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Hidden Sins #1
The Devil's Daughter
Growing up in a small town isn’t easy, especially when you’re the daughter of a local cult leader. Ten years ago, Eden Collins left Clear Springs, Montana, and never once looked back. But when the bodies of murdered young women surface, their corpses violated and marked with tattoos worn by her mother’s followers, Eden, now an FBI agent, can’t turn a blind eye. To catch the killer, she’s going to have to return to the fold.
Sheriff Zach Owens isn’t comfortable putting Eden in danger, even if she is an elite agent. And he certainly wasn’t expecting to be so attracted to her. As calm and cool as she appears, he knows this can’t be a happy homecoming. Zach wants to protect her—from her mother, the cult, and the evil that lurks behind its locked gates. But Eden is his only key to the tight-lipped group, and she may just be closer to the killer than either one of them suspects…
Sheriff Zach Owens isn’t comfortable putting Eden in danger, even if she is an elite agent. And he certainly wasn’t expecting to be so attracted to her. As calm and cool as she appears, he knows this can’t be a happy homecoming. Zach wants to protect her—from her mother, the cult, and the evil that lurks behind its locked gates. But Eden is his only key to the tight-lipped group, and she may just be closer to the killer than either one of them suspects…
316 pages, Paperback
First published January 24, 2017
About the author
Katee Robert
138 books25.5k followersKatee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of spicy romance. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over two million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 363 reviews
February 6, 2017
NOW LIVE!
*READ AN EXCERPT HERE.*
The Devil's Daughter is Katee Robert's brand new romantic suspense following Eden Collins as she returns to her hometown. For her it's not a happy visit and all the town of Clear Springs brings her are bad memories. Now an FBI agent, Eden has returned to finally expose her mothers cult as the evil it really is and prove that the cult had something to do with the disappearance and death of two young women. With the help of the towns Sheriff, Zach Owens, she sets off to catch the person murdering these girls and marking them with the same tattoo's Eden herself was once marked with.
From the very start of this book I was invested in finding out the mysteries these pages held. There were twists at every page turn and I liked that this story was able to keep me on my toes. The characters were great to read about and I liked that they weren't too focused on. Instead of wasting time trying to get to know everything about Zach and Eden we were thrown right into murder and suspense, which I thought was perfect. All of the characters still had a good development and kept me intrigued, but my main focus was on finding out how the story was going to end.
I found Katee Roberts ability to write such an intense suspense, yet keep a good amount of romance in the mix, captivating. She wrote everything in such a way that I was constantly wondering what was going to happen, both in the investigation and in Eden's personal life. This is very different from the other books I've read by her but I thoroughly enjoyed the change and hope she'll write more in the Romantic Suspense genre. Overall, I recommend this book for any mystery lovers and will warn you to make sure you start when you will have time to read the whole book at once. Trust me, you won't want to put this down once you start.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
*READ AN EXCERPT HERE.*
The Devil's Daughter is Katee Robert's brand new romantic suspense following Eden Collins as she returns to her hometown. For her it's not a happy visit and all the town of Clear Springs brings her are bad memories. Now an FBI agent, Eden has returned to finally expose her mothers cult as the evil it really is and prove that the cult had something to do with the disappearance and death of two young women. With the help of the towns Sheriff, Zach Owens, she sets off to catch the person murdering these girls and marking them with the same tattoo's Eden herself was once marked with.
From the very start of this book I was invested in finding out the mysteries these pages held. There were twists at every page turn and I liked that this story was able to keep me on my toes. The characters were great to read about and I liked that they weren't too focused on. Instead of wasting time trying to get to know everything about Zach and Eden we were thrown right into murder and suspense, which I thought was perfect. All of the characters still had a good development and kept me intrigued, but my main focus was on finding out how the story was going to end.
I found Katee Roberts ability to write such an intense suspense, yet keep a good amount of romance in the mix, captivating. She wrote everything in such a way that I was constantly wondering what was going to happen, both in the investigation and in Eden's personal life. This is very different from the other books I've read by her but I thoroughly enjoyed the change and hope she'll write more in the Romantic Suspense genre. Overall, I recommend this book for any mystery lovers and will warn you to make sure you start when you will have time to read the whole book at once. Trust me, you won't want to put this down once you start.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
March 10, 2023
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DNF @ 42%
I like cult books so I was really excited and intrigued when I found out Katee Robert of NEON GODS fame wrote a cult-themed romantic thriller. Girls are dying or going missing and the heroine, Eden, has come from the FBI on her own time to help look into things. We find out that she's the daughter of the local cult leader in a small Montana town, and that her upbringing was anything but pleasant or traditional.
The hero, Zach, is the head of the local police department and for a guy who usually spends most of his time handling public drunkenness or domestic disputes, this is a bit out of his paygrade. He reluctantly accepts Eden's help once he finds out that she's legit and estranged from her mom and they start looking into the disappearances and seeing if they can figure out whodunnit.
I loved the parts about the cult and the small town vibes. I thought these were well done. Also it was super funny that the cult was kind of Persephone themed because I've read two other series by this author that reference the Hades/Persephone myth. I actually think it's really cute and fun when an author is this passionate about something and you can see these little motifs popping up in their books again and again, although the way it's referenced here is so much darker than how it played out in NEON.
I thought this book might be four or five stars for me but I really didn't like the romance. I also was not a fan of Zach. Part of this is a me thing. I'm not a fan of cop romances, and he's kind of the stereotypical starched-shirt, slightly sexist portrayal that shows up in these kinds of romances. I also felt like the connection between the heroine and the hero was tenuous at best. When they first made a move at each other I was like, WAIT, WHAT?? I thought it was a trick or a scam, but no, they weren't playing. This also isn't my first cult romance rodeo. I liked Anne Stuart's RITUAL SINS and Heather Crews's A PALE SHADOW a lot better, but I might be biased because one of those ladies is my best friend and one of them is my writing god-slash-spiritual aunt (although she doesn't know it...yet).
Still, this book had a lot of potential and I hope Robert turns to romantic suspense again at some point because I feel like she could probably rock a GONE GIRL-type book if she really wanted to.
2 to 2.5 stars
February 18, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
The Devil's Daughter by Katee Robert
Book One of the Hidden Sins series
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Publication Date: January 24, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
Summary (from Goodreads):
Growing up in a small town isn’t easy, especially when you’re the daughter of a local cult leader. Ten years ago, Eden Collins left Clear Springs, Montana, and never once looked back. But when the bodies of murdered young women surface, their corpses violated and marked with tattoos worn by her mother’s followers, Eden, now an FBI agent, can’t turn a blind eye. To catch the killer, she’s going to have to return to the fold.
Sheriff Zach Owens isn’t comfortable putting Eden in danger, even if she is an elite agent. And he certainly wasn’t expecting to be so attracted to her. As calm and cool as she appears, he knows this can’t be a happy homecoming. Zach wants to protect her—from her mother, the cult, and the evil that lurks behind its locked gates. But Eden is his only key to the tight-lipped group, and she may just be closer to the killer than either one of them suspects…
What I Liked:
Katee Robert does it again! I'm convinced there is nothing she can't write. I've read most of her steamy, sexy adult romance novels, her dark crime/mafia adult romance novels (O'Mallley's series), and now this series, featuring murders and cults. I knew this wasn't specifically a romance novel (though there is romance in it), which is different from what Robert usually writes. I'm really happy that I loved this story despite the usual heavy-romance expectation being taken out of the story.
Sheriff Zach Owens has a dead body to identify and a missing girl to find, within days of each other. The first instinct would be to point fingers at Elysia, a cult group run by religious fanatic Martha Collins. But with no evidence, he can do little more than ask questions. But things change when Eden Collins, daughter of Martha Collins, shows up in the precinct with a photo of the dead girl's body. Someone sent Eden the photo, and Eden believes whoever sent it is trying to draw her back to Elysia. She vowed she'd never come back, but now she is involved, even if she's not back in Clear Springs on official business, as an FBI agent. Zach doesn't like the idea of involving Eden, for her safety, but he has no other options when it comes to Elysia. Zach and Eden are determined to find the killer, before more girls are taken and killed.
There is such a dark, creepy tone underlying this story, which is probably Robert's intent. I'm assuming that's the case, and I must say, Robert did an excellent job building up the creepy factor. Chills and goosebumps were definitely present as I was reading this book. There is something about cults that has always freaked me out, but add raped and beaten murder victims with ritualistic patterns to the murders, and the creepy factor is significantly upped. Like I said, Robert really did a good job with setting the tone.
The world-building is well-written too. I don't think I've read many novels set in Montana, but here we are, with a story set in Clear Springs, Montana. I've always thought Montana was creepy, but this novel sort of seals the deal. I know this is fiction but I'm assuming there is some sort of authenticity to the setting (mountains, small town, cabins, fishing, three cops total). Robert painted the picture of Clear Springs and Elysia really well. Montana is a very different place from Baltimore, and Robert made this extremely evident.
Of the two, I liked Zach more, but I liked them both. Zach is the white knight in shining armor type. He isn't overly alpha or macho, but he is extremely protective of his town, the citizens, and eventually, Eden. He feels responsible for each murder and any crime in the town. He tries to do the best for everyone, and often takes care of himself last. He has the makings of a devoted family man, but his job and his dedication to it has him very single. Zach is smart, honest, and protective, but he is also a hardened ex-Marine who is ruthless when it comes to protecting his town.
Eden is the more complex of the two. She wears a lot of emotional armor and puts up walls with everyone. Growing up in Elysia left her extremely scarred, and she has tried to block out a lot of what happened. Coming back and reliving those memories is extremely difficult for her. But she is an FBI agent and a stronger woman than she ever was. She doesn't want Zach's help (as much as she really does need it - him), and she often wants to do things her own way, even if (to me) her actions seem reckless and impulsive.
Like I said, this isn't a romance novel (it's a mystery/suspense novel), but there is romance in the book that isn't at the forefront. Zach and Eden have chemistry between them, and they complement each other well. But with Eden's walls, a relationship between them would be impossible. I was a little frustrated because I wanted more from the romance, but at the same time, I definitely understand why there wasn't more. Still, the progression of the romance is sweet.
