Cold Blooded (Cold Justice, #9) by Toni Anderson

Jun 13, 2018 Sunny rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018-6-june, 2018a-romantic-suspense, a-1-favorite-series, a-1-favorites, a-1-favorites-romantic-suspense, a-romantic-suspense

ARC REVIEW

Originally posted at Scandalicious Book Reviews

If you are a fan of romantic suspense, you will be thrilled to read Toni Anderson’s latest story. She is back with the 9th book in her Cold Justice series and this one is a breath-holding, nail-biting treat.

Pip West is driven from her home in Florida after her investigative story into police corruption ends with her witness’ death. She seeks refuge from her best friend, Cindy, but when she arrives at her house, Pip finds her murdered. Unf ARC REVIEW

Originally posted at Scandalicious Book Reviews

If you are a fan of romantic suspense, you will be thrilled to read Toni Anderson’s latest story. She is back with the 9th book in her Cold Justice series and this one is a breath-holding, nail-biting treat.

Pip West is driven from her home in Florida after her investigative story into police corruption ends with her witness’ death. She seeks refuge from her best friend, Cindy, but when she arrives at her house, Pip finds her murdered. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances of the crime, law enforcement thinks it is an accidental drowning due to drug use. Pip is determined to redeem Cindy’s reputation and sets out to discover the truth.

The FBI thwarts an attempt to sell weaponized anthrax. As the FBI’s local WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) coordinator, Hunt Kincaid is tasked with checking in with every scientist working with anthrax in his region to see if there are any connections. Cindy Resnick was working on a vaccine for anthrax which is why he is at the scene of her death. He has to decide whether to believe the best friend when all the other evidence seems to suggest otherwise.

As you can see, the set up to the story is perfectly poised for suspense. There are more murders. We also have the added pressure of a timeline. The people involved in selling the potential bioweapon are threatening to unleash the virus in retaliation.

Whereas the terrorist angle is fast-paced, the romance is a slow burn. Both Pip and Hunt have reason to be suspicious of one another based on their occupations alone. Pip is wary of all law enforcement based on how they turned on her during her last assignment. Hunt is also cautious around journalists after being burned in the past. Also, because the nature of the investigation, which involves WMDs and terrorist activity, Hunt is especially evasive with Pip. Still, he learns to appreciate her doggedness and intelligence. I really like Hunt. I find him to be one of the most accessible heroes in the Cold Justice series. Although he has his stoic moments, he also exhibits a level vulnerability and a good sense of humor. I can also see why he becomes attracted to PIp. She is loyal and genuine. I would want her on my side if I were in trouble. What rings less true for me is how willing Hunt is to jeopardize his career to pursue Pip. He is told straight out by his boss to not get involved with Pip. Hunt is a rule follower and he aspires to be on the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team. He needs to keep his record clean in order to be a top candidate. Why would he choose to put this dream in jeopardy?

Despite my question about the romance, this is a very well researched and plotted story. As a suspense fan, I love it when the author has me guessing “who done it?” until the very end. Well done, Ms. Anderson.

...more

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Jul 05, 2018 Caz rated it really liked it

Shelves: aar, arc, mystery-thriller, romance-other

I've given this a B at AAR.

I’ve been reading more and more romantic suspense novels of late, and although Toni Anderson is an author who’s been on my radar for a while, for some reason, I’ve not yet got around to reading anything of hers. After reading her guest post at AAR a few weeks ago, I decided to rectify that, and picked up the latest in her Cold Justice series – Cold Blooded – for review. It’s the ninth full-length novel in the series (which also includes a novella), but I had no pro I've given this a B at AAR.

I’ve been reading more and more romantic suspense novels of late, and although Toni Anderson is an author who’s been on my radar for a while, for some reason, I’ve not yet got around to reading anything of hers. After reading her guest post at AAR a few weeks ago, I decided to rectify that, and picked up the latest in her Cold Justice series – Cold Blooded – for review. It’s the ninth full-length novel in the series (which also includes a novella), but I had no problems whatsoever following the story, so I can say with confidence that it works perfectly well as a standalone. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to fans of the genre; the plot is topical and well-executed, the characters are likeable and while the romantic angle is perhaps more low key than I normally like, it makes sense within the context of the story that this pair would take a bit of time to warm up to each other.

