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Malicious
'Cover your webcams…or suffer the consequences.' He calls himself the Slave Master. He spies on women through their computer webcams. Then he blackmails those who unknowingly reveal their secrets to him. His last victim was brutally murdered. Now he’s targeting the cop in charge of the investigation. To him she’s the perfect prey – because she has secrets of her own.
'Anyone who thinks it's safe to use a computer should read this book. It's a cracking thriller and it highlights a scary issue that I knew nothing about. A female detective with a sordid secret becomes the 'webcam slave' of a ruthless hacker who has taken control of her laptop. The plot is totally original and unravels with lightning speed after another woman's body is found in a park. The writing is crisp and the characters sharply drawn. As good as the author's previous novels and well worth five stars, Amazon review.
'Anyone who thinks it's safe to use a computer should read this book. It's a cracking thriller and it highlights a scary issue that I knew nothing about. A female detective with a sordid secret becomes the 'webcam slave' of a ruthless hacker who has taken control of her laptop. The plot is totally original and unravels with lightning speed after another woman's body is found in a park. The writing is crisp and the characters sharply drawn. As good as the author's previous novels and well worth five stars, Amazon review.
225 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2013
76 people are currently reading
1056 people want to read
About the author
James Raven
15 books50 followersJames Raven also writes under the pseudonym Jaime Raven. He's been a journalist for most of his working life. After reporting for local, regional and national newspapers he moved into television as a news scriptwriter. He then worked his way up to become Director of a UK News Division.
He is the author of a number of books including Random Targets, After the Execution, Malicious, Rollover, Stark Warning, Urban Myth, Red Blitz and Arctic Blood.
As Jaime Raven he's written four books for Avon/Harper Collins - The Madam, The Alibi, The Mother and The Rebel.
Website at: http://www.james-raven.com/
and http://www.jaime-raven.com/
He is the author of a number of books including Random Targets, After the Execution, Malicious, Rollover, Stark Warning, Urban Myth, Red Blitz and Arctic Blood.
As Jaime Raven he's written four books for Avon/Harper Collins - The Madam, The Alibi, The Mother and The Rebel.
Website at: http://www.james-raven.com/
and http://www.jaime-raven.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
February 8, 2014
Id like to ask all of my gr friends who love a good crime/thriller story to give this author a shot. He's one of those that don't get a lot of mention but this is the second book I've read of his now and both were page turners I couldn't put down and without a doubt I will be reading others by him.
This book had me completely hooked a guy calling himself "slave master" hacks into peoples (well women's) webcams then blackmails them its big brother at it's best (or worse depending how you look at it) and it will keep you guessing right to the end. Honestly my poor reviewer skills can not do this author or this book justice so I recommend anyone to give it a go.
★★★★★ = Best book Ever!
This book had me completely hooked a guy calling himself "slave master" hacks into peoples (well women's) webcams then blackmails them its big brother at it's best (or worse depending how you look at it) and it will keep you guessing right to the end. Honestly my poor reviewer skills can not do this author or this book justice so I recommend anyone to give it a go.
★★★★★ = Best book Ever!
August 4, 2022
Everything about Malicious by James Raven appealed to me in this terrifying glimpse into the world we live in that will have you putting that piece of tape over your webcam.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Malicious by James Raven.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Malicious by James Raven.
January 14, 2014
This is the first book by James Raven that I have read and I can most definitely see myself grabbing another book in the future. I am very unsure of where to start with this review. So I apologize if I ramble a bit.
This was the second book in 2013 that I HAD TO READ and not put down. I started at 5:15 in the morning while getting ready for work and listened to it on my Kindle all day. ALL DAY! I only turned it off to help customers or other work related things and of course for dinner.
It was just absolutely enthralling ... I am not sure which part hooked me more, that it was in Houston (where I am) or that it was so well written.
I loved how the point of views were different. First person for the main character third person for the bad guy. AND WHOA! Didn't see the bad guy twist coming!! I really should have but I didn't.
I laughed out loud when the bad guy talked about living in North Houston off of Tomball Parkway. I turned to my husband laughing so hard saying, "Hey we could be the bad guys!" Because you know, that's how I would describe our house.
Knowing that the author is in the UK, I am amazed at the details of Houston he was able to capture. Major Kudos to that!
I really wish there was a 6 star system because this book deserves that.
I loved it and I just can't speak enough about how fantastic it was.
Thank you James for giving this to me to review, I enjoyed beyond words!
This was the second book in 2013 that I HAD TO READ and not put down. I started at 5:15 in the morning while getting ready for work and listened to it on my Kindle all day. ALL DAY! I only turned it off to help customers or other work related things and of course for dinner.
It was just absolutely enthralling ... I am not sure which part hooked me more, that it was in Houston (where I am) or that it was so well written.
I loved how the point of views were different. First person for the main character third person for the bad guy. AND WHOA! Didn't see the bad guy twist coming!! I really should have but I didn't.
I laughed out loud when the bad guy talked about living in North Houston off of Tomball Parkway. I turned to my husband laughing so hard saying, "Hey we could be the bad guys!" Because you know, that's how I would describe our house.
Knowing that the author is in the UK, I am amazed at the details of Houston he was able to capture. Major Kudos to that!
I really wish there was a 6 star system because this book deserves that.
I loved it and I just can't speak enough about how fantastic it was.
Thank you James for giving this to me to review, I enjoyed beyond words!
February 28, 2017
I read Stark Warning by this author and it was an easy 5*, a very enjoyable read. Not so this story. I'm in my fifties now (ouch) and I've seen and done plenty and don't consider myself a prude but did find Robyn's particular secret a little unsavoury. Well, that alone was fine but she seems to be totally oversexed altogether where her life appears to revolve around it !! It all got a bit much for me. Every bloke she encounters she's thinking of having it off with !! Desperate or what ??
There were too many errors for my liking as well.
Firstly she says "I'd be able to spend most of it in the office"...most of what ?? There were fullstops missed more than once and commas too. The apostrophe is in the wrong place in lawyer's convention.....I doubt it was a convention of one. We lost a here-"...was grey haired guy" and I got to page 42, read this and packed it in-"There was also the four-month fling I had with another a**hole named with Craig Forbes."
This, coupled with the tawdry storyline did it for me. I have another downloaded by him and I hope it's more in the vein of Stark Warning than this one was.
There were too many errors for my liking as well.
Firstly she says "I'd be able to spend most of it in the office"...most of what ?? There were fullstops missed more than once and commas too. The apostrophe is in the wrong place in lawyer's convention.....I doubt it was a convention of one. We lost a here-"...was grey haired guy" and I got to page 42, read this and packed it in-"There was also the four-month fling I had with another a**hole named with Craig Forbes."
