After the Evil

Jake Roberts #1

by Cary Allen Stone

Alternate Cover Edition for B003BNZR3I.

Detective Jake Roberts and his ex-partner and ex-lover now FBI profilers, Mika Scott, are in hot pursuit of the serial killer of dominating and controlling men. During his investigation, Jake and flight attendant Lori Powers fall in love. But she cannot quiet the voice of her daughter Emily when she speaks to Lori from the grave. Pandemonium breaks out when Jake realizes he has been sleeping with the killer.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

289 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 7, 2005

About the author

Cary Allen Stone is a writer/producer of crime fiction, science fiction, political fiction, and true crime.

2022 Book Excellence Award
2021 New York City Book Award
2021 American Fiction Award
2021 Independent Press Award
2020 IAN Book of the Year Award
2020 New York City Book Award
2020 Book Excellence Award
2019 Reader’s Favorite
2017 Book Excellence Award
2017 IAN Book of the Year Award
2017 BookViral Millennium Book Award
2017 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award
2016 CLUE Award

Reviews

[Linda Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Homicide Detective Jake Roberts is not having a great time. He killed a suspect in a firefight ..a suspect that turned out to be a 16-year-old girl. In turn, he was also shot and is still recovering. Because of the shooting, and much to his disagreement, he is ordered to see the department's psychiatrist, Dr. Abrams.

Jake is forced to return to work early due to a particularly brutal serial killer. The killer is targeting men who have abused women, or particularly children. The victims are sedated, stabbed and then castrated. Their names are left on the wall, written in blood.

Dr. Abrams is murdered on the night that Jake had seen him in his office.

Paired with FBI Agent and Profiler, Mika Scott, who’s also Jake’s former lover, Jake, Mika & Jake’s friend and partner, Harmon, follow a trail that eventually lead them nowhere. During the investigation, Jake meets the woman of his dreams. Along with Jake, flight attendant, Lori Powers, had also been a patient of Dr. Abrams.

Jake is becoming obsessed with Lori, leading to some lost clues and frustration on the parts of Mike and Harmon.

And the killer is closer than any of them realize .........

The book is very descriptive in its graphic detailed acts of violence. There are lots of twists and turns, even though you learn early on the identity of the killer. The characters are so believable and as the story is told by each one in turn, the reader is privy to their innermost thoughts and feelings. The plot is incredibly good and well thought out.

This is the first in a series, and I can't wait to see what the author has in store for Jake Robert's future.

My thanks to the author who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a particularly rough battle recovering from a gunshot wound, having been forced to kill the teen who shot him, Detective Jake Roberts is ordered back to work. There’s a sadistic killer on the loose; one who castrates his victims after the kill.

Paired with FBI Agent and Profiler, Mika Scott, who’s also Jake’s former lover, Jake, Mika & Jake’s friend and partner, Harmon, follow a trail of leads that eventually lead them back to a dead end.

During the investigation, Jake meets the woman of his dreams. Along with Jake, flight attendant, Lori Powers, had also been a patient of Dr. Abrams, a psychiatrist and one of the serial killer’s victims.

But, unfortunately for Jake, all is not as it seems with Lori, and Jake is slow to recognize the subtle clues that keep popping up when he’s around her.

Despite the grim subject matter, and a rather descriptive and detailed, but well-written and accurate, account of an autopsy in the morgue, I found this to be very enjoyable reading. And the twists and turns?? Incredible!!

Besides having definitely done his research, this author does a great job of writing his characters as human and believable by delving into their minds as he slowly exposes their innermost feelings to the reader. This fascinating, well-thought out story will keep you reading from cover to cover. I can’t wait to read the next in the series!

[Namrata Ganti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a page turning thriller that will have you at the edge of your seat. The protagonist, Jake is suffering from the trauma of having killed a child though it was in the field and was necessary. He gets drawn into investigating serial killings when his psychologist is murdered. He has to team up with his old partner and lover, Mika who is now with the FBI. Thus enfolds a spine chilling chase to find the killer before any more murders take place.

Lori, a flight attendant by profession, is struggling to deal with and accept the death of her daughter and to get over the horrifying details of her past. When she meets Jake, she thinks that he is the one man who would be different from the rest. Jake meets Lori and falls in love with her without realising who she truly is. A relationship almost develops between them when Lori breaks it off in order to protect him.