Back to creepy! The premise of this book is very intriguing, being a mystery/suspense story about several murders that seem to follow the same patterns. The victims are young with pale skin and dark hair, and they all have tattoos, specific to the Elysian cult. All fingers point to Elysia and Martha Collins, but there is no concrete evidence. Zach and Eden must hunt down every clue and every scrap of knowledge they have. Robert had me going in one direction or another, but it really didn't take me long to hone in on one person - and I turned out to be correct. There was another aspect that I didn't quite aspect. Really, the ending is both surprising and not surprising. Robert crafted an excellent and twisted story, keeping readers guessing until the end.
Overall, I liked the story. It was complex and unique, not just about the murders of several girls and trying to catch the killer before more girls disappear. Eden works through a lot of emotional pain throughout the story. Zach has to deal with the crushing guilt he feels every time someone else is missing, or shows up dead. And the pair share a lot more than a common goal to find the murderer - they grow closer, but Eden doesn't know what to do with her feelings. There are many layers to the story, which all come together in the end.
The ending is good in that it wraps up well (in terms of the murderer and the mystery of it all). I wish there was more concreteness to the romance's ending - it's a HEA, but I think I need an epilogue to be fully satisfied. Still, I liked this book and I can comfortably say that it is one of Robert's best.
What I Did Not Like:
This is nothing against the main aspect of the story (the "murder mystery")! But my complaint would be that I wanted more from the romance, especially at the end. The ending is a nice one, in terms of Zach and Eden, but it's also slightly open-ended. Like I said, I would love an epilogue. I don't really love not knowing how things are going to be concretely resolved and worked out. If that makes sense (hopefully I've been vague enough to avoid spoilers but also specific enough to make sense).
Would I Recommend It:
I recommend this novel if you like murder stories, mystery/suspense novels, or the like. A warning - there is a creepy cult, and mentions of beatings, rape, non-consensual acts. All of these horrible acts happen to the murder victims (and not out protagonists (Zach or Eden). But I thought I'd mention that. This book has a pretty heavy dose of creepy in terms of the cult, but that definitely makes the novel interesting, and it kept me reading. My attention was captured and I could not stop reading until I reached the end!
There is "mature" adult content, in terms of the romance. Another thing to note. Not as steamy as Robert's contemporary romance novels, but definitely explicit enough for adult readers only.
Rating:
4 stars. This is one of Robert's more complex and thought-provoking novels! It was dark and chilling, but with some warm and hopeful moments (such as the romance). I hope that there will be Zach/Eden cameo appearances in subsequent novels, because I really want to know how they work things out logistically! I'm a facts/logic person, and I must know. I'm excited to read the next story (Vic's)!
The Devil's Daughter by Katee Robert
Book One of the Hidden Sins series
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Publication Date: January 24, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
Summary (from Goodreads):
Growing up in a small town isn’t easy, especially when you’re the daughter of a local cult leader. Ten years ago, Eden Collins left Clear Springs, Montana, and never once looked back. But when the bodies of murdered young women surface, their corpses violated and marked with tattoos worn by her mother’s followers, Eden, now an FBI agent, can’t turn a blind eye. To catch the killer, she’s going to have to return to the fold.
Sheriff Zach Owens isn’t comfortable putting Eden in danger, even if she is an elite agent. And he certainly wasn’t expecting to be so attracted to her. As calm and cool as she appears, he knows this can’t be a happy homecoming. Zach wants to protect her—from her mother, the cult, and the evil that lurks behind its locked gates. But Eden is his only key to the tight-lipped group, and she may just be closer to the killer than either one of them suspects…
What I Liked:
Katee Robert does it again! I'm convinced there is nothing she can't write. I've read most of her steamy, sexy adult romance novels, her dark crime/mafia adult romance novels (O'Mallley's series), and now this series, featuring murders and cults. I knew this wasn't specifically a romance novel (though there is romance in it), which is different from what Robert usually writes. I'm really happy that I loved this story despite the usual heavy-romance expectation being taken out of the story.
Sheriff Zach Owens has a dead body to identify and a missing girl to find, within days of each other. The first instinct would be to point fingers at Elysia, a cult group run by religious fanatic Martha Collins. But with no evidence, he can do little more than ask questions. But things change when Eden Collins, daughter of Martha Collins, shows up in the precinct with a photo of the dead girl's body. Someone sent Eden the photo, and Eden believes whoever sent it is trying to draw her back to Elysia. She vowed she'd never come back, but now she is involved, even if she's not back in Clear Springs on official business, as an FBI agent. Zach doesn't like the idea of involving Eden, for her safety, but he has no other options when it comes to Elysia. Zach and Eden are determined to find the killer, before more girls are taken and killed.
There is such a dark, creepy tone underlying this story, which is probably Robert's intent. I'm assuming that's the case, and I must say, Robert did an excellent job building up the creepy factor. Chills and goosebumps were definitely present as I was reading this book. There is something about cults that has always freaked me out, but add raped and beaten murder victims with ritualistic patterns to the murders, and the creepy factor is significantly upped. Like I said, Robert really did a good job with setting the tone.
The world-building is well-written too. I don't think I've read many novels set in Montana, but here we are, with a story set in Clear Springs, Montana. I've always thought Montana was creepy, but this novel sort of seals the deal. I know this is fiction but I'm assuming there is some sort of authenticity to the setting (mountains, small town, cabins, fishing, three cops total). Robert painted the picture of Clear Springs and Elysia really well. Montana is a very different place from Baltimore, and Robert made this extremely evident.
Of the two, I liked Zach more, but I liked them both. Zach is the white knight in shining armor type. He isn't overly alpha or macho, but he is extremely protective of his town, the citizens, and eventually, Eden. He feels responsible for each murder and any crime in the town. He tries to do the best for everyone, and often takes care of himself last. He has the makings of a devoted family man, but his job and his dedication to it has him very single. Zach is smart, honest, and protective, but he is also a hardened ex-Marine who is ruthless when it comes to protecting his town.
Eden is the more complex of the two. She wears a lot of emotional armor and puts up walls with everyone. Growing up in Elysia left her extremely scarred, and she has tried to block out a lot of what happened. Coming back and reliving those memories is extremely difficult for her. But she is an FBI agent and a stronger woman than she ever was. She doesn't want Zach's help (as much as she really does need it - him), and she often wants to do things her own way, even if (to me) her actions seem reckless and impulsive.
Like I said, this isn't a romance novel (it's a mystery/suspense novel), but there is romance in the book that isn't at the forefront. Zach and Eden have chemistry between them, and they complement each other well. But with Eden's walls, a relationship between them would be impossible. I was a little frustrated because I wanted more from the romance, but at the same time, I definitely understand why there wasn't more. Still, the progression of the romance is sweet.
Back to creepy! The premise of this book is very intriguing, being a mystery/suspense story about several murders that seem to follow the same patterns. The victims are young with pale skin and dark hair, and they all have tattoos, specific to the Elysian cult. All fingers point to Elysia and Martha Collins, but there is no concrete evidence. Zach and Eden must hunt down every clue and every scrap of knowledge they have. Robert had me going in one direction or another, but it really didn't take me long to hone in on one person - and I turned out to be correct. There was another aspect that I didn't quite aspect. Really, the ending is both surprising and not surprising. Robert crafted an excellent and twisted story, keeping readers guessing until the end.
Overall, I liked the story. It was complex and unique, not just about the murders of several girls and trying to catch the killer before more girls disappear. Eden works through a lot of emotional pain throughout the story. Zach has to deal with the crushing guilt he feels every time someone else is missing, or shows up dead. And the pair share a lot more than a common goal to find the murderer - they grow closer, but Eden doesn't know what to do with her feelings. There are many layers to the story, which all come together in the end.
The ending is good in that it wraps up well (in terms of the murderer and the mystery of it all). I wish there was more concreteness to the romance's ending - it's a HEA, but I think I need an epilogue to be fully satisfied. Still, I liked this book and I can comfortably say that it is one of Robert's best.
What I Did Not Like:
This is nothing against the main aspect of the story (the "murder mystery")! But my complaint would be that I wanted more from the romance, especially at the end. The ending is a nice one, in terms of Zach and Eden, but it's also slightly open-ended. Like I said, I would love an epilogue. I don't really love not knowing how things are going to be concretely resolved and worked out. If that makes sense (hopefully I've been vague enough to avoid spoilers but also specific enough to make sense).
Would I Recommend It:
I recommend this novel if you like murder stories, mystery/suspense novels, or the like. A warning - there is a creepy cult, and mentions of beatings, rape, non-consensual acts. All of these horrible acts happen to the murder victims (and not out protagonists (Zach or Eden). But I thought I'd mention that. This book has a pretty heavy dose of creepy in terms of the cult, but that definitely makes the novel interesting, and it kept me reading. My attention was captured and I could not stop reading until I reached the end!
There is "mature" adult content, in terms of the romance. Another thing to note. Not as steamy as Robert's contemporary romance novels, but definitely explicit enough for adult readers only.
Rating:
4 stars. This is one of Robert's more complex and thought-provoking novels! It was dark and chilling, but with some warm and hopeful moments (such as the romance). I hope that there will be Zach/Eden cameo appearances in subsequent novels, because I really want to know how they work things out logistically! I'm a facts/logic person, and I must know. I'm excited to read the next story (Vic's)!
January 31, 2017
I read a lot of Romantic Suspense and this is a new author to me. I know she writes straight "romance" but I have never read any of her books. Saw a lot of good reviews for it and the premise sounded interesting. I am sorry to say, it fell a bit flat for me. I couldn't connect with either character. I thought their "romantic" relationship progressed a bit too quickly. I couldn't buy that Eden would return to her home place. I saw the bad guy coming almost straight away. It wasn't a surprise to me at all. The writing was good and I may try more books by this author. But it wasn't to the standard of RS that I want and expect.
It kinda says it all really if I don't make much of an effort with pictures for my review.
I went down through a lot of the reviews and almost 99% of them are for ARCs. I won't say it again ... we will just leave it there.
It kinda says it all really if I don't make much of an effort with pictures for my review.
I went down through a lot of the reviews and almost 99% of them are for ARCs. I won't say it again ... we will just leave it there.
February 5, 2017
WOW! If you enjoy romantic suspense, look no further, this story epitomises the best of the genre. It is a fast paced, action packed story with characters it is easy to relate to and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing till the dramatic conclusion and is complete with a side serving of romance!