This, coupled with the tawdry storyline did it for me. I have another downloaded by him and I hope it's more in the vein of Stark Warning than this one was.
November 3, 2017
Houston P.D. Detective Robyn Tate 44, has been attacked by a RAT, (Remote Administrative Tool), in author James Raven's dark suspense thriller, "Malicious". The lonely Tate is heavily addicted to the "Drug Of The New Millennium"- PORN ! New to Houston having left Austin to pursue a homicide detective job Tate is long divorced and with few relationships with men over the past several years. Turning to porn is an easy way out for Robyn assure satisfaction but without the upcoming disappointment. With the Houston P.D. Robyn is partnered up with Max Riley a grizzled veteran of many years in homicide. As with many days while out investigating, Robyn and the divorced Max don't communicate very often. Robyn doesn't want Max to get any ideas about any off hours hookups. Riley/ Tate are called out to the murder scene of private English teacher Charlotte Slater 35, left nude and sexually assaulted inside a local park. Charlotte's husband John just returning from a business trip away is devastated. After a very long day Max and Robyn realize they haven't made too much in the way of results so the detectives call it a day. This case is going to take awhile to solve. Robyn runs home to relieve her stress jumping into her safe world of on-line porn. However the "Slave Master" has used a "RAT" to take control of Robyn's lap top computer. Robyn's large hard drive of porn is now in the control of the Slave Master. Without a huge payoff the Slave Master is going to float Robyn's huge world of porn starring herself most of the time to the world wide web. Horrified with only 48 hours to pay off the Slave Master the cop in Robyn wants to catch the guy rather than pay him. In a mysterious and twisted plot author James Raven has spun a tale that has serious implications for all of us in this 21 st. century computer age. Even the most innocuous of things we post in this day and age can come back to haunt us for life. As Robyn tries to keep her crisis from partner Max she fears her daughter Jasmine may be a target of the Slave Master. My Kindle seemed to roar through the 223 suspense packed pages of, "Malicious". I read the last 155 pages in one sitting because I had to know how it was going to conclude. This is the second book from author James Raven I've Read, ("Stark Warning" was excellent). I already started reading another of his books on my Kindle. Going with four stars out of a possible five stars for James Raven's, "Malicious". I kind of felt at 223 pages we didn't get enough of Robyn's background and life experiences to help solidify her character. Maybe if Robyn Tate gets a second book we'll learn more about her. Highly recommended for all suspense thriller readers, "Malicious", seems to prove author James Raven is a master story teller.
May 3, 2014
I don't need my sexuality celebrated, and I certainly don't need it to be criticized. I didn't necessarily want it to be observed, but here we are. - Ezra Miller
I think anything that has to do with sexuality makes people very interested. - Catherine Deneuve
Houston homicide cop Robyn Tate’s has a secret. A deeply personal secret – she is addicted to online porn. With low self esteem and a terrible body image, Robyn spends her evenings alone in front of the computer, surfing porn sites and “self pleasuring.” It seems harmless enough, (although it is quickly becoming an obsession) – but then it all falls apart, as she becomes the victim of a hacker. A hacker with a taste for blackmail. And with footage of Robyn having a “bit o’ fun” her blackmailer threatens to release the video and ruin Robyn’s life. And as a homicide detective, this seemingly harmless little habit could ruin her status in court cases, as well as becoming an obsession that is taking over her life. Especially when Robyn becomes the homicide detective on a case where the victim was being blackmailed in the very same way, by the same blackmailer.
And here is where things start to fall apart. Rather than marching directly into her Captain’s office and laying it all out on the table (well, not literally, but you get the point) she promptly panics and decides that hiding her secret is more important than her murder case. And it apparently never crosses her mind that her actions completely compromise her case!
The book goes downhill from this point into lies, cover-ups, fissures in her moral and ethical framework, and other bits and bobs of complete stupidity that are less than realistic. Don’t get me wrong – having been with police departments and crime labs, I have seen cops do things that are so incredibly stupid that it boggles the imagination. But this degree of stupidity by someone who actually was good enough at her job to earn a gold shield just isn’t really believable. Especially when Robyn the Wonder Cop has so many opportunities to admit her involvement and ask for help. She has no moral ground to stand on. Sure, it will be embarrassing for everyone to know her “little habit”. But to place her own embarrassment ahead of finding the murderous blackmailer made me truly hate her as a character. True, some literary characters you “love to hate” and that is totally acceptable. Robyn? Not so much. She is entirely self-centered, whining, incompetent, and overall strikes me as a caricature of every misogynistic wet dream extant.
Another aspect of the book that I found immensely irritating was that many words and phrases were unforgivably “Britishisms” rather than Americanisms. It reminded me quite irritatingly of that embarrassingly bad bit of writing, “50 Shades of Gray” in that this book is set in Houston, Texas and yet was written as if it were set in London! Yes, English authors can indeed write “American” novels, and often extremely well (Mark Henwick comes to mind). This, however, was not well written or edited. The degree of laziness shown by the writer edges on incompetence. Especially when there are so many sites online that will be happy to indicate what is a Brit colloquialism and what is an American one.
Overall, the mystery was pedestrian, but acceptable. The heroine? She ruined it for me. I am going to have to say that, overall, there are much better books out there with which to spend your precious reading time.
I received this book from the publisher in return for a realistic review.
I think anything that has to do with sexuality makes people very interested. - Catherine Deneuve
Houston homicide cop Robyn Tate’s has a secret. A deeply personal secret – she is addicted to online porn. With low self esteem and a terrible body image, Robyn spends her evenings alone in front of the computer, surfing porn sites and “self pleasuring.” It seems harmless enough, (although it is quickly becoming an obsession) – but then it all falls apart, as she becomes the victim of a hacker. A hacker with a taste for blackmail. And with footage of Robyn having a “bit o’ fun” her blackmailer threatens to release the video and ruin Robyn’s life. And as a homicide detective, this seemingly harmless little habit could ruin her status in court cases, as well as becoming an obsession that is taking over her life. Especially when Robyn becomes the homicide detective on a case where the victim was being blackmailed in the very same way, by the same blackmailer.
And here is where things start to fall apart. Rather than marching directly into her Captain’s office and laying it all out on the table (well, not literally, but you get the point) she promptly panics and decides that hiding her secret is more important than her murder case. And it apparently never crosses her mind that her actions completely compromise her case!
The book goes downhill from this point into lies, cover-ups, fissures in her moral and ethical framework, and other bits and bobs of complete stupidity that are less than realistic. Don’t get me wrong – having been with police departments and crime labs, I have seen cops do things that are so incredibly stupid that it boggles the imagination. But this degree of stupidity by someone who actually was good enough at her job to earn a gold shield just isn’t really believable. Especially when Robyn the Wonder Cop has so many opportunities to admit her involvement and ask for help. She has no moral ground to stand on. Sure, it will be embarrassing for everyone to know her “little habit”. But to place her own embarrassment ahead of finding the murderous blackmailer made me truly hate her as a character. True, some literary characters you “love to hate” and that is totally acceptable. Robyn? Not so much. She is entirely self-centered, whining, incompetent, and overall strikes me as a caricature of every misogynistic wet dream extant.