The story takes a twist when the Police chief is murdered by a copycat killer. There is also a chance of Jake and Mika getting back with each other but the author keeps that as a mystery thus keeping the suspense for the next novel in the series.

There is so much happening at every stage and the author handles the suspense with finesse. The characters are well developed and the story well paced out though quite fast. The author jumps straight into the story with no deviations and sticks to the point all the time. The style of writing is a little different. It goes from narration at some points to first person from Jake's point of view. This change however happens in a way that does not disrupt the flow of the story. This is a well written thriller that will have all mystery/suspense/thriller story lovers entertained and happy!

[P.S. Winn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love murder and mystery then this a definitely the book you want. The story is a tale of murder. Jake has a few problems, even seeing a psychiatrist for them, his partner Harmon is asked to drag Jake in to help solve some murders. Mica is a profiler and also Jake's ex lover. As the story escalates the reader gets to meet Lori who is the killer, her identity is not a secret but her past and the reasons why she kills are slowly brought to the surface in this spellbinding story. The author did a great job weaving through this tale of murder and mystery. Thier are actually three books in this series and if the other two are even half as good as this one they are all winners.

[Melanie Adkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Jake Roberts is having a really tough time. He's been shot and he shot and killed a young woman. Handling this hasn't been easy, but he's trying. While he's dealing with his issues, there is a killer working overtime. This killer has crossed federal lines and so the FBI is involved. Jake knew it meant Mika Scott would be in town.
They nickname the killer the "Who's Your Daddy Killer". Controlling men of authority seem to be dying way to often. Mika Scott and Jake Roberts, along with Jake's department,are working the case to stop the killings. Question is, will they stop the killer before they strike again?

This is a chilling, page turning thriller! Extremely well written and characters so relatable you'll be sure they live in your neighborhood. I absolutely LOVE this book. I'm not usually impressed with thriller/mystery type books, but this one is a must read. I could feel my skin crawling as each murder took place. I was unsettled by how easily the killer got away. It's simply an amazing read. You'll enjoy the side stories as much as the main one. You need to put this one at the top of your TBR pile.

I found no issues with this one.

I gave this one 5 cheers out of 5 because it really is that good. ~Copy of book provided by author in exchange for a fair review~

[Nancy Steinle gummel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silent Voices

This is a well written crime mystery. The author describes the characters that are so believable that you are interested in how they turn out. I actually felt sorry for Jake, Mika and Lori, the murderer. If Lori hadn't heard the voices after her daughter Emily's suicide, she would not become a murderer.

[Zain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Homicide detective, Jake Roberts, is visiting with his psychiatrist when he notices a very attractive woman.

He decides to get become acquainted and makes time for a social life with her, despite being extremely busy hunting down a vicious killer.

His life is in danger and he doesn’t even know it.

[Coco.V]

🎁The Complete Series is FREE on Amazon today (1/24/2022)! 🎁

[Zain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Good

I really enjoyed this book. The idea of a female serial killer is different. I hope to come across more books of this sub genre, and am looking forward to reading more books by Cary Allen Stone.

