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Celebration turns to nightmare when psychotherapist Kate Huntington’s guest of honor disappears en route to her own retirement party. Kate’s former boss, Sally Ford, has been kidnapped by a serial killer who holds his victims exactly forty-eight hours before killing them.

With time ticking away, the police allow Kate and her P.I. husband to help with the investigation. The FBI agents involved in the case have mixed reactions to the “civilian consultants.” The senior agent welcomes Kate’s assistance as he fine-tunes his psychological profile. His voluptuous, young partner is more by the book. While she locks horns out in the field with Kate’s husband, misunderstandings abound back at headquarters.

But they can ill afford these distractions. Sally’s time is about to expire.

(This book is part of a series but is designed to be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone novel.)

265 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 12, 2014

19 people are currently reading
51 people want to read

About the author

Kassandra Lamb

55 books233 followers
Psychology and writing (or writing and psychology) have always vied for the number one spot on my list of greatest passions. I am now a retired psychotherapist and can afford to spend as much time as I want on my writing.

I am in Heaven! (Well, actually I live in Florida now.)

Some people have asked me if my protagonist, psychotherapist Kate Huntington, is me. I wish! She's much more consistently kind and compassionate than I am.

I was born and raised in Maryland and lived there most of my adult life. In addition to my psychotherapy practice, I also taught at Towson University for a decade. It was my favorite job of my entire lifetime, so I decided to base my first series, the Kate Huntington mysteries, in Towson, Maryland. My newer series, about a service dog trainer, is set in central Florida near where I live now, the Marcia Banks and Buddy cozy mysteries.

I blog about psychological topics, or anything else that strikes my fancy, about twice a month at www.misteriopress.com.

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5 stars
58 (68%)
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19 (22%)
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Profile Image for Jo Ann Reinhold.
424 reviews44 followers
November 10, 2014
This was an ARC that I received from the author. This book was not in her normal mystery format but fast paced with the clock ticking, more in the pace of a thriller. Once again Kate Huntington and her husband are caught in the midst of a mystery but this time they are up against the clock to save Kate's friend and former boss from a serial killer. I really like these characters, these are not "Perfect" people, they have their own issues but know how to work through them. Kate is great in working with the FBI's Profiler and Kassandra brings in some humor with comparisons to the TV show! I really enjoyed reading this book! Good Job Kassandra Lamb!
1,384 reviews20 followers
June 13, 2019
Fatal forty-eight is the number of hours a serial killer keeps his victims before he kills them. In this book, he has kidnapped Sally Ford, Kate's boss from the recovery center. So suspenseful! This book takes us through the hours and emotions of those looking for Sally and of Sally herself. Excellent read!
Profile Image for Carol.
1,643 reviews67 followers
February 20, 2015
48 hours….47 hours….46 hours and so the clock ticks down!!!
At the end of the 48 hours, the previous victims were discovered
dead. This time, the victim is Sally Ford from the Trauma
Recovery Center.
Sally is retiring and planning to go to a retirement party her
friend, Kate Huntington-Canfield is giving for her. One more
patient and Sally will be on her way. But wait what is happening…
Sally finds herself kidnapped by the 48 hour socio-pathological
serial killer.
This is a fast paced, action packed, mystery and suspense with
the time ticking away.
Kate and her team investigate along with the police and FBI
tracking down clues and leads. Kate provides the psychological
aspects that weave throughout the story.
Will they find Sally in time?
The plot has many twists and turns that will keep you on the
edge of your seat.
This is the seventh book in the Kate Huntington Mysteries Series
but can be read as a stand alone. Once you start reading, you
will not put this book down.
Great read!!
I received this eBook from the author. My opinion is my own
Profile Image for Lavada.
39 reviews11 followers
November 10, 2014
Ms Lamb has done it again in this next installment if the Kate Huntington mystery series! I have to say to say this one was the best yet! Kate 's boss was kidnapped right before the retirement party Kate had planned for her. The killer will kill her in 48 hours if she isn't rescued. The police and FBI allow Kate and her team to help in the investigation. The pace in this story is fast, and once you get started, you are not going to want to put it down until the end! The tension just keeps building! In addition to the tension in the case, tensions develop between Kate and Skip. Pick up your copy and see what happens with this 48 hour killer and Kate and Skip. You can read this as a stand alone but take it from me, you will want to read all of Kate's stories!
Profile Image for Pernette.
771 reviews17 followers
November 10, 2014
Kate Huntington's friend Sally Ford is retiring. When she doesn't show up for her surprise retirement party the local police are contacted. Kate has the responding officer contact a detective on the force that knows Kate and her friends. It is determined that Ms. Ford has been abducted and the m.o. is similar to some previous unsolved abductions. The FBI is called in and Kate and friends set out to help find Sally before it is too late. Very suspenseful.
1,587 reviews30 followers
November 12, 2014
Tick tock of the clock. 48 hours. Ticking away. This book has you hanging on the edge of your sit, the turn of every page from the very first words til the very last. The pace is very, very fast. The air fraught with tension - while the clock ticks away, and everyone is searching for answers. I loved this book!!! Another fantastic addition to the Kate series. I loved the way new characters necessary for the story were added seamlessly into the cast of our usual characters. The use of psychology was woven throughout, with great talent. Sally was just magnificent in this story. I loved how gutsy she was. I was talking out loud (in my mind) to the book as I was turning the pages. I cannot find adequate words to say just how much I loved this book. Keep these page turners coming, Kassandra Lamb. They are just fantastic. My only complaint? I have to wait for the next Kate book. Woe is me.
Profile Image for Kathy.
26 reviews1 follower
November 12, 2014
Fatal Forty-Eight is fast paced, page turner. When Kate's friend Sally is abducted by a serial killer, Kate and friends join with the FBI in a relentless search for her friend. The twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat as you maneuver through the search and live with Sally through her suffering at the hands of a psychotic killer. I highly recommend Fatal Forty-eight as the next thriller that you read.
Profile Image for Barbara Harrison.
3,423 reviews87 followers
November 6, 2020
A fast scroll (it would be a page turner, but I read it on my computer) that I got through in less than a day of almost constant reading. Description gives enough of the plot without spoiling the details. NO detectable typos (a real joy to this former proofreader). Get it and see....
69 reviews
February 19, 2019
5 stars

