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Tough Justice #2.5

Countdown: Part 5 of 8

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The hunter becomes the hunted
With just seconds to spare, Special Agent Lara Grant and the team manage to rescue a hostage. Victory! Thanks to this eyewitness, they now know the killer's name, and might even have a lead on his next target. But not even the FBI's best can protect everyone from the deadliest, and most dedicated, criminal. And when the entire CMU comes under attack, it'll take a desperate act to keep the team together. Lara puts her own secrets--and her own life--on the line in an attempt to lure the bomber out of hiding and into the open...once and for all.
Part 5 of 8: an explosive new installment in the thrilling FBI serial from New York Times bestselling author Carla Cassidy and Tyler Anne Snell, Emmy Curtis and Janie Crouch.
Praise for Special Forces Savior by Janie
"Compelling. Crouch doesn't disappoint with another spectacular Intrigue read filled with explosive action and well-developed characters and plot." --RT Book Reviews

109 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2017

18 people are currently reading
84 people want to read

About the author

Janie Crouch

260 books2,041 followers
USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author Janie Crouch writes what she loves to read: passionate romantic suspense.

After a lifetime on the East Coast—and a six-year stint in Germany due to her husband's job as support for the U.S. Military—Janie has settled into her dream home in Front Range of the Colorado Rockies. She loves engaging in all sorts of adventures (triathlons! 200-mile relay races! mountain treks!), traveling, and surviving life with four kids.

Heroes exist. Let a Janie Crouch book prove it to you.

Check out Janie's updates and more on her website at http://www.janiecrouch.com

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5 stars
11 (28%)
4 stars
19 (50%)
3 stars
7 (18%)
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1 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Profile Image for Anita.
2,694 reviews228 followers
February 6, 2017
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Janie Crouch is the reason I took these book in the first place. It is very interesting how these authors have woven this plot as to be almost seamless from author to author. I am in awe as to how that has been accomplished. I may be prejudiced, but this is the best installment so far.

Selfie Guy, aka Benjamin Johnson, survived the bomb, but the Whisperer has an almost more devastating blow in store for him. One that strikes at the very core of who he is. As the only person to get a real up close and personal look at the bomber, Ben is critical to the investigation, but his info is to little, to late to save another victim.

"Rejection and humiliation will not be tolerated. Those found guilty will be put to death." The original group of people who had rejected and humiliated him were all suffering. How many more will die?
Profile Image for DJ Sakata.
3,325 reviews1,779 followers
February 15, 2017
Favorite Quotes:

Nobody moved for just a second, unable to believe they’d gotten so damn lucky. ‘That’s right, you heard me, you bastards. Clear!’ the man yelled again. ‘Now someone please write an epic poem about how fucking awesome I am.’

He’d slipped her his own note. There’s no I in team, but there is a you in fuck you. Things had gone downhill from there.

Every park ranger in a statewide radius seemed to be at Cougar Mountain when they arrived twenty-seven minutes later. They were circling the car like they were a coven of witches about to put a hex on it or something.

My Review:

The Whisperer/mad bomber was continuing to outsmart, shock, and vex the best of the best. The manner in which he exacted his revenge before going in for the kill was ingenious. The plot continues to build with ever increasingly warped and brilliant twists. Lara’s more obnoxious personality traits are putting herself and her team at increased risk and forcing a distance with the long-suffering Nick; that poor man. The segment ends with the most heinous cliffhanger yet – which is beyond cruel – unless you are like me and already have all the installments uploaded.
Profile Image for Shai Williams.
875 reviews10 followers
March 8, 2017
And the tension ratchets up. The team now knows just who they are chasing but he keeps at least one step ahead of them. By this time, we really get to know Lara and most of the rest of the team so I am really rooting for them.


This serial really reminds me of a Netflix series where all the episodes are dropped at once. I am really enjoying it and feel that any of my readers who enjoy thrillers will also. Great characters, a lot of action and witty dialogue. What more could you ask for?


*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.
Profile Image for Sherry.
1,963 reviews109 followers
January 18, 2025
This is such a clever concept. One cohesive story released in small bite size chunks. Kinda like a TV show. I’m not sure how often they were released as I listened to the box set of all 8 episodes. I about had a heart attack when I saw the run time was 24 hours!!! That’s an entire day!!! But if you listen when they come out, that’s about 3 hours per episode.

This is the second set but my first of the series. Both focus on the same set of characters. I had no trouble following as the authors do a great job of filling in the needed info.

The premise is intriguing. A bad man is blackmailing people with their secrets telling them if they don’t tell them to the world, a group of people will be killed. That bombshell had the tension staring at the start and had my attention.

I liked the detective team investigating the set of crimes. They all had different strengths and mostly worked well together. With the length I was able to get to know the characters well and the complex plot had time to develop without feeling rushed. There’s a little bit of a romance running throughout but the case remained the focus.

Annalee Scott was the only narrator for the cast of characters. At first I wondered if I’d miss having a cast, but she handled the it well and brought the story to life.

I think I’m a fan of this concept and am intrigued to see if happens more frequently. I planned on taking it slow and found I was so drawn into the story that I finished after just a few days.
Profile Image for Pennie Morgan.
2,360 reviews10 followers
December 14, 2017
This series is speeding up and the bomber is on the run. They have saved "selfie guy" at the last second but he is still at jeopardy as his identity has been scrubbed and the bomber has given him a new one. We now know who the bomber is and have found his bunker but he has now set his sights on the CMU team. Lara specifically and when he contacts her and engages with her she does not back down. Treat a bully like a bully...However, now he seems to have turned all that against the rest of the team...

Great series. Nearly seamless moving from book to book. What happens next!

**Received ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**
Profile Image for Diana Day-Admire.
Author 4 books18 followers
November 22, 2017
Pretty good

The hook on this one was great I didn't even hesitate to download the next in this series. I want to see the bomber get justice and this is only halfway?? Wow I liked this story more than I thought I would.
Profile Image for Books and Spoons.
1,612 reviews32 followers
February 6, 2017
Finally, the CMU and Special Agent Lara Grant has a break in the case against the bomber named Whisperer. They not only have saved a life with only seconds to spare, but they have a name, they have an address, they have viable clues, they have a direction where to take the case, and they finally feel like they are one step ahead of the culprit. And that's when the team mentality breaks down.
In part five the case moves forward with a fast pace, and the information the team has in their hands stretches them even thinner than before as they are confirming the clues.
Nick and Lara's already complicated relationship comes to an edge, as Lara's inability and willingness to work as a member of the team comes apparent. The completely different styles and approaches to work seem to pull them farther apart instead of enforcing them to work closer as partners. The raw underbelly of the team is showing, and liaison with the team dwindle.
Lara's stubborn nature and temper are starting to show clearly, and are frustrating.
The characters of the CMU team are showing a more vulnerable side of them in part five, with both the positive and the negative side of the human nature. The scenes are changing fast, the case is moving forward until it takes a move into a direction that can be the end of the team, thanks to Lara losing her temper.
I have to give it to these four authors, the seamless work they have done with this serial novel is rather amazing. I have read books by all the four authors before and I can hear the distinct voice and style of each author as they each tell their part of the tale, yet the difference is barely there, like I previously said, more like looking at the same view with a step to another direction or with another focus on mind.
The way the story is built forms a habit, a nearly an addiction, to get to know more, to find out not only about the case, but about the destinies and faith of the members of the team.
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
6 reviews
April 23, 2017
You shouldn't get a reader interested in your book only to extort money every ten chapters. This is not a series It's 1/8 of a book.

It's unfortunate that you do business that way because the plot is interesting and well written. But I will not buy from this author/s
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews

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