Eden Collins escaped from Clear Springs, Montana a decade ago, becoming an FBI agent. Her mother, Martha, is the somewhat charismatic leader of a cult, loosely based on the story of Demeter and Persephone, established near the township. Eden never intended to return but was sent a photograph of a young lady who had been murdered and the victim has cult tattoos that she recognises. Local Sheriff, Zach Owens, isn't quite sure what to make of Eden's unexpected return, the timing and how she obtained the victim's photograph. However, he also knows that it will be difficult for him or any other law enforcement agent to gain admittance to the cult personnel or grounds - and Eden could be his way in, if he can trust her.
Exploring aspects of the control and manipulation of followers, the insular nature of cults and difficulties when things start to go wrong, this is an enthralling, thrilling read that I just didn't want to put down. The back history of key characters is explored, the dialogue brings them to life and you can really feel the drama and angst. With a serial killer on the loose and suggestions that Eden is their planned ultimate victim, this is a real roller-coaster ride, one that you don't want to get off until the perpetrator(s) have been stopped! I loved this and have no hesitation in highly recommending it to other people who enjoy suspense filled romantic reads!
I was gifted a copy of this novel via NetGalley and this is my honest review after reading it.
Eden Collins escaped from Clear Springs, Montana a decade ago, becoming an FBI agent. Her mother, Martha, is the somewhat charismatic leader of a cult, loosely based on the story of Demeter and Persephone, established near the township. Eden never intended to return but was sent a photograph of a young lady who had been murdered and the victim has cult tattoos that she recognises. Local Sheriff, Zach Owens, isn't quite sure what to make of Eden's unexpected return, the timing and how she obtained the victim's photograph. However, he also knows that it will be difficult for him or any other law enforcement agent to gain admittance to the cult personnel or grounds - and Eden could be his way in, if he can trust her.
Exploring aspects of the control and manipulation of followers, the insular nature of cults and difficulties when things start to go wrong, this is an enthralling, thrilling read that I just didn't want to put down. The back history of key characters is explored, the dialogue brings them to life and you can really feel the drama and angst. With a serial killer on the loose and suggestions that Eden is their planned ultimate victim, this is a real roller-coaster ride, one that you don't want to get off until the perpetrator(s) have been stopped! I loved this and have no hesitation in highly recommending it to other people who enjoy suspense filled romantic reads!
I was gifted a copy of this novel via NetGalley and this is my honest review after reading it.
February 22, 2017
I was really pulled into this story initially and liked the plot and the characters. Eden's character was a little stand offish, but it fit her role as the daughter of the head of a cult. I liked that she was strong enough to escape the lifestyle her mother created and then went to work for the FBI to help profile these types of individuals.
What didn't work for me is that once she has to put her skills to work in regards to her mother's cult, she doesn't seem to be able to do anything professional and has no skill set. She becomes a weak link in the story and constantly puts herself at risk. It was disappointing.
I started to lose interest in the story at the back half and wasn't thrilled with a couple of the TSTL plot moves. I never like when you send the person who is supposed to be at risk in to an area all by themselves with the people who you think are dangerous. I also thought that Eden's FBI partner was really under utilized as a character - why bring him in?
Still the story worked for me and I would read more from this author.
What didn't work for me is that once she has to put her skills to work in regards to her mother's cult, she doesn't seem to be able to do anything professional and has no skill set. She becomes a weak link in the story and constantly puts herself at risk. It was disappointing.
I started to lose interest in the story at the back half and wasn't thrilled with a couple of the TSTL plot moves. I never like when you send the person who is supposed to be at risk in to an area all by themselves with the people who you think are dangerous. I also thought that Eden's FBI partner was really under utilized as a character - why bring him in?
Still the story worked for me and I would read more from this author.
May 25, 2017
FBI Agent Eden Collins left her her hometown of Clear Springs, Montana 10 years ago. Nothing, but nothing, would induce her to return ...except someone sent her a picture of a dead girl. The girl has been beaten, strangled, and more importantly, she has tattoos. These are identical to the tattoos that Eden carries.
Eden's mother is a cult leader. All her followers carry the same tattoos...except Eden has one that no other has. Even though she knows she's being manipulated into returning to the cult, she can't just ignore a young girl being murdered by a member of her cult.
Sheriff Zach Owens has his suspicions about this FBI Agent who just happens to be on "vacation" and has ties to his town. But then another girl goes missing and another body is found ... same marks, same tattoos.
They are going to have to work together to stop this killer ...and Eden is going to have to push herself to deal with her mother ...and her followers .... again. And the longer she stays, the more danger she's in .... and it's far closer than she knows.
This is a new author to me, and I was pleased to find a well-written Romantic Suspense. The premise is a good one, with some twists and turns and an ending that really surprised me. The characters are thoughtfully defined. Eden has a lot of issues to deal with, but she seems to fight her way through them. Zach is highly attracted to Eden and very protective.
The author has several books out there, so if you're a fan of Romantic Suspense, you might want to check her out.
Many thanks to the author / Montlake Romance / Netgalley for the digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Eden's mother is a cult leader. All her followers carry the same tattoos...except Eden has one that no other has. Even though she knows she's being manipulated into returning to the cult, she can't just ignore a young girl being murdered by a member of her cult.
Sheriff Zach Owens has his suspicions about this FBI Agent who just happens to be on "vacation" and has ties to his town. But then another girl goes missing and another body is found ... same marks, same tattoos.
They are going to have to work together to stop this killer ...and Eden is going to have to push herself to deal with her mother ...and her followers .... again. And the longer she stays, the more danger she's in .... and it's far closer than she knows.
This is a new author to me, and I was pleased to find a well-written Romantic Suspense. The premise is a good one, with some twists and turns and an ending that really surprised me. The characters are thoughtfully defined. Eden has a lot of issues to deal with, but she seems to fight her way through them. Zach is highly attracted to Eden and very protective.
The author has several books out there, so if you're a fan of Romantic Suspense, you might want to check her out.
Many thanks to the author / Montlake Romance / Netgalley for the digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
February 6, 2017
As soon as I read the blurb for this the grabby hands came out and I was dying to see how Katee Roberts was going to go on her first foray into romantic suspense. I mean it’s no surprise I love her contemporary romance novels; I can’t get enough of her writing style. That said everything I love about Katee’s books wasn’t included in this one but I enjoyed it so much I didn’t even notice until I had put down the book and sat down to review it.
That’s probably because I was so absorbed in the suspense and couldn’t put the book down for long enough to remember my own name. The story was so gripping and I had so many theories on who had done it and how things were going to play out. It kept me guessing until the very end and I really enjoyed the cult setting.
Eden was such a kick arse character. I thoroughly enjoyed being in her head hearing her inner monologues made her feel so genuine and I liked that while she was so tough and self-reliant she wasn’t afraid to let her insecurities show and do what needed to be done.
And then there was Zack. He was so sweet yet still so strong and alpha. He didn’t try to wrap her up in cotton wool despite the fact he had legitimate concerns for her safety. It was so great to see a strong alpha male who fought his own instincts to do what was right for everyone involved.
Despite the fact this isn’t my normal genre and it is miles away from what I expect from Katee Roberts I hung on every word written and I can only hope that Katee has something similar up her sleeve.
Check out my reviews here
That’s probably because I was so absorbed in the suspense and couldn’t put the book down for long enough to remember my own name. The story was so gripping and I had so many theories on who had done it and how things were going to play out. It kept me guessing until the very end and I really enjoyed the cult setting.
Eden was such a kick arse character. I thoroughly enjoyed being in her head hearing her inner monologues made her feel so genuine and I liked that while she was so tough and self-reliant she wasn’t afraid to let her insecurities show and do what needed to be done.
And then there was Zack. He was so sweet yet still so strong and alpha. He didn’t try to wrap her up in cotton wool despite the fact he had legitimate concerns for her safety. It was so great to see a strong alpha male who fought his own instincts to do what was right for everyone involved.
Despite the fact this isn’t my normal genre and it is miles away from what I expect from Katee Roberts I hung on every word written and I can only hope that Katee has something similar up her sleeve.
Check out my reviews here
January 26, 2017
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
A deeply harrowing intense thriller that is interlaced with mystery, suspense, and intrigue. If you are familiar with Katee Robert, then you are all aware that she has this ability to pull in readers to get lost in her story and in the case of The Devil’s Daughter, Katee went beyond the hearts and flowers that we are used to but instead gave her readers a story that will leave chills as she explores the hidden secrets of a cult.
The Devil’s Daughter is not your standard romantic suspense since I would say romance takes a major backseat in this story of uncovering the secrets of this specific cult. Eden Collins left her childhood life behind when she escaped Clear Springs, Montana ten years ago. She started a new life but it seems she couldn’t escape her past or her family. As it turns out, Eden’s mother is a cult leader and when bodies of young women starts emerging, all signs points to her mother’s cult. As an FBI agent, Eden was trained to be strong, independent, and fierce but what happens when she arrives back in Clear Springs and is bombarded of the lifestyle that she tried to run away from. Will Eden be able to help the local sheriff find those missing girls? Or will Eden discover that she can’t truly run away from home?
If you are looking for a story that is a real page turner then I highly suggest you read A Devil’s Daughter as you discover the unfolding of secrets and the reasoning for the killings of the young girls. Roberts did a fabulous job in writing this book as she slowly laid out the pieces of the puzzle in order for readers to guess who the killer is. If you are like me and are looking for a book that was written with such intensity and fervor then I highly suggest you read this book.
Katee Robert
A deeply harrowing intense thriller that is interlaced with mystery, suspense, and intrigue. If you are familiar with Katee Robert, then you are all aware that she has this ability to pull in readers to get lost in her story and in the case of The Devil’s Daughter, Katee went beyond the hearts and flowers that we are used to but instead gave her readers a story that will leave chills as she explores the hidden secrets of a cult.