Pip West’s career as an investigative journalist might well be over following the recent publication of her story about police corruption that led to a dirty cop murdering his wife and kids before turning his gun on himself. Devastated and burdened with guilt, Pip has fled her home in Florida and driven to rural Georgia, intending to stay with her best friend, Cindy - a research scientist at nearby Blake University - while she gets herself together and works out what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Arriving at her friend’s remote cabin on Lake Allatoona, Pip is worried when she sees her Cindy’s car outside, but can find no trace of her. Upstairs on the balcony, she sees something floating in the lake and is horrified to realise it’s Cindy. Panicked and horrified, Pip manages to drag the body out of the water and to call 911 – but it’s too late.

Following the discovery of a terrorist cell in possession of weaponised anthrax, Special Agent Hunt Kincaid, WMD co-ordinator at the Atlanta field office of the FBI, has been tasked with reaching out to anyone in the area whose work involves the use of bacillus anthracis. Intelligence suggests that this new strain has come from a US source, so Hunt and his counterparts throughout the US are being alerted and given similar tasks, but given the number of government facilities, universities and biotech companies in the area – including the Centre for Disease Control - the Atlanta office is the first on the case.

Hunt’s first stop is Blake University, where he intends to speak to the staff and students who work with the anthrax virus there. His tour of the department is interrupted by news of the death of a PhD student who had been working on a new vaccine against the virus – and the timing is too much of a coincidence for him to ignore. He heads out to Lake Allatoona where the local police tell him they suspect the death of the young woman – Cindy Resnick – to be drug related. When her friend – the dark-haired young woman Hunt noticed immediately upon arriving at the scene - insists Cindy never took drugs, Hunt takes the assertion with a pinch of salt; after all, this woman found the body and because of that, is currently at the top of the list of potential suspects should this prove to be a homicide.

Pip knows the handsome FBI agent is suspicious of her, but she’s too mired in grief and anger to care. She knows Cindy wouldn’t – couldn’t – have committed suicide and she’s determined to find out the truth, but it won’t be easy. After her last investigation, she’s wary of law-enforcement – and once the local cops find out about her exposé of police corruption, they’re not exactly queuing up to help her either.

Pip and Hunt pursue their own lines of enquiry for the first part of the book, their paths crossing mostly accidentally, each suspicious of the other and very cautious about sharing what they find out. After a journalist stitched him up in a move that almost cost him his career, Hunt has no love for reporters, so he’s not well-disposed towards Pip - no matter that he can’t help the strong pull of attraction he feels towards her. But the more he sees of her, the more convinced he becomes that Pip had nothing to do with Cindy’s death – and Pip finds herself wanting to trust Hunt, even though she knows he subscribes to the police’s theory that Cindy’s death was, if not suicide, then helped along by her use of drugs. But a second death – another scientist and friend of Cindy’s – also thought to be drug related, brings Hunt to the realisation that Pip has probably been right all along and that there’s more to her friend’s death than getting high and taking an ill-advised swim.

The suspense storyline is tightly-plotted and well-researched, the tension building gradually through its various twists and turns until reaching the final chapters, which really amp things up and propel us towards an exciting, high-stakes finale. The romance is more of a slow burn, with Pip and Hunt gradually moving in ever decreasing circles around each other as they slowly learn to shed their suspicions and to work together, but this felt completely right given the circumstances and their past experiences. I appreciated the absence of the over-the-top mental lusting that is so often present in today’s romance novels; Hunt and Pip are attracted to and aware of each other, yes, but there’s never any sense that the plot is being suspended while they mentally drool over one another’s perfect bodies. I liked both characters, although I can’t deny that there’s something a bit stock-in-trade about both of them; Hunt is your classic ‘I don’t do relationships because I don’t like losing people’ type, and Pip is the ‘I had a shitty childhood and now I don’t trust easily’ one. That said though, they’re relatable and engaging, and I particularly liked the flirtatious, playful side Hunt allowed out occasionally. Pip’s grief is very well-handled, too – her sadness and feelings of guilt and uncertainty permeate the first part of the book in a subtle way, and I was pleased to see that she didn’t suddenly recover and start to act as though nothing had happened as the story progressed.

In the negative column though, there are places where the pacing flags and others that feel repetitive, particularly when we’re in Hunt’s PoV and he keeps reminding himself that Pip is a suspect, that he doesn’t trust reporters, and he shouldn’t get involved with her. I still wanted to know how things would turn out, but there were times I found myself skimming to get to the next bit of plot.

