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Jack McEvoy #3
Fair Warning
The hero of The Poet and The Scarecrow is back in the new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly. Jack McEvoy, the journalist who never backs down, tracks a serial killer who has been operating completely under the radar--until now.
Veteran reporter Jack McEvoy has taken down killers before, but when a woman he had a one-night stand with is murdered in a particularly brutal way, McEvoy realizes he might be facing a criminal mind unlike any he's ever encountered.
McEvoy investigates---against the warnings of the police and his own editor---and makes a shocking discovery that connects the crime to other mysterious deaths across the country. But his inquiry hits a snag when he himself becomes a suspect.
As he races to clear his name, McEvoy's findings point to a serial killer working under the radar of law enforcement for years, and using personal data shared by the victims themselves to select and hunt his targets.
Called "the Raymond Chandler of this generation" (Associated Press), Michael Connelly once again delivers an unputdownable thriller that reveals a predator operating from the darkest corners of human nature---and one man courageous and determined enough to stand in his way.
Veteran reporter Jack McEvoy has taken down killers before, but when a woman he had a one-night stand with is murdered in a particularly brutal way, McEvoy realizes he might be facing a criminal mind unlike any he's ever encountered.
McEvoy investigates---against the warnings of the police and his own editor---and makes a shocking discovery that connects the crime to other mysterious deaths across the country. But his inquiry hits a snag when he himself becomes a suspect.
As he races to clear his name, McEvoy's findings point to a serial killer working under the radar of law enforcement for years, and using personal data shared by the victims themselves to select and hunt his targets.
Called "the Raymond Chandler of this generation" (Associated Press), Michael Connelly once again delivers an unputdownable thriller that reveals a predator operating from the darkest corners of human nature---and one man courageous and determined enough to stand in his way.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2020
13775 people are currently reading
15019 people want to read
About the author
Michael Connelly
381 books34.8k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads' database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Michael Connelly decided to become a writer after discovering the books of Raymond Chandler while attending the University of Florida. Once he decided on this direction he chose a major in journalism and a minor in creative writing — a curriculum in which one of his teachers was novelist Harry Crews.
After graduating in 1980, Connelly worked at newspapers in Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, primarily specializing in the crime beat. In Fort Lauderdale he wrote about police and crime during the height of the murder and violence wave that rolled over South Florida during the so-called cocaine wars. In 1986, he and two other reporters spent several months interviewing survivors of a major airline crash. They wrote a magazine story on the crash and the survivors which was later short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. The magazine story also moved Connelly into the upper levels of journalism, landing him a job as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times, one of the largest papers in the country, and bringing him to the city of which his literary hero, Chandler, had written.
After three years on the crime beat in L.A., Connelly began writing his first novel to feature LAPD Detective Hieronymus Bosch. The novel, The Black Echo, based in part on a true crime that had occurred in Los Angeles, was published in 1992 and won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by the Mystery Writers of America. Connelly has followed that up with over 30 more novels.
Over eighty million copies of Connelly’s books have sold worldwide and he has been translated into forty-five foreign languages. He has won the Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Macavity Award, Los Angeles Times Best Mystery/Thriller Award, Shamus Award, Dilys Award, Nero Award, Barry Award, Audie Award, Ridley Award, Maltese Falcon Award (Japan), .38 Caliber Award (France), Grand Prix Award (France), Premio Bancarella Award (Italy), and the Pepe Carvalho award (Spain) .
Michael was the President of the Mystery Writers of America organization in 2003 and 2004. In addition to his literary work, Michael is one of the producers and writers of the TV show, “Bosch,” which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Michael lives with his family in Los Angeles and Tampa, Florida.
Michael Connelly decided to become a writer after discovering the books of Raymond Chandler while attending the University of Florida. Once he decided on this direction he chose a major in journalism and a minor in creative writing — a curriculum in which one of his teachers was novelist Harry Crews.
After graduating in 1980, Connelly worked at newspapers in Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, primarily specializing in the crime beat. In Fort Lauderdale he wrote about police and crime during the height of the murder and violence wave that rolled over South Florida during the so-called cocaine wars. In 1986, he and two other reporters spent several months interviewing survivors of a major airline crash. They wrote a magazine story on the crash and the survivors which was later short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. The magazine story also moved Connelly into the upper levels of journalism, landing him a job as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times, one of the largest papers in the country, and bringing him to the city of which his literary hero, Chandler, had written.
After three years on the crime beat in L.A., Connelly began writing his first novel to feature LAPD Detective Hieronymus Bosch. The novel, The Black Echo, based in part on a true crime that had occurred in Los Angeles, was published in 1992 and won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by the Mystery Writers of America. Connelly has followed that up with over 30 more novels.
Over eighty million copies of Connelly’s books have sold worldwide and he has been translated into forty-five foreign languages. He has won the Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Macavity Award, Los Angeles Times Best Mystery/Thriller Award, Shamus Award, Dilys Award, Nero Award, Barry Award, Audie Award, Ridley Award, Maltese Falcon Award (Japan), .38 Caliber Award (France), Grand Prix Award (France), Premio Bancarella Award (Italy), and the Pepe Carvalho award (Spain) .
Michael was the President of the Mystery Writers of America organization in 2003 and 2004. In addition to his literary work, Michael is one of the producers and writers of the TV show, “Bosch,” which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Michael lives with his family in Los Angeles and Tampa, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,842 reviews
May 13, 2020
Michael Connelly resurrects his veteran reporter, Jack McEvoy, for this gripping crime thriller. Jack is now working for Fair Warning, a non-profit consumer protection news website run by Myron Levin, which actually exists in reality. The story focuses on the complexities and terrifying possibilities that having an all too unregulated genetic analytics industry with its lack of governmental oversight, the responsibility of which falls under the remit of the FDA, poses to society. Jack is shocked when he finds himself a suspect for the murder of Tina Portrero, a woman who had picked him at his local bar for a one night stand a year ago. Tina had been killed by Atlanto-Occipital Dislocation, where her neck is twisted so hard that her spine is severed, an unusual way of murdering anyone.
The LAPD detectives Mattson and Sakai treat Jack harshly, taking his DNA for elimination purposes, and on discovering Jack is investigating Tina's murder, respond by issuing threats, severe harassment, and arrest. It turns out that TIna had been cyber stalked, been creeped out by meeting a strange man in a bar who appeared to know far too much about her, and had recently found out she had a half sister on submitting her DNA to the cheapest private DNA testing company, GT23. GT23 openly sold on the DNA analysis of their clients for huge profits to a myriad of customers, ostensibly anonymously, but acknowledging that there was a possibility their systems and security may not foolproof, to ensure they avoid liability. Jack reconnects with the love of his life, Rachel Walling, former FBI special agent and profiler, a relationship with a long history of hope and hurt, but which he just cannot help sabotaging. Jack, a fellow reporter and Rachel find there are other women in the country who had been killed with the same MO, pointing to the existence of a dangerous serial killer called The Shrike.
Connelly writes of the rise in misogyny and the high numbers of men in Incel groups, driven by their hatred of women to denigrate and abuse, act violently and even murder, here illegally accessing DNA information that includes the identification of a specific gene associated with addictions. This is a thrillingly entertaining crime read, touching on issues that need to have stricter governmental oversight and monitoring, and with a suitably flawed, driven and charismatic protagonist in Jack, a man for whom death had once been his beat, only to discover that it still is when Tina is killed. Connelly can be relied on for his intricate and complex plotting, and riveting storylines full of suspense of tension. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.
The LAPD detectives Mattson and Sakai treat Jack harshly, taking his DNA for elimination purposes, and on discovering Jack is investigating Tina's murder, respond by issuing threats, severe harassment, and arrest. It turns out that TIna had been cyber stalked, been creeped out by meeting a strange man in a bar who appeared to know far too much about her, and had recently found out she had a half sister on submitting her DNA to the cheapest private DNA testing company, GT23. GT23 openly sold on the DNA analysis of their clients for huge profits to a myriad of customers, ostensibly anonymously, but acknowledging that there was a possibility their systems and security may not foolproof, to ensure they avoid liability. Jack reconnects with the love of his life, Rachel Walling, former FBI special agent and profiler, a relationship with a long history of hope and hurt, but which he just cannot help sabotaging. Jack, a fellow reporter and Rachel find there are other women in the country who had been killed with the same MO, pointing to the existence of a dangerous serial killer called The Shrike.