The Devil’s Daughter is not your standard romantic suspense since I would say romance takes a major backseat in this story of uncovering the secrets of this specific cult. Eden Collins left her childhood life behind when she escaped Clear Springs, Montana ten years ago. She started a new life but it seems she couldn’t escape her past or her family. As it turns out, Eden’s mother is a cult leader and when bodies of young women starts emerging, all signs points to her mother’s cult. As an FBI agent, Eden was trained to be strong, independent, and fierce but what happens when she arrives back in Clear Springs and is bombarded of the lifestyle that she tried to run away from. Will Eden be able to help the local sheriff find those missing girls? Or will Eden discover that she can’t truly run away from home?
If you are looking for a story that is a real page turner then I highly suggest you read A Devil’s Daughter as you discover the unfolding of secrets and the reasoning for the killings of the young girls. Roberts did a fabulous job in writing this book as she slowly laid out the pieces of the puzzle in order for readers to guess who the killer is. If you are like me and are looking for a book that was written with such intensity and fervor then I highly suggest you read this book.
Katee Robert
June 25, 2017
No one beats Persephone indefinitely. Not Demeter, not mankind, and sure as hell not Hades.
That my friends was a goose bump moment.
Eden Collins swore that she would never go back to Clear Springs and the cult Elysia where she grew up with her mother being the cult leader. She against her will has been lured back to a murder where the victim looks similar to her in so many ways. Now a strong, sassy and independent woman she has been working for the FBI specifically the BAU.
Zach Owens former Marine now Sheriff in Clear Springs moved to the small town to get away from the nightmares and enjoy the peace. That is until his deputy finds a dead girl with ritualistic markings on her body.
Against Eden’s better judgement she gets unofficially involved with the investigation and the more they try and find out about it all the more questions arise. It is a game of cat and mouse with the killer being at least two steps ahead of them.
At the beginning they reluctantly work together, Zach can’t quite trust her yet what with the coincidence of a body turning up and then Eden coming into town.
Martha and her inner circle are well indoctrination, religious zealots the whole shebang. There are ties to the cult but Martha is blocking them at every turn.
The author did a fantastic job of spinning a gripping tale of taking a Greek myth the story of Demeter & Persephone and making it the focal point of the cult. Of the fanatical religious zealot with added mystery, suspenseful and had me on pins & needles with horrifying moments that made me want to stop reading.
But I did continue reading and there were times where it was tough going. But in the end? Certainly worth it.
I will read the second when it comes out. Please hurry up.
Review can also be found @ http://jerisbookattic-reviewblog.blog...
January 20, 2017
*Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgally for this book.
FBI Agent Eden Collins never expected to return to the home she escaped years ago - the small town of Clear Springs and Elysia, a cult led by her mother Martha Collins. Eden still has nightmares of growing up under the power and control of a cult that did not provide the simple, happy life it promised. Eden knows the evil secrets concealed behind those walls all too well as she still bears the ritualistic cult tattoos upon her skin and still remembers how they were forced on her as she struggled screaming. Now Eden's been lured back to Elysia by an emailed picture of a dead girl bearing an eery resemblance to her - one bearing the same tattoos on her tortured skin. Who sent her the picture? What do they want from her? Will she survive a trip back inside those walls?
Sheriff Zach Owens, former Marine, accepted a job in Clear Springs trying to escape his own nightmares in a small town where nothing ever happens. And now, he's suddenly faced with the task of hunting down a serial killer. His gut says it's all tied to the cult . . . it also tells him to be wary of the cult leader's daughter Eden who mysteriously showed back up in town just after the first murder - the same daughter he's strangely attracted to. Can he trust her? Is he willing to risk her life to stop a killer?
The Devil's Daughter is a chilling read with twists and turns that kept me turning the pages well into the night. The Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone plays out during the story as the cult beliefs are woven around a version of the myth . . . one that includes Eden playing the part of Persephone. Intriguing characters, smoke screens, and chilling stop-your-heart moments keep the suspense high as this story plays out. I had formed an idea of who was or more accurately who wasn't involved in the killings, but I in no way saw the shocking conclusion before hand. The Devil's Daughter is a gritty, well-written mystery suspense and a great start to this series. A Must Read!
FBI Agent Eden Collins never expected to return to the home she escaped years ago - the small town of Clear Springs and Elysia, a cult led by her mother Martha Collins. Eden still has nightmares of growing up under the power and control of a cult that did not provide the simple, happy life it promised. Eden knows the evil secrets concealed behind those walls all too well as she still bears the ritualistic cult tattoos upon her skin and still remembers how they were forced on her as she struggled screaming. Now Eden's been lured back to Elysia by an emailed picture of a dead girl bearing an eery resemblance to her - one bearing the same tattoos on her tortured skin. Who sent her the picture? What do they want from her? Will she survive a trip back inside those walls?
Sheriff Zach Owens, former Marine, accepted a job in Clear Springs trying to escape his own nightmares in a small town where nothing ever happens. And now, he's suddenly faced with the task of hunting down a serial killer. His gut says it's all tied to the cult . . . it also tells him to be wary of the cult leader's daughter Eden who mysteriously showed back up in town just after the first murder - the same daughter he's strangely attracted to. Can he trust her? Is he willing to risk her life to stop a killer?
The Devil's Daughter is a chilling read with twists and turns that kept me turning the pages well into the night. The Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone plays out during the story as the cult beliefs are woven around a version of the myth . . . one that includes Eden playing the part of Persephone. Intriguing characters, smoke screens, and chilling stop-your-heart moments keep the suspense high as this story plays out. I had formed an idea of who was or more accurately who wasn't involved in the killings, but I in no way saw the shocking conclusion before hand. The Devil's Daughter is a gritty, well-written mystery suspense and a great start to this series. A Must Read!
July 19, 2017
Release Date: January 24, 2017
Genre: Mystery and Suspense
This is a really good book, one that I really enjoyed because it kept me interested the whole way through. It's got a great mystery that will causes goosebumps to cover your skin, and very intriguing (and sometimes scary) characters. What I also found interesting about this story is the past that essentially consumes the main characters - this was not only unexpected, but a fantastic plot point-. I have to hand it to the author, she certainly turned something truly disturbing into a thrilling read that kept me guessing until the very end. So kudos to her as I have heard this book is much different than her other books. I now cannot wait to see where the author goes with this series and I will definitely be picking up the next one once it is released!
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Netgalley. Thank you!
Genre: Mystery and Suspense
This is a really good book, one that I really enjoyed because it kept me interested the whole way through. It's got a great mystery that will causes goosebumps to cover your skin, and very intriguing (and sometimes scary) characters. What I also found interesting about this story is the past that essentially consumes the main characters - this was not only unexpected, but a fantastic plot point-. I have to hand it to the author, she certainly turned something truly disturbing into a thrilling read that kept me guessing until the very end. So kudos to her as I have heard this book is much different than her other books. I now cannot wait to see where the author goes with this series and I will definitely be picking up the next one once it is released!
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Netgalley. Thank you!
May 18, 2017
**ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review**
The Devil's Daughter was a very suspenseful read that had me guessing throughout the book. I love it when the author spins a very intricate story and has me on the edge of my seat. What I enjoyed most about this book was the setting of the story. I am a huge fan of books that focus on cults, because they are forbidden and mysterious and add something extra to the story. I was constantly trying to figure out what role the cult members were playing in the killings. I was just like the main characters, Zach and Eden, trying to solve the case. Everyone had a motive but who is actually doing the killing?
I had many theories and suspects in mind and the author did a great job at derailing me and surprising me at the end. I enjoyed the chemistry between Zach and Eden and how well they worked together to find out who was behind these horrible crimes. Eden is a strong woman who had been through a lot in her past, her mother being the cult leader had done a real number on her. Zach as well had gone through traumatic events in his past. They were two broken people who sought comfort in each other. The murder investigation was very intriguing and mysterious.
The Devil's Daughter was a great suspenseful romance book. I especially loved the setting and seeing as this is the first book in the Hidden Sins series, I hope the next book will focus on the cult as well. The only thing that I didn't like as much was the ending of this book. It had an open ending on the romance front. As a huge lover of HEA, I really enjoy an epilogue. But hey I can't always get what I want. Definitely pick this book up if you love mysterious romantic suspense novels.
The Devil's Daughter was a very suspenseful read that had me guessing throughout the book. I love it when the author spins a very intricate story and has me on the edge of my seat. What I enjoyed most about this book was the setting of the story. I am a huge fan of books that focus on cults, because they are forbidden and mysterious and add something extra to the story. I was constantly trying to figure out what role the cult members were playing in the killings. I was just like the main characters, Zach and Eden, trying to solve the case. Everyone had a motive but who is actually doing the killing?
I had many theories and suspects in mind and the author did a great job at derailing me and surprising me at the end. I enjoyed the chemistry between Zach and Eden and how well they worked together to find out who was behind these horrible crimes. Eden is a strong woman who had been through a lot in her past, her mother being the cult leader had done a real number on her. Zach as well had gone through traumatic events in his past. They were two broken people who sought comfort in each other. The murder investigation was very intriguing and mysterious.
The Devil's Daughter was a great suspenseful romance book. I especially loved the setting and seeing as this is the first book in the Hidden Sins series, I hope the next book will focus on the cult as well. The only thing that I didn't like as much was the ending of this book. It had an open ending on the romance front. As a huge lover of HEA, I really enjoy an epilogue. But hey I can't always get what I want. Definitely pick this book up if you love mysterious romantic suspense novels.
February 27, 2017
It seems to be a theme with girls escaping their small towns and coming back as women when tragedy hits. THE DEVIL'S DAUGHTER adds to that theme with Eden being the daughter of the local cult leader. Some of the things that Eden reveals that were done to her was enough to make me shudder.
Ms, Robert has done a great job of ratcheting up the tension right off the bat and then backing off a bit to give the reader some breathing room and time to get to know the characters. And I did enjoy getting to know the guarded Eden and mothering Zach. We even get a chance to meet Eden's partner Vic who I am sure has his own story. I would love to get to know Eden's boss Britton better also though right now he is just a voice on a phone.
I really enjoyed reading THE DEVIL'S DAUGHTER and feel that my readers will also. I would steer younger readers away however because some of the cult's practices are fodder for nightmares.
*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.
Ms, Robert has done a great job of ratcheting up the tension right off the bat and then backing off a bit to give the reader some breathing room and time to get to know the characters. And I did enjoy getting to know the guarded Eden and mothering Zach. We even get a chance to meet Eden's partner Vic who I am sure has his own story. I would love to get to know Eden's boss Britton better also though right now he is just a voice on a phone.