Overall, however, Cold Blooded is an enjoyable, suspenseful read, and I’ll definitely be seeking out more of Ms. Anderson’s work. ...more

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May 28, 2018 Dísir rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, contemporary-romance, law-enforcement, mystery-crime, romantic-suspense, suspense-thriller

Toni Anderson’s poised writing is always finely balanced between intricate details, action and intriguing development—well, this is no different. But it’s good to see ‘Cold-Blooded’ starting afresh (either that, or I really can’t seem to remember these protagonists popping up anywhere else) with an entirely new pairing without the strong links to the rest of the characters in Anderson’s previous books as it reads like a proper standalone.

The uneasy relationship between journalists and law enforc Toni Anderson’s poised writing is always finely balanced between intricate details, action and intriguing development—well, this is no different. But it’s good to see ‘Cold-Blooded’ starting afresh (either that, or I really can’t seem to remember these protagonists popping up anywhere else) with an entirely new pairing without the strong links to the rest of the characters in Anderson’s previous books as it reads like a proper standalone.

The uneasy relationship between journalists and law enforcement is the crux of Pip’s and Hunt’s initial conflict here and like oil and water, they don’t mix. Both Pip and Hunt get off on the wrong foot and their incompatible goals, along with the secrets kept—not to mention the cloud of grief and mourning that surrounds Pip from the start—pretty much define first half of their bumpy ride together.

Pip and Hunt as a pairing however, does feel like an optional ‘add-on’ in some ways, put together because of their own different inroads into the same investigation with mere hints of attraction and tension that stretch past the halfway mark. That this happens over the course of an intense few days, so much so that it causes Hunt to reevaluate his no-commitment stance after good sex, does make their instalove/connection more implausible and unconvincing (this much is admitted by the characters themselves).

Bottomline is, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was always some kind of wall separating them—Hunt’s indirect way of using Pip to further his investigation, Pip’s grief and her own uncertainty about Hunt as a law enforcement officer and what he represents, the implicit but telling lack of trust on both sides even towards the end of the story—and this barrier didn’t feel as though it’d been overcome by the end of the story, given how they’d only gotten to know each other incidentally (and in bits and pieces) while working the case.

Minus the romance however, Anderson’s storytelling nonetheless, is compelling. Weaving the elements of what appear to be shady circumstances of related homicides and drug use as both Pip and Hunt dig unrelentingly deeper into this tangled web…well, this is Anderson in her element. These are the bits I’ve always enjoyed about Anderson’s writing, even if I thought the romantic relationship between Pip/Hunt could have been left out and ‘Cold Blooded’ would have come out as tighter, more focused story.

But my being less sceptical about the romance doesn’t make ‘Cold Blooded’ a bad book. Far from it, in fact, despite the small conflict I had buying into Pip and Hunt together. I definitely enjoyed this more as a mystery/suspense novel rather than one classified as romantic suspense, but perhaps the base line that matters here is that Toni Anderson writes well enough for me to stayed glued to the pages.

*ARC by the author ...more

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Jun 09, 2018 Bea Charmed added it

Shelves: action-mystery-thriller, romance, arc, beas-book-nook, ebook, kindle-books, read-in-2018, reviews, reviewcrew-streetteam

3.5 stars

I've been eagerly awaiting this book since I read the last one. This series has hooked me and I haven't finished all of the books yet. I'm slowly making my way through the earlier books, not rushing because I enjoy them so much an want to make them last.

"Cold Blooded" didn't disappoint. I love Pip's fierceness, her devotion to her friend, and her battle to uncover the facts. Then there was Pip's battle with herself, as she wavered between believing there was a possibility that her frie 3.5 stars

I've been eagerly awaiting this book since I read the last one. This series has hooked me and I haven't finished all of the books yet. I'm slowly making my way through the earlier books, not rushing because I enjoy them so much an want to make them last.

"Cold Blooded" didn't disappoint. I love Pip's fierceness, her devotion to her friend, and her battle to uncover the facts. Then there was Pip's battle with herself, as she wavered between believing there was a possibility that her friend Cindy had killed herself and her fierce belief that Cindy would never have done that. It echoed the painful doubts and questions that people in real life undergo when a loved one kills themselves. It was painfully realistic and I appreciated that Anderson didn't gloss over it. No one ever wants to believe that a friend or relative could kill themselves but sometimes the signs are hard to see and we miss them. Pip was so sure that Cindy would never have done it but then in her grief, she'd wonder if it was possible, if she had missed the signs. It was hard to read at times but never felt gratuitous or like it was filler.

The local police are inclined to believe that it was suicide, which infuriates Pip, and she conducts her own investigation. Adding to her emotional stew is the fallout from an investigation she did for the newspaper where she was employed. There were complications and she left in disgrace. Then her friend dies and Pip is a mess.