Another aspect of the book that I found immensely irritating was that many words and phrases were unforgivably “Britishisms” rather than Americanisms. It reminded me quite irritatingly of that embarrassingly bad bit of writing, “50 Shades of Gray” in that this book is set in Houston, Texas and yet was written as if it were set in London! Yes, English authors can indeed write “American” novels, and often extremely well (Mark Henwick comes to mind). This, however, was not well written or edited. The degree of laziness shown by the writer edges on incompetence. Especially when there are so many sites online that will be happy to indicate what is a Brit colloquialism and what is an American one.
Overall, the mystery was pedestrian, but acceptable. The heroine? She ruined it for me. I am going to have to say that, overall, there are much better books out there with which to spend your precious reading time.
I received this book from the publisher in return for a realistic review.
August 22, 2014
Although James Raven has written a number of books, "Malicious" is the first of his that I'VE read. & I'm glad it was because I cannot wait to start another! I will heavily warn you about one thing in advance: the Explicit Sexuality. It's not gratuitous or even what I would consider "icky" (for lack of a better word). It's just in your face & likely disturbing to most. But it has to be. Name one other vice that would cause everyday ordinary ppl to do things that they would never even consider if it weren't for the fact that what you do behind closed doors, in the sanctity of your own home has given a perverted madman absolute power. He knows ALL of your secrets, your most embarrassing secrets, & has threatened to tell (& even SHOW) your family, friends, coworkers & even complete strangers everything you do. Now ask yourself: what are YOUR secrets & what would you do to keep them?
"Malicious" will not only keep you guessing about the identity of "Slave Master" until the very end, it will keep you asking yourself; "what would I do to keep my secrets, secrets"? When you finally have all the answers, Raven drops a completely unexpected twist which will start you questioning yourself all over again.
"Malicious" will not only keep you guessing about the identity of "Slave Master" until the very end, it will keep you asking yourself; "what would I do to keep my secrets, secrets"? When you finally have all the answers, Raven drops a completely unexpected twist which will start you questioning yourself all over again.
April 17, 2014
Malicious is a tale of unwitting computer users who are being spied on via their webcam, and who become the victims of blackmail. It is also a tale of murder. But how are these events connected?
This book is a definite page-turner. The writing is no-nonsense and simple, helping the novel to move along at a fast pace. The build-up of suspense was great, and you are kept guessing all the way through. I was hooked!
Be warned that there is some sexual content, which some may find unsuitable.
Merged review:
This is a tale of a creep who hacks into people's webcams to spy on them with the aim of blackmailing them, and of one of his victims, who happens to be a female cop who likes online porn.
It's a tense thriller that really does keep you thinking 'how on earth is she going to get out of this?'... Very much a story of our technological age, but also very plausible. If ever you needed a reminder about being careful about what you do online, and to step away from your computer and live your life, this is it!
This book is a definite page-turner. The writing is no-nonsense and simple, helping the novel to move along at a fast pace. The build-up of suspense was great, and you are kept guessing all the way through. I was hooked!
Be warned that there is some sexual content, which some may find unsuitable.
Merged review:
This is a tale of a creep who hacks into people's webcams to spy on them with the aim of blackmailing them, and of one of his victims, who happens to be a female cop who likes online porn.
It's a tense thriller that really does keep you thinking 'how on earth is she going to get out of this?'... Very much a story of our technological age, but also very plausible. If ever you needed a reminder about being careful about what you do online, and to step away from your computer and live your life, this is it!
August 7, 2017
It's not just for men....
A great book. Read in just a couple of days, going to bed rather early in the morning. A cop story turns deadly and perverted. It is amazing how people are able to lie so well you actually believe it. I really enjoyed this book and plan to follow this author. The end is a little unexpected, but it turns out for the best. I hope you enjoy reading this novel.
A great book. Read in just a couple of days, going to bed rather early in the morning. A cop story turns deadly and perverted. It is amazing how people are able to lie so well you actually believe it. I really enjoyed this book and plan to follow this author. The end is a little unexpected, but it turns out for the best. I hope you enjoy reading this novel.
March 18, 2020
This was an exciting book with a good plot, although there were some predictable conclusions. I would have given the book more stars except that it needed professional editing. The British spellings and phrases detracted quite a bit from the story. I don't know why the author decided to place the story in Texas. It could have been in England because this sort of crime could happen anywhere.
November 21, 2020
While the book makes for a good read, I had some trouble believing a detective would behave as Tate did in this book. Plus, it is hard to believe that, as a detective, she isn't aware of the possible hacking issues when on the computer! But then again, it does make for a good story and is no less believable than some TV shows. All in all, I enjoyed the book
March 9, 2018
Mitchum is an interesting character - a Navy Seal dropout, newspaper delivery person, and part time private detective who works out of a dinner. Mitchum's brother has been charged with murder. So the hunt is on for evidence to clear or convict him.
This is a novella so it's a fast read.
This is a novella so it's a fast read.
May 6, 2017
Good thriller/suspense
I liked the book and enjoyed trying to figure out who the bad guys were. 3.5 stars if I could.
I liked the book and enjoyed trying to figure out who the bad guys were. 3.5 stars if I could.
January 23, 2018
i absolutely loved this book, could not put it down. it was also a real eye opener! I have to admit, my webcam is now covered. not taking any chances after reading James Ravens novel lol.
August 20, 2023
Decently good
It was a decent read, the subject is unusual, the crime story is predictable and not complex. Give it a go, but don’t expect any wow factor :)
It was a decent read, the subject is unusual, the crime story is predictable and not complex. Give it a go, but don’t expect any wow factor :)
August 8, 2015
I was provided with a complimentary review copy of this book and this review is my honest opionion based on my reading of that.
If you have a laptop or PC with a built in webcam I’d like you to get a piece of sticky tape, gaffer tape (duct tape) is best, and stick it over your webcam. If you have a PC with a plug-in webcam then I’d like you to unplug it.
Done that? Good. Now I’ll continue with this review of “Malicious” by James Raven. It is a detective story with three plots intertwining to make a more than satisfactory whole. I thought at first that it was a bit fanciful in some of what it claimed was possible, until I did some research, but I’ll return to that later.
Charlotte Slater, an apparently happily married woman, is found murdered in a park in Houston, Texas. Detective Ryan Tate and her partner Riley are assigned to the case. It soon emerges that Charlotte Slater is not all that she seems and is given to hooking up with men she meets on the internet in order to have casual sex.
