of suspenseful chapters, exciting all the way thru. I will continue to read these books. I enjoyed this story
March 7, 2018
An excellent whodunit! This fast-paced whodunit keeps you guessing. I really enjoyed the book and recommend it.
July 10, 2020
Girl Jacked is book one in the Jack Stratton series by Christopher Greyson. Police Officer Jack Stratton through he could not get any more pain. However, he was wrong. Jack Stratton foster sister Michelle went missing, and the local law enforcement will not investigate due to the believe that she as only taken off without telling anyone. Jack did not believe that Michelle will disappear without telling her family where she was going. Jack decided to look into Michelle disappearance himself. The readers of Girl Jacked will you continue to follow Jack Stratton's investigation to find out what happens.
Girl Jacked is the first book I have read of Christopher Greyson. Girl Jacked is an enjoyable book to read. I love Christopher Greyson portrayal of his characters and the way they intertwine with each other throughout this book. Girl Jacked is well written and researched by Christopher Greyson. I like Christopher Greyson description of the settings of Girl Jacked that allows me to imagine being part of the plot of this book.
The readers of Girl Jacked will learn about some of the long term consequences of PTSD on suffers and the people around then. Also, the Girl Jacked will learn about law enforcement missing person investigation.
I recommend this book.
Girl Jacked is the first book I have read of Christopher Greyson. Girl Jacked is an enjoyable book to read. I love Christopher Greyson portrayal of his characters and the way they intertwine with each other throughout this book. Girl Jacked is well written and researched by Christopher Greyson. I like Christopher Greyson description of the settings of Girl Jacked that allows me to imagine being part of the plot of this book.
The readers of Girl Jacked will learn about some of the long term consequences of PTSD on suffers and the people around then. Also, the Girl Jacked will learn about law enforcement missing person investigation.
I recommend this book.
July 9, 2014
Jack Stratton, an Iraqi war veteran working as a police officer, is called on to track down his missing foster sister. The task proves far more complicated than it first seems.
I didn’t realize this was such a popular title when I picked it (I usually try to give reviews to books that need them more). However, once I started reading I didn’t want to put the book down. The plot speeds along at a cracking pace, and Mr. Greyson manages to add layer upon layer of backstory to his two main characters—Jack Stratton, and Alice--the eighteen-year-old sister of his foster brother, best friend, and Iraqi comrade in arms. The author pulls off a clever sleight of hand here, because these two characters start off pretty two-dimensional, and end up multi-faceted.
The plot twists and turns, covering a lot of ground and comes to a satisfactory ending which sets up the future books in the series. There is no doubt that these two characters have a lot of books in them.
Disclaimer: This review was originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. I may have received a free review copy.
I didn’t realize this was such a popular title when I picked it (I usually try to give reviews to books that need them more). However, once I started reading I didn’t want to put the book down. The plot speeds along at a cracking pace, and Mr. Greyson manages to add layer upon layer of backstory to his two main characters—Jack Stratton, and Alice--the eighteen-year-old sister of his foster brother, best friend, and Iraqi comrade in arms. The author pulls off a clever sleight of hand here, because these two characters start off pretty two-dimensional, and end up multi-faceted.
The plot twists and turns, covering a lot of ground and comes to a satisfactory ending which sets up the future books in the series. There is no doubt that these two characters have a lot of books in them.
Disclaimer: This review was originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. I may have received a free review copy.
June 14, 2017
This book is a quick read with characters that suck you in. Jack is a great leading man with smarts and skills to back himself up. Replacement is a quirky girl still trying to find herself with great skills and dedication. Seeing them paired together made for a very interesting mystery that begged to be solved. The whole time I was hoping that they’d find Michelle and everything would work out, but the mystery lover knew that something wasn’t right and everything was more complicated than it seemed. This is a solid novel and well worth the time it took to devour the pages. It’s not a traditional mystery or cop fiction but it will leave you wanting more.
November 13, 2013
Girl Jaked got me hooked for the next book. It is not only a thrilling mystery; it is a character study of two lovable - in spite of their hang-ups - people. the characters are all well developed and the descriptions are written works of art. I was impressed with the respectful approach to God, even though the hero isn't a Christian. The last traumatic scene was very impressive too.
August 2, 2015
I like reading a book or a series of books that grab me immediately and hold me to the very end. This was not one of them. The storyline was good and the ending was very good. However it took way too long to really get into the book. The characters were interesting but in my opinion way too much time was spent on the main characters thoughts and feelings.
April 20, 2014
Enjoyable and compelling read. A bit long in the tooth at times when it comes to description but the author does a very good job of character, atmosphere, and plot development. If you enjoy a mystery this book will not disappoint.
January 7, 2017
SO bad. Simplistic writing, annoying characters, hilariously ludicrous climax.
