Body Count

Rachel Ryder #5

by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

A serial killer is leaving numbers as his only clues... but nothing seems to add up. From USA Today bestselling author Carolyn Ridder Aspenson. When the fire department discovers a body near the scene of a suspicious blaze, Detective Rachel Ryder and her partner Rob Bishop are called to investigate. A set of numbers has been deliberately left near the body, and an autopsy reveals that the victim was killed before the fire. This death was no accident. When the investigation turns up few clues and no previous references to the killer’s calling card, Rachel and Rob turn to the media for help, eliciting contact from an unexpected source. It seems a killer from the past is back in the game... and the body count is growing. Rachel and Bishop must solve a seemingly impossible case to stop the murders—and they don’t have much time. Because the killer is taunting them with clues about the next victim—twisting their investigation into a cruel game of cat-and-mouse. Facing off against a cold-blooded mastermind who leaves nothing to chance, what will it take for Rachel to beat the serial killer at their own game… before another victim's number is up?

Genres: Thriller

356 pages, Paperback

First published September 8, 2022

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Carolyn Ridder Aspenson writes cozy mysteries, thrillers, and paranormal women's fiction featuring strong female leads. Her stories shine through her dialogue, which readers have praised for being realistic and compelling.
A multiple number one bestseller on Amazon, her first novel, Unfinished Business, was a five-star Reader's Favorite, a Rone Award finalist, as well as a number one bestseller on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble. In 2021, she introduced readers to detective Rachel Ryder in Damaging Secrets, also a number one bestseller on Amazon. Overkill, the third book in the Rachel Ryder series, was one of Thrillerfix’s best thrillers of 2021.Reviews have praised her work as ‘compelling, and intense,’ and ‘read through the night, edge of your seat thrillers. Carolyn’s most recent Rachel Ryder novel, Deadly Means, has been submitted for an Edgar Award by her publisher, Severn River Publishing.
Prior to publishing, she worked as a journalist in the suburbs of Atlanta where her work appeared in multiple newspapers and magazines. She wrote a monthly featured column in Northside Woman magazine.
Writing is only one of Carolyn's passions. She is an avid dog lover and currently spoils an American Staffordshire terrier boxer mix. She lives in the mountains of North Georgia as an empty nester (who misses her kids terribly but loves having a lower grocery bill) with her husband, a cantankerous cat, and her very spoiled pup.

Connect with Carolyn via carolyn@carolynridderaspenson.com

Reviews

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve done it again - this time I’ve picked up book 5 in the series without realising it! Which means it works perfectly fine as a stand alone.

A killer who grandiosely refers to himself as The Mastermind is pulling someone’s strings. Detective Rachel Ryder and her partner Detective Rob Bishop are called to a fire where a body has found nearby. They surmise the purpose of the fire is to draw attention to the body. The killer wants it found and the fire is set so there is no risk the body will be burned. Despite having his throat slit the victim, a young man, has no blood on him - he is clean and his clothes are clean. In his hand detectives find a plastic bag with a piece of paper in it which says “No. 7”, implying there have been numbers 1-6.

This pattern is repeated twice but the detectives have nothing. Eventually they are contacted by a detective from Alabama who has had the same run of cases 3 years ago only he had Nos. 1-3. It seems the killer likes groups of three! Gradually they discover these are some sort of revenge killings and all the victims are young men who have assaulted or r@ped young women.

I found the pace of this story quite slow and repetitious. And the Det. Rachel Ryder character was really very annoying. I don’t know why she had to be so rude but she p1ssed off everyone. I don’t know how Bishop put up with her through 5 books. And she had to be right all the time because her gut told her so! This ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger and while I had no intention of reading the earlier books I thought I might read the follow up. But now I’m not sure I could put up Rachel with again. Most of this author’s books are very highly rated so you should make up your own mind but I didn’t really enjoy this. Many thanks to Netgalley and Severn River Publishing for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

2.5 stars rounded up.

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Body Count by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson is the fifth in the Detective Rachel Ryder series.


Series Background:    (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Detective Rachel Ryder left her 15 year career on the Chicago police force, and moved to Hamby Georgia, after the death of her husband. The people responsible are dead.   She still has a friend and father-figure in Chicago, and Lenny remains a true mentor.  She has fought both police corruption and the drug cartel since being in Hamby.  Her boss is Chief Jimmy Abernathy, and her partner is Rob Bishop, a veteran of 30 years.  Her best friend is Savannah, her boss's wife, and Rachel has started dating DEA Agent Kyle Olsen.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Rachel and Rob are called to an old horse ranch that is going up in flames.  The fire was deliberately set, and a body was found in one of the barns.  In the dead man's hand is a baggy, containing a card with the number seven on it. 