Into this mess comes FBI agent Hunt Kincaid. He's trying to track down an anthrax strain and the people trying to sell it. Cindy worked with anthrax so he looks into her death but he agrees with the local cops that it was a suicide. He doesn't trust Pip because he doesn't trust journalists, and neither does his boss. It doesn't help that he got burned by a journalist and that incident causes his peers and his boss to question his judgment and assume the worst where he and Pip are concerned.

Neither Hunt nor Pip want to be attracted to each other and the investigations into the anthrax threat and Cindy's death complicate matters as does Hunt's inability to talk in detail about his work, but they just can't resist and I was rooting for them. They had to learn to trust each other and to figure out how to communicate and share without violating their respective professional boundaries.

"Cold Blooded" was a compelling story. I wanted to forget about work and sleep and just read. I was caught up in the search for the truth about Cindy's death and the search for the anthrax dealers. The story was fascinating, thrilling, and at times, heartbreaking. I may have cursed Anderson's name a bit near the end with what she did to one character.

The story wasn't perfect. There were times when the pace dragged and I really didn't get why Hunt's buddies and peers gave him such a hard time concerning Pip and the fact she was a journalist. Even with his previous bad experience, their reactions felt over the top and extreme. It seemed more like a manufactured issue to create problems between Hunt and Pip than an organic issue. That was really my main problem with the story and I greatly enjoyed it. And if you are new to this series, this book introduces all new characters and has only a tangential connection to earlier books in the series so it works fine as a stand alone. You can easily jump in with this book. But be sure to go back and read the other books too for thrilling mysteries and passionate romances.

I received a copy from the author for review. ...more

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Oct 01, 2018 Toni Anderson added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: wrote

"Toni's books will make your heart pound and leave you breathless as she takes you on a roller coaster of thrills and danger along with the characters." Kaylea Cross - New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.

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Jun 08, 2018 Maria Rose rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 4-5-stars, fully-reviewed-books, action-and-or-romantic-suspense

Cold Blooded by Toni Anderson is the 9th book in her Cold Justice series. It’s an exciting and suspenseful standalone romance, with some twists and turns as a disgraced journalist and an FBI agent cross paths in the search for a murderer.

Journalist Pip West’s last assignment turned deadly for an innocent woman and her family. Seeking a new start, she’s shown up on the doorstep of her friend Cindy only to discover Cindy’s dead body. The police want to blame it on a drug overdose and bad choices, ...more

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Jun 24, 2018 Pamela(AllHoney) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-read-challenge, cops-fbi-dea-cia-etc, ebooks, loc-usa, suspense-mystery-thriller, reporters-newspapers

The tenth book in the Cold Justice series by Toni Anderson. Special Agent Hunt Kincaid, as the local WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) Coordinator in Atlanta, GA, is assigned to find out who is selling Anthrax. One of his first stops is to check out a grad student who was developing a vaccine for Anthrax. Unfortunately, he gets there too late.

Pip West is a journalist who uncovered a case of police corruption in Florida. But tragedy strikes when her witness is murdered and the cop commits suicid ...more

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Jun 13, 2018 Cheryl Whitty rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, best, conspiracies, crime-thriller, contemporary, emotional, hot, interesting, murder, mystery

Reviewed on behalf of http://bookaddict.live,
Cold Blooded is another winner from Toni Anderson. Keeping me up well into the night reading about Pip and Hunt and their search for the anthrax dealers. All starting with the situation that Pip found herself in, finding her best friend dead in the lake by her house. I enjoyed the love hate relationship with Hunt and Pip that was entertaining to witness.
As always I was compelled to read this enthralling adventure in one go. Trying to write this withou ...more

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Jul 09, 2018 Darcy rated it liked it

Shelves: 2018, e-book, law-enforcement, romantic-suspense

This one had a slow start for me and didn't really pick up until almost half way through. A lot of that was due to setting things up. I liked that Pip believed in her friend, that she fought to find out what really happened to Cindy. I think since Hunt wasn't in his normal job he looked a little deeper at things once he listened to what Cindy had to say.

It was pretty easy to guess who the bad guy was and why, but that didn't detract from things. I liked seeing them brought down, just wished so ...more

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Sep 24, 2018 Phe rated it really liked it

Shelves: series-cold-justice, romantic-suspense

4.5 Stars - Cold Blooded is an adult romantic suspense thriller by Toni Anderson and the 9th book in her Cold Justice series.

