Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Such a Pretty Girl
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY: Colorado Springs
STATE: CO
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
Lives with her law enforcement husband, two kids.
RESEARCHER NOTES:
| LC control no.: | no2017040357 |
|---|---|
| LCCN Permalink: | https://lccn.loc.gov/no2017040357 |
| HEADING: | Diamond, Tess |
| 000 | 00527nz a2200181n 450 |
| 001 | 10414809 |
| 005 | 20170331073556.0 |
| 008 | 170330n| azannaabn |n aaa c |
| 010 | __ |a no2017040357 |
| 035 | __ |a (OCoLC)oca10751348 |
| 040 | __ |a UOr |b eng |e rda |c UOr |
| 100 | 1_ |a Diamond, Tess |
| 370 | __ |e Colorado Springs (Colo.) |2 naf |
| 372 | __ |a Romance fiction |2 lcsh |
| 374 | __ |a Novelists |2 lcsh |
| 375 | __ |a female |
| 377 | __ |a eng |
| 670 | __ |a Dangerous games, c2017: |b title page (Tess Diamond) back cover (she lives in Colorado Springs) |
PERSONAL
Married; children: two.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Tess Diamond is a writer based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She is known for her suspense novels that also feature romantic story lines.
Dangerous Games
In 2017 Diamond released Dangerous Games. Among the volume’s main characters is Maggie Kincaid. Maggie worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for many years and became known for her skill as a hostage negotiator. However, a rare slipup by Maggie caused a young hostage to die. Maggie has not forgiven herself for her mistake and has chosen to stop working as a negotiator. When an important case of kidnapping comes to Maggie’s mentor, he pleads with her to help. Reluctantly, she agrees. The kidnapped person is a senator’s daughter. As Maggie and her FBI colleagues interview the senator, they believe that he may not be giving them all of the information. Another person working to convince the kidnapper to release the senator’s daughter is Jake O’Connor, who once served as a U.S. Army Ranger and now works as a security consultant. Jake and Maggie initially clash. Jake criticizes Maggie’s methods, and Maggie chafes at Jake’s aggressive attitude. They ultimately come to respect one another, and they realize that they are also interested in one another in a romantic way. Meanwhile, as tensions mount, their lives are put in danger. They determine to save the senator’s daughter, no matter how hard the villains try to intimidate them.
A Kirkus Reviews writer asserted: “Diamond writes a taut, compelling romantic thriller with believable villains, smart heroes, and a fresh plot that keeps readers engaged.” The same writer described Dangerous Games as “a solid, appealing debut.” A contributor to the Long and Short Reviews website commented: “Tess Diamond does a superb job of outing the ‘bad guys’ one by one. Cold chills made me shudder as she brought their values to light. The kidnapper really surprised me. How Ms. Diamond makes it all so believable is a masterful bit of writing.” The contributor called the book “a gripping story.” Jennifer Porter, a critic on the Romance Novel Reviews website, remarked: “Dangerous Games by Tess Diamond is a gripping romantic suspense story.” Porter added: “The suspense plot did overwhelm the romance a bit.” However, Porter concluded: “Dangerous Games by Tess Diamond is a solid romantic suspense from a new author. The romantic suspense plot kept me on pins and needles.”
Such a Pretty Girl
Such a Pretty Girl is another 2017 novel by Diamond. Another female FBI employee, Grace Sinclair, stars in this volume. Grace is a talented young recruit and has been earning a great reputation as a talented criminal profiler. She loves solving crimes so much that she even writes crime novels outside of work. Grace is shocked when she comes face-to-face with a man from her past, Gavin Walker. She and Gavin had a one-night stand two years before, and Grace ignored his advances afterward. Now, she is forced to work alongside Gavin, a new FBI recruit. The two and their team are investigating a string of murders that may be connected. They find that the murders are the work of a serial killer and determine to stop him from killing again. Meanwhile, Grace and Gavin initially try to pretend that their night of romance never occurred. However, over time, they realize that they cannot deny their attraction to one another.