A serial killer is leaving numbers as his only clue...but nothing seems to add up.  Upon further investigation, a neighbouring county had similar deaths, with numbers one, two and three.  Those were three years ago.  There doesn't seem to be any bodies with a four, five or six.  What do the numbers mean?

The team starts to find common ground with the victims, and it looks like the killer feels that their deaths are justified.  Then, the Mastermind starts playing the cat and mouse game with Rachel.



My Opinions:
Well, the plot on this one was dark, and really good. 

I continue to like the dialog between Rachel and Rob.

However, Rachel annoyed me in this one.  She came across as arrogant, and a bit of a know-it-all.  It's one thing to be confident, but she came off cocky, and she probably should have been pulled from the case, as she insisted on doing everything her own way.  There was no "team-player" in her mind, and she was just rude.  Okay, it definitely pissed me off.

I also had a problem with the ending, as it was a cliff-hanger, and I'm not that fond of continuing stories (even though I like books in a series).

So, as much as I loved the plot, I had other issues with this book.  Overall though, I like this series, and am still looking forward to the next in line.



For a more complete review of this book and others, (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information and contact details), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Pgchuis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Here Rachel investigates the murders of young men whose mutilated bodies are drawn to the attention of the police by nearby fires. They are soon connected to historical cases in another state and Rachel must decide if a serial killer has resumed work or whether this is a copycat. There are six dead young men, six young women who are soon linked to them, parents of these young women etc. Probably reading this on a flight when I had been up for 20 hours didn't help, but it was a lot to keep on top of.

I didn't warm to this story mainly because of the character of Rachel: I think we are meant to think she is great, and I expect she thinks of herself as 'feisty', but she reads as abrasive, arrogant, unable to obey a direct order and very much not a team player. She is very down on other (male) officers' attitudes to rape victims, and lectures these officers at length, but I found her own attitudes quite troubling. She describes herself as 'not a feminist' for a start... I was also a little confused about what the author wanted us to believe about the effects of traumatic brain injuries.

The ending was left open to an extent, but I won't be back to find out what comes next.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first introduction to this author and this series, and all I have to say is – how did I not know about this author and series before now? This thriller/police procedural kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing the entire time. It is an easy, fast read. I enjoyed all the characters, and I really enjoyed the descriptions of the police work – it felt very authentic. But HOLY COW the ending – absolutely jaw dropping!!!! It was completely unexpected!!!! I also never felt lost reading the 5th book in this series without having read any of the other books. I can’t wait to ready more of this author’s books.

I’m telling you, you need to go run and get this book! It will be out September 8, 2022.

[Micky Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Smokes! That's how you plot a story! Rachel Ryder is back and better than ever! Someone is killing, but not everyone is sorry about it when the victims have their own victims! This story is full of twists and turns, potential suspects, roadblocks and more to keep you on the edge of your seat and turning pages as fast as you can devour the words. I absolutely can't wait for the next book in the series comes out as this is one plot that may not be quite tied up in a tidy bow...or is it??? My only frustration is that I finished the book so fast that now I have to wait longer for the next book to come out!

[Cathy Geha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Body Count by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
Rachel Ryder #5

Arson with a brutal murder begin this police procedural that finds Ryder and Bishop, along with their team, looking for a cunning serial killer. Will they find the killer? What is the killer’s motivation? Will they be able to save potential victims? Will they get justice for those killed? So many questions needing answers and…will they find them?

What I liked:
* The writing, plot, pacing, and location
* Getting to see how Rachel and the team are doing
* Rachel: homicide detective, transplant from Chicago, widow, has solved many cases, has a media presence, type A, has a temper, likes to win, not always easy to like but may be mellowing a bit
* Bishop: seasoned homicide detective, level-headed, good with people, anchors Rachel and handles her well, baby whisperer, divorced father, in a fledgling romantic relationship
* Mechels, Niki, Bubba: skillful and great team members working with Ryder and Bishop
* Jimmy: police chief, new father, married to Ryder’s BFF, good leader
* The Fire Chief and Arson Inspector: intelligent and professional
* The comradery of the team and their interactions with other agencies
* Having read the previous books in the series that allowed me to know Rachel, her backstory, and the team in a way I otherwise would not have
* That this book could be read as a standalone but would recommend reading them in order
* Kyle: ex-Marine, DEA agent, in a relationship with Ryder, caring, good cook, professional, helpful, wonder if the two will eventually end up permanently together
* Thinking about killers and why they do what they do…not an easy thing to think about but reading this type of book does have me contemplating their mental processing of what they do
* Thinking about what a criminal profiler would study and how they would put together a profile
* Knowing that there will be another book to look forward to

