Reviews for Shiver

The average rating for Shiver based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-12-01 00:00:00 Josh Elliot Shiver by Lisa Jackson is the 3rd novel in her New Orleans Series featuring Detectives Reuben Montoya and Rick Bentz. Terrifying and shiveringly and grippingly suspense!! Edge-of-your-seat roller coaster ride. Reuben Montoya, the sexy and brooding detective that we met in the previous 2 books is faced with a series of murders, where the victims are killed in pairs and placed in a staged and grisly scene. At first, there seems to be no connection between the victims and no apparent motive. But when Montoya questions Abby Chastain, the ex-wife of one of the first victims, Luke Gierman, he has a feeling that there is a lot more about the case than she's telling him. When the killings continue and escalate, he discovers that there is something about the victims and the crimes that have a connection to her. Abby Chastain is determined to get her life back together. After a bitter divorce she has decided to leave New Orleans behind her. She's also having to get closure on her mother's mysterious suicide 20 years ago, which she had witnessed at the asylum where her mother had been placed. She has been haunted by her death and some of her memories of that terrible and tragic part of her life are slowly surfacing. She decides to return to the place of her mother's suicide, Our Lady of Virtues Mental Hospital, now an abandoned and decaying building, soon to be demolished. Perhaps there's something there that will spark her memories. The setting of the old and derelict mental hospital was scary, dark and daunting. The vivid imagery of the place is beyond creepy!!!! The scene where Abby finally faces the killer is so terrifying and chilling that I had Goosebumps…….the evil, cunning, sick and remorseless murderer gave me the chills. I enjoyed the connection between Montoya and Abby but I would have liked a bit more romance. The author has devised a superb plot full of unexpected and surprising twists, clever misleads and mysterious characters. A story of the abuse and unethical practices to the mental patients, the clandestine behavior and how the nuns turned a blind eye to what was going on in the asylum such as rape, torture and even murder just to keep their secrets. The ending is left with a kind of a cliffhanger, which will be revealed in the next book.

Review # 2 was written on 2012-07-12 00:00:00 Tony Williams I have quite a little collection of Lisa Jackson novels. But, truthfully, I have only read a handful of them. Part of the reason I pass them over is because half of the time her books are really, really good, but the half of the time they are too full of "filler" and not much story. Sometimes it's not until the last 100 pages or so that the story actually gets moving. But, "Shiver" was one of the good ones. This is a hefty book, 495 pages. But, the story got off to a quick start, and then stays on track. Abby, divorced and still single has decided to leave New Orleans. She has even put her home on the market and plans to move to California. But, then her ex husband is murdered. Abby looks like a suspect to the detectives at first. She is questioned by a nice looking cop named Montoya. Montoya knows he can't get involved with Abby because she is connected with the case, but once he realizes Abby is a potential victim, he has no trouble getting involved. The key to the murders lies in a connection to an old mental institution where Abby's mother died. Abby still has dreams about that day her mother fell through the window. Something about the memories of that day are "off". Montoya thinks there is a connection, but can't figure out what it is. But, the bodies keep piling up and Abby could be in danger. I think this book could be placed in Romantic suspense, as well as mystery and maybe even psycological thriller. It's not like there are a string of suspects and you have to try and guess who did it. In fact, the way the book is written, it's impossible to try and figure out who is responsible. I can't say too much more without giving too much away. But, I like that the author was able to keep me interested in the story and keep me guessing. There is a follow up to this book, BTW, that will tie up some loose ends. (there isn't a cliffhanger here, but some new info comes out at the end that makes Montoya beleive there is more to the story about Abby's mother) The romance part was a little stiff and hurried, IMO. But, the main focus was on the mystery. I do like Bentz and Montoya a lot.I'm sure we will see them again. Overall I give this one a B.