Connelly writes of the rise in misogyny and the high numbers of men in Incel groups, driven by their hatred of women to denigrate and abuse, act violently and even murder, here illegally accessing DNA information that includes the identification of a specific gene associated with addictions. This is a thrillingly entertaining crime read, touching on issues that need to have stricter governmental oversight and monitoring, and with a suitably flawed, driven and charismatic protagonist in Jack, a man for whom death had once been his beat, only to discover that it still is when Tina is killed. Connelly can be relied on for his intricate and complex plotting, and riveting storylines full of suspense of tension. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2020
Michael Connelly has done it again, this is why he is the master. It’s amazing how he can keep up with current affairs, the progress of technology, produce a highly popular tv series, and come up with a high concept for a great novel. High concepts are difficult to dig up—think of—and even more difficult to execute. He did a bang-up job with this one. The concept was intriguing and kept me interested. The beginning was a little slow as Connelly established the motivation for the story. If I had not been a major Connelly fan I might’ve bailed out in search of a thriller that honks-on at a faster pace, but I was definitely glad I hung on. In this story there are three sources of conflict. The main plot line is one and could double in a futuristic Sci-Fi novel, but the future is now. The main plot line also addresses a huge moral issue in our society today that has gone unnoticed. Brilliant piece of writing and creativity. I would go into more detail, but I don’t want to spoil the story. The ending was very gratifying.
I highly recommend this one.
David Putnam author of the Bruno Johnson series.
I highly recommend this one.
David Putnam author of the Bruno Johnson series.
July 30, 2020
Michael Connelly does one of the best jobs I know in getting a story going quickly and getting the reader invested. His stories just flow. This one is no exception.
Jack McEvoy is an investigative reporter. He’s initially questioned when a woman he had a previous one night stand with is murdered. Then he discovers other murders across the country with similar methods of death and an odd similarity. Each murder victim had recently had their DNA done by a small profiling company. A profiling company that makes its real money by selling the DNA to other outfits.
The story is engaging and will put the fear of God into anyone who’s had their DNA tested. It was an interesting twist to have a reporter as the main character instead of a detective. In fact, there are some interesting playoffs between the reporter and the police and FBI.
What’s really scary is that the lack of oversight for the genetics testing business is real.
I read the prior two books in the McEvoy series so long ago I don’t remember them. So, it totally works to read as a stand-alone.
My thanks to netgalley and Little, Brown for an advance copy of this book.
Jack McEvoy is an investigative reporter. He’s initially questioned when a woman he had a previous one night stand with is murdered. Then he discovers other murders across the country with similar methods of death and an odd similarity. Each murder victim had recently had their DNA done by a small profiling company. A profiling company that makes its real money by selling the DNA to other outfits.
The story is engaging and will put the fear of God into anyone who’s had their DNA tested. It was an interesting twist to have a reporter as the main character instead of a detective. In fact, there are some interesting playoffs between the reporter and the police and FBI.
What’s really scary is that the lack of oversight for the genetics testing business is real.
I read the prior two books in the McEvoy series so long ago I don’t remember them. So, it totally works to read as a stand-alone.
My thanks to netgalley and Little, Brown for an advance copy of this book.
June 30, 2020
It has been eleven years since Jack McEvoy has been seen ‘round these parts. As a reporter, he has a knack for getting himself into trouble. This time is no different.
Now he’s working for “Fair Warning,” a non-profit consumer protection news website for a man named Myron Levin. Myron is kind and fair and always goes to bat for his team and the story. Jack hasn’t changed a bit, he still loves his job more than anything and can’t help but sink his teeth in once he finds a story he believes in.
When a woman named Tina Portrero is murdered who Jack had a one night stand with a year prior, Jack, of course, investigates. Turns out the story casts a much wider net than murder. Technology. Cyberstalking. DNA Testing. Genetics. Profiling.
Tina’s death was not the first - each encountering the same manner of death, each having had DNA testing before their deaths.
Questions arise. Complications ensue. Danger begets danger.
In this instance, Jack can’t go it alone. Enter Rachel Walling. Yes, that Rachel Walling. Former FBI Agent and Ex-Girlfriend of Jack McEvoy. Talk about complications! Having them back together again was chicken soup for this girl’s soul!
“Fair Warning” by Michael Connelly is masterfully written. It is a thrilling, high stakes novel that will keep you completely engaged throughout. This is the 3rd Jack McEvoy novel by Michael Connelly, The Poet and The Scarecrow, being the other two. Although it has been a few years since I last read The Scarecrow I quickly fell right back into the world of Jack McEvoy and felt right at home. I hope I don’t have to wait too long for another novel (even though I love my Harry Bosch and miss him a lot!).
Thank you to my local bookstore for my copy of this novel.
Published on Goodreads on 6.27.20.
Now he’s working for “Fair Warning,” a non-profit consumer protection news website for a man named Myron Levin. Myron is kind and fair and always goes to bat for his team and the story. Jack hasn’t changed a bit, he still loves his job more than anything and can’t help but sink his teeth in once he finds a story he believes in.
When a woman named Tina Portrero is murdered who Jack had a one night stand with a year prior, Jack, of course, investigates. Turns out the story casts a much wider net than murder. Technology. Cyberstalking. DNA Testing. Genetics. Profiling.
Tina’s death was not the first - each encountering the same manner of death, each having had DNA testing before their deaths.
Questions arise. Complications ensue. Danger begets danger.
In this instance, Jack can’t go it alone. Enter Rachel Walling. Yes, that Rachel Walling. Former FBI Agent and Ex-Girlfriend of Jack McEvoy. Talk about complications! Having them back together again was chicken soup for this girl’s soul!
“Fair Warning” by Michael Connelly is masterfully written. It is a thrilling, high stakes novel that will keep you completely engaged throughout. This is the 3rd Jack McEvoy novel by Michael Connelly, The Poet and The Scarecrow, being the other two. Although it has been a few years since I last read The Scarecrow I quickly fell right back into the world of Jack McEvoy and felt right at home. I hope I don’t have to wait too long for another novel (even though I love my Harry Bosch and miss him a lot!).
Thank you to my local bookstore for my copy of this novel.
Published on Goodreads on 6.27.20.
July 8, 2020
3.5 stars—- I decided to read “Fair Warning” by Michael Connelly because I have always enjoyed his Harry Bosch books and I haven’t read any of his books for a while. “Fair Warning’s” main character is Jack McEvoy, a reporter who works for a consumer watchdog magazine, who becomes involved in a murder case after a women he previously slept with is murdered and he is questioned. McEvoy becomes immediately obsessed with the case and begins his own parallel investigation against the orders of the police investigators who claim he is interfering with their work. Connelly, as always, does a great job writing dialogue and keeping the action moving. He writes from the point of view of both the killer, Shrike, and Jack. The backstory on how the killer’s targets are identified is also very well thought out and interesting. The book runs into problems when characters make huge correct deductions based on even the slightest clue over and over again. I mean the way that Jack finds out he is on the killer’s radar and is being followed and how he discovers information by luck that just happens to break open the case gets ridiculous after several different times of it happening. The finale also came up short due to Jack’s special ability to detect the killer in his midst. Jack should forget reporting and try his hand as a detective or psychic because his abilities make Jean Dixon look like an amateur. I would recommend but just be prepared to shake your head over “Super Jack’s” abilities to solve crime.
June 18, 2025
In a break from writing novels involving his cop characters Harry Bosch and Renee Ballard, Connelly has chosen to reacquaint readers with crime reporter Jack McEvoy. In the 1990’s The Poet brought Jack to life and became one of the writer’s most successful books. After one more standalone book, The Scarecrow, we’ve only seen Jack in cameo roles in Bosch and lawyer Mickey Haller novels, so it feels like a welcome return for MC’s most autobiographical character.
McEvoy is now scratching out a living working for a consumer protection news site called Fair Warning. Funding for the site is dependent on donors, and the small team shares a sparse office in what was once a retail site in Studio City, Los Angeles. It seems a far cry from the days Jack was covering the crime beat for the L.A. Times. But when a girl he’d met in a bar and had a one night stand with meets a brutal end, the police come knocking on his door. It’s an unpleasant experience and one that spurs him to do some digging of his own into the case. Neither the police nor his own boss are happy about this, but soon he thinks he’s found a link to a number of other murders with a similar M.O.
All of Connelly’s lead characters have a strong moral compass driving them to seek the truth, to do the right thing, but I believe McEvoy to be the most self-centred. Here, he wants to identify the killer and as a result get him (yes, they know it’s a man) brought to justice but really his main aim is to get the story – and this leads him to a moral quandary: does he hand over all his information to the police which might expedite capture and arrest or is it more important to get the story out first to ensure he’s credited with the scoop (and in his own mind warned the public of this killer at large)? His natural inclination is to pursue the latter course but in enlisting the help of his ex-girlfriend Rachel Walling, a former FBI agent, to assist him in his investigations it starts to become clear that she might not be fully attuned to this approach.
I really enjoyed the dynamics between the people ostensibly on the same side here: the cops, Jack, Rachel, and also a teammate of Jack’s who he is forced to accept help from. They do want the same thing, but each in a slightly different way, and therefore, tensions are ever present. In addition the the major goal of ensuring the capture of a serial killer each in this group also wants something else from this investigation. It makes for some terrific interaction and is an added source of unease amongst this group, which has been somewhat reluctantly pushed together.