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Having to wait to see what will happen in the next book – though the local murders were solved there is a tie-in to the next book that is related to this one that has me wishing it was ready to read right now.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This is the 1st story that I have read by this author, and I don't believe it will be the only one.

The story begins with Ryder and Bishop called to a scene of a fire in which a body was found. The lack of evidence at the scene left them with no idea why this individual was killed. As their investigation continued, another fire and another body found. The killer's M.O. was identical, but they had no more idea who and why this was being done. Ryder received a visit from a detective from Alabam that had 3 cold cases with a similar M.O. except for how the victim was killed. Using the information that they had and with the help of a profiler, they begin to layout what the killer's prfile was. Later, they even discovered what the victims were killed for. As they started following what leads they had, the killer had a not delivered to Ryder which give aa glimpse of why the killings were happening. Eventually after another death, Ryder had a gut feeling of who the killer might be.

To find out how Ryder hoped to capture the killer, what reason the killings started and how they were able to bring some sort of closure, then you need to read this book. The stepps Ryder and the team had to do will provide insight how they are able to finish a case. Grab the book, you won't be disappointed.

[Sharon Grow · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Detective Rachel Ryder and her partner Rob Bishop are called to the scene of a fire, they have no idea that this may be one of their more horrific cases. A young man was cleaned and posed after having his throat slit. Since the #7 was found with the body, does this mean that there are six other bodies somewhere? When another man is found days later with the #8, they now know they have a serial killer. A detective arrives from another part of the state with three unsolved murders found with #1, 2, and 3. Their goal is to stop the killer and get justice for the victims, but where are bodies 4, 5, and 6? Rachel and her partner try to keep things light as they investigate in order to shut out the dark things they witness. A break in the case leads them to women who were sexually abused by the murdered men. Someone is enacting their own form of justice and when a third man goes missing, Rachel and Rob must find him before he becomes victim #9. An excellent police procedural by one of the best! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

[David Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel and Rob take on a serial killer.

This fifth episode in the Rachel Ryder series take thigs in a different direction with a killer leaving numbers on each of his victims. I listened to the audiobook for Body Count. To be honest I had just finished listening to the first four stories in the series which made me genuinely appreciate how awesome Body Count is and how much Carolyn Ridder Aspenson has developed this series and each of the characters. Along with the murder cases she has built the story around Rachel, Rob, Jimmy, and the rest of the Hamby PD and how well they all work together as well as the tensions that exist between them.

If you have read any of this series, you really need to read or listen to Body Count because it is the best of the series so far. Personally, I would recommend listening to this series because Anne Marie Damman does an awesome job of bringing each character to life including the snarky interactions between Rachel and Rob. Thanks to Severn River Publishing for providing me with an audiobook review copy of Body Count.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel and team are thrown into an investigation again when they are called to a scene with a suspicious blaze and a body had been found. As the investigation gets involved, they believe there is a serial killer going after sex offenders and taking the law into his own hands. In addition to the team, a couple of detectives from the Birmingham PD, and a criminal profiler from the University of Georgia was loaned to assist with the investigation. Since the Birmingham PD had three murders similar to this case, they believed it was all related. Dr. Calloway as added to observe and offer her professional analysis to determine an assessment of the killer’s profile. As more murders happened, the town gets stressed and makes matters worst for the team as they continue investigate. The serial killer thinks he is way ahead of the game thinking no one can match his superiority.

This is a very intense story with a great plot line, wonderful characters and some humous banter between Rob and Rachel. The investigation is filled with pitfalls, unexpected twists, multiple motives and surprises that keep you glued right to the end. Look forward to the next book in the series.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Natalie Antaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detective Ryder is called to the scene where a barn is up in flames and there's a dead body of a 23 year old male who has the number "7" placed in his hand. Ryder and Bishop do some digging into the case and find that their victim may have been accused of sexual assault. There is also a tie to a case 3 years earlier where 3 young men also showed up dead with the numbers in their hands. Ryder and Bishop are pressed for time while they try to find the serial killer at large before the bodies continue to stack up.