I really enjoyed reading THE DEVIL'S DAUGHTER and feel that my readers will also. I would steer younger readers away however because some of the cult's practices are fodder for nightmares.
*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.
August 27, 2018
Ok I have to admit it... this book was saved by 1 star rate in last chapter.
But let's talk about the others chapters.
The book began with a strong story. A missing child and a murder. Credits for that.
So the first 5% was full of interesting, agony and with good prospectives...
And then... nada... nothing... pause...
It was like someone speed the car with 200km/h and suddenly drops the speed to minimum...
What sense was give me this book... Thoughts, thoughts and thoughts.
There was Eden, a special agent of FBI, who was a woman with a deep and dark past in a cult in the small town where the body was found and there was Zack the Sheriff of this town that he was tried to solve the disapearnce and the murder as well.
Thoughts so many thoughts.... about the past, about her mother and this story was soooo slow...
The romance (because as I find out this was a romantic suspence) even that, came too late for my standarts .. (in 45% of the book).
And somewhere in 93% of this book ... something happen and the "car" speed up again...
The closure of this story had all this things that a mystery book sould have. Agony and fast scenes... and ofcourse happy ending...
Anyway, as I said in the beggining I was ready to rate this book with 1 star..
But 2 star instead...
But let's talk about the others chapters.
The book began with a strong story. A missing child and a murder. Credits for that.
So the first 5% was full of interesting, agony and with good prospectives...
And then... nada... nothing... pause...
It was like someone speed the car with 200km/h and suddenly drops the speed to minimum...
What sense was give me this book... Thoughts, thoughts and thoughts.
There was Eden, a special agent of FBI, who was a woman with a deep and dark past in a cult in the small town where the body was found and there was Zack the Sheriff of this town that he was tried to solve the disapearnce and the murder as well.
Thoughts so many thoughts.... about the past, about her mother and this story was soooo slow...
The romance (because as I find out this was a romantic suspence) even that, came too late for my standarts .. (in 45% of the book).
And somewhere in 93% of this book ... something happen and the "car" speed up again...
The closure of this story had all this things that a mystery book sould have. Agony and fast scenes... and ofcourse happy ending...
Anyway, as I said in the beggining I was ready to rate this book with 1 star..
But 2 star instead...
February 22, 2017
The police procedures are a little weak, and I doubt the main characters' eventual HEA, but it's an engaging story nonetheless.
March 22, 2017
What a great romantic suspense!
Eden Collins grew up in the cult her mother created. Life was filled with abuse, rules and a mother who is excellent at manipulation. And ten years ago Eden ran away, determined to never return. Her upbringing gave her insight and understandings of cults and she uses that knowledge as an FBI agent. But when a girl is found murdered back in her home town and a picture is sent anonymously to Eden, she knows she can’t just ignore it, that she needs to return home and help the cops find the killer, even if turns out her mother is the killer.
Zach Owens has been the sheriff of Clear Springs for ten years and he thought he left brutal violence behind when he left the military. But someone has killed a young girl and another has gone missing with no clues, not witnesses to point him in the killer’s direction. His only help comes from Eden Collins, the daughter of the cult leader of Elysia, who might be more involved than she is saying.
Soon however it becomes clear that Eden seems to be the killer’s target. Someone has called Eden back home for a purpose.
He held her so tightly she could barely draw a breath. “Fuck, Eden, I’d set the world aflame for you.”
I liked Eden. She’s tough, a little messed up by her childhood, but very brave in returning knowing it would bring back the demons she’s tried so hard to outrun.
Zach was a great hero. He took his position as sheriff very serious, wanting to protect all the people of his town. I liked that the more he got to know Eden, the more protective he became of her.
The romance was definitely a slow burn. There was no instant attraction, more of a wary distrust at first and a slow development of attraction, which worked perfectly for them.
The suspense was terrific. I loved that I couldn’t figure out who the killer was and at the end the identity of the killer totally surprised me, which was fantastic. The plot was interesting with the cult aspects and all the rules Martha Collins installed based on the myth of Persephone. I found it very captivating.
I really liked the author’s engaging writing, interesting characters and gripping suspense. My only complaint is that I would have liked a HEA or even a HFN ending for Eden and Zack, instead of the open ended one we got. A definite must read for all RS fans.
March 7, 2017
Originally posted at SmexyBooks-http://smexybooks.com/2017/01/review-...
Favorite Quote: “Into Hell I go.”
FBI agent Eden Collins vowed never to return home to Clear Springs, Montana. Growing up the daughter of an infamous cult leader, her childhood was not pleasant. When Eden receives an anonymous picture of a homicide victim who has tattoos similar to those of her mother’s followers, Eden knows it’s time to head home to confront her past and hopefully catch a killer.
Sheriff Zach Owens is in over his head when girls start disappearing and turning up dead in his small town. Eden Collins’ sudden arrival in town seems a little too coincidental but Zack will use whatever and whoever he can to stop the killer(s). Only, he doesn’t count on her being so attractive or him being so protective of her. Zack knows she is the only one who can access the inner sanctum of the reclusive cult but fears he may be sending her right into the killer’s arms.
The Devil’s Daughter is a deviation from Katee Robert’s usual romantically focused fare. The first book in her Hidden Sins series, this intense psychological thriller builds a layered and complicated story that takes a look into the world of cults and the powerful allure behind them. Through the eyes of a former member. The edgy atmosphere lends a hand to the overall dark and mysterious quality the story holds as Robert’s leads her readers down a rabbit hole of power, sex, mysticism, and murder. Heavily character driven the book effortlessly balances the intensity of the murder investigation with the internal struggles of the heroine, FBI agent Eden Collins, creating some interesting dynamics.
I don’t want to go back. Please don’t make me. It was the cry of a child in the dark. She’d worked very, very hard to leave that child behind, but the little-girl voice had a nasty habit of popping up at the worst times.
Robert’s has a definite gift for nail biting stories that leaves you hanging onto every little word. She pulls no punches and allows you little time to accept before tossing you next challenge. Smooth flowing with minimal fillers-this story grabs you and doesn’t let go till the end. The narrative is easy to follow, even with the occasional head jumping. A strong investigative base allows readers an inside look while steady pacing and intense suspense flies us all the way home. The romance and the conflict blend effortlessly together though the romance remains a low-key presence that doesn’t offer readers any real concrete resolutions in here.
With one girl missing, and now one dead, all eyes turn towards the local cult Elysia, and Martha Collins, its charismatic leader. Zach attempts to question Martha but is instantly stonewalled. A war veteran with some PTSD, this small town sheriff’s mama bear style protective warrior status is a direct result of his traumatic experience. Intelligent, handsome, and loyal to the core, he takes each death personally and struggles with maintaining a professional demeanor.
“Do you often collect people you considered yours?”
“Call it a habit I’ve never been able to escape.”
When Eden appears in town, Zach isn’t instantly on board with her help but soon grows to trust her as he sees her commitment towards justice-a trait she shares with him.
Eden Collins’ left home 10 years ago after a traumatic event that left her convinced death would soon follow. Completely reinventing herself, she becomes a FBI agent. A strong, intelligent, emotionally isolated heroine with a strong sense of justice and deep-seated vein of vulnerability. Calm, cool, and collected, she hides her insecurities well. It’s only when she comes home does those insecurities and fears come roaring back to the surface. Though she sees the truth behind her mother’s false prophecies and god-like stature, she is more than aware of the power her mother welds. A power that Eden struggles not to fall back under herself.
She looked like the kind of woman who’d gather lost souls to her ad hold them till they were whole again.
Which is exactly why she was so dangerous.
I enjoyed meeting Eden and Zach. Robert’s works to build on their connection, showing us a team that works well together despite their differences. The romance is slow burning though heavy with chemistry. Robert’s takes her time exploring Eden’s and Zach’s attraction, using the investigation and their individual demons as speed bumps. Eden has spent her adult life alone and on the move. Her childhood has left her unable to easily trust and her job sends her everywhere. Engaging dialog and revealing emotional scenes help to tip the scale towards love. Zach’s protective streak comes out strong concerning Eden. While he wants to protect her from harm, he doesn’t coddle her. He recognizes her strength, skills, and tenacity. Though Eden doesn’t feel she has anything to offer Zach, he refuses to give up on them.
He was like a golden god who’d wandered into this strangely domestic scene, and she didn’t know how to reconcile the two conflicting impressions.
A varied cast of secondary characters are well developed and fleshed out. They slip effortlessly in and out of the story. We see many different relationships in here that further explore the mentality behind cults and the various methods that are used to keep the followers complacent and faithful. Eden’s mother is complex character who we get to know through Eden’s eyes. I found Eden’s ability to see right through her mother’s hype interesting and wondered if it was her childhood that allowed for that or her extremely strong will.
As we get closer to solving the mystery there are some very intense reveals that left me shocked. The duplicity and deception left me reeling at the implications. The ending is an explosive finale that resolves the conflict and answers all our immediate questions but leaves enough open to lead us into book two. The Devil’s Daughter is an excellent endeavor and sure to appeal to fans of romantic suspense with a strong thriller/mystery base. I am looking forward to the next in this series; to be announced.
Grade: B+
Favorite Quote: “Into Hell I go.”
FBI agent Eden Collins vowed never to return home to Clear Springs, Montana. Growing up the daughter of an infamous cult leader, her childhood was not pleasant. When Eden receives an anonymous picture of a homicide victim who has tattoos similar to those of her mother’s followers, Eden knows it’s time to head home to confront her past and hopefully catch a killer.
Sheriff Zach Owens is in over his head when girls start disappearing and turning up dead in his small town. Eden Collins’ sudden arrival in town seems a little too coincidental but Zack will use whatever and whoever he can to stop the killer(s). Only, he doesn’t count on her being so attractive or him being so protective of her. Zack knows she is the only one who can access the inner sanctum of the reclusive cult but fears he may be sending her right into the killer’s arms.