A critic on the All About Romance website commented: “Ms. Diamond does a great job helping the reader to really know Grace, but Gavin never feels fully fleshed out. … It seemed as though Ms. Diamond was in too big a hurry to get to the meat of the story and just didn’t take the time to create the kind of fully-realized hero I’ve come to expect from a good romance.” A contributor to Kirkus Reviews suggested: “While the romance and suspense frequently feel at odds with one another, this is a compulsively readable romantic thriller.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer described Such a Pretty Girl as a “captivating romantic thriller.” The same reviewer added: “The pulse-pounding suspense continues unabated until the final page is turned.” A writer on the Romance Junkies website called the novel “a fast-paced story with twists and turns and an amazing heroine.”
Be a Good Girl
The murder of a young girl named Cassandra “Cass” Martin continues to haunt two people close to her in Be a Good Girl. Abigail “Abby” Winthrop was Cass’s best friend, and she has felt a lack of closure about Cass’s death for the entire fifteen years since it happened. Abby believes Cass was murdered by a serial killer called Dr. X. She returns to her hometown of Castella Rock to look into Cass’s murder herself. Soon, she discovers that Dr. X was not Cass’s killer. Rather, it was another serial killer inspired by Dr. X. Also back in Castella Rock is Paul Harrison, Cass’s next-door neighbor and high-school boyfriend. Paul now works for the FBI, but he has come home to attend his father’s memorial service. Abby and Paul reconnect, and Paul offers to help with Abby’s investigation. As they work together, it becomes clear that Abby and Paul are attracted to one another. However, they initially fight their feelings, as they believe having a romantic relationship might disgrace Cass’s memory.
In an interview with Emily Walton, a contributor to the RT Book Reviews website, Diamond discussed the reason she is drawn to writing about serial killers. She stated: “What interests me most about serial killers is often there’s a very deep thread of misogyny running through their actions. A lot of these men despise and fear women as a whole and they set out to kill them to gain power over them. And I think about that a lot—how misogyny and violent sexism plays a part in these killer’s terrible choices. Be a Good Girl and Dr. X were very influenced by the relationship misogyny and serial killers have with each other.”
A Kirkus Reviews critic suggested: “Though there isn’t any doubt how much either character cared about Cass, the lack of emotional maturity bogs down the romance.” The critic told readers: “Stay for the mystery not the romance.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2017, review of Dangerous Games; September 1, 2017, review of Such a Pretty Girl; February 1, 2018, review of Be a Good Girl.
Publishers Weekly, September 4, 2017, review of Such a Pretty Girl, p. 71.
ONLINE
All About Romance, https://allaboutromance.com/ (October 5, 2017), Shannon Dyer, review of Such a Pretty Girl.
Long and Short Reviews, http://www.longandshortreviews.com/ (March 17, 2017), review of Dangerous Games.
Romance Junkies, http://romancejunkies.com/ (October 29, 2017), B. Poston, review of Such a Pretty Girl.
Romance Novel Reviews, http://www.romancenovelnews.com/ (March 30, 2017), Jennifer Porter, review of Dangerous Games.
RT Book Reviews, http://www.rtbookreviews.com/ (March 5, 2018), Emily Walton, author interview.
Tess Diamond is a romantic suspense addict with a taste for danger - & chocolate cake. She lives in Colorado Springs with her law enforcement husband, two kids, and ferocious Jack Russell guard dog. She always dreamed of being an FBI agent, and now she almost is - if watching 24 reruns and plotting her next novel counts.
QUOTED: "What interests me most about serial killers is often there’s a very deep thread of misogyny running through their actions. A lot of these men despise and fear women as a whole and they set out to kill them to gain power over them. And I think about that a lot — how misogyny and violent sexism plays a part in these killer’s terrible choices. Be a Good Girl and Dr. X was very influenced by the relationship misogyny and serial killers have with each other."