In addition to this being yet another top notch thriller from the modern master of crime fiction writing, I also managed to learn a good deal of interesting facts about an online subculture I was totally unaware of, to consider ethical questions regarding the use of DNA and to wonder once more just how people get intwined in the mysterious underworld of the dark web. Yes, Mr Connelly has done it yet again. It’s another brilliant offering that kept me glued to the very last page.
My sincere thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
McEvoy is now scratching out a living working for a consumer protection news site called Fair Warning. Funding for the site is dependent on donors, and the small team shares a sparse office in what was once a retail site in Studio City, Los Angeles. It seems a far cry from the days Jack was covering the crime beat for the L.A. Times. But when a girl he’d met in a bar and had a one night stand with meets a brutal end, the police come knocking on his door. It’s an unpleasant experience and one that spurs him to do some digging of his own into the case. Neither the police nor his own boss are happy about this, but soon he thinks he’s found a link to a number of other murders with a similar M.O.
All of Connelly’s lead characters have a strong moral compass driving them to seek the truth, to do the right thing, but I believe McEvoy to be the most self-centred. Here, he wants to identify the killer and as a result get him (yes, they know it’s a man) brought to justice but really his main aim is to get the story – and this leads him to a moral quandary: does he hand over all his information to the police which might expedite capture and arrest or is it more important to get the story out first to ensure he’s credited with the scoop (and in his own mind warned the public of this killer at large)? His natural inclination is to pursue the latter course but in enlisting the help of his ex-girlfriend Rachel Walling, a former FBI agent, to assist him in his investigations it starts to become clear that she might not be fully attuned to this approach.
I really enjoyed the dynamics between the people ostensibly on the same side here: the cops, Jack, Rachel, and also a teammate of Jack’s who he is forced to accept help from. They do want the same thing, but each in a slightly different way, and therefore, tensions are ever present. In addition the the major goal of ensuring the capture of a serial killer each in this group also wants something else from this investigation. It makes for some terrific interaction and is an added source of unease amongst this group, which has been somewhat reluctantly pushed together.
In addition to this being yet another top notch thriller from the modern master of crime fiction writing, I also managed to learn a good deal of interesting facts about an online subculture I was totally unaware of, to consider ethical questions regarding the use of DNA and to wonder once more just how people get intwined in the mysterious underworld of the dark web. Yes, Mr Connelly has done it yet again. It’s another brilliant offering that kept me glued to the very last page.
My sincere thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 24, 2020
Michael Connelly is remarkable in that he almost always includes current events and topical issues in his novels. In “Fair Warning”, he tackles the almost unregulated industry of genetic testing. I’m talking about those tests that are popular “23 & Me; AncestryDNA” to name a couple. I’ve personally used both, given to me as presents. Well, after reading this novel, I am a bit perturbed. Connelly also enlightens readers to the dark web and what sort of predators lurk.
Fair Warning is a real nonprofit organization that provides online news of public health, consumer and environmental issues. Connelly wanted to bring this organization to light to his readers, as he personally feels it provides accurate media news. In his novel, he stayed realistic to what could and not occur in real life for a reporter for fairwarning.org.
As usual, Connelly’s protagonist pushes the boundaries of ethical reporting. Pushing boundaries is what makes novel characters interesting. This protagonist, Jack McEvoy, investigates a possible serial killer who stocks victims via the internet. McEvoy gets wind of a brutal murder after cops come to him questioning his whereabouts of the previous night. Apparently, a woman he dated one year ago was brutally murdered. He was connected because she has his novel on her bedside table. For those who are familiar with McEvoy (I was not), McEvoy wrote a novel about a serial killer. After a bit of sleuthing, McEvoy discovers that the victim told one of her friends that she was creeped out because some guy she met at a bar knew way too much about her. Through his sleuthing in trying to get an article out for Fair Warning, he finds a black market for DNA.
This is an informative thriller. While McEvoy attempts to find this killer, the reader learns about DNA and the totally unregulated part of the industry. We also learn of what anyone can learn about us from our DNA. Furthermore, those companies that provide that service regularly sell their proprietary information for financial gain. We as consumers unwittingly expose ourselves to any number of possible personal infractions.
I listened to the audible production, narrated by Peter Giles and Zach Villa. I highly recommend the audio.
Fair Warning is a real nonprofit organization that provides online news of public health, consumer and environmental issues. Connelly wanted to bring this organization to light to his readers, as he personally feels it provides accurate media news. In his novel, he stayed realistic to what could and not occur in real life for a reporter for fairwarning.org.
As usual, Connelly’s protagonist pushes the boundaries of ethical reporting. Pushing boundaries is what makes novel characters interesting. This protagonist, Jack McEvoy, investigates a possible serial killer who stocks victims via the internet. McEvoy gets wind of a brutal murder after cops come to him questioning his whereabouts of the previous night. Apparently, a woman he dated one year ago was brutally murdered. He was connected because she has his novel on her bedside table. For those who are familiar with McEvoy (I was not), McEvoy wrote a novel about a serial killer. After a bit of sleuthing, McEvoy discovers that the victim told one of her friends that she was creeped out because some guy she met at a bar knew way too much about her. Through his sleuthing in trying to get an article out for Fair Warning, he finds a black market for DNA.
This is an informative thriller. While McEvoy attempts to find this killer, the reader learns about DNA and the totally unregulated part of the industry. We also learn of what anyone can learn about us from our DNA. Furthermore, those companies that provide that service regularly sell their proprietary information for financial gain. We as consumers unwittingly expose ourselves to any number of possible personal infractions.
I listened to the audible production, narrated by Peter Giles and Zach Villa. I highly recommend the audio.
July 4, 2021
4. 5 stars rounded down for a fast moving book that I couldn't put down. I read 105 pp the first day and the rest of this 396 page book on the second day. I have read 34 books by Connelly and enjoyed every single one. In this book, reporter Jack McEvoy is questioned by LAPD detectives because a woman that he met in a bar 1 year ago has been murdered. Jack investigates and believes that she was murdered by a serial killer. There is a connection to a consumer DNA company. He does solve the mystery, with help from Emily Atwater, another reporter at Fair Warning, the online newspaper where he works, and ex FBI agent Rachel Walling.
The book refers to incidents in previous books and I recommend that you read them in order.
The book refers to incidents in previous books and I recommend that you read them in order.
May 25, 2020
Jack McEvoy is back and I am loving it!!
It is no secret that Michael Connelly is my favourite author ever and to have a new Jack McEvoy book come out is such a thrill. The Poet is one of my favourite books so I was so happy to have Jack back in my life again.
And it did not disappoint one bit. I read this along side another die hard Connelly fan and we both wanted to both devour and savor it. It has been a while since we caught up with Jack so there was some catching up to do.
Jack is now working for Fair Warning, a non profit consumer protection news website. He is a journalist who cares about his stories and the people that he writes about. On arriving home one night he is met by 2 LAPD police officers. A woman, Tina Portrero has been murdered, brutally. Her neck was twisted so hard that her spine has been severed. Jack had a one night stand with Tina a year ago and is being questioned in relation to the murder. The victim had confided to friends that she was being cyber stalked.
LAPD come down hard on Jack and he senses that there is a story here. He reaches out to Rachael Walling, his former girlfriend and work colleague. She now has her own business after being dismissed from the FBI. Their relationship ended badly, but Jack knows that Rachael will not be able to resist this case. They soon find that there have been other women murdered in the same way and find a link that they all used a DNA family search company, GT23 looking for unknown members of their families.
Of course this is where it gets interesting and dangerous. Jack and Rachel work alongside Jack's Fair Warning colleague Emily and uncover links to a serial killer. The DNA aspect of the story was interesting and frustrating, knowing that it was all based on fact. These days it is easy to see this sort of thing happening and it is scary!
As soon as I picked this book up I was completely invested in the story and characters. I love the way that Michael Connelly writes, you feel as if you are in LA going on this investigation with the characters. Jack and Rachel's relationship is bumpy as always. They need each other more than they know and are both as stubborn as each other.
I look forward to more Jack McEvoy books now Mr Connelly - please!!!
Thank you so much to Allen and Unwin for my advanced copy of this book to read.
It is no secret that Michael Connelly is my favourite author ever and to have a new Jack McEvoy book come out is such a thrill. The Poet is one of my favourite books so I was so happy to have Jack back in my life again.
And it did not disappoint one bit. I read this along side another die hard Connelly fan and we both wanted to both devour and savor it. It has been a while since we caught up with Jack so there was some catching up to do.
Jack is now working for Fair Warning, a non profit consumer protection news website. He is a journalist who cares about his stories and the people that he writes about. On arriving home one night he is met by 2 LAPD police officers. A woman, Tina Portrero has been murdered, brutally. Her neck was twisted so hard that her spine has been severed. Jack had a one night stand with Tina a year ago and is being questioned in relation to the murder. The victim had confided to friends that she was being cyber stalked.