February 2, 2018
Girl Jacked by Christopher Greyson
Detective Jack Stratton series Book #1
2.5 ★
The author has a good idea here for the plot, and I believe the character of Detective Jack Stratton will eventually work into something on the order of the other well read detective series. I just found the story to be delivered rather raggedly and awkwardly. I will certainly try a second book in this series as I believe it has a great deal of promise.
Detective Jack Stratton series Book #1
2.5 ★
The author has a good idea here for the plot, and I believe the character of Detective Jack Stratton will eventually work into something on the order of the other well read detective series. I just found the story to be delivered rather raggedly and awkwardly. I will certainly try a second book in this series as I believe it has a great deal of promise.
April 10, 2023
Interesting story. Fast paced. Jack is awesome.
Alice annoys the snot out of me. I really hope she doesn’t become Jack’s love interest in the series, especially since her initial relationship is painted more like another sister.
Alice annoys the snot out of me. I really hope she doesn’t become Jack’s love interest in the series, especially since her initial relationship is painted more like another sister.
May 3, 2014
I'm going to confuse you a bit by saying I loved and hated this book at the same time.
Here's what I loved about it. The lead character, Jack Stratton, was written in a way that although you want to dislike this book, your attention gets jacked and you can't put the darn thing down. Some who read this might find the next sentence disturbing. The glue that holds this book together is the relationship with Jack and Replacement. It's their prior relationship that may get a little sticky, but hey. We're talking today's time and something like this can really happen and it didn't bother me one bit. By the fifth or sixth chapter in, Christopher Greyson had me rooting for the pair. Any book that can make you care about the main characters is all right in my book.
Here's what disappointed me, but only slightly, as well as I'm aware that this disappointment had to do more to my personal liking for a book to be considered a five star read. It's light! There was enough levity that you find yourself smiling at points. I wished Greyson could have taken this book a little deeper. If he had, I think this book would have been great. But there was enough in it to where you do finish it satisfied AND you think to yourself, okay, I need to buy the next book in the series.
I love for books to make me laugh out loud or bug my eyes out in shock or read a twist in the plot that I didn't see coming. You know what I mean, right? The kind of reading that makes you sit up and pay closer attention while your finger anxiously awaits to turn the page or push that little button on your Kindle. But when you consider today's market, including some of Lee Child's books, this book is right up there with them. Don't shoot the messenger, but come on. I'm sure you read a Reacher novel and wanted a little bit more and for it not to read like the books before it only to reach the end to find that it doesn't.
At times Jack is a little clueless and you can see the set up. Still I say this book was written well enough and with enough suspense dangling here and there to be quite enjoyable.
I recommend this book for anyone who loves an entertaining light read. I think you will truly enjoy it. And for you, Mr. Greyson. Deeper please! A little deeper and this book would no doubt sell millions. Now I'm off to read Jack Knife, the next in the series, because as I said, my attention has been snatched against my will!
Bravo!
Here's what I loved about it. The lead character, Jack Stratton, was written in a way that although you want to dislike this book, your attention gets jacked and you can't put the darn thing down. Some who read this might find the next sentence disturbing. The glue that holds this book together is the relationship with Jack and Replacement. It's their prior relationship that may get a little sticky, but hey. We're talking today's time and something like this can really happen and it didn't bother me one bit. By the fifth or sixth chapter in, Christopher Greyson had me rooting for the pair. Any book that can make you care about the main characters is all right in my book.
Here's what disappointed me, but only slightly, as well as I'm aware that this disappointment had to do more to my personal liking for a book to be considered a five star read. It's light! There was enough levity that you find yourself smiling at points. I wished Greyson could have taken this book a little deeper. If he had, I think this book would have been great. But there was enough in it to where you do finish it satisfied AND you think to yourself, okay, I need to buy the next book in the series.
I love for books to make me laugh out loud or bug my eyes out in shock or read a twist in the plot that I didn't see coming. You know what I mean, right? The kind of reading that makes you sit up and pay closer attention while your finger anxiously awaits to turn the page or push that little button on your Kindle. But when you consider today's market, including some of Lee Child's books, this book is right up there with them. Don't shoot the messenger, but come on. I'm sure you read a Reacher novel and wanted a little bit more and for it not to read like the books before it only to reach the end to find that it doesn't.
At times Jack is a little clueless and you can see the set up. Still I say this book was written well enough and with enough suspense dangling here and there to be quite enjoyable.
I recommend this book for anyone who loves an entertaining light read. I think you will truly enjoy it. And for you, Mr. Greyson. Deeper please! A little deeper and this book would no doubt sell millions. Now I'm off to read Jack Knife, the next in the series, because as I said, my attention has been snatched against my will!
Bravo!