This was my first Ryder book and overall I really enjoyed the read. It felt like I was reading a criminal minds episode. I did think that it might have been drawn out a little too long. I was however, not impressed with the ending. I like to read thrillers that are just one book and have a twist at the end that is resolved and this book was not resolved by the end, it was left at a cliff hanger for the next book.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC.

[Carole Craddock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another interesting book in the Rachel Ryder series! This suspenseful story's main character, Rachel Ryder, has lots of experience when she was a homicide detective in Chicago, and this experience has gained her much respect in the little town in Georgia where she now resides and works as a detective in the local police department. This time there is a serial killer going after sex offenders, so I had little sympathy for the murder victims and found myself not caring if the murderer was actually caught. This is a well written thriller by one of my very favorite authors, but I wish it were a bit shorter as I found myself starting to lose interest at times, but all in all a nice addition to the series.

[Seth Franks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, another fantastic Rachel Ryder series! I love that the narrative is from her perspective. She's impuslive and calculated at the same time, a juxtoposition of natural instinct and experience.

Now, this is only my perspective but do cops really call each other "partner" as much as Ryder and Bishop?

OK, so the trend is finding the suspect about 75% into the book and then revealing in the last few pages. While I love Bishop and Ryder, I do wish there was a more intense twist. I feel like we get the suspect and when the mask comes off, it's still the guy we thought did it. It'd be nice for there to big a big surprise.

However, still 5 stars. The reveal, despite me wanting a little bit more surprise, is still a lot of fun.

[Susan Blades · Rating 2 out of 5]

Body Count follows Detective Rachel Ryder and her partner as they chase a serial killer in Georgia.
This was a miss for me. Admittedly, I didn't realize this book was part of a series and I haven't read the other titles in the series. It was easy enough to follow and it didn't seem like I missed much by not reading the others. The premise of the story was interesting enough but I could not stand Ryder. She was arrogant, bratty, and selfish. She really didn't seem to do much but it was repeated ad nauseum how she was such an amazing detective. I felt like the story dragged a little and the ending was underwhelming.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Body Count by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson is about Detective Rachel Ryder and her partner, who are hunting a serial killer in Georgia. This killer is leaving numbers as his only clues...but nothing seems to add up.

This was an okay read for me. I just didn't quite connect with the main character and felt the story dragged a bit in the middle. The story did have some twists and turns, but not enough to really capture that it was a gripping thriller. And the ending was not as satisfying as I would have thought.

I would give Body Count a 3 out of 5 stars. I would still recommend this writer, though, and will read other books by this author.

#BodyCount #NetGalley @SvrnRvrPublish

[Micky Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Smokes! That's how you plot a story! Rachel Ryder is back and better than ever! Someone is killing, but not everyone is sorry about it when the victims have their own victims! This story is full of twists and turns, potential suspects, roadblocks and more to keep you on the edge of your seat and turning pages as fast as you can devour the words. I absolutely can't wait for the next book in the series comes out as this is one plot that may not be quite tied up in a tidy bow...or is it??? My only frustration is that I finished the book so fast that now I have to wait longer for the next book to come out!

[zasou.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rachel and her partner, Rob, have to investigate when a body is found near a fire that looks a lot like arson. When they find a number near the body, they soon discover that it was also the case for a number of bodies before, and now they have a serial killer on their hands, leaving no clues but these cryptic numbers...
This is book 5 of the Rachel Ryder series. I haven't read the ones before, but I could still easily follow. The pace was slow and the story a bit redundant, but the characters were great with a surprise ending that leaves you on a bit of a cliff hanger.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all of the previous books in this series, but this was not my favorite. There was so much going on that it was hard to keep up with, and the end was fairly anti-climactic for me. This will not stop me from continuing the series, however, as I have become invested in the relationships between Rachel and her co-workers and friends. One of my favorite relationships is between Rachel and her friend Savannah, but there has not been as much in the last few books to bring Savannah into the story. I received a copy of this book from SRP Mystery and Thriller Books, and have given my honest and voluntary opinion.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 5th book in the Rachel Ryder series.
Rachel and the gang is on the hunt for another killer.

This time he's targeting men who have, or at least been suspected of assaulting women.
He's alluding to several similar crimes that happened one state over, and they're almost sure
he's the one who committed those crimes also.