Toni Anderson never disappoints...another highly suspenseful story! This installment of the Cold Justice series revolves around bioterrorism and Anthrax. Truly spinetingling. But I had to laugh when I read the author's Acknowledgements:

And I want to thank my husband for not rolling his eyes too hard when I told him this really was the worst book I'd ever written and th

...more

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Jun 15, 2018 Becky rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, suspense

Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books, on 6/15/18/.

OMG, this book--crack it open and hang on for the ride!

Pip and Hunt's story has many twists and turns, both with their relationship and in the suspense plot. I can't tell you how much time I spent telling various characters in the book, "No, it WASN'T a drug overdose! What's wrong with you people???"--honestly, I think I said it more than Pip did (especially since at one point, even Pip started wondering...) I gasped out loud while reading more th ...more

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Jun 02, 2018 Niken Widyastuti rated it it was amazing

Another excellent story from Toni Anderson!

This 10th book in Cold Justice series was just as great as the previous books. Everything I expect in an RS novel was in here. There was who-dunnit mystery that heavily laced with suspense, and hot romance complete with its own drama yet not overwhelming.

Pip, a journalist who just lost the last person she loved, and Hunt, an FBI special agent with bad experience with journalist in the past. There was distrust toward each other in the beginning that kept ...more

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Jun 06, 2018 Book Him Danno rated it it was amazing

Having Read the first 8 Cold Justice Series I was wondering if this would be the one that failed the series.

I can officially say No.

Cold Blooded is one of the best in the series. From beginning to end readers will be hook as Pip West tries to prove her best friend was murdered while dealing with the loss of her only family. Pip is a likable characters to the point she could be your best friend.

The adventure that moves though politics, policy, revenge and bio weapons will keep readers hooked unt ...more

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Jun 13, 2018 Cindy ~ SnS Reviews rated it really liked it · review of another edition

An FBI agent heading up a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) team looking for the people who just tried to sell a new Anthrax strain.. A journalist looking into the death of her friend, who happened to be working on a new vaccine for anthrax.. A madman hungry for money willing to sell a new Anthrax strain to the highest bidder killing anyone that gets in his way.

Some of the books in this series have left me with whiplash from all the fast paced action and suspense. This one was more slow and st ...more

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Jun 13, 2018 Joanne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Good book

What a book! It had everything, drama, angst, intrigue, pure evil and love. Beautiful selfless love. This was an emotional read, touching on some pretty horrendous subjects but as is her way Ms Anderson handled them with style and portrayed the characters realistically but compassionately. I was very sad at the end but i was hooked from the beginning. Great book and series.

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Jun 10, 2018 Danielle Gypsy Soul rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-or-author-arcs, contemporary, mystery, thriller, 2018-books-i-ve-read, action-adventure

Cold Blooded is the 10th book in Cold Justice but can easily be read as a stand alone. This romantic suspense is a bit heavier on the suspense/mystery than the romance IMO but there was plenty of both to keep to me hooked!

This book centers around Pip, a reporter who was working on a police corruption story when things took a deadly turn. Pip is disillusioned and a bit lost so she quits her job and heads out to see her best friend Cindy. When she arrives she finds Cindy dead and although the pol Cold Blooded is the 10th book in Cold Justice but can easily be read as a stand alone. This romantic suspense is a bit heavier on the suspense/mystery than the romance IMO but there was plenty of both to keep to me hooked!

This book centers around Pip, a reporter who was working on a police corruption story when things took a deadly turn. Pip is disillusioned and a bit lost so she quits her job and heads out to see her best friend Cindy. When she arrives she finds Cindy dead and although the police and the FBI believe her friend died of an overdose Pip doesn't believe Cindy would have taken drugs willingly.

FBI Special Agent Hunt Kincaid is part of the white collar crime unit and also the WMD coordinator. He is pulled in to the investigation of Pip's friend because he's tracking the development and sale of weaponized anthrax. Cindy was a grad student working on her PhD thesis on Anthrax and Hunt needs to make sure it was a coincidence and rule her out in his investigation.

Pip isn't a fan of the police after her last investigation and Hunt has had a bad run-in with a reporter so the two are at odds immediately. Pip is a suspect when Hunt begins his investigation and she is also dealing with a lot of grief and some guilt as she fought with her best friend shortly before she died. I really liked both Pip and Hunt as individuals and rooted for them to get past their early differences. The romance was a slow burn as they spent the first half of the book at odds as they both investigated Cindy's death but the attraction was there from the beginning and the romance picked up in the second half.