LAPD come down hard on Jack and he senses that there is a story here. He reaches out to Rachael Walling, his former girlfriend and work colleague. She now has her own business after being dismissed from the FBI. Their relationship ended badly, but Jack knows that Rachael will not be able to resist this case. They soon find that there have been other women murdered in the same way and find a link that they all used a DNA family search company, GT23 looking for unknown members of their families.
Of course this is where it gets interesting and dangerous. Jack and Rachel work alongside Jack's Fair Warning colleague Emily and uncover links to a serial killer. The DNA aspect of the story was interesting and frustrating, knowing that it was all based on fact. These days it is easy to see this sort of thing happening and it is scary!
As soon as I picked this book up I was completely invested in the story and characters. I love the way that Michael Connelly writes, you feel as if you are in LA going on this investigation with the characters. Jack and Rachel's relationship is bumpy as always. They need each other more than they know and are both as stubborn as each other.
I look forward to more Jack McEvoy books now Mr Connelly - please!!!
Thank you so much to Allen and Unwin for my advanced copy of this book to read.
June 13, 2022
“Advertencia razonable” no es de Harry Bosch ni de Mickey Haller. Es de Jack McEvoy. Su tercera novela de esta serie, siendo las anteriores “El poeta” (1996), y “La oscuridad de los sueños” (2009). O sea, que ya ha llovido desde entonces. Desconozco el motivo por el que Connelly utiliza tan poco a este personaje. Y es una pena, porque tiene “casi” tanto potencial como mi entrañable Bosch. Pero he dicho casi. A McEvoy no lo he visto evolucionar como a mi querido detective. Y parece ser que el autor quiere ponerle remedio, pues promete más entregas a medida que Bosch se vaya quedando sin fuerzas. En cualquier caso, lo que está claro es que “Advertencia razonable” es Michael Connelly al 100 por 100. Su forma de escribir y de narrar. Sus reflexiones. Sus cuidadas tramas.
Y sí, me lo he pasado muy bien leyéndola. Y también me he alegrado de que rescate a Rachel Walling, aunque su participación en esta novela es periférica. Una trama que tiene que ver con el uso indebido de material genético (¿quién vigila a esa gente?) y con un asesino llamado el Alcaudón (un pajarito de cuya existencia no tenía conocimiento). Una trama ágil e interesante. Y un final que deja abierta la posibilidad de la transformación de McEvoy en un investigador free lance (hasta ahora era periodista) dedicado a resolver crímenes no resueltos. Puede ser interesante.
May 25, 2020
A serial killer murders women by internally decapitating them from behind earning him the name The Shrike after the bird who has a similar MO. When his latest vic turns out to be a recent one-night stand of reporter Jack McEvoy’s, making him a person of interest, Jack becomes involved in the murder investigation. Can Jack uncover who The Shrike is, find out why he’s doing what he’s doing and stop him before he kills again?
Michael Connelly’s previous Jack McEvoy novel The Scarecrow is still one of my favourite of his books but I wouldn’t say Fair Warning is as good as that one - though it’s better than The Poet, the first McEvoy book.
What really made The Scarecrow stand out was the killer whose identity was compelling and terrifying - I can still remember the character and I read that book nearly a decade ago! In comparison, The Shrike is a paper-thin villain that we never really get to know in the least. It’s very unsatisfying.
Not that any of the characters are that memorable, especially the main characters Jack McEvoy and Rachel Walling, who’re basically Connelly’s stock capable professionals that appear in all of his books. About the only difference is that Jack will occasionally lose his cool and go off on one, like he does in the geneticist’s lab, which are rare exciting character moments.
But it’s also not a dull narrative either. Jack investigates at a breezy clip and the story develops well: we find out more about The Shrike’s victims, who he might be working with, other shady characters involved, Jack is always getting harassed either by the police or others, then the bodies start piling up.
Connelly writes it all in his usual competent, if sometimes long-winded, style. He’s skilful at putting across complex procedures and esoteric jargon in a way that doesn’t distract too much from the more compelling, lurid aspects of the story that most readers want to get to, as well as highlighting valid points like the lack of oversight and protection of personal data in the burgeoning field of consumer genetics.
The flipside of that is that the prose sometimes reads like Connelly’s talking down to a complete idiot, painstakingly explaining obvious acronyms after they appear in conversation (“44 YOA” = 44 years of age, AOD as Atlanto-Occipital Dislocation, the Shrike’s method of killing, mere paragraphs are having pasted a Wikipedia article on the cause of death!), having the main character frequently reminding you why they’re doing what they’re doing, all of which becomes tedious. Does his audience really have that short attention spans and struggle to follow a plot only slightly more complex than canned soup instructions?
The ending is also plain confusing and contrived.
Fair Warning is a fairly standard crime thriller by Michael Connelly’s slick standards that’s none too onerous to read either on a technical or story level. It has its flaws and it’s largely forgettable but it’s not bad either being by turns nearly gripping and thuddingly blah and settling for inoffensively agreeable most of the time. Still, if you haven’t read it, I recommend checking out The Scarecrow over this one instead.
Michael Connelly’s previous Jack McEvoy novel The Scarecrow is still one of my favourite of his books but I wouldn’t say Fair Warning is as good as that one - though it’s better than The Poet, the first McEvoy book.
What really made The Scarecrow stand out was the killer whose identity was compelling and terrifying - I can still remember the character and I read that book nearly a decade ago! In comparison, The Shrike is a paper-thin villain that we never really get to know in the least. It’s very unsatisfying.
Not that any of the characters are that memorable, especially the main characters Jack McEvoy and Rachel Walling, who’re basically Connelly’s stock capable professionals that appear in all of his books. About the only difference is that Jack will occasionally lose his cool and go off on one, like he does in the geneticist’s lab, which are rare exciting character moments.
But it’s also not a dull narrative either. Jack investigates at a breezy clip and the story develops well: we find out more about The Shrike’s victims, who he might be working with, other shady characters involved, Jack is always getting harassed either by the police or others, then the bodies start piling up.
Connelly writes it all in his usual competent, if sometimes long-winded, style. He’s skilful at putting across complex procedures and esoteric jargon in a way that doesn’t distract too much from the more compelling, lurid aspects of the story that most readers want to get to, as well as highlighting valid points like the lack of oversight and protection of personal data in the burgeoning field of consumer genetics.
The flipside of that is that the prose sometimes reads like Connelly’s talking down to a complete idiot, painstakingly explaining obvious acronyms after they appear in conversation (“44 YOA” = 44 years of age, AOD as Atlanto-Occipital Dislocation, the Shrike’s method of killing, mere paragraphs are having pasted a Wikipedia article on the cause of death!), having the main character frequently reminding you why they’re doing what they’re doing, all of which becomes tedious. Does his audience really have that short attention spans and struggle to follow a plot only slightly more complex than canned soup instructions?
The ending is also plain confusing and contrived.
Fair Warning is a fairly standard crime thriller by Michael Connelly’s slick standards that’s none too onerous to read either on a technical or story level. It has its flaws and it’s largely forgettable but it’s not bad either being by turns nearly gripping and thuddingly blah and settling for inoffensively agreeable most of the time. Still, if you haven’t read it, I recommend checking out The Scarecrow over this one instead.
June 13, 2022
“Advertencia razonable” no es de Harry Bosch ni de Mickey Haller. Es de Jack McEvoy. Su tercera novela de esta serie, siendo las anteriores “El poeta” (1996), y “La oscuridad de los sueños” (2009). O sea, que ya ha llovido desde entonces. Desconozco el motivo por el que Connelly utiliza tan poco a este personaje. Y es una pena, porque tiene “casi” tanto potencial como mi entrañable Bosch. Pero he dicho casi. A McEvoy no lo he visto evolucionar como a mi querido detective. Y parece ser que el autor quiere ponerle remedio, pues promete más entregas a medida que Bosch se vaya quedando sin fuerzas. En cualquier caso, lo que está claro es que “Advertencia razonable” es Michael Connelly al 100 por 100. Su forma de escribir y de narrar. Sus reflexiones. Sus cuidadas tramas.
Y sí, me lo he pasado muy bien leyéndola. Y también me he alegrado de que rescate a Rachel Walling, aunque su participación en esta novela es periférica. Una trama que tiene que ver con el uso indebido de material genético (¿quién vigila a esa gente?) y con un asesino llamado el Alcaudón (un pajarito de cuya existencia no tenía conocimiento). Una trama ágil e interesante. Y un final que deja abierta la posibilidad de la transformación de McEvoy en un investigador free lance (hasta ahora era periodista) dedicado a resolver crímenes no resueltos. Puede ser interesante.