During the course of the investigation it is revealed that a computer hacker, going by the name of the Slave Master, has hacked Charlotte’s laptop and has been spying on her through her webcam. He uses what he records to blackmail his victims, of which Charlotte is just one amongst many.
Detective Tate, a divorced woman with self-image issues, is astounded to find that her laptop has also been hacked and she, too, is then blackmailed by the Slave Master. Her addiction to watching on-line porn while, this is a family review so I shall just say amusing herself, threatens her reputation as a police officer and her already shaky relationships with her family.
If this sounds like a flimsy excuse for some of Tate’s later behaviour then imagine if your work colleagues ever found out about your deepest, darkest secret. How would you feel about that? Of course if you don’t have any deep, dark secrets then that doesn’t apply, but use your imagination anyway. Pretty much everyone is naked in their bedroom at some point and I doubt that most people would want photos of that being posted on Facebook!
So there we have the basic plot. The big question, of course, is whether the murderer and the Slave Master are one and the same person and of course the next question is, who is the Slave Master?
The book moves along at a steady pace, mainly focusing on Tate, her insecurities and her fear of being exposed as a viewer of pornography. It leads her into some pretty unprofessional behaviour, but what would a detective story be if it didn’t have a cop with personal problems who then behaves unprofessionally? TV would have no plots for their shows!
Some of the scenes are little graphic in terms of their sexual content but that isn’t a major feature of the book, so if you think things are getting a bit steamy you can always skip to the next paragraph. I sense that the last sentence alone may just have increased sales of this book quite dramatically.
The real fun of detective novels is trying to spot the murderer before the author reveals his or her identity. Did I succeed in that? I’m afraid I can’t answer without giving too much away, so all I will say is that the clues are there if you are paying close enough attention. The author doesn’t cheat by bringing in new characters at the end or revealing information that he hasn’t already shared with the reader.
As a detective story I enjoyed Malicious, but what it revealed about the vulnerability of the technology we use is truly scary. I did some research and all the calims for technology that Raven makes are real.
If you have a laptop or PC with a built in webcam I’d like you to get a piece of sticky tape, gaffer tape (duct tape) is best, and stick it over your webcam. If you have a PC with a plug-in webcam then I’d like you to unplug it.
Done that? Good. Now I’ll continue with this review of “Malicious” by James Raven. It is a detective story with three plots intertwining to make a more than satisfactory whole. I thought at first that it was a bit fanciful in some of what it claimed was possible, until I did some research, but I’ll return to that later.
Charlotte Slater, an apparently happily married woman, is found murdered in a park in Houston, Texas. Detective Ryan Tate and her partner Riley are assigned to the case. It soon emerges that Charlotte Slater is not all that she seems and is given to hooking up with men she meets on the internet in order to have casual sex.
During the course of the investigation it is revealed that a computer hacker, going by the name of the Slave Master, has hacked Charlotte’s laptop and has been spying on her through her webcam. He uses what he records to blackmail his victims, of which Charlotte is just one amongst many.
Detective Tate, a divorced woman with self-image issues, is astounded to find that her laptop has also been hacked and she, too, is then blackmailed by the Slave Master. Her addiction to watching on-line porn while, this is a family review so I shall just say amusing herself, threatens her reputation as a police officer and her already shaky relationships with her family.
If this sounds like a flimsy excuse for some of Tate’s later behaviour then imagine if your work colleagues ever found out about your deepest, darkest secret. How would you feel about that? Of course if you don’t have any deep, dark secrets then that doesn’t apply, but use your imagination anyway. Pretty much everyone is naked in their bedroom at some point and I doubt that most people would want photos of that being posted on Facebook!
So there we have the basic plot. The big question, of course, is whether the murderer and the Slave Master are one and the same person and of course the next question is, who is the Slave Master?
The book moves along at a steady pace, mainly focusing on Tate, her insecurities and her fear of being exposed as a viewer of pornography. It leads her into some pretty unprofessional behaviour, but what would a detective story be if it didn’t have a cop with personal problems who then behaves unprofessionally? TV would have no plots for their shows!
Some of the scenes are little graphic in terms of their sexual content but that isn’t a major feature of the book, so if you think things are getting a bit steamy you can always skip to the next paragraph. I sense that the last sentence alone may just have increased sales of this book quite dramatically.
The real fun of detective novels is trying to spot the murderer before the author reveals his or her identity. Did I succeed in that? I’m afraid I can’t answer without giving too much away, so all I will say is that the clues are there if you are paying close enough attention. The author doesn’t cheat by bringing in new characters at the end or revealing information that he hasn’t already shared with the reader.
As a detective story I enjoyed Malicious, but what it revealed about the vulnerability of the technology we use is truly scary. I did some research and all the calims for technology that Raven makes are real.
December 3, 2013
"When Guilty Pleasures Must Come To An End"
Do you ever feel vulnerable? Do you relish the private moments alone in your life? Do you also have a computer with a webcam feature, and do you leave the laptop lid open? Peek-a-boo! Someone may be watching you!! This is the premise of the extremely well-written thriller by Author James Raven. Robyn Tate is getting older: she's 44 years of age, a little overweight, has no men in her life, she has fears of intimacy, and her sole source of sexual satisfaction is watching porn on the internet. It is a compulsion for her. She doesn't need a man in her life when she can fulfill her own sexual needs. Believe it or not, Robyn is a police homicide detective in the Houston, Texas Police Department. Loneliness off the job is the biggest hurdle she has finally conquered by indulging in social networks on the internet. Also, online porn is her drug of choice, she does not need alcohol like many of her co-workers. Her partner, Max Riley, calls her early one morning after her 'self-indulgence' exercise is finished. A woman's body has been found in Memorial Park and she agrees to meet him there. She often wondered what it would be like if her co-workers learned about her dirty little secret. She'd probably have to go far, far away, or face years of humiliation. Little does Robyn know that she has been spied upon for more than two months by someone who has hacked into her computer and recording her actions. He also knows all the details of her life, her co-workers, friends, and even information about her bank accounts. The woman found dead in the park is identified as Charlotte Slater, a woman also spied upon by the same man as Robyn, who calls himself "The Slave Master." How can he be stopped or even found? How can Robyn confidently do her job fearing the investigation may lead to the exposure of the videos made by The Slave Master? Will he be blackmailing her as discovered in the case of Charlotte Slater? Can Robyn privately find out who The Slave Master is before he reveals her guilty pleasures to family, co-workers, and the world-wide-web? This is a chilling story, superbly written, with captivating and unique characters. The pace is vigorous with twists and turns, storyline is potent, candid, and engaging. An awesome, captivating novel which I highly recommend.