The suspense/mystery was masterfully written and kept me on the edge of my seat. There were plenty of characters who's motivations weren't clear and of course the question of whether the villain was motivated by money or ideology. There is plenty of action, danger, and a few twists and turns along the way to keep the reader guessing. I highly recommend this intense, sexy and thrilling romantic suspense book with unforgettable characters and a plot that could be ripped from today's headlines!

A copy of this book was provided to me by the author with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.

...more

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Jun 12, 2018 Jolin rated it it was amazing

Once I started reading this book, I didn’t want to put it down. It was full of suspense and every time I thought I had it “figured out”, it would take another turn. I’ve never cared much for bioweapon storylines, but this one seemed different and kept me entertained. I really liked watching Pip and Hunt’s story unfold. I love this series, and this book continues with the same excitement as the rest.

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Jul 01, 2018 Jackie rated it it was amazing

Investigative journalist Pip West finds her best friend dead in a quiet lake. Police say suicide but she feels it’s more than that. Outstanding suspense from a fantastic author.

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Jul 14, 2018 Shawna rated it it was ok

Shelves: author-toni-anderson, cop-bodyguard-govop-merc-military, crime-mystery-suspense-thriller-fic, horror-mystery-suspense-thrillers, romantic-suspense, series-cold-justice, all-work-no-play-on-the-job-romance, audiobook, format-audiobook, format-source-audible

2.5 stars Romantic Suspense

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Jun 08, 2018 Dolly Sickles rated it it was amazing

Toni Anderson is back with the 10th installation of her Cold Justice series, COLD BLOODED (coming June 12). Honestly, Anderson is the literary equivalent of a singer who could “sing the phone book” … she’s that great a storyteller. Once again, I found myself compulsively staying up late to race through this thriller, made all the more nerve-racking because this is a premise that could totally happen.

Two weeks ago, Pip West was the “golden girl” at a small paper in Tallahassee, Florida, where she Toni Anderson is back with the 10th installation of her Cold Justice series, COLD BLOODED (coming June 12). Honestly, Anderson is the literary equivalent of a singer who could “sing the phone book” … she’s that great a storyteller. Once again, I found myself compulsively staying up late to race through this thriller, made all the more nerve-racking because this is a premise that could totally happen.

Two weeks ago, Pip West was the “golden girl” at a small paper in Tallahassee, Florida, where she was working on a police corruption story. The tables turned when the department didn’t take caution, and the officer killed his family before turning the gun on himself. Disillusioned with her career and receiving death threats that no local cop would protect her from, she left her position as an investigative journalist and headed to her one solace: her best friend, Cindy. Only, by the time she arrived at Cindy’s lake house in Atlanta, her friend was dead.

FBI Special Agent Hunt Kincaid is a member of the White-Collar Crime Unit in the Atlanta Field Office with a goal of making it into the elite Hostage Rescue Team (HRT). For the last month, though, he’s been filling in as the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) coordinator for a colleague on maternity leave. It seemed like an easy gig, but when the powers that be (right up to the POTUS) inform him they’re tracking the very real development and sale of weaponized anthrax — very likely in Atlanta — the situation gets very real, very quickly.

~ ~ ~

Intrigue runs deeply in this story. It’s difficult to figure out who’s on the right side of the law, who’s a sketchy academic and whether the anthrax bioweapon is motivated by money or ideology. This notion is, perhaps, the root of the story: If the scientists were able to science for the sake of science, they wouldn’t have to weaponize it and sell it to the highest bidder to make a point (and a buck).

I’m sure there’s a lesson in here about the pitfalls of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and perhaps letting the FBI do what they do best, but Pip wasn’t trained to sit back and let someone else answer all of life’s questions. Both Pip and Hunt have big personalities and big responsibilities, and it takes them a while to get out of their own way. I enjoyed the foray into Pip’s grief — both in the fallout of the police corruption piece and in Cindy’s death — and witnessing the progression of her motivation. Pip’s development played the foil to Hunt, who started off wanting to get into the HRT with no deviation, to falling in love and figuring out how to adapt his goals to include the woman (he didn’t plan for but) fell in love with. Though this is the 10th Cold Justice book, it reads like a stand-alone. Anderson presents her series in my favorite manner: without the repetition of the same characters swooping in to save the day … again.

*Originally published, in full, with USA Today's Happy Ever After: https://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2.... ...more

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Jun 16, 2018 ZETTER rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, military-romance, romantic-suspense, thriller, standalone, favorites

Persistent!!!

Special Agent Hunt Kincaid, a WMD (Weapon of Mass Destruction) coordinator in Atlanta was asked by the SACs Lincoln Frazer ( COLD FEAR ) and Steve McKenzie ( COLD MALICE ) to help them track down anyone who might be working on anything related to the bioweapon anthrax.