TESS DIAMOND DISHES ON HER LATEST ROMANTIC SUSPENSE, BE A GOOD GIRL
Mon, 03/05/2018 - 5:21pm — Emily Walton
reddit
MONTHLY EDITION: (#410) April 2018
Tess Diamond electrifies readers once more! Be a Good Girl follows a chilling thread of thought: what if the serial killer locked behind bars wasn’t working alone? What if the man who killed your childhood best friend was never actually caught? These thoughts haunt investigative journalist Abigail “Abby” Winthrop, and when she finds evidence that Doctor X may not have been the man who killed her friend Cass, she’s pulled along on a dangerous journey.
Special Agent Paul Harrison was Cass’s boyfriend in highschool, and he’s never forgotten what happened. When he returns home for an innocent family reunion, he learns what Abby has found. Disgusted that a killer has gone unnoticed for so many years, Paul joins Abby in the hunt … hopefully they aren’t the ones ensnared!
Have your own burning questions? Enjoy our interview with the masterful Tess Diamond!
RT: Readers will really identify with Abby. She’s very down to earth, a “country girl,” but she is also the only one to realize a closed case isn’t really closed. What is it about Abby that helps her see what others don’t?
Tess Diamond: I think Abby’s curiosity and that doggedness she has really helps her see through things. Her journalistic background makes her prone to seek out truth, even uncomfortable or deadly ones! And this case in particular — this story that isn’t just a story, it’s her own childhood history with her best friends — she can’t let it go, even when everyone is telling her to, even when she knows her theory is going to come off as ridiculous. She knows she’s right and she will do anything to prove that.
Early in the story we meet Special Agent Paul Harrison as he talks a suicidal man into putting down his gun. We learn a lot about Paul from this interaction — in your own words, what makes Paul the FBI’s golden boy?
Paul is really one of my favorite characters and I was so delighted to get to write a book about him, after he showed up in both Dangerous Games and Such a Pretty Girl. You gotta love a country boy turned city boy FBI agent!
I think Paul’s morality and his protectiveness is really what made him rise in the FBI. He values his team more than anything — and he’s not afraid to take their feedback or their criticisms. And Paul is a man who supports women — on his team and in his life (I mean, with all his sisters, he’s got to! He would’ve gotten eaten alive as a kid otherwise!)
He values their thoughts and their strengths and he isn’t intimidated by a strong woman. Which is good, because Abby’s got all kinds of strong opinions!
The job isn’t as easy for Paul as he lets on, and he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder because of a crisis in an old case. Did you do a lot of research on PTSD?
I did! I have family members who deal with PTSD and I was very lucky to be able to talk to them about some of their experiences and shape Paul’s PTSD around what I learned from those talks and my other research. PTSD is such a complex thing and I feel very fortunate that I got the chance to show that a romantic hero deals with this sort of trauma and it can affect his life, his job, his relationships, but he’s not broken and he’s not weak. He’s still a strong person, a strong man, but he’s got some stuff to work through — and he’s putting in that work. There should never be any shame in asking for help — but sometimes it can be hard because of preconceived notions about PSTD, masculinity, therapy and getting help. So I’m proud of Paul for putting in the work to help heal himself — body and mind!
The cold case centers on Cass, who was once Abby’s best friend and Paul’s girlfriend. Even though she has been gone for years by the time this story starts, she still feels very real. How did Cass’s passing affect her friends and turn them into the people they are today?
As a suspense writer, I often write a lot about murder and death — but this is really the first book I got to write about grief. About the kind of grief that stays with you, even after years pass.
I think that grief can really shape who you are. Paul’s entire life trajectory changed when Cass died — he was headed towards a baseball scholarship and maybe even the pros, but instead, he gave that all up and started pursuing the FBI so he could help victims like Cass. Abby dedicated her entire life to finding out the truth behind stories, not realizing that the most hidden truth was in her OWN history with Cass and Paul.