The Devil’s Daughter is a deviation from Katee Robert’s usual romantically focused fare. The first book in her Hidden Sins series, this intense psychological thriller builds a layered and complicated story that takes a look into the world of cults and the powerful allure behind them. Through the eyes of a former member. The edgy atmosphere lends a hand to the overall dark and mysterious quality the story holds as Robert’s leads her readers down a rabbit hole of power, sex, mysticism, and murder. Heavily character driven the book effortlessly balances the intensity of the murder investigation with the internal struggles of the heroine, FBI agent Eden Collins, creating some interesting dynamics.
I don’t want to go back. Please don’t make me. It was the cry of a child in the dark. She’d worked very, very hard to leave that child behind, but the little-girl voice had a nasty habit of popping up at the worst times.
Robert’s has a definite gift for nail biting stories that leaves you hanging onto every little word. She pulls no punches and allows you little time to accept before tossing you next challenge. Smooth flowing with minimal fillers-this story grabs you and doesn’t let go till the end. The narrative is easy to follow, even with the occasional head jumping. A strong investigative base allows readers an inside look while steady pacing and intense suspense flies us all the way home. The romance and the conflict blend effortlessly together though the romance remains a low-key presence that doesn’t offer readers any real concrete resolutions in here.
With one girl missing, and now one dead, all eyes turn towards the local cult Elysia, and Martha Collins, its charismatic leader. Zach attempts to question Martha but is instantly stonewalled. A war veteran with some PTSD, this small town sheriff’s mama bear style protective warrior status is a direct result of his traumatic experience. Intelligent, handsome, and loyal to the core, he takes each death personally and struggles with maintaining a professional demeanor.
“Do you often collect people you considered yours?”
“Call it a habit I’ve never been able to escape.”
When Eden appears in town, Zach isn’t instantly on board with her help but soon grows to trust her as he sees her commitment towards justice-a trait she shares with him.
Eden Collins’ left home 10 years ago after a traumatic event that left her convinced death would soon follow. Completely reinventing herself, she becomes a FBI agent. A strong, intelligent, emotionally isolated heroine with a strong sense of justice and deep-seated vein of vulnerability. Calm, cool, and collected, she hides her insecurities well. It’s only when she comes home does those insecurities and fears come roaring back to the surface. Though she sees the truth behind her mother’s false prophecies and god-like stature, she is more than aware of the power her mother welds. A power that Eden struggles not to fall back under herself.
She looked like the kind of woman who’d gather lost souls to her ad hold them till they were whole again.
Which is exactly why she was so dangerous.
I enjoyed meeting Eden and Zach. Robert’s works to build on their connection, showing us a team that works well together despite their differences. The romance is slow burning though heavy with chemistry. Robert’s takes her time exploring Eden’s and Zach’s attraction, using the investigation and their individual demons as speed bumps. Eden has spent her adult life alone and on the move. Her childhood has left her unable to easily trust and her job sends her everywhere. Engaging dialog and revealing emotional scenes help to tip the scale towards love. Zach’s protective streak comes out strong concerning Eden. While he wants to protect her from harm, he doesn’t coddle her. He recognizes her strength, skills, and tenacity. Though Eden doesn’t feel she has anything to offer Zach, he refuses to give up on them.
He was like a golden god who’d wandered into this strangely domestic scene, and she didn’t know how to reconcile the two conflicting impressions.
A varied cast of secondary characters are well developed and fleshed out. They slip effortlessly in and out of the story. We see many different relationships in here that further explore the mentality behind cults and the various methods that are used to keep the followers complacent and faithful. Eden’s mother is complex character who we get to know through Eden’s eyes. I found Eden’s ability to see right through her mother’s hype interesting and wondered if it was her childhood that allowed for that or her extremely strong will.
As we get closer to solving the mystery there are some very intense reveals that left me shocked. The duplicity and deception left me reeling at the implications. The ending is an explosive finale that resolves the conflict and answers all our immediate questions but leaves enough open to lead us into book two. The Devil’s Daughter is an excellent endeavor and sure to appeal to fans of romantic suspense with a strong thriller/mystery base. I am looking forward to the next in this series; to be announced.
Grade: B+
March 21, 2017
I've given this a B at AAR.
Katee Robert is probably best known for her sexy contemporary romances. With The Devil’s Daughter, she’s moved into romantic suspense territory, and has done so with a reasonable degree of success, penning a well-paced and gripping tale that kept me eagerly turning the pages.
Sheriff Zach Owens, a former Marine, saw enough killing, bloodshed and violence during his various tours of Iraq to have made him want to leave it behind him and settle down in the relatively quiet Montana backwater of Clear Springs. The worst he usually has to deal with involve the odd DUI, theft and minor crimes, and sometimes keeping a lid on the suspicion harboured by some of the locals towards Elysia, the large compound outside of town which is home to a religious cult. Most of the time, the town and the cult manage to co-exist peacefully, but when a local girl goes missing and her ultra-conservative, church-going parents insist that someone from the cult is responsible for her disappearance, Zach has to walk a tight-rope between doing everything he can to find the girl and keeping the simmering resentment of her parents and their supporters from igniting the tensions between Clear Springs and Elysia and provoking a serious incident.
Zach’s fears are confirmed when he receives news that the naked body of a teenager has been found just outside town and he fully expects this to be the missing girl – but it isn’t. It’s another local girl, one who was believed to have left town to attend college, hence the fact she’d not been missed. And to make things worse, the girl is linked to Martha Collins, the head of the commune at Elysia, by virtue of the fact that Martha wrote her letters of reference for college. Zach knows that any direct approach to Martha or her inner circle will be shut down and met with their usual brand of stonewalling, but with a murder directly linked to the group, and suspicions mounting that they have something to do with the other girl’s disappearance, Zach is going to have to tread carefully if he’s to stand any chance of getting answers, finding the missing teenager or solving the murder.
Eden Collins escaped from the commune and her mother’s influence when she was eighteen. Now an agent working for the Behavioural Analysis Unit at the FBI, she’d never thought to return to Clear Springs, wanting to remain as far from there as possible, but when she’s anonymously sent a picture of the murdered girl, which clearly show tattoos identical to the ones Eden has, she knows she has to go back. Zach is initially suspicious of her presence and her motives. As Martha Collins’ daughter, Eden is not the most popular new face in town, and even Eden can understand why Zach feels the way he does. But she insists he needs all the help he can get in order to find the missing girl before she becomes the killer’s next victim.
The small-town setting of this story is used to great effect in creating an atmosphere of oppression and insularity which helps to build a sense of menace in the mind of the reader. Another thing the author does very well is to show just how deeply affected Eden was and continues to be by her upbringing and life as the daughter of a clever, manipulative and ruthless woman. Eden has been out of Elysia for a decade; she’s an intelligent, independent, capable woman who is obviously good at her job, and yet coming back to Clear Springs almost threatens wipe out those ten years. She knows how controlling and devious Martha is, and knows she has to keep her wits about her if she’s not going to get sucked back in; and Ms. Roberts communicates Eden’s complicated feelings about Martha and Elysia with insight and skill.
The suspense plot is well-executed and especially unsettling on the few occasions the story is told from the PoV of the murdered girls. I had my suspicions as to the identity of the villain, but it wasn’t too obvious, and overall I was satisfied with the way that storyline played out.
I can’t say the same of the romantic aspect of the book, however, which comes as a surprise given Ms. Robert is known as a romance writer. Zach and Eden are a good fit; intelligent, competent people who are dedicated to their jobs and who are both carrying around a bit of emotional baggage. But the romance isn’t really given enough time to develop, and as a result, it feels as though it has just been tacked on. Their first kiss, for example, comes out of the blue when their relationship really only consists of suspicion and work-related disagreements. In this context, sniping at each other doesn’t work as verbal foreplay, and there isn’t much chemistry between them. The book ends with an HFN rather than an HEA for Zach and Eden, with both of them agreeing to pursue a relationship while continuing with their jobs and lives in different places
The Devil’s Daughter is billed as being the first book in the Hidden Sins series, and I’m certainly not averse to reading more, but I’m hoping that Ms. Robert will be able to achieve more of a balance between the romance and the mystery in the next book.
Katee Robert is probably best known for her sexy contemporary romances. With The Devil’s Daughter, she’s moved into romantic suspense territory, and has done so with a reasonable degree of success, penning a well-paced and gripping tale that kept me eagerly turning the pages.
Sheriff Zach Owens, a former Marine, saw enough killing, bloodshed and violence during his various tours of Iraq to have made him want to leave it behind him and settle down in the relatively quiet Montana backwater of Clear Springs. The worst he usually has to deal with involve the odd DUI, theft and minor crimes, and sometimes keeping a lid on the suspicion harboured by some of the locals towards Elysia, the large compound outside of town which is home to a religious cult. Most of the time, the town and the cult manage to co-exist peacefully, but when a local girl goes missing and her ultra-conservative, church-going parents insist that someone from the cult is responsible for her disappearance, Zach has to walk a tight-rope between doing everything he can to find the girl and keeping the simmering resentment of her parents and their supporters from igniting the tensions between Clear Springs and Elysia and provoking a serious incident.
Zach’s fears are confirmed when he receives news that the naked body of a teenager has been found just outside town and he fully expects this to be the missing girl – but it isn’t. It’s another local girl, one who was believed to have left town to attend college, hence the fact she’d not been missed. And to make things worse, the girl is linked to Martha Collins, the head of the commune at Elysia, by virtue of the fact that Martha wrote her letters of reference for college. Zach knows that any direct approach to Martha or her inner circle will be shut down and met with their usual brand of stonewalling, but with a murder directly linked to the group, and suspicions mounting that they have something to do with the other girl’s disappearance, Zach is going to have to tread carefully if he’s to stand any chance of getting answers, finding the missing teenager or solving the murder.
Eden Collins escaped from the commune and her mother’s influence when she was eighteen. Now an agent working for the Behavioural Analysis Unit at the FBI, she’d never thought to return to Clear Springs, wanting to remain as far from there as possible, but when she’s anonymously sent a picture of the murdered girl, which clearly show tattoos identical to the ones Eden has, she knows she has to go back. Zach is initially suspicious of her presence and her motives. As Martha Collins’ daughter, Eden is not the most popular new face in town, and even Eden can understand why Zach feels the way he does. But she insists he needs all the help he can get in order to find the missing girl before she becomes the killer’s next victim.