This book got my attention on page one . Stayed up all night to finish. Love the characters just really like the storyline. Highly recommended.
921 reviews6 followers
January 6, 2021
Great series

This book a bit different than the traditional mystery. More action packed thriller characteristic as opposed to who dunit. Don't miss it.
Profile Image for Tony Parsons.
4,156 reviews103 followers
November 15, 2014
Sally Ford (63, Trauma Recovery Center) had been kidnapped. Kate Huntington-Canfield (psychotherapist) & Sally were BFF’s.

Supervisory Special Agent Timothy Tim Cornelius (40+, FBI) & Special Agent Julie Wallace (30, FBI) were assigned to the case.

Rob Franklin (lawyer) & his staff are also helping.

Kate & Tim were discussing the similar case throughout the New Haven area.

Conferences/meetings galore. Everyone involved was trying to piece this puzzle together. The clock was ticking.

Skip Canfield (PI, Kate 2nd husband), William Canfield (PI), Mac Reilly (Rose husband, PI, former Green Beret), & Rose Hernandez (PI), were doing their fair share of investigation.
Lieutenant Judith Anderson (Dolph former partner/detective at BCPD), Detective Dolph Randolph (retired Baltimore County (BC), & Detective Charles Tolliver (Tolliver Graphic Designs) were all chipping in as well.

Who might Claude Delaney be?

What did Debra Cummings (30+, Chandler, Ellicott City) reveal?

The manhunt is still on. Will the group solve the mysterious case & bring down the socio-pathlogical serial killer. Will Sally be brought back alive?

Angela Lansbury would love to read your books!

Julie Wallace must be a hottie! OK, maybe Kate is to.

Wow I used to live in Ossining, White Plains, & NYC. Nope OCD PPL are not violent.

Very impressive resume. There is only 12 of UR type in Kansas: Kansas City (5), Topeka (5) & Lawrence (2). We did not study that in grad school either.

I did home crisis intervention at homes or wherever the client was. Didn’t save everybody that would be a lie. All grades in the school system for a yr.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written psychological murder crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make great crime thriller movie, or mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free ARC PDF book (Author)
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Profile Image for Andy Peloquin.
Author 92 books1,312 followers
April 28, 2015
Reading this book reminded me why I prefer fantasy so much!
First off, it's hard to know who the main character in this book was. It seemed like it would be about the kidnapped person, but then it kept hopping from character to character until I didn't care about any of them. The switches in POV makes it hard to stick with the book or remember who is who. Perhaps that's because this is a book in a series…
There were a few weaknesses with the writing itself. The occasional grammar error drew my attention. What I HATED was that the author forgot to use the Oxford comma.
One thing that seemed jarring was the discovery that the kidnapped character was black. It was only made clear about 75% of the way into the book, and there was no mention made at the beginning of the book--or at least none that I saw.
The murder mystery/kidnapping in itself was fine, but there was nothing to make this book stand out from the thousands of others just like it. There was nothing EXCEPTIONAL about the characters or the horror of the kidnapping/murders. It was almost a bit cliché.
Worse still, the climax! It was incredibly anti-climactic, with far less suspense and danger than there should be in a book of this nature.
That being said, the story was complete, and the heroes of the book advanced toward the mystery at a good rate. There was no "sudden strokes of luck", but it was all solid detective work.
A funny note: the author of this book is clearly a fan of the Criminal Minds TV show. It's referenced multiple times.
Profile Image for Susan Barton.
Author 6 books94 followers
June 26, 2015
There's a serial killer on the loose and his latest victim is psychotherapist Kate Huntington's friend and former boss, Sally Ford. As investigators soon discover, this is the same serial killer known for his 48-hour deadline - save the victim within 48 hours, or he or she dies. Kate and her husband assist local law enforcement and the FBI while the clock ticks away. Will they find Sally in time, or will she be another murder victim?