[Diana Febry · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like fast paced detective thrillers with intriguing characters and a strong story, take a look at this one. It has a medium amount of gore for the genre and a broad age appeal.
A serial killer is operating across states. The victims are stabbed and castrated. Each victim is found naked, tied to a bed, with a song being played on loop and "Daddy" is written in their own blood. The only apparent link between the victims is they are men in a position of authority. Jake and Harmon are the detectives investigating the most recent attack while Mika is a FBI agent with overall jurisdiction of the case. The other main character is Lori, a flight attendant, Jake has fallen for.
The action is non-stop from the first page. The characters and their relationships with one another is interesting. Suspense builds, making this a page turner right to the end. Alongside the action there are interesting insights into mental health and events that alter perception and behaviour.
Stone has a unique style of writing, jumping between scenes and changing point's of view. It took me a few chapters to follow events and get used to the style, but I quickly became fully engrossed in the story.
It did niggle me a little, the police completely discounted the possibility of the murderer being female, given the crime scenes and that more notice wasn't taken of Gates comments. However, the story was excellent and I enjoyed the book so much, I couldn't award it less than 5 stars.
A great read for thriller/detective book fans. I intend reading more books by Stone in 2015.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s some serious stuff going on here…
As an avid fan of suspense novels, I was eagerly looking forward to reading Cary Allen Stone’s crime offering After the Evil.
I read Mr. Stone’s award winning novel while on vacation in October, and the novel definitely did not disappoint.
So, goodbye pool time, but the read was totally worth it.
Here’s a brief synopsis:
Homicide detective Jake Roberts has had some terrible dilemmas. He’s wounded in a gun fight, and after he kills the masked shooter, the ski mask reveals it’s only a sixteen-year old girl.
As protocol demands, Jake needs to see a shrink. At the doctor’s office he meets the lovely Lori Powers, also a psyche patient, and he's immediately attracted to her.
Meanwhile, there’s a series of murders, sneaking into their attraction, but oh boy, it gets better.
Enter Jake’s former flame, Mika, an FBI agent who’s still smitten with her former lover, even after their relationship crumbled long ago.
Guess who’s been assigned to the case, you ask?
Oh, yeah, by the way - the serial killer has one heck of a grizzly MO - the kind that almost make you gag.
Since I never review and share spoilers, all I will say is that I’m looking forward to reading the next installment of Mr. Stone’s series. His writing is flawless, the premise for the Jake Roberts series is stellar, and this one packs a powerful punch.
Highly recommended!

[Susan Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well written tale jumps right into action from the first sentence. By the third paragraph you’ll get a sense of what’s to come and you won’t be disappointed. Father Anthony is on his way to a very interesting vacation when an airline hostess, Lori Powers, recognizes him. On a break from his usual religious duties Father Anthony thinks he’s going on a sexual adventure, however, things don’t go as he plans.

This is an intriguing tale of lust, revenge and a woman’s search for a twisted sense of justice. Having said that, it is easy to sympathize with Lori’s character. She is an intelligent woman whose trauma not only comes from her own personal tragedy but is overlaid with the suicide of her daughter.

In this book, we meet Detective Jake Roberts whose life and career are far from trouble free. Regardless, I liked him. The author builds a set of realistic characters who are realistic and interesting.

Calling on his own experiences in aviation, Cary Allen Stone, prepares us for a masterfully created journey. I was hooked from the start. This is a great series and I, for one, can’t wait to read the rest of these books.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the Evil is a well written fast paced crime novel that will wet the pallets of any crime lover. Author Cary Stone manages to immediately captivate his audience with great character building and a scene you can get into and feel a part of which really allows you to turn those pages because you feel like you are right there part of the action.

Using his own life to fill in the blanks and make his characters believable is definitely a plus and in a lot of ways coincides with other crime novelists like Cornwell.

This series was a can’t put down book that led to several hours of me being missing from life curled up with these good books. Rainy day? Another snow day? Pick up these books and you won’t regret it. If you already have nice weather then go sit out on the patio or trampoline and soak up the sun and get lost in After the Evil.

For high school students who enjoy crime novels this book would do well for a book report, but I always recommend parental caution as you know your child and you know their teachers and I do not.

[Sharon Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a novel , a hard hitting story which touches on the dark side of everyone from the serial killer to the police who are investigating the crimes. Although you know who the killer is from the outset, the real gripping thing is the reason why and as these reasons are revealed it draws the reader in.

On the other side we have the police detective who is fighting his demons and will stop at nothing to find the killer and as their paths cross fireworks explode.

The exceptionally thing about this novel is the emotive and human touch that is given to the main characters. If you like hard hitting gritty novels that portray the true side of investigations with no hold bars this is the writer for you.

A real page turner with a very good psychology edge to it. This book kept me enrapt from page one to the end and the only disappointing factor was that it was over too quickly. The first of 3 novels featuring the same detective and on the basis of this one the author has created a detective to rival Morse, Rebus and Frost.

[Rosie Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

After The Evil is a thriller and is the first in the Jake Roberts detective novels. A Homicide detective, he's currently on sick leave after a very violent case and undergoing psychiatric counselling as part of the job routine requirements.

The book opens with a horrible murder. We are also introduced to flight attendant Lori Powers, a troubled woman who hears voices and is haunted by the loss of her daughter.