His boss SAC (Special Agent in Charge) Caleb Bourne along with the others knew they were kind of asking for the moon....but many lives depended on them stopping the terrorists, no matter what.

He found out about a grad ...more

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Aug 12, 2018 Trish R. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Since I’ve been reading murder mysteries with no romance this book seemed full of it. However, it was a good story about weaponized anthrax and the people who were killed because they knew about it and could identify the bad guys. One of them was Cindy, a genius who came up with an antidote for it, and was killed just before he best friend, Pip West, showed up and found her dead in the lake by her house, and Pip’s belief that Cindy’s death was murder and not an accident, as the police and FBI we ...more

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Aug 14, 2018 Laurie Wood rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Another sizzling thriller from Toni Anderson. I loved Piper Hunter as she channeled her grief at her best friend's death and refused to give up on what she knew to be true. Great summer read!

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Jun 14, 2018 lindel rated it liked it · review of another edition

Ok read

I have read many books in this series. Some I really liked and some just ok. This one is in the ok pile. Like the subject matter as it is rarely written about in romances, but just couldn't connect with the passion in these two.

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Jun 24, 2018 Navjyot rated it liked it · review of another edition

Liked it

This book is very different from the rest of the series. Not as fast paced as the rest . I didn’t love the heroine as the others , she seemed very ordinary

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Jul 03, 2018 RiriRomantiques rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary, pap

Thrilling. Tender. Cute. High speed adrenaline.
Another perfect romantic suspense.

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Jun 16, 2018 Kristen Johnson rated it really liked it

Cold Blooded is part of the Cold Justice series, but it can absolutely be read as a standalone without any issue - I know this because I haven't read all of the series.

This story is full of mystery, danger, suspense and just the right amount of romance to make it a perfect read. You'll find yourself questioning everything, feeling everything and most of all, you'll want the good guys to not only win - but to find something together.

When Pip decides to uproot her life after an argument with her
Cold Blooded is part of the Cold Justice series, but it can absolutely be read as a standalone without any issue - I know this because I haven't read all of the series.

This story is full of mystery, danger, suspense and just the right amount of romance to make it a perfect read. You'll find yourself questioning everything, feeling everything and most of all, you'll want the good guys to not only win - but to find something together.

When Pip decides to uproot her life after an argument with her best friend, she never expects the wild ride it will lead her on, but discovering her friend's dead body is just the start. I really loved the loyalty Pip immediately has to her friend, the depth of her belief that her friend didn't and wouldn't OD and her desire to prove it that countered with that tiny part questioning what if? It was clear that Pip didn't know what to believe and she was struggling to line up the facts of the case with the person she knew and loved.

Agent Hunt Kincaid is on the case for someone threatening the country, someone who would use Antrhax against innocents. So when he finds himself tangled up in a mystery involving the death of one person who is on his list of people to watch - he's not sure what to think. He does know he doesn't want her journalist friend involved at all and he'll do whatever it takes to get her off the case as it were.

But there's a connection between Hunt and Pip, a chemistry that's hard to deny and they both have reasons for wanting to solve this case - for wanting the answers they seek. But they'll have to learn to trust each other if they are going to be working together in any sort. I really loved the way they grew together, and slowly became closer - they both had their reasons for distrust and a past that colored their views, but it was important to see how they moved past that. I wavered between wanting to discover the secrets of the case and rooting for these two to finally admit to their feelings - to own up to how good they would be together.

Cold Blooded will suck you in with the suspense angle from page one, filling you with questions and theories and a curiosity to know everything. On top of that you'll find yourself feeling all the emotions involved, Pip's sadness at the loss of her friend, her confusion at trying to piece together the friend she knew and what others are claiming happened and so much more. I was hooked on the suspense angle and couldn't put the book down, because of my absolute NEED to know how it all ended. Toni Anderson did an amazing job weaving all the puzzle pieces together in this story. ...more

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Jun 07, 2018 Angela rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. **I received an ARC for my honest review**
**Not spoiler free**

Reading a Toni Anderson novel is like putting on a comfortable sweater. You know what to expect when you pull it out from the drawer. You know it's going to be warm and cozy. You know just what it's going to feel like when you pull it on. And you love it all the same.

This is Pip and Hunt's journey. Pip found her best friend's dead body and she's told she OD'd. Agent Hunt Kincaid is assigned to the case because, of course, not all is **I received an ARC for my honest review**
**Not spoiler free**

Reading a Toni Anderson novel is like putting on a comfortable sweater. You know what to expect when you pull it out from the drawer. You know it's going to be warm and cozy. You know just what it's going to feel like when you pull it on. And you love it all the same.