June 14, 2020
A good story around dna with a twist here and there. The writing is solid and there is a great author interview at the end of the sound version. 7 of 10 stars
March 3, 2021
Fair Warning is the third novel by Michael Connelly to feature reporter Jack McEvoy, following The Poet and The Scarecrow. After working at some big-time newspapers and writing a number of successful true-crime books, McEvoy is now reduced to working at an online consumer watchdog site called Fair Warning. and one wonders if Connelly, a former newspaper reporter himself, is deliberately commenting about the state of the newspaper business these days by relegating his talented protagonist to the minor leagues.
As the book opens, a woman that McEvoy dated once a year earlier is brutally murdered. Shortly thereafter, McEvoy is braced by a couple of L.A.P.D. Homicide detectives about his involvement with the woman, and they take a DNA sample, allegedly so that they can eliminate him from suspicion.
I confess that I had a little bit of difficulty buying into the idea that the cops would be onto McEvoy so quickly, even though he was still in the woman's contact list. The victim had a proclivity for one-night stands, and one would assume that she would have seen a large number of other men since the time that she had such an encounter with McEvoy. The fact that they came immediately to him and the fact that they were so openly hostile in their interview with him didn't make a lot of sense to me, but I suppose it was necessary to get the story rolling.
Inevitably, of course, once McEvoy learns that the woman has been murdered and that he may be a suspect, he decides to investigate the murder himself. He quickly discovers that the woman was murdered in a peculiar manner and that she was most likely the victim of a serial killer who is hunting victims with a particular DNA profile. This leads him into the business of companies to whom people voluntarily send their DNA when searching for relatives or doing genealogical research.
Perhaps the scariest thing about this novel is that Jack discovers that the world of voluntary DNA testing is basically the wild west. There's little or no regulation of these companies who often resell the DNA samples submitted to them. Even worse, the anonymity that these companies promise may apparently be easily compromised, at least by people as clever as the villains in this book. Reading it, I was very happy that I had never decided to attempt to trace my roots in this fashion.
As the investigation gathers momentum, Jack again joins forces with Rachel Walling, the former F.B.I. agent with whom he has had an on-again, off-again relationship. That relationship becomes a principal subplot of the book, and again I'm forced to confess (or complain) about the fact that it occasionally took me out of the story. To my mind, when it comes to Walling, McEvoy often says and does things that make no sense. He claims to care about Rachel a great deal but then turns around and behaves in ways that seem almost calculated to sabotage the relationship.
Those minor complaints aside, I enjoyed this book a lot. It's a clever, scary plot involving both the world of DNA testing and the dark underbelly of the Internet, where all sorts of nasty people are congregating. Another very good read from Michael Connelly.
As the book opens, a woman that McEvoy dated once a year earlier is brutally murdered. Shortly thereafter, McEvoy is braced by a couple of L.A.P.D. Homicide detectives about his involvement with the woman, and they take a DNA sample, allegedly so that they can eliminate him from suspicion.
I confess that I had a little bit of difficulty buying into the idea that the cops would be onto McEvoy so quickly, even though he was still in the woman's contact list. The victim had a proclivity for one-night stands, and one would assume that she would have seen a large number of other men since the time that she had such an encounter with McEvoy. The fact that they came immediately to him and the fact that they were so openly hostile in their interview with him didn't make a lot of sense to me, but I suppose it was necessary to get the story rolling.
Inevitably, of course, once McEvoy learns that the woman has been murdered and that he may be a suspect, he decides to investigate the murder himself. He quickly discovers that the woman was murdered in a peculiar manner and that she was most likely the victim of a serial killer who is hunting victims with a particular DNA profile. This leads him into the business of companies to whom people voluntarily send their DNA when searching for relatives or doing genealogical research.
Perhaps the scariest thing about this novel is that Jack discovers that the world of voluntary DNA testing is basically the wild west. There's little or no regulation of these companies who often resell the DNA samples submitted to them. Even worse, the anonymity that these companies promise may apparently be easily compromised, at least by people as clever as the villains in this book. Reading it, I was very happy that I had never decided to attempt to trace my roots in this fashion.
As the investigation gathers momentum, Jack again joins forces with Rachel Walling, the former F.B.I. agent with whom he has had an on-again, off-again relationship. That relationship becomes a principal subplot of the book, and again I'm forced to confess (or complain) about the fact that it occasionally took me out of the story. To my mind, when it comes to Walling, McEvoy often says and does things that make no sense. He claims to care about Rachel a great deal but then turns around and behaves in ways that seem almost calculated to sabotage the relationship.
Those minor complaints aside, I enjoyed this book a lot. It's a clever, scary plot involving both the world of DNA testing and the dark underbelly of the Internet, where all sorts of nasty people are congregating. Another very good read from Michael Connelly.
May 17, 2020
Jack McEvoy is a journalist reporting for Fair Warning a real life news website which reports on consumer protection issues. Jack is interviewed by LAPD Detectives Mattson and Sakai over the murder of Tina Portrero who Jack had hooked up with once over a year ago. The manner of her murder is unusual, requires significant strength and partly because he is being treated as a person of interest and partly because of unjust treatment by the detectives, Jack decides to investigate too. He discovers the same MO in murders of women in different states. Further investigation reveals that all the women used a cheap DNA site, GT23 for profiling in order to search for lost family members. Jack also discovers that all the women had addictions of some kind. Jack and his colleagues investigation reveals a dangerous serial killer known as The Shrike. The story is told from several perspectives but principally Jacks.
I really enjoyed the elements that relate to the DNA research as it raises very relevant issues about the security of this data and where it may end up. There is little to no oversight by government agencies. The killer breaches security to search for a specific gene which leads him to his victims - genetic research is a burgeoning field and the author rightly draws attention to concerns over potential misuse. Another interesting area is the incel element (involuntary celibates) who use the dark web to spew their misogynistic filth - I’ve read a number of books lately that draw attention to this. Much of the plot is very intelligent, well researched and extremely interesting and there are sections that are exciting especially the finale. I like the characters and Jack in particular but they are all easy to imagine.
My only negative in what is an overwhelming good thriller is the slightly pedantic style at times. For instance, I’m not actually very bothered what route Jack takes through LA to get to his sources, I don’t know the city so it means little! This causes some unevenness in pace which takes away the focus from a very substantial and clever plot.
Overall, despite the above reservation I enjoyed this very much. It’s a good thriller with interesting characters, a solid plot and relevant theme which should appeal to fans.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orion for the ARC.
I really enjoyed the elements that relate to the DNA research as it raises very relevant issues about the security of this data and where it may end up. There is little to no oversight by government agencies. The killer breaches security to search for a specific gene which leads him to his victims - genetic research is a burgeoning field and the author rightly draws attention to concerns over potential misuse. Another interesting area is the incel element (involuntary celibates) who use the dark web to spew their misogynistic filth - I’ve read a number of books lately that draw attention to this. Much of the plot is very intelligent, well researched and extremely interesting and there are sections that are exciting especially the finale. I like the characters and Jack in particular but they are all easy to imagine.
My only negative in what is an overwhelming good thriller is the slightly pedantic style at times. For instance, I’m not actually very bothered what route Jack takes through LA to get to his sources, I don’t know the city so it means little! This causes some unevenness in pace which takes away the focus from a very substantial and clever plot.
Overall, despite the above reservation I enjoyed this very much. It’s a good thriller with interesting characters, a solid plot and relevant theme which should appeal to fans.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orion for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2020
Yeah ... Imma go ahead and cancel that ancestry.com DNA test. NOW!!!
Why? If you’re unfamiliar with Jack McEvoy he’s a writer for a consumer watchdog publication called “Fair Warning”, but of course Jack has uncovered more than he bargained for - murder. Many murders. All tied to a DNA testing site. Uh boy...
Connelly is one of my faves and he always delivers creative plot and pacing. I don’t know anyone who does it better. This one was creative and well researched.
Connelly has kind of overlooked McEvoy in favor of His Harry Bosch character (love him!) and here’s my fundamental issue here - for McEvoy to get the story he keeps having to rely on an inside person like the FBI. I want to see Jack do it on his own. Otherwise... just have a cop or FBI agent be the central character. I appreciate the defense he makes of the media in these times where our president calls everyone “fake”, but I’d really like to see more of how Jack could do this SOLO. His contacts. How does it usually work In Real journalism and I know Connelly is a former journalist. Jack needs more development like Bosch - more of a personal life. Just some ideas. I completely enjoyed the read don’t get me wrong.
All my reviews available at scrappymags.com at time of publication.
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Recommend to: All the mystery peeps. Connelly is a gem.
Not recommended to: its grittier mystery, not cozy. Avoid if you don’t enjoy that.
Why? If you’re unfamiliar with Jack McEvoy he’s a writer for a consumer watchdog publication called “Fair Warning”, but of course Jack has uncovered more than he bargained for - murder. Many murders. All tied to a DNA testing site. Uh boy...