Special Agent Mika Scott is on the trail of a serial killer. She arrives at Police headquarters and works with Jake and his partner, Harman Blackwell as another murder victim is found.

There is very little evidence at any of the murders and Mika and the team are looking at dead ends when a possible link is found with a man known as The Runner. Have they at last found the culprit? Or is there something they've missed?

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Here is my review.

First I'd to say this book deserves a lot more than five stars.
It is really really good. I highly recommend it if you looking for good murder mystery even tho we told from bringing who the murderer is, it doesn't matter.It keep my interest from the first page.
Can't wait to read the next one. This 1 of 4.

[Denise Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book. Jake is such a great character he has flaws and weaknesses that make him the detective he is today. Harmon and Mika bring so much to the story. I love the way the author has so many twists and turns and brings it all together in a page turning thriller that made it so hard to put this book down. I am so glad there are more books in this series. I have started book 2 and am so excited that is takes off where this one left off. A must read.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A. Crime/ police procedural with good pace and great character development. Not a genre I have read before but was enthralled from page one. trying to find himself again after shooting a young girl in the line of duty, Jake Roberts struggles with his commitment to the force while a serial killer runs rampant. As the story unfolds Jake Robert's character is explored and we watch his recovery. Really enjoyed this one.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the flight attendant asks, “Coffee, tea or me?” readers of “After the Evil” will consider taking the standby seat on the next flight! This gritty thriller weaves sex, brutality, and mental anguish to keep this tale draped in a dark shroud.

Read full review in the 2014 May issue of InD’tale Magazine.

[Aly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a good mystery and a thriller! I was very glad I got to read this book. Detective Jake Roberts is a good character. I feel for him and with him. I author brought me into this character life and I got to ride along on a great story. I think this book was well- written and I loved reading it! * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

[Laura Furuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be one of the most intriguing and addicting book I have read in a long time. It has you from chapter 1 to the ending page. The story is first rate and the characters really come alive. I highly recommend this book to have on your must read list. I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery in exchange for an honest review.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘It’s the way that you feel It’s the truth in your eye Cause you’re up against the world And still you rise’

Arizona author Cary Allen Stone also happens to be an airline pilot (he began flying in 1972 at age 19!), having been hired by his first professional airline in 1982, and that figures significantly in his Book 5 AFTER YOU’RE DEAD of the Jake Roberts series of novels. Stone achieved a Bachelor of Arts in 1976 and has worked in television (he had a non-speaking character role in an AAA Club advertisement), film and voice-over radio commercials and since 1990 has been writing thrillers and true crime novels. His books include a True Crime study of filicide (the killing of a child be the parent) THROUGH A MOTHER'S EYES, a cybercrime thriller STEALING ATLANTA, and his Jake Roberts crime thriller series - AFTER THE EVIL, MIND OVER MURDER, AFTER THE GOODE and AFTER THE KILL. Two major influences on his writing occurred in 1992 - using the impact of Aviation on his writing, he flew for British film director Sir Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Alien, American Gangster, etc). It gave him an opportunity to discuss his writing with Sir Scott who remains a major influence for him. He is a member of the Phoenix Writer's Club, the Arizona Authors Association and The Desert Sleuths. Toss that multifaceted salad together and the reader will understand why Carry Allen Stone's novels are so accurate and credible as well as engrossing reads.

Having started the Jake Roberts Novels with the Book 5, it is with great interest to return to Book 1 – AFTER THE EVIL – to see how well Vary develops his main lead male. So much of the success of a book relies on character development and the interaction between characters, especially in a series of novels. Cary sets the tone from the opening paragraphs: ‘After she placed the duct tape over his mouth, it became very difficult to make out some of his words. “No” was muffled, but reasonably understandable. “Don’t” didn’t sound quite right, but she got the idea. She mimicked his muted pleas pretending to feel his fear and pain. It was the end of Father Anthony Moralli. He began his last day on earth on an airliner. His destination was a resort-gambling oasis, which coincidently included a well-stocked pond of young females. He was on what he liked to call a “personal pilgrimage.” The expedition had nothing to do with religion. Anthony simply wanted to, no needed to, get laid. To accomplish the task, it required leaving the confines of his parish to maintain the façade of his vocation. Father Anthony loved the whole religion thing—the ceremonies, hearing confessions, and especially saving lost souls. He planned to start saving his soul right after saving all of the others. After years of religious studies and training, he concluded it was beyond his comprehension to truly understand God, so he simply preached the commandments, and left the rest to God. What Anthony really understood were the basic physical needs of a man. He struggled with his vow of celibacy, finding it to be in direct conflict with his deep and firm conviction, that sex was a gift from God. To abstain, he believed, was a slap to the Creator’s face. The “Love thy neighbor” commandment was his favorite, and he took every opportunity to apply it to his life. Of course, that did not include molesting boys like some of his classmates in the seminary. He boarded the flight sans white collar, and slumped into his assigned seat by the window, in the emergency exit aisle.’