This is Pip and Hunt's journey. Pip found her best friend's dead body and she's told she OD'd. Agent Hunt Kincaid is assigned to the case because, of course, not all is as it seems. While it looks like Cindy might have OD'd, she was working on a vaccine for anthrax and as the WMD coordinator, Hunt was on the case to ensure it wasn't actually anthrax that had killed Cindy. While the agent was ready to wrap up Cindy's case as an OD, Pip practically screamed to everyone that there was no way Cindy would take drugs.

Pip and Hunt battled throughout most of the novel as he tried to keep Pip from interfering with his investigation. Problem? Pip was a journalist and finding out the truth was ingrained in her - especially since she was convinced Cindy was murdered. Pip could not keep from turning over every stone to discover what really happened to her best friend despite her growing attraction to Hunt.

When more bodies turned up, Hunt, batting his own attraction to Pip, thought that maybe, just maybe, Pip was on to something. And when he found her knocked out, fearing her dead, he realized that she was worth working for.

My only critique is that there was no major jaw dropping moment. The killers were sketchy from the start. Pete Dexter almost had "I'm the killer trying to sell anthrax on the black market" tattooed on his head. Simon, Angela and Bea has his co-conspirators was not really surprising. The death of the professor seemed too neat and I'm a little surprised that some of the FBI agents bought into it. The only thing that did surprise me was the death of Agent Fuller. I wish she'd been able to pull through. It would have been nice to have her and Pip become friends after they way their relationship began.

I've read all of the Cold Justice books and I can't wait for the next one. In the meantime, I'll go start one of Toni Anderson's standalone novels. I suggest you do to if you haven't already.

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Jun 18, 2018 Alphas Do It Better Book Blog rated it really liked it

4 stars

This was my first read by this author and although it's the ninth book in a series, it's a standalone that needs no background from the other books to work. I love a good romantic suspense and Ms. Anderson's book certainly for the bit.

After a case gone wrong, investigative journalist, Pippa West, is at loss ends with a bruised heart and a severely damaged professional reputation. She basically flees Tampa intending to spend time with her best friend while figuring out her next move. Arri 4 stars

This was my first read by this author and although it's the ninth book in a series, it's a standalone that needs no background from the other books to work. I love a good romantic suspense and Ms. Anderson's book certainly for the bit.

After a case gone wrong, investigative journalist, Pippa West, is at loss ends with a bruised heart and a severely damaged professional reputation. She basically flees Tampa intending to spend time with her best friend while figuring out her next move. Arriving at Cindy's place makes her life spiral even more than before when she finds her best friend's dead body. The police believe she died of an accidental overdose but Pip knows her friend would never do drugs. She's fiercely determined to salvage her friend's reputation. Believing Cindy was murdered, she throws herself into finding the real killer. Her amateur investigation put her at odds be with the gorgeous FBI agent handling the case but she can't allow herself to be distracted, no matter how intriguing he is. Why is the FBI investigating one person's death anyway? Asking that question, and unravelling the nuances of this case, just might have her ending up next to her friend in the morgue.

Hunt Kincaid has never even thought of crossing the line with a witness but he's drawn to Pip instantly. The fact that she's a reporter is a double whammy and one fact he can't forget. Emnity between law enforcement and reporters is deep and far reaching. But Pip refuses to be ignored about her belief that her friend was murdered. She doesn't know that there are much bigger issues at play with this case than an accidental overdose. As the Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordinator for the FBI, Hunt is searching for the individuals threatening to release a bioweapon. Will he be able to stop mass destruction or will his growing feelings for Pip impede the investigation and threaten his career?

Great book full of dark twisty turns and shady characters. Hunt and Pip were well developed and genuinely likeable. The pace drug a little through the middle but even with the minuteau of the case, I was rooting for them! Hunt was positively swoony. Great read.

AnnMarie - Alphas Do It Better Book Blog ...more

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Jun 12, 2018 Catherine (The Sassy Bookster) rated it it was amazing

A greedy egomaniac and a destructive biological weapon are certainly not the best combination, especially when the Feds have to investigate this threat on the down low; the bodies keep piling up and an investigative journalist is determined to find out why her best friend is one of those bodies!

Ms. Anderson takes us on an adventure where law enforcement, science and journalism clash in a potentially deadly way. The fate of millions of lives hangs in the balance and the clock is running out on fi ...more

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