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1989: What Happens When A Killer Returns For Revenge
A Penny For Your A Small-Town Serial Killer, Back From the Grave
For three years a serial killer known as the Penny Murderer terrified Monroe, Georgia. His signature was leaving a note on the body starting with "A penny for your thoughts." Detective Mike Allen and his team tracked down and arrested Samuel Johnson for twelve murders. Throughout the trial and even after his conviction Johnson always proclaimed his innocence. The controversial trial divided the city, and things exploded when he was found dead in his cell shortly afterward. A cover-up?
Old ghosts are awakened almost thirty years later when two people are murdered on the same night using the Penny Murders calling card. One of the victims had a connection to the old case and the other was Sergeant Allen's new partner, Marcus Jones. Sergeant Allen now must work with a new partner, who questions his every move and the actions taken during the original trial, to stop this new killer before they kill again. Is this a new killer? Or did they get it wrong all those years ago and send an innocent man to jail...?
After finding her husband's body Attorney Nicole Jones, Marcus's wife, who was initially a suspect in his death goes on a dark journey to find out who really killed her husband and why. She experiences a roller coaster of emotions upon learning that both her husband and his former partner Mike Allen had both kept many disturbing secrets from her.
Two people who were once friends are now on a journey to find the truth, learning secrets about each other along the way that cause them to question each other.
In this page-turning novel, complex characters and unexpected plot twists will keep you on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out what will happen next.
For three years a serial killer known as the Penny Murderer terrified Monroe, Georgia. His signature was leaving a note on the body starting with "A penny for your thoughts." Detective Mike Allen and his team tracked down and arrested Samuel Johnson for twelve murders. Throughout the trial and even after his conviction Johnson always proclaimed his innocence. The controversial trial divided the city, and things exploded when he was found dead in his cell shortly afterward. A cover-up?
Old ghosts are awakened almost thirty years later when two people are murdered on the same night using the Penny Murders calling card. One of the victims had a connection to the old case and the other was Sergeant Allen's new partner, Marcus Jones. Sergeant Allen now must work with a new partner, who questions his every move and the actions taken during the original trial, to stop this new killer before they kill again. Is this a new killer? Or did they get it wrong all those years ago and send an innocent man to jail...?
After finding her husband's body Attorney Nicole Jones, Marcus's wife, who was initially a suspect in his death goes on a dark journey to find out who really killed her husband and why. She experiences a roller coaster of emotions upon learning that both her husband and his former partner Mike Allen had both kept many disturbing secrets from her.
Two people who were once friends are now on a journey to find the truth, learning secrets about each other along the way that cause them to question each other.
In this page-turning novel, complex characters and unexpected plot twists will keep you on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out what will happen next.
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Published January 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 30, 2023
1989: What Happens When A Killer Returns For Revenge by James Smith
A copycat killer is running amok, ravaging a town of prominent figures to exact justice for a coverup of epic proportions. Thirty years after a controversial trial ended with a black man being found guilty for a killing spree within the community, a person is leaving the same calling cards at the crime scene. "A Penny for Your Thoughts" card greets officers at every new homicide, the same confusing phrase used by the killer decades earlier, the only problem is Samuel Johnson is deceased.
The main protagonist Nicole Jones, a hard-nosed lawyer is quickly thrust into the story as she finds her husband Marcus Jones dead in their bedroom. Nicole is determined to find out who would want to murder her husband. Along with the help of a new detective, we are introduced to several characters who have a connection to a coverup which includes a judge, lawyers, and the Governor. After unraveling numerous dark secrets within the community, it would appear no one is safe from the wrath of an individual with revenge on their mind.
First off I love a great mystery. Often I find them written too simplistically for my liking. Sure there are a handful of characters who "may have done it" but I usually have them figured out by the end like in a Scooby-Doo episode. I want that exhilarating feeling of saying "Col. Mustard with the candlestick in the conservatory" and watching my family's jaw drop at my sleuthing abilities in a highly contested game of Clue. Kudos to Mr. Smith you have written a book where I was completely stumped throughout. The sheer number of characters that are involved and playing a part in the song and dance was impressive. I was never able to fully piece together everyone's part in the story until the dominoes started to fall near the finish. I felt like the backstory was well hidden and proper timing was used to introduce the reader to key people who started to make sense of it all. There was a sense of realism, the "I could see this happening" moment which enhanced the eeriness of the story. Culminating in a devilish grin, I read that last page of the book and knew it was the perfect ending.
Overall I can highly recommend this book. The author has done a fabulous job of weaving a complex story into a modern-day mystery. Impressively the author succeeds in providing the reader with a vast numerous set of characters that all provide clues and insight into how the story ultimately concludes. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
A copycat killer is running amok, ravaging a town of prominent figures to exact justice for a coverup of epic proportions. Thirty years after a controversial trial ended with a black man being found guilty for a killing spree within the community, a person is leaving the same calling cards at the crime scene. "A Penny for Your Thoughts" card greets officers at every new homicide, the same confusing phrase used by the killer decades earlier, the only problem is Samuel Johnson is deceased.
The main protagonist Nicole Jones, a hard-nosed lawyer is quickly thrust into the story as she finds her husband Marcus Jones dead in their bedroom. Nicole is determined to find out who would want to murder her husband. Along with the help of a new detective, we are introduced to several characters who have a connection to a coverup which includes a judge, lawyers, and the Governor. After unraveling numerous dark secrets within the community, it would appear no one is safe from the wrath of an individual with revenge on their mind.
First off I love a great mystery. Often I find them written too simplistically for my liking. Sure there are a handful of characters who "may have done it" but I usually have them figured out by the end like in a Scooby-Doo episode. I want that exhilarating feeling of saying "Col. Mustard with the candlestick in the conservatory" and watching my family's jaw drop at my sleuthing abilities in a highly contested game of Clue. Kudos to Mr. Smith you have written a book where I was completely stumped throughout. The sheer number of characters that are involved and playing a part in the song and dance was impressive. I was never able to fully piece together everyone's part in the story until the dominoes started to fall near the finish. I felt like the backstory was well hidden and proper timing was used to introduce the reader to key people who started to make sense of it all. There was a sense of realism, the "I could see this happening" moment which enhanced the eeriness of the story. Culminating in a devilish grin, I read that last page of the book and knew it was the perfect ending.
Overall I can highly recommend this book. The author has done a fabulous job of weaving a complex story into a modern-day mystery. Impressively the author succeeds in providing the reader with a vast numerous set of characters that all provide clues and insight into how the story ultimately concludes. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
April 12, 2022
I tried really really hard to like this book. I kept hoping it would get better. I know it’s this authors first book and he’s self published and I think that’s so amazing! But I couldn’t handle the grammatical errors and constant typos. The story was a little slow and sluggish and I had a hard time following. I hope he writes more books in the future because I would love to see how he grows as an author
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews