All 8 parts of this explosive FBI serial available in this box set!
FBI Special Agent Lara Grant thought that she’d put her past behind her—finally—with her last case. But now a serial bomber is targeting Manhattan’s elite power players, offering them a choice between saving hundreds of lives or seeing their darkest secrets exposed. Lara is working with the Crisis Management Unit to stop the bomber, but how will she react when she’s the one who has to choose between truth…or death?
As the clock ticks down, Lara braces for another confrontation with evil. And no matter what, she’ll make sure her enemy’s first mistake is also his last…
This box set comprises: Tough Justice: Countdown (Part 1 of 8) by Carla Cassidy Tough Justice: Countdown (Part 2 of 8) by Carla Cassidy Tough Justice: Countdown (Part 3 of 8) by Tyler Anne Snell Tough Justice: Countdown (Part 4 of 8) by Emmy Curtis Tough Justice: Countdown (Part 5 of 8) by Janie Crouch Tough Justice: Countdown (Part 6 of 8) by Emmy Curtis Tough Justice: Countdown (Part 7 of 8) by Tyler Anne Snell Tough Justice: Countdown (Part 8 of 8) by Janie Crouch
This is a Police Mystery Suspense, and this is the complete Tough Justice Series. I really got pulled into this book right from the start, and I could not put this book down. I stayed up late to finish this book because I was so pulled into the story. I loved getting to know the characters. I just wished they solved her mothers case with the case they were working. I listen to the audiobook for this book, and I really enjoyed it. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.
If Lara managed to get mascara and her boots on before she got out of her front door, she considered it a good day. Her favorite meal was junk food and she’d never met a vegetable she hadn’t declined.
If Maddy wanted me to wear a pink apron with cotton candy in the pockets, I’d do it… Wait until you have kids James, then you’ll understand.
Part 2
Medical Examiner Dr. Ruben Sanders, affectionately known as the Sandman, entered the room. He had a head full of gray hair, a round, wrinkled face and drooping brown eyes that made him look like a Basset hound.
Even covered in dust, he was a good-looking kid… He also had the body language and a spark in his eyes that might indicate he was a bit of smartass.
My mom says I’m eleven going on twenty-five… I took a sick day… I woke up this morning and was sick of school.
Part 3
We have a dangerous job… Sometimes it’s not just the bad guys we have to worry about.
To put it simply, he looked awful. Sweaty and small and swollen with fear. Without knowing who he was, her first impression was lawyer. One who had a very very bad secret.
Part 4
Look. We can’t both be pessimistic at the same time. One of us has to be a glass-half-full, otherwise we’ll both just spend the day in the bar lamenting all the wrongs in the world.
Secrets don’t hurt people. Everyone has secrets…It’s the guilt that kills you, not really the secrets. If you’ve got a conscience, of course. Too many people don’t have a conscience… It’d certainly make our job easier if murderers just dropped dead of their own accord, wouldn’t it?
Everyone in the world has secrets they don’t want people to know. They don’t have to be earth-shattering secrets, just things that could cause a divorce, or being ostracized from your family, or losing your job. Just little things that can escalate. We all have to be careful.
What was wrong with her? She wanted to be friends, but it had been so long since she’d had one, she didn’t recognize any signs of friendship. I have no friends. The thought echoed around her head as if she’d said the words out loud… She wondered who she’d call if she was in trouble.
Part 5
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.
Part 6
He pressed the end call button and longed for the days when you could slam the receiver down on the phone cradle. Civilization had lost an important anger outlet when phones went cordless.
It was no fun playing cat and mouse when the cat was so far behind.
Lara. He shook his head. She couldn’t do anything half-assed. If she was going to break the law, a heart, the rules, she did it as if she were on steroids.
Part 7
I’m sure if you left your house to do things other than kill people, you might have found better companionship… But let me guess, you have issues playing with others, don’t you? I’m also going to go out on a limb and say you probably are lacking something fierce in the friend department.