May 15, 2019
He's no Michael Connelly and I hate comparing authors, but since I read mostly authors like Connelly, Robert Dugoni, Lee Child, Laura Lippman, Harlan Coben and the like, it's hard not to. I used 3 credits and ordered 3 books based on rave reviews from this site and while I won't say I 100% regret them - I wouldn't have missed out on anything had I chosen not to read this author. I read a lot (or listen to audio a lot) and I have a lot of throw-away reading experiences under my belt - stuff I can barely remember, barely remember who wrote it, etc - but the authors I just listed, I never forget anything they write. That's what separates the greats from the good, or mediocre. Harlan Coben's fallen from grace with his most recent book, but other than that, he's always been 100% stellar material.
To start off with, the writing wasn't terrible but it again feels geared more towards a 17-21 yr old reader base. Unfortunately, I already used 3 credits for 3 books so I have to download the next one, but I'm hoping it gets better. I read the prequel and Book 1, so perhaps Book 2 will be better,
Jack is kind of annoying. Replacement is almost unbearable strictly based on her nickname. Even with reading the prequel, I still don't like the name, it has a ring of zero authenticity to it. Like the writer was trying too hard to make a character's name unforgettable. Unforgettably stupid! The theme of foster kids banding together and living under a warm, loving single woman's roof also suffers from disbelief - how many single women are allowed to foster, and what state is this in? I don't even know where this is! And the stories of how they suffered and had no money for rent, etc - foster care tends to pay REALLY well and she had alot of kids, so again - baffling. The moments of romantic tension, for lack of a better phrase, between the two was almost like witnessing cousins see each other in the buff. It was disturbing. I don't see them as a couple and I HOPE they don't become one bc if anything, they're more like siblings. If he meant to write them as a potential romance, I think it backfired horribly. Remember when you saw your parents in bed?(egads!) That kind of horrible. LOL.
The story ended with a bang...heh heh. Other than that, this is more for young adults.
To start off with, the writing wasn't terrible but it again feels geared more towards a 17-21 yr old reader base. Unfortunately, I already used 3 credits for 3 books so I have to download the next one, but I'm hoping it gets better. I read the prequel and Book 1, so perhaps Book 2 will be better,
Jack is kind of annoying. Replacement is almost unbearable strictly based on her nickname. Even with reading the prequel, I still don't like the name, it has a ring of zero authenticity to it. Like the writer was trying too hard to make a character's name unforgettable. Unforgettably stupid! The theme of foster kids banding together and living under a warm, loving single woman's roof also suffers from disbelief - how many single women are allowed to foster, and what state is this in? I don't even know where this is! And the stories of how they suffered and had no money for rent, etc - foster care tends to pay REALLY well and she had alot of kids, so again - baffling. The moments of romantic tension, for lack of a better phrase, between the two was almost like witnessing cousins see each other in the buff. It was disturbing. I don't see them as a couple and I HOPE they don't become one bc if anything, they're more like siblings. If he meant to write them as a potential romance, I think it backfired horribly. Remember when you saw your parents in bed?(egads!) That kind of horrible. LOL.
The story ended with a bang...heh heh. Other than that, this is more for young adults.
March 7, 2014
Protagonist Jack Stratton has been a police officer for 3 years, and he served a tour of duty in Afghanistan, where his best friend since they were together in foster placement as children was killed. He's got PTSD, exhibiting itself in nightmares, bouts of depression, blackout drinking, and disfunctional relationships with poorly-selected women. He takes umpteen police training courses paid for by his employer, hoping one day to become FBI or CIA. Then he learns his deceased best friend's sister goes missing from college. He decides to find her, although it's not his job, since the assigned detective is more interested in fishing and planning his retirement than closing cases. An 18 year old enters the mix, she's also been fostered by the same kindly lady, and she is homeless. They share an apartment, and a penchant for annoying each other. Turns out the missing girl was murdered, as were a growing number of missing persons. There is a tie to the local small private college, and the Psychology Center. The director turns out to be a mad scientist, researching the missing parts of the brain that give us a spiritual component. Using an ultra-powerful MRI, monitors the effects of drugs like methamphetamine on the brain. He concludes that infliction of pain on human subjects via injection of potions of powerful drugs that make all neurological pain receptors extremely sensitive is critical to his research. The book has only partial finality, leaving us to wait for the sequel in the Jack Stratton series. Not a great book, but it moves along nicely, and there is humor in Jack's unspoken asides.
March 10, 2014
This story was a true contradiction. It started off with a bang and I was thinking that this was going to be a great read and don't get me wrong it was a good read but it left me wanting. After the first chapter I thought that Jack was going to be a great lead character and that he was going to be kicking a$$ and taking names however that was just the author teasing me.
For the rest of the book until the end it seemed that the author chose to turn the character into a well in the characters own words a pansy. I do understand what the author was trying to convey but I really just want a bad mutha in my characters.