Do you ever feel vulnerable? Do you relish the private moments alone in your life? Do you also have a computer with a webcam feature, and do you leave the laptop lid open? Peek-a-boo! Someone may be watching you!! This is the premise of the extremely well-written thriller by Author James Raven. Robyn Tate is getting older: she's 44 years of age, a little overweight, has no men in her life, she has fears of intimacy, and her sole source of sexual satisfaction is watching porn on the internet. It is a compulsion for her. She doesn't need a man in her life when she can fulfill her own sexual needs. Believe it or not, Robyn is a police homicide detective in the Houston, Texas Police Department. Loneliness off the job is the biggest hurdle she has finally conquered by indulging in social networks on the internet. Also, online porn is her drug of choice, she does not need alcohol like many of her co-workers. Her partner, Max Riley, calls her early one morning after her 'self-indulgence' exercise is finished. A woman's body has been found in Memorial Park and she agrees to meet him there. She often wondered what it would be like if her co-workers learned about her dirty little secret. She'd probably have to go far, far away, or face years of humiliation. Little does Robyn know that she has been spied upon for more than two months by someone who has hacked into her computer and recording her actions. He also knows all the details of her life, her co-workers, friends, and even information about her bank accounts. The woman found dead in the park is identified as Charlotte Slater, a woman also spied upon by the same man as Robyn, who calls himself "The Slave Master." How can he be stopped or even found? How can Robyn confidently do her job fearing the investigation may lead to the exposure of the videos made by The Slave Master? Will he be blackmailing her as discovered in the case of Charlotte Slater? Can Robyn privately find out who The Slave Master is before he reveals her guilty pleasures to family, co-workers, and the world-wide-web? This is a chilling story, superbly written, with captivating and unique characters. The pace is vigorous with twists and turns, storyline is potent, candid, and engaging. An awesome, captivating novel which I highly recommend.
June 30, 2014
Computers, sex, and crime. A compelling trio that inundate every day life for all of us, regardless of our participation in any category we are aware of their existence and power. This trifecta features in James Raven's Malicious with the murderous intrigue from a hacker targeting a police detective, and it speaks heavily to the perils of online life and the vulnerability of webcams.
But seriously, a friendly piece of advice: cover those webcams when not in use. You think that peeping toms only exist outside your windows? Not a chance. Thanks to advancements in computers with built-in webcams, voyeurism has evolved to a new level.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website:http://jenpaul13.wix.com/makinggoodst....
The story centers around Texan police detective Robyn Tate, a middle-aged, divorced mother and a blackmailing hacker who calls himself the Slave Master while enjoying the shows put on by unsuspecting victims. Robyn has a dirty little secret that she doesn't want people to find out and the Slave Master preys off of it--Robyn frequents porn sites and masturbates to them...and the Slave Master has video evidence of it. It doesn't seem connected to her professional life until she investigates deeper into the murder of Charlotte Slater and finds that Charlotte visited the same psychologist, had issues with her computer, and was blackmailed, too.
Brief chapters help to build suspense in the story and maintains a quick pace. To help provide a fuller image of what is going on, there are periodic chapters from the Slave Master's perspective to offset the frightened, yet analytical mind of Robyn. With regards to the language used throughout the book, it was quite interesting to read about Texas and life in America in British English. I didn't really have an issue with the use of British English, apart from the idioms and some word choices that were utilized as they would not be used, much less understood, by most Americans, and it brought me out of the story a bit with a moment of "hey…". There were some areas of misused punctuation in the text, namely some question marks used in place of periods after a statement, but they were periodic. The story is brought together well and it ties up loose ends quite well to lead to, if not an entirely happy resolution, a realistic resolution.
Overall, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5.
But seriously, a friendly piece of advice: cover those webcams when not in use. You think that peeping toms only exist outside your windows? Not a chance. Thanks to advancements in computers with built-in webcams, voyeurism has evolved to a new level.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website:http://jenpaul13.wix.com/makinggoodst....
The story centers around Texan police detective Robyn Tate, a middle-aged, divorced mother and a blackmailing hacker who calls himself the Slave Master while enjoying the shows put on by unsuspecting victims. Robyn has a dirty little secret that she doesn't want people to find out and the Slave Master preys off of it--Robyn frequents porn sites and masturbates to them...and the Slave Master has video evidence of it. It doesn't seem connected to her professional life until she investigates deeper into the murder of Charlotte Slater and finds that Charlotte visited the same psychologist, had issues with her computer, and was blackmailed, too.
Brief chapters help to build suspense in the story and maintains a quick pace. To help provide a fuller image of what is going on, there are periodic chapters from the Slave Master's perspective to offset the frightened, yet analytical mind of Robyn. With regards to the language used throughout the book, it was quite interesting to read about Texas and life in America in British English. I didn't really have an issue with the use of British English, apart from the idioms and some word choices that were utilized as they would not be used, much less understood, by most Americans, and it brought me out of the story a bit with a moment of "hey…". There were some areas of misused punctuation in the text, namely some question marks used in place of periods after a statement, but they were periodic. The story is brought together well and it ties up loose ends quite well to lead to, if not an entirely happy resolution, a realistic resolution.
Overall, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5.
May 28, 2014
Robyn Tate is a homicide detective. She is divorced, has a grown daughter. Robyn describes herself as chunky. To destress she watches porn of all varieties on her laptop and masturbates while doing so. She starts investigating the murder of a woman who is unfaithful to her husband. She loves sex in public places. On her computer they find lists of her "regulars". She was beaten to death in a park after having sex on the hood of her guy of the evening's car. He is beat up, but manages to drive himself away. Charlotte, the dead woman's, laptop shows that someone had hacked into her computer and was blackmailing her.
Robyn finds an email from her daughter when she gets home. When she opens it, is it actually from someone calling himself the Slave Master. He directs her to a site that will go live if she doesn't pay him. She goes to the site and it is her masturbating with the porn she is flipping through in the lower right hand corner. She can't go to the cops, she'll lose her job. What will happen when it is released and her parents and her daughter see it? Her partner? The other cops, her friends? She would have to take out a loan to pay him. But as a cop she knows once she goes down that lane, the blackmailer will keep coming back. The Slave Master makes one mistake and Robyn, the detective picks up on it. Can she find him before her deadline? Her partner is getting suspicious of some of her actions and questions. If she needs help, can she trust him?
She discovers the identity of the Slave Master. She confronts him, but he refuses to cooperate and delete her files. If she destroys the entire hard drive, she will be destroying evidence in her current murder investigation. As her options start to dwindle, what will she do?