Connelly is one of my faves and he always delivers creative plot and pacing. I don’t know anyone who does it better. This one was creative and well researched.
Connelly has kind of overlooked McEvoy in favor of His Harry Bosch character (love him!) and here’s my fundamental issue here - for McEvoy to get the story he keeps having to rely on an inside person like the FBI. I want to see Jack do it on his own. Otherwise... just have a cop or FBI agent be the central character. I appreciate the defense he makes of the media in these times where our president calls everyone “fake”, but I’d really like to see more of how Jack could do this SOLO. His contacts. How does it usually work In Real journalism and I know Connelly is a former journalist. Jack needs more development like Bosch - more of a personal life. Just some ideas. I completely enjoyed the read don’t get me wrong.
All my reviews available at scrappymags.com at time of publication.
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Recommend to: All the mystery peeps. Connelly is a gem.
Not recommended to: its grittier mystery, not cozy. Avoid if you don’t enjoy that.
June 10, 2020
Let me begin by stating that I have read every Michael Connelly novel that he has published, eagerly await his next, and usually begin reading it on the day or within a few days of its release. I have given every one of his previous books 5 stars. I have also watched the entire Bosch TV series on Amazon Prime and loved it. Now that I have established how I have felt about Connelly's past work, this book was a huge disappointment. The main character is not Bosch but Jack McEvoy who was the subject of two previous Connelly novels, The Scarecrow and The Poet, both of which are excellent.
The problem with this novel is that it is less of a novel than a screed. The plot is full of holes and the characters act out of character in an effort to drive an agenda instead of a plot. It seems that Connelly has strong political views regarding the media and decided to write a "novel" defending its current state against attacks from certain politicians (no need to guess who), and after he got done letting us know his opinions on the subject he stopped writing, with the result that the ending is probably the worst ending of a mystery/thriller novel I have ever read.
The problem with this novel is that it is less of a novel than a screed. The plot is full of holes and the characters act out of character in an effort to drive an agenda instead of a plot. It seems that Connelly has strong political views regarding the media and decided to write a "novel" defending its current state against attacks from certain politicians (no need to guess who), and after he got done letting us know his opinions on the subject he stopped writing, with the result that the ending is probably the worst ending of a mystery/thriller novel I have ever read.
February 25, 2025
This is my first venture into Connelly’s character, Jack McEvoy, a veteran reporter who gets himself caught up in a crime thriller by chance…first being thought of as a suspect in a murder.
As a writer...Connelly is consistent. He does one of the best jobs of grabbing his reader, and investing us in his story and his characters.
We follow along anxiously – who did it – why – what is he discovering – we want more – tell us more...
And then…We get led down more twisty, windy paths where we are more intrigued and interested.
Plus...He even tackles a huge moral issue in our society today that has gone unnoticed – I won’t say what that is, because I don’t want to spoil the story.
But...I will say this though, there is an ending, but is it satisfying? I really truly want your opinion.
As a writer...Connelly is consistent. He does one of the best jobs of grabbing his reader, and investing us in his story and his characters.
We follow along anxiously – who did it – why – what is he discovering – we want more – tell us more...
And then…We get led down more twisty, windy paths where we are more intrigued and interested.
Plus...He even tackles a huge moral issue in our society today that has gone unnoticed – I won’t say what that is, because I don’t want to spoil the story.
But...I will say this though, there is an ending, but is it satisfying? I really truly want your opinion.
March 14, 2021
Book 3 in the Jack McEvoy series published 2020.
5 well deserved stars
I give you Fair Warning, this book will take over your life for a few days.
Jack McEvoy, our intrepid journalist, from The Poet and The Scarecrow is back again.
It doesn’t take Jack long to land in trouble with the police. This time he is a prime suspect in a bizarre murder where the victim is found with her head internally decapitated, meaning the only thing keeping her head in place was the skin on her neck.
This is the start of investigation by Jack and the team at Fair Warning, where Jack now earns a living as a consumer watchdog journalist.
It doesn’t take Jack long to discover that this murder is not a one off but only one in what is becoming a very long list of victims. Jack soon realises that he can’t do this on his own so gets in touch with Rachel Walling, his one time lover and FBI source, but now he only sees her in his dreams. Rachel, no longer with the FBI, is ready to drop everything to take on this case; this is what she lives for.
Once again Michael Connelly takes us on a journey very much in the here and now.
Topics include, the dark web, which is very dark indeed, and the pros and cons surrounding DNA testing, mostly the cons. I can tell you that since reading this I now have no desire to discover my place in history by ancestral DNA testing; it’s just a bit too scary now.
This is everything that you would expect from Michael Connelly. It hooks you in right from the start; the tension is right up there; the pace is fast where it needs to be but slows down when some thinking is required. Last but not least it puts a spotlight on DNA testing. Something that it rapidly becoming an everyday occurrence for so many people but has huge social and political ramifications far beyond finding out where in history you originate.
Highly recommended.
5 well deserved stars
I give you Fair Warning, this book will take over your life for a few days.
Jack McEvoy, our intrepid journalist, from The Poet and The Scarecrow is back again.
It doesn’t take Jack long to land in trouble with the police. This time he is a prime suspect in a bizarre murder where the victim is found with her head internally decapitated, meaning the only thing keeping her head in place was the skin on her neck.
This is the start of investigation by Jack and the team at Fair Warning, where Jack now earns a living as a consumer watchdog journalist.
It doesn’t take Jack long to discover that this murder is not a one off but only one in what is becoming a very long list of victims. Jack soon realises that he can’t do this on his own so gets in touch with Rachel Walling, his one time lover and FBI source, but now he only sees her in his dreams. Rachel, no longer with the FBI, is ready to drop everything to take on this case; this is what she lives for.
Once again Michael Connelly takes us on a journey very much in the here and now.
Topics include, the dark web, which is very dark indeed, and the pros and cons surrounding DNA testing, mostly the cons. I can tell you that since reading this I now have no desire to discover my place in history by ancestral DNA testing; it’s just a bit too scary now.
This is everything that you would expect from Michael Connelly. It hooks you in right from the start; the tension is right up there; the pace is fast where it needs to be but slows down when some thinking is required. Last but not least it puts a spotlight on DNA testing. Something that it rapidly becoming an everyday occurrence for so many people but has huge social and political ramifications far beyond finding out where in history you originate.
Highly recommended.
June 3, 2020
Veteran journalist, Jack McEvoy, was working for Fair Warning, when the murder of a young woman he’d once known took on a personal edge. Two detectives from the LAPD confronted Jack as he arrived home from work, full of questions and insinuations. But Jack knew he was innocent of the claims they were trying to pin on him. His determination to find out what was going on led himself and his colleagues at Fair Warning on a merry dance. Ex FBI Agent Rachel Walling was also brought in to add her expertise.
When Jack linked the deaths of several young women with the same MO, the depth of the investigation accelerated. As evidence of a serial killer came to light, Jack was determined to identify him. But could he? As further deaths occurred the danger to those around Jack, as well as himself, heightened. Could they get the story out to warn more potential victims? Or would it scare the killer into hiding?
Jack McEvoy is back!! What a great ride! Fair Warning by Michael Connelly is the 3rd in the Jack McEvoy series, and it was breathtaking! Even though it’s been a long time since we caught up with Jack, it felt like catching up with old friends once again. He and Rachel are excellent characters and make a good, workable team. I thoroughly enjoyed Fair Warning and highly recommend it to fans of the genre.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
When Jack linked the deaths of several young women with the same MO, the depth of the investigation accelerated. As evidence of a serial killer came to light, Jack was determined to identify him. But could he? As further deaths occurred the danger to those around Jack, as well as himself, heightened. Could they get the story out to warn more potential victims? Or would it scare the killer into hiding?
Jack McEvoy is back!! What a great ride! Fair Warning by Michael Connelly is the 3rd in the Jack McEvoy series, and it was breathtaking! Even though it’s been a long time since we caught up with Jack, it felt like catching up with old friends once again. He and Rachel are excellent characters and make a good, workable team. I thoroughly enjoyed Fair Warning and highly recommend it to fans of the genre.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2020
It is a pleasure to read a master crime novelist incorporate important topical issues while being immersed in a twisting plot. Connelly re-introduces the investigative journalist, Jack McEvoy, now working for FairWarning, a news enterprise focused on consumer fraud issues. This is a shoestring operation, relying on individual donors to pay the bills. Long gone are the flush expense accounts of big-name newspapers that McEvoy worked at 25 years ago. But McEvoy’s investigative instincts are alerted once again when a woman he dated long ago is found murdered. Turns out that the killer is using a DNA database to find his victims.
Connelly exposes the unregulated nature of genetic DNA companies and how consumers’ belief in anonymity and privacy may not be honored by them. In his novel, McEvoy learns that one lab is making money by advertising on the dark web and selling DNA information on the black market.