I think if the author would have taken that route this book could have been a 5 star easy and I would be buying all the books in the series but I suspect that the trend will continue.
The biggest complaint I had was with the constant inner thoughts dialog. Some authors feel the need to use this type of writing and usually over do it as happened in this case. The author should have continued in the third person style and could have said the same things plus doing that may have cut down on usage because for the most parts the thoughts did not really contribute to the story line because in most cases the thought expressed was already made clear through the characters action or reactions.
All that being said It still was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it as most of the issue I sited are strictly personal preferences.
For the rest of the book until the end it seemed that the author chose to turn the character into a well in the characters own words a pansy. I do understand what the author was trying to convey but I really just want a bad mutha in my characters.
I think if the author would have taken that route this book could have been a 5 star easy and I would be buying all the books in the series but I suspect that the trend will continue.
The biggest complaint I had was with the constant inner thoughts dialog. Some authors feel the need to use this type of writing and usually over do it as happened in this case. The author should have continued in the third person style and could have said the same things plus doing that may have cut down on usage because for the most parts the thoughts did not really contribute to the story line because in most cases the thought expressed was already made clear through the characters action or reactions.
All that being said It still was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it as most of the issue I sited are strictly personal preferences.
January 23, 2015
Christopher Greyson did a superb job in putting together the story “Girl Jacked.” The story was easy to read, clear, and concise. It held my attention from the beginning to the end.
I really liked the two main characters. One of the main characters made me think of a former, crazy girlfriend. I got a few good laughs out of her. In the beginning I thought the other main character was going to be some, Billy Bad Ass Super Cop throughout the story. He turned out to be a humble, patient man.
The story is about a foster brother and sister searching for their missing sister. A missing person’s report soon turned into a murder investigation. I’m not a cop, but I do watch “CSI.” I felt the author did enough research on the subject of police work to make the investigation believable.
There were a few typos in the story, but not to the point of disturbing the flow of the story. There were several scenes that were a little farfetched. For example: The main character loaned his car to a person that proved they couldn’t drive? I don’t think so! Despite the typos, and farfetched scenes I enjoyed the book right up until the end.
Thank You, Christopher Greyson for a job well done!
I really liked the two main characters. One of the main characters made me think of a former, crazy girlfriend. I got a few good laughs out of her. In the beginning I thought the other main character was going to be some, Billy Bad Ass Super Cop throughout the story. He turned out to be a humble, patient man.
The story is about a foster brother and sister searching for their missing sister. A missing person’s report soon turned into a murder investigation. I’m not a cop, but I do watch “CSI.” I felt the author did enough research on the subject of police work to make the investigation believable.
There were a few typos in the story, but not to the point of disturbing the flow of the story. There were several scenes that were a little farfetched. For example: The main character loaned his car to a person that proved they couldn’t drive? I don’t think so! Despite the typos, and farfetched scenes I enjoyed the book right up until the end.
Thank You, Christopher Greyson for a job well done!
January 28, 2015
Good, not great. Very uneven start but strong finish. First book in the Jack Stratton series. Halfway through the book is when things felt like they were becoming focused.
Basic Synposis: Officer Jack Stratton's foster sister Michelle is missing. He only knows because another foster sister, Replacement (Jack can't remember her real name), has come to him to ask him to look into her disappearance.
Jack Stratton fought in Iraq and is scarred by the experience, for he lost his best friend and foster brother (one and the same person) over there. Jack is an interesting character, and I want to know more about him. While reading, I was struck that perhaps the age is off a little bit, that things don't quite add up, but I could be wrong.
Replacement is a different story, though. She's a huge part of the story, but I don't really know but two things about her: she's young and good with computers. I never got a real sense of her through the whole book. I feel I know more about the detectives and sheriff who were mentioned only a few times than I do about Replacement. Maybe it's just me.
This was a good little mystery to read. You could read worse. I'm hoping the later books in the series show improvement in style and better fleshing out of major characters.
Basic Synposis: Officer Jack Stratton's foster sister Michelle is missing. He only knows because another foster sister, Replacement (Jack can't remember her real name), has come to him to ask him to look into her disappearance.
Jack Stratton fought in Iraq and is scarred by the experience, for he lost his best friend and foster brother (one and the same person) over there. Jack is an interesting character, and I want to know more about him. While reading, I was struck that perhaps the age is off a little bit, that things don't quite add up, but I could be wrong.
Replacement is a different story, though. She's a huge part of the story, but I don't really know but two things about her: she's young and good with computers. I never got a real sense of her through the whole book. I feel I know more about the detectives and sheriff who were mentioned only a few times than I do about Replacement. Maybe it's just me.
This was a good little mystery to read. You could read worse. I'm hoping the later books in the series show improvement in style and better fleshing out of major characters.
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