Robyn finds an email from her daughter when she gets home. When she opens it, is it actually from someone calling himself the Slave Master. He directs her to a site that will go live if she doesn't pay him. She goes to the site and it is her masturbating with the porn she is flipping through in the lower right hand corner. She can't go to the cops, she'll lose her job. What will happen when it is released and her parents and her daughter see it? Her partner? The other cops, her friends? She would have to take out a loan to pay him. But as a cop she knows once she goes down that lane, the blackmailer will keep coming back. The Slave Master makes one mistake and Robyn, the detective picks up on it. Can she find him before her deadline? Her partner is getting suspicious of some of her actions and questions. If she needs help, can she trust him?
She discovers the identity of the Slave Master. She confronts him, but he refuses to cooperate and delete her files. If she destroys the entire hard drive, she will be destroying evidence in her current murder investigation. As her options start to dwindle, what will she do?
October 9, 2014
I loved this book. My favorite lines: 1) My name is Robyn Tate and I have a confession to make: I have a dirty little secret. I call it that because I can’t think of a better way to describe it. 2) “He likes you. I can tell. And he respects you, which is just as important.”
The Slave Master, a serial killer, had nine slaves–women addicted to online porn or cheated on their husbands/boyfriends on a webcam. In the privacy of their own home, they pleasured themselves without realizing a hacker could turn on their webcam at any time. Charlotte Slater was his first murder victim.
Robyn was a police detective, so she and her partner tried to solve the case. Unbeknownst to the police department, Robyn had a secret–she’s addicted to online porn and is one of the “slaves.” The inner-turmoil she felt was very interesting. The secret was destroying her life.
I appreciated Robyn as a character. I liked that the author made her average looking instead of a bombshell. It made the story feel more real. And, I liked getting inside her head. This is the first time I ever read about women in favor of online porn. Usually it’s the men. I liked getting that female perspective of having a naughty secret.
I loved the mystery. I had two suspects, and I was wrong on both accounts. There were plenty of red herrings and suspense. The most chilling scene for me–when Robyn’s therapist got murdered in his office. I shuddered at the intensity of the Slave Master taunting the detective, Robyn. He was relentless.
James Raven was great with plot. All the scenes flowed easily and quickly. The story moved along with a lot of action instead of slowing down with info dumps, so I was motivated to read to the end, finding out who the serial killer truly was.
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
The Slave Master, a serial killer, had nine slaves–women addicted to online porn or cheated on their husbands/boyfriends on a webcam. In the privacy of their own home, they pleasured themselves without realizing a hacker could turn on their webcam at any time. Charlotte Slater was his first murder victim.
Robyn was a police detective, so she and her partner tried to solve the case. Unbeknownst to the police department, Robyn had a secret–she’s addicted to online porn and is one of the “slaves.” The inner-turmoil she felt was very interesting. The secret was destroying her life.
I appreciated Robyn as a character. I liked that the author made her average looking instead of a bombshell. It made the story feel more real. And, I liked getting inside her head. This is the first time I ever read about women in favor of online porn. Usually it’s the men. I liked getting that female perspective of having a naughty secret.
I loved the mystery. I had two suspects, and I was wrong on both accounts. There were plenty of red herrings and suspense. The most chilling scene for me–when Robyn’s therapist got murdered in his office. I shuddered at the intensity of the Slave Master taunting the detective, Robyn. He was relentless.
James Raven was great with plot. All the scenes flowed easily and quickly. The story moved along with a lot of action instead of slowing down with info dumps, so I was motivated to read to the end, finding out who the serial killer truly was.
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
January 6, 2014
(I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I found this book to be quite a tense read. I can't say it's one I would read again, but it was definitely gripping and held and kept my attention throughout the whole book.
I found it fairly interesting that this book was focused on a type of addiction most people probably don't necessarily see as one. A good book makes me almost put myself in the place of the characters - how would I react in a similar situation if I found myself in one?
There are a lot of technological advances in the time we live in now, but I also think that this technology opens us up to all kinds of dangers. This book did quite a good job of showing that. The idea of someone hacking into another person's computer and then blackmailing them because of what they're doing is a really scary thought and does a good job of making me think more about the dangers involved in not being careful in regards to technology.
Although I can understand why the author switched from first person to third person, it was still a little disconcerting at times. I felt that the story would have flowed better if it had been in either first person or third - not both.
The writing was particularly good and descriptive with only a couple of errors that I noticed. I did think that Robyn made a couple of bad choices, but they did fit in with her character, so they made sense for the situation she was in.
I have recommended this book to my brother, who has mentioned that this is the sort of book he likes to read. Whether he'll be able to read it any time soon is another matter entirely.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I found this book to be quite a tense read. I can't say it's one I would read again, but it was definitely gripping and held and kept my attention throughout the whole book.
I found it fairly interesting that this book was focused on a type of addiction most people probably don't necessarily see as one. A good book makes me almost put myself in the place of the characters - how would I react in a similar situation if I found myself in one?
There are a lot of technological advances in the time we live in now, but I also think that this technology opens us up to all kinds of dangers. This book did quite a good job of showing that. The idea of someone hacking into another person's computer and then blackmailing them because of what they're doing is a really scary thought and does a good job of making me think more about the dangers involved in not being careful in regards to technology.
Although I can understand why the author switched from first person to third person, it was still a little disconcerting at times. I felt that the story would have flowed better if it had been in either first person or third - not both.
The writing was particularly good and descriptive with only a couple of errors that I noticed. I did think that Robyn made a couple of bad choices, but they did fit in with her character, so they made sense for the situation she was in.
I have recommended this book to my brother, who has mentioned that this is the sort of book he likes to read. Whether he'll be able to read it any time soon is another matter entirely.
January 3, 2014
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and I am really glad that I did.
The narrative is very strong and will keep you guessing until the end- as a good thriller should.
At times I found it quite stressful to read and found myself full of nervous tension and apprehension as I was able to empathise with the lead character and really immerse myself in the narrative. This, for me, is what makes the book really great. The main character is especially well written and has obviously been thought out. She is not a generic character but is a reflection of many real middle aged people, which makes her easy to relate to.
The book is more than a mere 'who done it' as it bravely explores some taboo subjects and also explores a very real, if not well recognised, crime.
The narrative of an online criminal hacker/stalker/pervert makes the book exciting and current but also eye opening. The topic has clearly been well researched by the author, yet another aspect which gives the narrative a sense of realism.
The reader gets to see the story unravel from the point of view of the detective/victim and also the criminal (who's identity is unknown until the end). I personally would have liked to have seen a bit more written from the point of view of the criminal- I don't feel as though he had such a strong sense of character as the leading lady- and he does play a pretty big part in the narrative!
Overall I really enjoyed the book and would definitely read another by the author. It is fast paced and exciting and at times pretty extreme but totally believable.
The narrative is very strong and will keep you guessing until the end- as a good thriller should.
At times I found it quite stressful to read and found myself full of nervous tension and apprehension as I was able to empathise with the lead character and really immerse myself in the narrative. This, for me, is what makes the book really great. The main character is especially well written and has obviously been thought out. She is not a generic character but is a reflection of many real middle aged people, which makes her easy to relate to.