I’m glad I’m not the only one lost in the technical jargon… It’s like they have their own language and I’ve left my Hacker Rosetta Stone at home.
I guess friends are hard to come by when you are a rock star with technology but not even a roadie when it comes to social skills.
Part 8
All Nick knew was that he had just started down a path where colors which had always been black-and-white would now forever be shades of gray.
My Review:
I have made it to the end of this 612 page dramatic and suspense filled thriller. And while it was satisfying to finally learn the antecedent to the Whisperer’s revenge plot, not all secrets were revealed. I kept hoping to learn more about Lara’s mother’s murder, but those crafty and evil authors just tantalized me with the possibility of this feature as part of the next season of episodes. The series was surprisingly consistent – which I am sure was no easy feat to achieve while involving four different authors. Some installments were better written than others, but the flavor of the characters remained the same.
Tension, drama, secrets, fatigue, frustration and traces of lust define these intriguing installments of a Criminal Minds type FBI/police procedural. The main protagonists were former lovers, which is where the lingering chemistry and a tiny bit of lust factored in. The tension, fatigue, and frustration were centered on their current major case involving a serial bomber/blackmailer who came to be known as “The Whisperer”. About the secrets, those became an issue that the bomber also appeared to be focusing on… and the targeted victims, as well as the team of FBI agents (Lara in particular), had some whoppers.
Romantic suspense is not my usual genre, but I do love mystery/thrillers--especially FBI and police procedurals. My review is for Tough Justice Countdown 1, the first book in an eight-part serial involving FBI Agent Lara Grant and her team, part of the FBI's Crisis Management Unit (CMU). This 85-page segment sets up the story and introduces the various CMU team members. A bomber has struck for the second time in New York City at the book's opening and Lara and the team are trying to find the bomber(s?) before there is another strike. The two bomb sites (a smoothie shop and a police precinct) don't seem to have anything in common, but the type of bomb and other evidence make it pretty clear that they are related.
I didn't realize when I started that this is the second Tough Justice serial featuring Lara Grant. I am a person who hates reading series books out of order, but there is a some recapping of Lara's backstory so I didn't feel completely out of the loop. That being said, I would have preferred to read the first serial before this one for the continuity. There are four authors alternating the storytelling for each of the eight story segments and if you don't like delayed gratification, you can get the whole set and read them at once. I was given all eight books (even though I am reviewing just the first) and the transition between the four authors (Carla Cassidy, Tyler Anne Snell, Emmy Curtis and Janie Crouch) seems pretty seamless so it doesn't feel disjointed. I have read six of the eight parts so far and the action has kept me wanting to get to the next book to find out what happens. I like the NYC setting and the characters who are full of secrets that unfold throughout the segments and keep the story interesting. There are twists and turns, although some things seem a bit too obvious and I felt like Lara and the CMU should have picked up on them faster than they did. Still, Tough Justice Countdown is engaging and entertaining--so if you are looking for something fast-paced and thrilling, but not too deep, it's a good match.
Note: A review copy of the "Tough Justice Countdown" was provided to me by the publisher and TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.
This series is definitely a bang for your buck! Just over 24 hours of entertainment in one 8-part thrilling bundle package.
FBI Special Agent Lara Grant thought that she’d put her past behind her—finally—with her last case. But now a serial bomber is targeting Manhattan’s elite power players, offering them a choice between saving hundreds of lives or seeing their darkest secrets exposed. Lara is working with the Crisis Management Unit to stop the bomber, but how will she react when she’s the one who must choose between truth…or death?
This series was not in my normal wheelhouse. I have never read about serial bombers and at first, I was not sure if this was going to catch my attention but after listening to the end of part 1, I was hooked. I enjoyed following Lara and Nick as they try to catch the mysterious bomber. There were multiply stories going on and the authors did a great job of making you feel involved in the story. Part 4 and 5 were my favorite. I did get a little frustrated with Laura at the end of the book. I felt like her overarching character did not grow at all, and she did not learn anything the entire book. I enjoyed the end and think it was wrapped up nicely, but I do wish we would have gotten more insight into Lauras mother’s murder. I felt like all the authors did well melting their voices together and sounding like one story. The audio book narrator was fantastic, and each character did very well. I hope they come out with another story like this soon!