For those of us who have been following Jake through Cary’s masterful mind and hands at molding action thrillers it is difficult to outguess what will happen to Jake this episode. The synopsis merely gives a hint: ` Dr. Thaddeus Abrams is found murdered. The kill is the work of a prolific serial killer and FBI profiler Mika Scott arrives to lead the investigation at the Atlanta PD where she was once Detective Jake Roberts' ex-partner and lover. Jake's in a steamy love affair with flight attendant Lori Powers. Tensions run high when Jake discovers who the killer is. Will they get there in time to stop another murder?

Tantalizing? You bet, but until you've become addicted to Cary's writing the surprises will arise on every page. For addicts to his books...well, just wait, it is coming. Another winner for Cary Allen Stone.

[Julie Baswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the line of duty, Jake Roberts had killed a young girl who was aiming to kill him. Even though it was a clean shot, it still haunted him. Jake starts seeing the police psychologist, Dr. Thaddeus Abrams. When Dr. Abrams is murdered by a serial killer, Jake realizes that he has to leave his problems behind and give his full attention to finding the killer. But when the killer strikes even closer to home, Jake realizes that the killer has been right under his nose all along.

This was a gripping thriller with a cast of endearing characters. I liked the camaraderie between Jake, Harmon, and Mika. Although I enjoy reading the forensics aspect of detective novels, I became bored with the scientific bantering that was included, but that’s just me. I can see that this Jake Roberts series is going to be a good one, and I can’t wait to start the next book.

[Roger]

After the Evil (Jake Roberts, #1), my first read from author Cary Allen Stone, although I own several of his books I’d never gotten around to reading one. This is it. 5-hours 9-minutes/284 pages but the book reads even longer. The first ¼ of the book is spent laying out scenarios and introducing the primary characters. The next ¼ is spent tying those characters & scenarios together. At that point, the book takes off at breakneck speed and was very enjoyable until at the 2:24:40 mark the playback becomes garbled. I contacted Audible on August 20th and to date, they've still not gotten back to me. I finally skipped the rest of that chapter after waiting for 18 days for Audible to fix it. Stylistically a different writing style but I’ll be reading more by this author. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Rita Sheppard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard-hitting story of a serial killer who preys on sex hungry men. There are unexpected twists and turns to the story as the police and FBI work to find the killer. Policemen Jake and Harmon along with FBI agent in charge Mika are strong characters who have worked together before and know each other well.

There is a lot of action mixed with violence, and sexual situations going on that may not be for the faint of heart but make this a really good read.

[Page Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read from this author. I remained interested the entire read, though I have a distaste for presenting racist qualities in characters that don't serve a purpose in the telling of the story. It's something Stephen King used to have a penchant for that deterred me from reading a number of his books for years. Still, all in all it was an interesting tale and I liked how the title tied into the book.

[tania dagg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serial killer

Fascinating story. I'm always trying to figure out the why when someone commits a serious crime. This was a very good start. Only 4 stars because there wasn't a clear solution to continue to the next story. May change review after reading the next book. Good procedural though.

[Carlynne Toomey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, editing could’ve been better, but a simple update to the book will fix that. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it highly when the edits are fixed. If not for the grammatical/structural errors, this would have been 5 stars from me.

[candy hatterick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this book

the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I really didn't like the ending I sincerely hope that there is a second book I feel like I am left hanging

[Debbie Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart-pounding Page Turner

The author takes the reader through all the twists and turns inside the minds of the killer, her almost equally wicked victims, and the law enforcement officials pursuing her.