The book is more than a mere 'who done it' as it bravely explores some taboo subjects and also explores a very real, if not well recognised, crime.
The narrative of an online criminal hacker/stalker/pervert makes the book exciting and current but also eye opening. The topic has clearly been well researched by the author, yet another aspect which gives the narrative a sense of realism.
The reader gets to see the story unravel from the point of view of the detective/victim and also the criminal (who's identity is unknown until the end). I personally would have liked to have seen a bit more written from the point of view of the criminal- I don't feel as though he had such a strong sense of character as the leading lady- and he does play a pretty big part in the narrative!
Overall I really enjoyed the book and would definitely read another by the author. It is fast paced and exciting and at times pretty extreme but totally believable.
May 5, 2014
On the whole, I quite enjoyed this book; it took an interesting slant on something which is comparatively recent - the internet - and showcased a part of it which is fast becoming a huge problem for an increasing number of individuals/businesses/governments - its vulnerability through relative ease of access. The newspapers remind us with depressing regularity how devastating the effects of that vulnerability can be, especially on the lives of the young or less computer-savy users. With that in mind, I found it refreshing (reassuring possibly?) that even our heroine - a seasoned Homicide Detective - could also fall prey to the dangers lurking out there in cyberspace (in fact, it made me feel slightly less of a fool for having inadvertently downloaded my own share of trojans/malware in what was a painfully slow WWW. learning curve!).
Detective Tate was, in my view, credible enough in her insecurities and weaknesses to make her a reasonably well rounded three-dimensional character; I could empathise with her, understand her dilemmas and, ultimately, the paths she chose to follow. Although I had guessed at the probable culprit quite a while before she did, I was still interested enough in her as a person to want to see if or how her personal and professional life would recover. In fact, if I had to pick one "flaw" in this book, it would be that I thought that part of it was not fleshed out enough and felt slightly rushed through.
In conclusion, I would love to read more of Detective Tate's adventures. I hope Mr Raven has some plans in store for her!
Detective Tate was, in my view, credible enough in her insecurities and weaknesses to make her a reasonably well rounded three-dimensional character; I could empathise with her, understand her dilemmas and, ultimately, the paths she chose to follow. Although I had guessed at the probable culprit quite a while before she did, I was still interested enough in her as a person to want to see if or how her personal and professional life would recover. In fact, if I had to pick one "flaw" in this book, it would be that I thought that part of it was not fleshed out enough and felt slightly rushed through.
In conclusion, I would love to read more of Detective Tate's adventures. I hope Mr Raven has some plans in store for her!
July 17, 2015
This hooks you in from the beginning with a helicopter view of malicious cybercrime being carried out.
It is a spine chilling thriller as it brings to life what is possible. There have been several reported cases of similar crimes – James Raven has taken reality, added even darker layers, to give a strong, terrifying and quick moving thriller.
Set in Houston, I didn’t really get a feel for the sense of the place. As the plot is cyber crime I don’t think this really mattered. The criminal targets Detective Robyn Tate. You get to know her pretty well as events unfold, in part, from her point of view. I liked that she was a different type of character:- a middle aged woman; divorced; a couple of failed flings and self esteem issues. Some of the decisions she made didn’t seem at first to sit right with her character and then when you think about the panic and strain she was under of exposure it would be unrealistic to think straight all of the time. There are some adult scenes within the novel. Although Robyn is not harming any one, we see the conflict in that she herself sees this as her “dirty little secret” and anyway who would want others to know of your intimate secrets?
It was also good to be looking down on the criminal rather than inside his head. We were watching him as he was watching others!
If I was Robyn, I’m not sure I would stop worrying as she says in the Epilogue and I was surprised at the sugary ending.
A dark, unusual thriller and without a doubt is worth reading.
It is a spine chilling thriller as it brings to life what is possible. There have been several reported cases of similar crimes – James Raven has taken reality, added even darker layers, to give a strong, terrifying and quick moving thriller.
Set in Houston, I didn’t really get a feel for the sense of the place. As the plot is cyber crime I don’t think this really mattered. The criminal targets Detective Robyn Tate. You get to know her pretty well as events unfold, in part, from her point of view. I liked that she was a different type of character:- a middle aged woman; divorced; a couple of failed flings and self esteem issues. Some of the decisions she made didn’t seem at first to sit right with her character and then when you think about the panic and strain she was under of exposure it would be unrealistic to think straight all of the time. There are some adult scenes within the novel. Although Robyn is not harming any one, we see the conflict in that she herself sees this as her “dirty little secret” and anyway who would want others to know of your intimate secrets?
It was also good to be looking down on the criminal rather than inside his head. We were watching him as he was watching others!
If I was Robyn, I’m not sure I would stop worrying as she says in the Epilogue and I was surprised at the sugary ending.
A dark, unusual thriller and without a doubt is worth reading.
May 19, 2015
This book has it all, murder, suspense, steamy sex, and mystery. From the beginning of the premise, I knew this was going to be a great book. I haven't read any other book that incorporates online porn into their story, so I found it refreshing to read something that hasn't been commonly written about. It was not written in a disgusting or uncomfortable manner, I found it entertaining and realistic.
Malicious is very thought provoking because the plot is so plausible considering how technology is in today's time. The characters felt realistic and true in a very human way, and not like any superhero, or super cop in this case.
Detective Tate is a thirty-three year old divorced mother, who also happens to be addicted to internet porn. She has low self-esteem and having multiple failed relationships under her belt isn't helping. Since she has given up on love, she has become addicted to internet porn. It's a secret until the Slave Master hacked into her webcam and filmed some of her dirtiest moments, and threatened to use them against her.
This is a great book with no spelling or grammar issues that I found. The cover is so mysterious, you can't help but pick it up and want to learn more about what's inside. I rate this book 5/5.
Malicious is very thought provoking because the plot is so plausible considering how technology is in today's time. The characters felt realistic and true in a very human way, and not like any superhero, or super cop in this case.
Detective Tate is a thirty-three year old divorced mother, who also happens to be addicted to internet porn. She has low self-esteem and having multiple failed relationships under her belt isn't helping. Since she has given up on love, she has become addicted to internet porn. It's a secret until the Slave Master hacked into her webcam and filmed some of her dirtiest moments, and threatened to use them against her.
This is a great book with no spelling or grammar issues that I found. The cover is so mysterious, you can't help but pick it up and want to learn more about what's inside. I rate this book 5/5.
March 9, 2014
I was given the chance to read the book "Malicious" by James Raven, in exchange for an honest review through GoodReads.