I had a little trouble following this book, particularly in the beginning. Although the book description states that this is part of a series, but is designed to be read as a stand-alone novel as well, I had trouble figuring out who was who. There was little backstory to bring me up to speed. As I progressed through the book, I found the varying POVs tended to make things hard to follow at times. Most chapters contained more than one POV and I found this confusing. The book did move along quickly, however.

As far as detective mysteries go, Fatal Forty-Eight is a clever and unique take on criminal profiling and investigation. It's clear the author is a fan of Criminal Minds, since she mentions the show a few times. I think I would have been better off to start the series with book one, rather than begin several books in.

http://ebookreviewgal.com received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Cindy.
957 reviews33 followers
November 20, 2014
I was hooked on this book from the first chapter. Kassandra Lamb knows how to grab you into the book from the very beginning. This book is #7 in the Kate Huntington series but can be read as a stand alone book. After reading this, you will want to go back and read them all.

Once again, we have a mystery to solve but the author threw in a nerve wracking little twist. They have 48 hours to find the serial killer before he kills again. And the victim this time is Kate's friend, Sally!

This was a suspense filled book that will have you on edge right with the characters of the book. It will have you counting down the hours and wondering if they will find Sally before the 48 hours are up. Due to the fact that almost the entire book is set in that 48 times frame, it is a fast paced thriller! You will not want to put it down.

I believe that once you read one book by this author, you will be hooked and want to read more. Kassandra Lamb does not disappoint!

If you like an excellent mystery full of suspense, this is one that I very highly recommend!
Profile Image for Marinda.
379 reviews7 followers
December 5, 2014
I'm new to the Kate Huntington mystery series but I'm hooked! This book grabs you from the start and won't let go.Even though this is book 7 it can be a stand alone book. And what a book it is, it starts out with Kate who is a psychotherapist throwing a surprise party for her former boss Sally. Well Sally gets kidnapped by the Forty-Eight hour serial killer. So now Kate and her friends get involved in the search for Sally even though the F.B.I. is none to pleased with having "civilians" involved. Meanwhile Sally is using what little time she has to figure out how to escape, there are more twists and turns in this than a mountain road. Just when you think you have it figured out WHAM it turns left instead of right. Who will survive? Will Sally be found in time? I will definitely go back and read the rest of the stories in this series.
Profile Image for Sandra Love.
Author 11 books276 followers
December 6, 2014

Overall Rating ***** Wonderful Stars!!

First off this is the first book I’ve read from this author, and I am hooked. I LOVE this author. I will be reading more of her books. I am so glad I said I would review this book for the blog tour. I loved the twist and turns, and the mystery to the story. Kate’s boos was kidnapped before his retirement party. The kidnapper will kill her in forty-eight hours, so they need to rescue her before the time is up. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering what was about to happen. You have to read this book to find out if Kate’s boos is rescued. I can’t wait to read more of this series, this series is brilliant. Great job Kassandra =)
Profile Image for Michelle.
546 reviews
November 20, 2014
This is the 7th book in the Kate Huntington Mysteries Series, but can be read as a stand alone. After I read this one, I am going back to read the others. This is an edge of your seat kind of read that is hard to put down until you finish it. Kate's old boss, Sally, has been kidnapped and they only have 48 hours to figure out who took her and how to save her. You won't go wrong reading this one!!
Profile Image for Heather York.
Author 5 books53 followers
December 8, 2014
4-1/2 stars
I really enjoyed the fast paced suspense. There were no dull moments, even during scenes that weren't "mystery-related" had your interest piqued. The characters are well written but it was the story that had me riveted from beginning to end. I've never read this author before but I most definitely will be checking out other offerings in the future.
Profile Image for Dwayne Keller.
1,018 reviews13 followers
November 17, 2014
Fatal Fourty-eight is another great story in the Kate Huntington series. Kate's best friend is kidnapped by a serial killer and has 48 hours to be found or she will be executed. The story is a page turner and you feel the pressure of the 48 hours ticking by. Pick it up, you won't be disappointed.
2 reviews
January 7, 2015
Great set of mysteries

I have read all of this series. I enjoyed it a lot. Kate and Skip are a great team. I did miss some romance. We needed a new love interest. But I do enjoy everything you write Thank You!!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews

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