But scaring readers who have submitted their DNA to one of these companies is only one small part of Connelly’s plot. Rachel Walling, former FBI profiler and McEvoy’s sometime girlfriend, makes an appearance—as do LAPD detectives, the FBI, and one crazy villain called The Shrike. Enjoy!
Connelly exposes the unregulated nature of genetic DNA companies and how consumers’ belief in anonymity and privacy may not be honored by them. In his novel, McEvoy learns that one lab is making money by advertising on the dark web and selling DNA information on the black market.
But scaring readers who have submitted their DNA to one of these companies is only one small part of Connelly’s plot. Rachel Walling, former FBI profiler and McEvoy’s sometime girlfriend, makes an appearance—as do LAPD detectives, the FBI, and one crazy villain called The Shrike. Enjoy!
June 1, 2020
Michael Connelly is an excellent writer who keeps writing books that draw you in the moment you start to the very end. Jack McEvoy is a seasoned reporter who has knocked around before he settles down in a small Web based news writing operation that specializes in consumer affairs. Things are going OK for him until two policemen manhandle him in an investigation of a murdered woman he had a one night stand with a year ago.
Jack is angry and starts searching for who really murdered her. His investigation leads him to a DNA testing company with really low rates, into a pedophile ring and finally on the trail of a ruthless killer.
His characters are done well and are likable. The reader roots for them. The story is interesting and has many twists and turns. The ending really took me by surprise. You have to have confidence to write it and Connolly has certainly earned that. It's a great way to spend some time.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair review.
Jack is angry and starts searching for who really murdered her. His investigation leads him to a DNA testing company with really low rates, into a pedophile ring and finally on the trail of a ruthless killer.
His characters are done well and are likable. The reader roots for them. The story is interesting and has many twists and turns. The ending really took me by surprise. You have to have confidence to write it and Connolly has certainly earned that. It's a great way to spend some time.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair review.
June 24, 2020
3.5 A good story. Definitely makes one think about who we give samples of our DNA too. Genealogical kits and all. Many abuses can occur. I like Jack but my heart belongs to Haller and Bosch.
May 27, 2020
Dusting off one of his older protagonists, Michael Connelly presents a new piece about gritty journalist Jack McEvoy. Now working for a consumer protection news site, Fair Warning, McEvoy is visited by the LAPD about the recent murder of woman he knew in passing. The manner of death, an internal decapitation, piques McEvoy’s interest, but there is also a stalking angle that leads the reporter to think he can tie things to the site. While poking around, McEvoy learns that there have been other cases in which young women have died in a similar manner, leading him to wonder if there is a killer on the loose. Another commonality happens to be that all these women used an inexpensive DNA testing company, one with less than rigorous standards in the field of information sharing. Working alongside a former FBI agent and another investigative reporter, McEvoy begins to see a troubling pattern, as a killer deemed The Shrike is targeting these women for some supposed marker in their DNA. With no clear pattern, McEvoy must be careful, so as not to scare the killer off, but also work with the authorities to ensure his ultimate capture. Connelly develops the essence of a great thriller from the angle of an investigative reporter, a refreshing perspective indeed. Recommended to those who love thrillers in all forms, as well as the reader who is a fan of Michael Connelly’s work.
I recently read a piece of non-fiction penned by the author about his time as an investigative reporter, finding it quite imaginative and full of wonderful cases. I know Michael Connelly has used many of the stories he covered on the crime beat when writing his countless novels, but this is only the third piece in which his protagonist plays the role of journalist. Connelly brings Jack McEvoy back with much to prove, having risen to fame through his past two major cases that spawned blockbuster books. McEvoy has moved to the less exciting work of protecting consumers through his work on Fair Warning, but still takes it quite seriously. He has all the tools to be a stellar journalist and uses his sources effectively, though nothing can prepare him for some of the people that will emerge in this story. Other characters provide wonderful depth to the story, both in the world of investigations and that of DNA technology. Connelly uses them effectively to push the plot along and keep the narrative moving in various directions. The story worked well, honing in on McEvoy’s work as he tries to uncover something while staying in his lane, with some offshoot chapters that provide the reader with needed perspectives to offer a complete story. The plot builds throughout, coming to a head as this killer, The Shrike, is developed and the rationale becomes clear to all. While I do love some of the central Connelly series, this one still has life in it, something that I hope the author does not forget when writing projects cross his desk.
Kudos, Mr. Connelly, for another winner in your intertwined series. I cannot wait to see what else is coming, as I know some of your other long-forgotten characters are back in print soon!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I recently read a piece of non-fiction penned by the author about his time as an investigative reporter, finding it quite imaginative and full of wonderful cases. I know Michael Connelly has used many of the stories he covered on the crime beat when writing his countless novels, but this is only the third piece in which his protagonist plays the role of journalist. Connelly brings Jack McEvoy back with much to prove, having risen to fame through his past two major cases that spawned blockbuster books. McEvoy has moved to the less exciting work of protecting consumers through his work on Fair Warning, but still takes it quite seriously. He has all the tools to be a stellar journalist and uses his sources effectively, though nothing can prepare him for some of the people that will emerge in this story. Other characters provide wonderful depth to the story, both in the world of investigations and that of DNA technology. Connelly uses them effectively to push the plot along and keep the narrative moving in various directions. The story worked well, honing in on McEvoy’s work as he tries to uncover something while staying in his lane, with some offshoot chapters that provide the reader with needed perspectives to offer a complete story. The plot builds throughout, coming to a head as this killer, The Shrike, is developed and the rationale becomes clear to all. While I do love some of the central Connelly series, this one still has life in it, something that I hope the author does not forget when writing projects cross his desk.
Kudos, Mr. Connelly, for another winner in your intertwined series. I cannot wait to see what else is coming, as I know some of your other long-forgotten characters are back in print soon!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
October 23, 2023
If the reality of this thriller’s title doesn’t disturb you, then you weren’t paying attention!
FAIR WARNING is much more than a mere crime thriller (starring by the way, for the third time, investigative journalist Jack McEvoy of THE POET and THE SCARECROW fame). It is a brilliant cautionary tale on the misuse of private information and genetic information within the genetic analytics industry, which, although it falls under the purview of the FDA in the USA, is effectively unregulated and free to use customer’s DNA data in whatever way best suits their obvious motive – what else? Profit!
Michael Connelly fans will thrill to the smorgasbord of delights offered up in the latest addition to his lengthy list of gripping, readable, and informative page turners. Lots of meat, potatoes and side dishes are on offer – misogyny and incels (involuntary celibates, for those not up on the latest 21st century jargon); computer hacking and cyber-stalking; the DNA industry and its shocking lack of regulation and government oversight; the hypothesis that addiction (including sexual addiction) is a genetic illness; police investigation of a serial murder; false arrest and police harassment; Atlanto-Occipital Dislocation, a rather gruesome way to die in which a victim’s neck is twisted so far, so abruptly, and so hard, that the spine is actually severed – internal decapitation, if you will; the beleaguered, embattled, and definitely ill-fated relationship between Jack McEvoy and former FBI Agent Rachel Walling; the ethics of journalism and investigative reporting; and much more.
Fair warning about FAIR WARNING!! What I was absolutely certain was headed for a year’s favourite 5-star rating was reduced (in my mind, at least) to a mere 4-stars by virtue of an unresolved open ending that hit a solid brick wall and left me rather disgruntled and dissatisfied. (To steal a phrase from the title of one of James Patterson's thrillers, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED). YMMV, of course, but even if you agree with me on the problems about the ending, I’m certain you’ll enjoy the story and be waiting with bated breath for Jack McEvoy #4!
Definitely recommended.
Paul Weiss
FAIR WARNING is much more than a mere crime thriller (starring by the way, for the third time, investigative journalist Jack McEvoy of THE POET and THE SCARECROW fame). It is a brilliant cautionary tale on the misuse of private information and genetic information within the genetic analytics industry, which, although it falls under the purview of the FDA in the USA, is effectively unregulated and free to use customer’s DNA data in whatever way best suits their obvious motive – what else? Profit!
Michael Connelly fans will thrill to the smorgasbord of delights offered up in the latest addition to his lengthy list of gripping, readable, and informative page turners. Lots of meat, potatoes and side dishes are on offer – misogyny and incels (involuntary celibates, for those not up on the latest 21st century jargon); computer hacking and cyber-stalking; the DNA industry and its shocking lack of regulation and government oversight; the hypothesis that addiction (including sexual addiction) is a genetic illness; police investigation of a serial murder; false arrest and police harassment; Atlanto-Occipital Dislocation, a rather gruesome way to die in which a victim’s neck is twisted so far, so abruptly, and so hard, that the spine is actually severed – internal decapitation, if you will; the beleaguered, embattled, and definitely ill-fated relationship between Jack McEvoy and former FBI Agent Rachel Walling; the ethics of journalism and investigative reporting; and much more.