The opening plot hooked my attention in a big way. Robyn Tate embodies what I think every woman thinks/fears of hitting their 40's single and not ready to mingle. She has the thought process, self esteem issues and fears all women have. Most times we think we are alone when we see another woman who seems to have everything, but judging a book by its cover isn't always as it seems.
Robyn's fears & insecurities drive her to some risqué actions in the comfort and security of her own home. The fact that the Slave Master uses her webcam against her, is ridiculously scary. Think about everything you do, at home, when you're alone...I for one, have many things I hide from everyone.
Between the Slave Master and Robyn, this book captivated my attention from start to finish. I applaud James Raver on a job well done. He managed to build and maintain Robyn's character and thought process extremely accurate, in my opinion. Robyn was relatable and demanded respect, as I have many of the same thoughts. Very well done.
Thank you for the opportunity to read, and love, this book.
The opening plot hooked my attention in a big way. Robyn Tate embodies what I think every woman thinks/fears of hitting their 40's single and not ready to mingle. She has the thought process, self esteem issues and fears all women have. Most times we think we are alone when we see another woman who seems to have everything, but judging a book by its cover isn't always as it seems.
Robyn's fears & insecurities drive her to some risqué actions in the comfort and security of her own home. The fact that the Slave Master uses her webcam against her, is ridiculously scary. Think about everything you do, at home, when you're alone...I for one, have many things I hide from everyone.
Between the Slave Master and Robyn, this book captivated my attention from start to finish. I applaud James Raver on a job well done. He managed to build and maintain Robyn's character and thought process extremely accurate, in my opinion. Robyn was relatable and demanded respect, as I have many of the same thoughts. Very well done.
Thank you for the opportunity to read, and love, this book.
July 4, 2018
Seriously...I read this book in one sitting! Took me four hours and I couldn't put it down. I'd started it as something to read before bed...for hours later at 3.30am I'd finished!
It was exciting, enthralling and easy to read, but still with an edge of your seat thrill when you don't know what's coming next, and you say to yourself "just one more chapter". I love these kinds of books! And this one really was an eye opener to the world of cybercrime and what could happen if someone gained remote access to your laptop or computer. It certainly doesn't bear thinking about. Our one last big of privacy violated as well.
As for the story, it was enjoyable and addictive. I found myself mentally slapping Robyn though - why not just trust Riley with her trouble? Because then there wouldn't be a story in it. But it does make you feel just a little frustrated when they choose the obvious route and decide to go it alone rather than risk being a laughing stock? But then, who knows what one would do in a similar situation.
In all, I loved this book. Being captivating as well as easy to read and follow without all the techie mumbo jumbo that would be lost on many makes for an exciting and refreshing read.
It was exciting, enthralling and easy to read, but still with an edge of your seat thrill when you don't know what's coming next, and you say to yourself "just one more chapter". I love these kinds of books! And this one really was an eye opener to the world of cybercrime and what could happen if someone gained remote access to your laptop or computer. It certainly doesn't bear thinking about. Our one last big of privacy violated as well.
As for the story, it was enjoyable and addictive. I found myself mentally slapping Robyn though - why not just trust Riley with her trouble? Because then there wouldn't be a story in it. But it does make you feel just a little frustrated when they choose the obvious route and decide to go it alone rather than risk being a laughing stock? But then, who knows what one would do in a similar situation.
In all, I loved this book. Being captivating as well as easy to read and follow without all the techie mumbo jumbo that would be lost on many makes for an exciting and refreshing read.
August 19, 2017
a great 3 star read, review to come...
Too much sex in this for my taste but it is an easy read and sadly this sort of thing happens a lot, crazy people with too much time on their hands and messed up heads digging into other people's lives. I covered up the camera eye on my computer after the first few pages....you never know!
A wacko computer hacker is taking over people's computer webcams and then blackmailing the ones who do "interesting" things, he calls them slaves. unfortunately for him he has targeted detective Robin Tate who just happens to be investigating the murder of one of his former slaves. The thing is, Robin has a secret. A sexual secret, kind of like the hacker. Cyber crimes are on the rise and this book will give you the heebie jeebies!
I was given this book by the author for a fair and honest review
Too much sex in this for my taste but it is an easy read and sadly this sort of thing happens a lot, crazy people with too much time on their hands and messed up heads digging into other people's lives. I covered up the camera eye on my computer after the first few pages....you never know!
A wacko computer hacker is taking over people's computer webcams and then blackmailing the ones who do "interesting" things, he calls them slaves. unfortunately for him he has targeted detective Robin Tate who just happens to be investigating the murder of one of his former slaves. The thing is, Robin has a secret. A sexual secret, kind of like the hacker. Cyber crimes are on the rise and this book will give you the heebie jeebies!
I was given this book by the author for a fair and honest review
January 13, 2014
I enjoyed reading this excellent suspense book. It had interesting characters and a well-developed plot. The premise was extremely
original and very frightening to anyone owning and using a computer.
The author, however, seems to waffle between the world of Texas and that of England. The story is peppered with English phrases, and the use of
the word "whilst" is, at times, distracting. Also the punctuation is distinctly English. This may not be a problem for the average reader, but it wouldn't be difficult for Raven to decide which camp he wants to pitch his writing tent in. Also, the book could use a better proofing than what it's received.
Those things aside, I really enjoyed the story and did not use them to rate this read.
original and very frightening to anyone owning and using a computer.
The author, however, seems to waffle between the world of Texas and that of England. The story is peppered with English phrases, and the use of
the word "whilst" is, at times, distracting. Also the punctuation is distinctly English. This may not be a problem for the average reader, but it wouldn't be difficult for Raven to decide which camp he wants to pitch his writing tent in. Also, the book could use a better proofing than what it's received.
Those things aside, I really enjoyed the story and did not use them to rate this read.
January 14, 2014
Malicious Online Thriller
Entertaining murder/cyber mystery involving a homicide detective in Houston, assigned to a murder case where the victim was being blackmailed by a cyberstalker who uses webcams to record video of compromising situations, as well as having control of email and web surfing. Our cyberstalker then goes after Robyn Tate, the Homicide Detective while she is trying to solve the murder and blackmail of the previous woman. This puts her career and family at risk.
The book does a good job of cranking up the tension on Robyn and the reader as her deadline draws closer and closer. I never guessed who the blackmailer was until it was revealed. Lots of action, twists and a good read.
Entertaining murder/cyber mystery involving a homicide detective in Houston, assigned to a murder case where the victim was being blackmailed by a cyberstalker who uses webcams to record video of compromising situations, as well as having control of email and web surfing. Our cyberstalker then goes after Robyn Tate, the Homicide Detective while she is trying to solve the murder and blackmail of the previous woman. This puts her career and family at risk.
The book does a good job of cranking up the tension on Robyn and the reader as her deadline draws closer and closer. I never guessed who the blackmailer was until it was revealed. Lots of action, twists and a good read.
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