The small-town setting of this story is used to great effect in creating an atmosphere of oppression and insularity which helps to build a sense of menace in the mind of the reader. Another thing the author does very well is to show just how deeply affected Eden was and continues to be by her upbringing and life as the daughter of a clever, manipulative and ruthless woman. Eden has been out of Elysia for a decade; she’s an intelligent, independent, capable woman who is obviously good at her job, and yet coming back to Clear Springs almost threatens wipe out those ten years. She knows how controlling and devious Martha is, and knows she has to keep her wits about her if she’s not going to get sucked back in; and Ms. Roberts communicates Eden’s complicated feelings about Martha and Elysia with insight and skill.
The suspense plot is well-executed and especially unsettling on the few occasions the story is told from the PoV of the murdered girls. I had my suspicions as to the identity of the villain, but it wasn’t too obvious, and overall I was satisfied with the way that storyline played out.
I can’t say the same of the romantic aspect of the book, however, which comes as a surprise given Ms. Robert is known as a romance writer. Zach and Eden are a good fit; intelligent, competent people who are dedicated to their jobs and who are both carrying around a bit of emotional baggage. But the romance isn’t really given enough time to develop, and as a result, it feels as though it has just been tacked on. Their first kiss, for example, comes out of the blue when their relationship really only consists of suspicion and work-related disagreements. In this context, sniping at each other doesn’t work as verbal foreplay, and there isn’t much chemistry between them. The book ends with an HFN rather than an HEA for Zach and Eden, with both of them agreeing to pursue a relationship while continuing with their jobs and lives in different places
The Devil’s Daughter is billed as being the first book in the Hidden Sins series, and I’m certainly not averse to reading more, but I’m hoping that Ms. Robert will be able to achieve more of a balance between the romance and the mystery in the next book.
April 11, 2017
QuickShot Review
It was an ok read. This was an ARC that took me a loooooong time to get through (dude five months!) and that was due to the pacing. It’s a fairly standard romantic suspense, but so much time is spent in the individual character’s headspace that it was easy to get distracted and put down. Over and over, I put it down and moved onto another book. The pace picks up only at the end, as if the author realized she was running out of time. Once that ball starts rolling though, the last few chapters wrapped it up with some excitement. Had that tension really been felt throughout the story, I would have liked it alot more. As it is, if you really love a slower paced romantic suspense (and you have Kindle Unlimited), you may enjoy it more than I did.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
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October 20, 2021
A nice story to start a new series... the whole cult threw me off a little bit but I did enjoy it.
kinda wished there was a backup story for the BAU office especially their boss.
never the less it's a nice crime/romance series.
kinda wished there was a backup story for the BAU office especially their boss.
never the less it's a nice crime/romance series.
February 18, 2017
oh man, what a story!
Eden Collins is known in here small town not because she did something good or something back she just had a mother who is a cult leader. Eden might have grown up in the cult but she was nothing like those who followed her mother as soon as she was old enough she left and never looked back soon became an FBI agent. Sheriff Zach has been in the kill Zone in the military and when he returned to a small town he wasn't expecting to go against a murderer. Zach just wants his town back to normal without bodies appearing but one look at Eden he knows there is more to her behind her haunted eyes. Now Eden and Zach work together to bring down the killer even if it means going against her mother. Great story kept me on the edge waiting to find out who the killer was when you thought it was someone it took you on a spin and left you wanting more from this author. The book ends in HEA next story is Vic, Edens FBI partner.
Eden Collins is known in here small town not because she did something good or something back she just had a mother who is a cult leader. Eden might have grown up in the cult but she was nothing like those who followed her mother as soon as she was old enough she left and never looked back soon became an FBI agent. Sheriff Zach has been in the kill Zone in the military and when he returned to a small town he wasn't expecting to go against a murderer. Zach just wants his town back to normal without bodies appearing but one look at Eden he knows there is more to her behind her haunted eyes. Now Eden and Zach work together to bring down the killer even if it means going against her mother. Great story kept me on the edge waiting to find out who the killer was when you thought it was someone it took you on a spin and left you wanting more from this author. The book ends in HEA next story is Vic, Edens FBI partner.
January 7, 2017
This was a huge departure for Katee Robert, but it was very well done! This story focused 95% on the mystery/thriller aspects, and maybe 5% on romance.
Eden escaped the cult she grew up in, and her mother who created it, as soon as she turned 18. That was 10 years ago. She's become an elite FBI agent with the Behavioral Analysis Unit, and she's built a brick wall around her emotions to protect herself.
Zach is the sheriff in the small town where the cult resides. He grew up there and left for a while when he joined the Marines, but he always planned to return. Usually the cult doesn't cause him any issues, and mostly keep to themselves. But, a local teenage girl has been found murdered, and now he has to figure out if someone from the cult is involved.
Eden returns to the town where she grew up, to try to help. Someone sent her a leaked photo of the dead girl, and there are some things in the photo that tell her the cult is involved. She takes some personal time from work and shows up in town to help Zach. Of course, he's very suspicious of her at first, but then he realizes he really will need her assistance.
The mystery aspects of the story were great! It constantly kept me guessing, and I had no idea who the killer was for sure until it was revealed. It was very thrilling, and quite upsetting at times. You were really put in the dead girl's shoes, and it was quite disturbing, and drew you even further into the mystery. Also, the psychological aspects of what Eden and Zach were both dealing with from their pasts really wrapped you up and got you invested in them as well.
I truly wish there had been a *little* more focus on the romance. I know it's not exactly the ideal circumstances to start a relationship, but I really would have loved to have seen more of them in that context. I also would have liked to see more of them after it was all over. I know she's planning a second book, but I have no idea if the same characters will appear. I really hope we see more of Eden and Zach in the future!
Overall this book was fun, scary, suspenseful, and spooky, with a little sexiness thrown in. I'm very much looking forward to what's next!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Eden escaped the cult she grew up in, and her mother who created it, as soon as she turned 18. That was 10 years ago. She's become an elite FBI agent with the Behavioral Analysis Unit, and she's built a brick wall around her emotions to protect herself.
Zach is the sheriff in the small town where the cult resides. He grew up there and left for a while when he joined the Marines, but he always planned to return. Usually the cult doesn't cause him any issues, and mostly keep to themselves. But, a local teenage girl has been found murdered, and now he has to figure out if someone from the cult is involved.
Eden returns to the town where she grew up, to try to help. Someone sent her a leaked photo of the dead girl, and there are some things in the photo that tell her the cult is involved. She takes some personal time from work and shows up in town to help Zach. Of course, he's very suspicious of her at first, but then he realizes he really will need her assistance.
The mystery aspects of the story were great! It constantly kept me guessing, and I had no idea who the killer was for sure until it was revealed. It was very thrilling, and quite upsetting at times. You were really put in the dead girl's shoes, and it was quite disturbing, and drew you even further into the mystery. Also, the psychological aspects of what Eden and Zach were both dealing with from their pasts really wrapped you up and got you invested in them as well.
I truly wish there had been a *little* more focus on the romance. I know it's not exactly the ideal circumstances to start a relationship, but I really would have loved to have seen more of them in that context. I also would have liked to see more of them after it was all over. I know she's planning a second book, but I have no idea if the same characters will appear. I really hope we see more of Eden and Zach in the future!
Overall this book was fun, scary, suspenseful, and spooky, with a little sexiness thrown in. I'm very much looking forward to what's next!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
January 8, 2017
Unlike Katee Robert’s other books that I’ve had the pleasure of reading, ‘The Devil’s Daughter’ is mystery-driven, set in the suffocating confines of a small-town that sits in the shade of a cult whose influence is larger than perceived. It’s a book that’s very different from what I’ve come to associate with Robert and not knowing what to expect, I find myself firmly caught between giving a 3- and 4-star review. There’s a guess-the perpetrator, whodunnit question throughout and the cult, built around the myth of Persephone and Demeter (combined weirdly with some Christian undertones), its proceedings and its shady people, act as the smokescreen concealing the truth from being discovered.
Not that the writing isn’t good (it is), or that the suspense isn’t sufficient (it is), but that the romance takes such a back seat to the story that it could have actually been superfluous because it felt like an addition only for the sake of bringing 2 leads together, even when their chemistry didn’t seem there at all. The romance could have not existed and the book would have worked; consequently, Eden’s and Zach’s pairing seemed forced, as both seemed rather snippy to each other—but not something I’d really mistake for sexual tension when it felt more like the case wearing on them—so the mild case of attraction that first bloomed into a kiss early on took me by surprise and disbelief, because both hadn’t moved past the ‘unwilling co-worker’ stage yet. The potential romantic interest, in short, barely came across and the later sex scene felt more like an obligatory prerequisite rather than a natural progression.
The ending almost mirrors the grim subject matter: an abrupt, a happy-for-now kind of resolution, like a scene in a crime movie when it end as with the police cruiser driving away while the good guys are left staring at the villain’s dead body on the ground. I think I had a problem with how rushed and incomplete it all felt—even when the big reveal came which wasn’t too hard to guess—even when it ended. If this is the start to a series, then I’m eager to see how it goes and how the arc set up here is going to end. But if it isn’t, then ‘The Devil’s Daughter’ might just be a tad bit disappointing.
*ARC by netgalley
(always grateful, mind)
Not that the writing isn’t good (it is), or that the suspense isn’t sufficient (it is), but that the romance takes such a back seat to the story that it could have actually been superfluous because it felt like an addition only for the sake of bringing 2 leads together, even when their chemistry didn’t seem there at all. The romance could have not existed and the book would have worked; consequently, Eden’s and Zach’s pairing seemed forced, as both seemed rather snippy to each other—but not something I’d really mistake for sexual tension when it felt more like the case wearing on them—so the mild case of attraction that first bloomed into a kiss early on took me by surprise and disbelief, because both hadn’t moved past the ‘unwilling co-worker’ stage yet. The potential romantic interest, in short, barely came across and the later sex scene felt more like an obligatory prerequisite rather than a natural progression.
The ending almost mirrors the grim subject matter: an abrupt, a happy-for-now kind of resolution, like a scene in a crime movie when it end as with the police cruiser driving away while the good guys are left staring at the villain’s dead body on the ground. I think I had a problem with how rushed and incomplete it all felt—even when the big reveal came which wasn’t too hard to guess—even when it ended. If this is the start to a series, then I’m eager to see how it goes and how the arc set up here is going to end. But if it isn’t, then ‘The Devil’s Daughter’ might just be a tad bit disappointing.