Parts 1 & 2 written by Carla Cassidy Parts 3 & 7 written by Tyler Anne Snell Parts 4 & 6 written by Emmy Curtis Parts 5 & 8 written by Janie Crouch
Thank you, Net Galley, the author, and the publisher, for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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.
Honestly, this series is awesome for the most part – fast-paced, smartly structured, and totally addictive in its episodic format. It’s written as a serial, which gives it the feel of a high-stakes TV show you can’t stop watching. The plot keeps you hooked, and the overarching mystery is genuinely engaging. It’s sharp, energetic, and built for binge-reading.
But my god, for an FBI agent, Lara is TSTL. She’s like a toddler with impulse control issues – reprimanded for reckless behavior and then immediately doing the exact same thing again. Over. And over. She walks into metaphorical (and literal) traps constantly, always alone, because she’s a “lone wolf” – even when it’s obvious she’s putting herself and her team at risk. It’s not bravery, it’s self-sabotage. I almost threw my phone every time she did it again.
And yet… the story itself is strong enough that I kept going. Great pacing, tight structure, and enough suspense to pull me through – even if I wanted to shake the lead half the time.
⭐️ – Not for me ⭐️⭐️ – Disappointing ⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Good / Solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ – Better Than Good ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Amazing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Flawless / Unforgettable
Lara Grant, FBI agent, is after a serial bomber that is going after the rich and powerful, the choice blow up or have their darkest secret exposed. While Lara is trying to close in on the bomber the bomber might also be closing in on Lara, but what is her darkest secret? This was a suspenseful book to listen too. I found myself hanging out in the car a bit more just to listen. The voice actor was really good and helped give the words life. I would suggest this book to any thriller junky and others.
This eight-part story takes you on a thrilling ride as an FBI unit chases down a local bomber terrorizing the community. With both citizens and government officials targeted randomly, they’re faced with a choice: expose their secrets, or risk a bomb going off at an unknown location. Full of unexpected twists, the four authors craft a seamless narrative that keeps you hooked from start to finish. I can’t wait to read more from these talented writers.
Oh, I loved listening to this series and now I need to find the first eight books in audiobook format and listen to those as well!
I love that each book picks up where the last book left off. Each author did a great job of keeping Lara and the team on track to find the bomber. I loved the ending, and i hope there is a third series for this character.
Annalee Scott did a great job narrating these stories and I hope they narrate any future books as well.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review
I loved this so much. I was not thinking that the 1 day audiobook would be about 1 story but it was so it was pretty daunting, but it was 100% worth it. Such an interesting detective novel and I loved the characters , the relationships, the storylines. The entire plot was so well thought out and written and i definitely recommend it.
FBI Special Agent Lara Grant is working on a bomber case. Her partner and she are working on the case together and have been lovers off and on for a while. The whole team is tracking down clues and running all over to find the bomber. This was a great story and keep me interested until the end. The audio was a great listen.
I am so glad I have this as a boxed set. Listening to the complete series without having to jump around was perfect. I think this is a captivating series. I was sucked in from the beginning & could not finish it fast enough. Great characters, very interesting plot and the narrator was amazing. Well done.
4-4.5* I loved this series! Now I want to read the rest. Love the characters. Love the writing style. So fun that it was joint authors. I’m definitely invested in the characters and need to know more, especially about Lara’s mother. Thank you to NetGalley for the audio book package to review!
Carla Cassidy knows how to write stories with the right amount of suspense along with a touch of romance. FBI Agent Lara Grant and her team are investigating a bomber, one target the police station, the other a smoothie shop. The evidence shows the bombs are connected by how. This story gives enough backdrop to understand Lara. This is entertaining without being too dark. Great Read!