Rachel Ryder is a top notch detective with years of homicide cases under her belt from Chicago before transferring to Georgia.

Thanks to Carolyn Ridder Aspenson and Severn River Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this story.

[Louise Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rachel Ryder is not a very engaging lead character but the characters who form her network more than make up for it. Bubba and Bishop are fantastically well drawn and found myself engaging with them easily. The story itself is a very interesting serial killer case which is not as satisfyingly resolved as I had expected. The author does a good job of relating the process by which the detectives go about trying to solve the case and there are some really good “what if” moments with some potential suspects.

[Alice Hazelbaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Wow! This was one book I couldn’t put down until the end. Detectives Rachel Ryder and Rob Bishop are called to the scene of a fire, the body of a young man nearby with a number 7in his hand. Looks like it may be a brutal serial killer, and one of their toughest cases yet! I did enjoy the bickering back and forth by the Detectives, obviously friendly, and it lightened the mood a little for this dark investigation. Quite a criminal thriller! I received an ARC of this book from the author and Severn River Publishing and write this review voluntarily.

[Barb Foerst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel is called to the scene of a fire and a body. But the body isn’t burned, in fact it’s placed where it wouldn’t burn before the fire was found. And the soil is carefully raked around it. The body has a tag with the number 7. Is this a serial murder? As the investigation begins, social media indicates this was a male predator hitting on the women around him. Could this be the motive? Before they get far in the investigation, a similar body is found. Follow Rachel and her team as they try to make sense of these murders. Great book.

[Roger]

Body Count (Rachel Ryder Book 5), my twenty-second highly enjoyable read from author Carolyn Ridder Aspenson & the latest in her new Rachel Ryder Series, the best series she's written so far. Well-written & enjoyable, 356-pages of a more serious mystery than a cozy mystery. “I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I look forward to reading more in this series & from this author. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author can always be counted on to deliver a great read! Rachel and crew are back, this time searching for a serial killer who mutilates his victims before placing them near the scene of a fire. The fires are not to conceal the crime, but to lead police to the victims. Beautifully constructed, with a great plot with plenty of twists, well developed characters and great storytelling. A highly recommended page-turner. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the series. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.

[Sue Rae Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Body Count is the 5th book in the Rachel Ryder series by Carolyn Ridder Asperson Ryder and Bishop are called to a scene belonging to the Fire deparpment since the barn is on fire even though the body isn't near the scene! It looks like a clean scene meaning the body was moved after the throat was slit. Seems a serial killer on the loss. As the killer taunts Rachel by leaving her note right before anothe body is found in a clean scene. Rachel and Bob need to find the killer before more guys are killed.

[cheryl slaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serial killers are a breed alone and you have to be a profiler to get a pattern to their madness. The detectives first victim was a young male sitting upright with throat cut but no blood in the vicinity. His clothing has been cleaned and pressed.
There had been a fire set with gasoline to a building nearby but far enough away that the body was unharmed. There were no footprints in fact the area has been raked. The same MO was found in the next killings. The detectives were stumped with any clues left and there wasn’t a single suspect to be had.
Enjoy

[Joanie Hinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Rachel Ryder and her partner Detective Rob Bishop have caught a murder. The body seems to have been killed some where else and brought to a place where a fire has been set to make sure the body is found. Clues are found that lead to other dead bodies so it seems there is a serial killer on the loose. The killer starts taunting Rachel and leaving her notes before another fire and another body is found and then another.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Body Count is another excellent story in this series. Rachel keeps on being a unique character among her peers as she is strong-headed, and relentless in pursuing the bad guys. The story has a good plot with many bad leads that are dead ends, it's fast-paced, and it has humor and a bit of romance. In other words, pure entertainment!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Angel Ballard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hunt for a serial killer
As someone who used to watch the crime dramas on the telly, I read this book with avid interest. It's a very in-depth story focusing on the work entailed by law enforcement as they follow every lead to find the killer. It's a well thought out story. The lead detective, though, is excruciatingly annoying, childish and arrogant, but the other characters are strong and well played. There's always got to be one thorn in the bunch, though, it seems.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Book yet in the great series!!

Loved all the fast paced books in this series, but this one grabbed my attention very quickly and didn’t let go! The climax of the book started at about 40% into the book. Rachel is in her flow in Georgia. She has her go to people to help her with her investigations now in Georgia. Fun book looking forward to the next book especially after the epilogue!! Look out Rachel!