*ARC by netgalley
(always grateful, mind)
January 31, 2017
I have to say that I am really loving this side of Katee Robert. Most people read her more contemporary romance books, but I am absolutely loving her romantic suspense side. And this book is definitely more thriller and suspense than romance, but there is a tiny bit of it.
So if you read the synopsis (which I would assume one has) then you know that Eden has returned to her childhood town, one she vowed never to return to. However, it’s the circumstances that has her more on edge than just being back home.
Eden is helping out the local police unofficially on a case where the trail leads to her mother’s cult, Elysia. Elysia is based on the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone.
There are so many things I love about this book. Katee is able to write a very thrilling and suspenseful plot that leaves you guessing til the very end. Katee does a great job of explaining the cult’s beliefs and culture, which helps filtrate into the case they are trying to solve.
Everything ties together so perfectly in the end. And what makes it so great is how Katee slowly and methodically gives you all the pieces to slowly put together. Trust me – you may think you have all the pieces in place perfectly together, until you realize that there is more to the puzzle.
The Devil’s Daughter is captivating, thrilling and suspenseful must read. A fantastic start to her newest series.
So if you read the synopsis (which I would assume one has) then you know that Eden has returned to her childhood town, one she vowed never to return to. However, it’s the circumstances that has her more on edge than just being back home.
Eden is helping out the local police unofficially on a case where the trail leads to her mother’s cult, Elysia. Elysia is based on the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone.
There are so many things I love about this book. Katee is able to write a very thrilling and suspenseful plot that leaves you guessing til the very end. Katee does a great job of explaining the cult’s beliefs and culture, which helps filtrate into the case they are trying to solve.
Everything ties together so perfectly in the end. And what makes it so great is how Katee slowly and methodically gives you all the pieces to slowly put together. Trust me – you may think you have all the pieces in place perfectly together, until you realize that there is more to the puzzle.
The Devil’s Daughter is captivating, thrilling and suspenseful must read. A fantastic start to her newest series.
January 12, 2017
I was a mystery reader before I was a romance reader, and I love that one of my favorite authors just took me on a rollercoaster of a story that kept me guessing. I thought I knew who had done the very bad things in this book, but I might've been wrong. There's a little bit of sexy times and romance, but it's the thrill of a good mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat. A great start to a new series, and I'll be waiting (im)patiently for the next one!
February 21, 2017
This made for a decent read. I liked the "cult" like elements. I did feel as if the connection/romance between the hero and heroine was a bit lacking. It just had too much of an "insta-love" feel to it. The storyline was predictable and the characters pretty bland. It wasn't bad, but it wont be one I'm recommending. At least it was offered as a kindleunlimited.
February 8, 2017
A haunting read with interesting characters and a good premise. I liked the protagonist though the mystery element was too much for me.
April 16, 2020
RECENSITO DA QUEEN PER IL BLOG DI "LIBRI E SOGNALIBRI"
Vi parlo de La figlia del diavolo di Katee Roberts, una delle proposte della neonata collana HopeCrime.
Per me che sono un’appassionata di thriller, devo dire che questo libro è stato un po’ faticoso da leggere. Sicuramente la storia è ben ingegnata, scritta in modo da creare suspense e fuorviare il lettore fino al colpo di scena finale (come in ogni buon thriller che si rispetti) peccato però che l’autrice sia stata un po’ frettolosa nella risoluzione e soprattutto troppo macchinosa nel processo mentale che porta a scoprire chi è il colpevole.
I cancelli di Elysia si ergevano come fossero usciti dagli incubi di Eden. Conosceva quello scenario a memoria, ogni piccolo dettaglio le si era tatuato nel cervello nel corso degli anni. Sua madre aveva fatto dipingere quella stessa immagine con colori vividi nella cappella.
La storia vede Eden, figlia del capo di una setta religiosa da cui è fuggita appena diciottenne, a tornare nella sua città natale sulle tracce di un qualcuno che rapisce ragazze che le somigliano. Tornare a casa significa tornare ad avere a che fare con la madre dalla quale Eden cerca di restare lontana a tutti i costi, ma per aiutare Zach, il nuovo sceriffo, a risolvere il caso, non esita a mettere in gioco la propria sanità mentale tornando tra le braccia di Martha.
Queste le basi per una storia dai contorni torbidi e violenti (come la stessa protagonista lascia intendere) che stuzzica la mente e la curiosità.
«Non c’è nulla di sbagliato nel volersi migliorare.» «Non hai mai voluto essere migliore. Volevi essere perfetta. La perfezione non esiste, tesoro.»
Eden è una ragazza fragile che si nasconde dietro al distintivo faticosamente guadagnato, che cerca di mantenere la sua facciata da dura nonostante tutto, ma il ritorno a Clear Springs non può non incrinare la sua armatura, per cui si ritrova a essere la damigella da salvare.
Zach apparve all’ingresso; la vista di lui la fece fermare bruscamente. Non importava che l’avesse visto soltanto quella mattina. Sembrava così solido, come se potesse sostenere il peso del mondo sulle spalle senza mancare un colpo.
Zach rappresenta invece il perfetto paladino della giustizia, cosa spesso ripetuta nel libro come a sottolinearne l’evidenza, ma ben presto anche per lui Eden diventerà un punto debole.
Amore e suspense s’intrecciano, quindi, in una storia che contiene anche una dose di erotismo, così da non lasciare a bocca asciutta anche lettrici più romantiche.
Venne, sospirando il nome di Eden, e crollò da un lato. Ma non smise di stringerla. Fin troppo presto, lei se ne sarebbe andata di nuovo, al di fuori del suo modesto cerchio di protezione. Doveva tenersela stretta finché poteva.
La figlia del diavolo racconta una storia che coinvolge il lettore ma che diventa troppo psicologica a causa delle continue riflessioni dei due protagonisti, riflessioni sulla propria condizione, sul proprio passato e poco sui fatti che stanno accadendo.
Inoltre l’autrice sceglie di bypassare alcuni punti, che restano in sospeso e che invece andrebbero chiariti ai fini della realisticità della trama. La stessa scoperta del colpevole viene risolta in maniera rapida e semplicistica, senza apparente senso, poiché l’autrice non fornisce abbastanza dettagli che portino al sospetto. Anche le motivazioni che spingono il colpevole non sono chiare e tali restano, lasciando nel lettore l’idea di incompiuto nonostante alla fine il caso venga risolto.
LA RECENSIONE CONTINUA NEL BLOG:
https://libriesognalibri.wordpress.co...
Vi parlo de La figlia del diavolo di Katee Roberts, una delle proposte della neonata collana HopeCrime.
Per me che sono un’appassionata di thriller, devo dire che questo libro è stato un po’ faticoso da leggere. Sicuramente la storia è ben ingegnata, scritta in modo da creare suspense e fuorviare il lettore fino al colpo di scena finale (come in ogni buon thriller che si rispetti) peccato però che l’autrice sia stata un po’ frettolosa nella risoluzione e soprattutto troppo macchinosa nel processo mentale che porta a scoprire chi è il colpevole.
I cancelli di Elysia si ergevano come fossero usciti dagli incubi di Eden. Conosceva quello scenario a memoria, ogni piccolo dettaglio le si era tatuato nel cervello nel corso degli anni. Sua madre aveva fatto dipingere quella stessa immagine con colori vividi nella cappella.
La storia vede Eden, figlia del capo di una setta religiosa da cui è fuggita appena diciottenne, a tornare nella sua città natale sulle tracce di un qualcuno che rapisce ragazze che le somigliano. Tornare a casa significa tornare ad avere a che fare con la madre dalla quale Eden cerca di restare lontana a tutti i costi, ma per aiutare Zach, il nuovo sceriffo, a risolvere il caso, non esita a mettere in gioco la propria sanità mentale tornando tra le braccia di Martha.
Queste le basi per una storia dai contorni torbidi e violenti (come la stessa protagonista lascia intendere) che stuzzica la mente e la curiosità.
«Non c’è nulla di sbagliato nel volersi migliorare.» «Non hai mai voluto essere migliore. Volevi essere perfetta. La perfezione non esiste, tesoro.»
Eden è una ragazza fragile che si nasconde dietro al distintivo faticosamente guadagnato, che cerca di mantenere la sua facciata da dura nonostante tutto, ma il ritorno a Clear Springs non può non incrinare la sua armatura, per cui si ritrova a essere la damigella da salvare.
Zach apparve all’ingresso; la vista di lui la fece fermare bruscamente. Non importava che l’avesse visto soltanto quella mattina. Sembrava così solido, come se potesse sostenere il peso del mondo sulle spalle senza mancare un colpo.
Zach rappresenta invece il perfetto paladino della giustizia, cosa spesso ripetuta nel libro come a sottolinearne l’evidenza, ma ben presto anche per lui Eden diventerà un punto debole.
Amore e suspense s’intrecciano, quindi, in una storia che contiene anche una dose di erotismo, così da non lasciare a bocca asciutta anche lettrici più romantiche.
Venne, sospirando il nome di Eden, e crollò da un lato. Ma non smise di stringerla. Fin troppo presto, lei se ne sarebbe andata di nuovo, al di fuori del suo modesto cerchio di protezione. Doveva tenersela stretta finché poteva.
La figlia del diavolo racconta una storia che coinvolge il lettore ma che diventa troppo psicologica a causa delle continue riflessioni dei due protagonisti, riflessioni sulla propria condizione, sul proprio passato e poco sui fatti che stanno accadendo.
Inoltre l’autrice sceglie di bypassare alcuni punti, che restano in sospeso e che invece andrebbero chiariti ai fini della realisticità della trama. La stessa scoperta del colpevole viene risolta in maniera rapida e semplicistica, senza apparente senso, poiché l’autrice non fornisce abbastanza dettagli che portino al sospetto. Anche le motivazioni che spingono il colpevole non sono chiare e tali restano, lasciando nel lettore l’idea di incompiuto nonostante alla fine il caso venga risolto.
LA RECENSIONE CONTINUA NEL BLOG:
https://libriesognalibri.wordpress.co...
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