Fair warning about FAIR WARNING!! What I was absolutely certain was headed for a year’s favourite 5-star rating was reduced (in my mind, at least) to a mere 4-stars by virtue of an unresolved open ending that hit a solid brick wall and left me rather disgruntled and dissatisfied. (To steal a phrase from the title of one of James Patterson's thrillers, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED). YMMV, of course, but even if you agree with me on the problems about the ending, I’m certain you’ll enjoy the story and be waiting with bated breath for Jack McEvoy #4!
Definitely recommended.
Paul Weiss
June 18, 2020
Fun thriller with a serial killer who uses DNA to find his desired victims. I like Jack McEvoy and Rachel. Surely will be more crime solving stories to come.
-1 one star for political undertone. I disagree with Connelly about today's journalism. MY opinion is social media has changed it all. Anyone can write, report or share news, click bait headlines - correct or false. Write first, delete later. Any news that grabs attention is covered out of proportion, even weather. Every time snow is in the forecast, it's the end of the world. Investigative journalism is rare.
-1 one star for political undertone. I disagree with Connelly about today's journalism. MY opinion is social media has changed it all. Anyone can write, report or share news, click bait headlines - correct or false. Write first, delete later. Any news that grabs attention is covered out of proportion, even weather. Every time snow is in the forecast, it's the end of the world. Investigative journalism is rare.
September 8, 2020
There's nothing like the smooth flow of a Michael Connelly novel......
Like a slab of butter melting on a crispy slice of toast, Fair Warning is a pleasurable read. Connelly re-introduces us to Jack McEvoy, a seasoned journalist in his 50's who's been around the block more than once. Jack is now employed by an internet news site called Fair Warning that serves as a community watchdog. His boss, Myron Levin, worked many years at the LA Times and cuts Jack more slack than he deserves.
Jack's doorway is darkened as two LAPD homicide detectives come a knockin'. It seems like Jack's latest one-night-only romance ended badly. The woman that he hooked up with from a local bar was found dead. Jack is now the likely suspect. He cooperates with the police and even gives them a DNA sample to prove his innocence. These detectives are stickin' to Jack like lint from the dryer.
As Jack tries to delve into this crime on his own, he's now connecting the dots to other similar crimes. Connelly presents quite a winding road into the field of genetic analytics. Ever wonder where exactly your DNA sample goes? Are there any government regulations or controls on those samples? Is it possible for second or third sales to unknown parties? That's a whopper of a thought.
Fair Warning reads as a standalone even though it's the third offering in this series. I've not read the prior books but totally enjoyed this one. Plenty of hard hitting characters in this one with a storyline that will keep the light on late into the night. Connelly delivers and we keep our eyes open and alert for the next one.
I received a copy of Fair Warning through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown, and Company and the talented Michael Connelly for the opportunity.
Like a slab of butter melting on a crispy slice of toast, Fair Warning is a pleasurable read. Connelly re-introduces us to Jack McEvoy, a seasoned journalist in his 50's who's been around the block more than once. Jack is now employed by an internet news site called Fair Warning that serves as a community watchdog. His boss, Myron Levin, worked many years at the LA Times and cuts Jack more slack than he deserves.
Jack's doorway is darkened as two LAPD homicide detectives come a knockin'. It seems like Jack's latest one-night-only romance ended badly. The woman that he hooked up with from a local bar was found dead. Jack is now the likely suspect. He cooperates with the police and even gives them a DNA sample to prove his innocence. These detectives are stickin' to Jack like lint from the dryer.
As Jack tries to delve into this crime on his own, he's now connecting the dots to other similar crimes. Connelly presents quite a winding road into the field of genetic analytics. Ever wonder where exactly your DNA sample goes? Are there any government regulations or controls on those samples? Is it possible for second or third sales to unknown parties? That's a whopper of a thought.
Fair Warning reads as a standalone even though it's the third offering in this series. I've not read the prior books but totally enjoyed this one. Plenty of hard hitting characters in this one with a storyline that will keep the light on late into the night. Connelly delivers and we keep our eyes open and alert for the next one.
I received a copy of Fair Warning through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown, and Company and the talented Michael Connelly for the opportunity.
May 30, 2020
Michael Connelly wrote The Poet in 1996 and The Scarecrow in 2009. I read them both in 2012. So, 11 years later for Mr. Connelly and 8 years later for me, we have Fair Warning. Believe it or not, I remember Jack McEvoy and Rachel Waller after all this time. I don’t think I could tell you about the plots of the previous books off the top of my head, though. For that reason, I think this book could be read as a stand-alone, but there’s history in the two previous books that you might not want to deprive yourself of.
This was a fantastic addition to the series. It’s just as exciting and tension-filled as a Harry Bosch book. The premise is unique and original as far as I know, and scary. I also see more books featuring Jack McEvoy in the future, and I eagerly await them.
This was a fantastic addition to the series. It’s just as exciting and tension-filled as a Harry Bosch book. The premise is unique and original as far as I know, and scary. I also see more books featuring Jack McEvoy in the future, and I eagerly await them.
October 29, 2024
Трети роман за Джак Макавой, какво друго може да си пожелае човек в края на лятото на 2020 година?
Книгата е модерно и добре написана, но по-слабата ми оценка е заради осезаемия спад във втората ѝ половина. Не ми хареса и края ѝ, много остана необяснено и недоизказано - Конъли може много повече...
Задължително четиво за почитателите на автора е, но не трябва да очакват нещо супер оригинално от сюжета.
P.S. Научих и за съществуването на още една група изроди-женомразци, разцъфтели буйно в интернет ерата - инцелите. Не ми беше нужно...
Книгата е модерно и добре написана, но по-слабата ми оценка е заради осезаемия спад във втората ѝ половина. Не ми хареса и края ѝ, много остана необяснено и недоизказано - Конъли може много повече...
Задължително четиво за почитателите на автора е, но не трябва да очакват нещо супер оригинално от сюжета.
P.S. Научих и за съществуването на още една група изроди-женомразци, разцъфтели буйно в интернет ерата - инцелите. Не ми беше нужно...
May 28, 2020
Fair Warning is the third instalment to feature journalist/investigative reporter Jack McEvoy and this time the events take place in New York despite Jack being Los Angeles-based. Each thriller works as a standalone perfectly and I am so pleased Connolly has decided to resurrect this two-book series that ceased way back in 2009. Jack is now working investigating the shady dealings of companies for a website that champions consumer rights known as Fair Warning. As a Veteran reporter Jack has taken down killers before, but when a woman he had a one-night stand with is murdered in a particularly brutal way, McEvoy realizes he might be facing a criminal mind unlike any he's ever encountered. Jack investigates--against the warnings of the police and his own editor--and makes a shocking discovery that connects the crime to other mysterious deaths across the country. Undetected by law enforcement, a vicious killer has been hunting women, using genetic data to select and stalk his targets. Uncovering the murkiest corners of the dark web, Jack races to find and protect the last source who can lead him to his quarry. But the killer has already chosen his next target, and he's ready to strike.
This is up there with Connelly's best thrillers to date and is crafted to within an inch of perfection, is completely compulsive and palpably tense from the get-go. It becomes engrossing from early on with the original and intelligently woven plot gripping you with a fascinating motive that highlights the dangerous nature of DNA and genetics in this modern world where information is knowledge and a commodity to sell to the highest bidder. Ancestry sites particularly have the possibility of being misused when people are entering such private information as their DNA; not everyone has good intentions. The discussion about lack of government oversight in this incredibly sensitive area is interesting as it is shockingly non-existent so it's only a matter of time before something potentially catastrophic occurs in real life. This is such a unique thriller and I found myself racing through it in a single nail-biting sitting. McEvoy is a bit of an anarchist and breaks rules regularly but it does seem as though this is for the right reasons. A thoroughly entertaining, danger-filled and high stakes adventure from a masterful storyteller. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.
This is up there with Connelly's best thrillers to date and is crafted to within an inch of perfection, is completely compulsive and palpably tense from the get-go. It becomes engrossing from early on with the original and intelligently woven plot gripping you with a fascinating motive that highlights the dangerous nature of DNA and genetics in this modern world where information is knowledge and a commodity to sell to the highest bidder. Ancestry sites particularly have the possibility of being misused when people are entering such private information as their DNA; not everyone has good intentions. The discussion about lack of government oversight in this incredibly sensitive area is interesting as it is shockingly non-existent so it's only a matter of time before something potentially catastrophic occurs in real life. This is such a unique thriller and I found myself racing through it in a single nail-biting sitting. McEvoy is a bit of an anarchist and breaks rules regularly but it does seem as though this is for the right reasons. A thoroughly entertaining, danger-filled and high stakes adventure from a masterful storyteller. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.
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