We got real, chilling Hannibal Lecter vibes from Abby’s first meeting with Dr. X! But you throw a curveball with Dr. X’s uncaught cohort, who may still be active. What other killers, real or fictional, did you draw from to create your monsters?
I read a lot about serial killers, as you can imagine! (Is anyone as obsessed with Mindhunter as me?)
What interests me most about serial killers is often there’s a very deep thread of misogyny running through their actions. A lot of these men despise and fear women as a whole and they set out to kill them to gain power over them. And I think about that a lot — how misogyny and violent sexism plays a part in these killer’s terrible choices. Be a Good Girl and Dr. X was very influenced by the relationship misogyny and serial killers have with each other.
Readers won’t be able to put this one down, and they will certainly be eager for more! What are you working on now?
Lips are sealed about what I’m working on now, but I promise: it’s going to be thrilling — on the romance side and the suspense side!
We believe you, Tess! Can’t wait to get your hands on this thrilling tale? You can pre-order your copy from one of these retailers: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks | Indiebound
QUOTED: "Though there isn't any doubt how much either character cared about Cass, the lack of emotional maturity bogs down the romance."
"Stay for the mystery not the romance."
Diamond, Tess: BE A GOOD GIRL
Kirkus Reviews.
(Feb. 1, 2018): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Diamond, Tess BE A GOOD GIRL Avon/HarperCollins (Adult Fiction) $7.99 3, 27 ISBN: 978-0-06-265584-4
A journalist and an FBI agent reunite in their small town of Castella Rock to revisit a tragedy that affected them 15 years earlier.
Abigail Winthrop has long since believed that the convicted serial killer known as Dr. X was responsible for the death of her best friend, Cassandra Martin. But when she decides to tell Cass' story and that of the rural town ripped apart by her murder, Abby realizes that Dr. X wasn't the killer. He had an accomplice--or, rather, a competitor. FBI agent Paul Harrison grew up as Abby's next-door neighbor and saw Cass as the love of his life during the trio's time in high school. He returns to Castella Rock for his late father's memorial; he hasn't been back in two years, since the death of Abby's own father. The memory of Cass and how she was killed still lingers between Abby and Paul, both affected in their own ways. When Abby reveals that Cass' killer is still out there, Paul will do whatever he can to help solve the case. Abby is a tenacious character and frequently outshines Paul on the page. She's driven, dogged, and has some Southern spunk to her. And while Paul's levelheadedness as an FBI agent is commendable, he isn't nearly as exciting. The mystery of who killed Cass and how the killer evaded capture is the real driving force of the story, whereas the romance barely reaches a simmer. The main wedges between Paul and Abby are the death of Cass and the question of whether a relationship might disgrace her memory. For two characters in their 30s, the 15-year-old murder of a best friend and girlfriend doesn't seem like much of a reason to stay apart. Though there isn't any doubt how much either character cared about Cass, the lack of emotional maturity bogs down the romance.
Stay for the mystery not the romance.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Diamond, Tess: BE A GOOD GIRL." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2018. Book Review Index Plus,
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http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A525461627/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=0dde6ef8. Accessed 23 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A525461627
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QUOTED: "While the romance and suspense frequently feel at odds with one another, this is a compulsively readable romantic thriller."
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
Diamond, Tess: SUCH A PRETTY GIRL
Kirkus Reviews.
(Sept. 1, 2017): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Diamond, Tess SUCH A PRETTY GIRL Avon/HarperCollins (Adult Fiction) $7.99 9, 26 ISBN: 978-0-06-265582-0
A whip-smart FBI profiler teams up with a former fling to catch a killer with a personal grudge.Grace Sinclair is the FBI's shining star, working as one of their best criminal profilers. When not working cases, she channels her penchant for solving crimes into writing thrillers. With such a busy schedule, she has a strict rule of never seeing the same man more than once. Two years ago, Grace shared an amazing night with then homicide detective Gavin Walker, but that's all it was: one night. She ignored his calls and requests to meet up again. Now they've reunited, with Gavin becoming the latest FBI recruit to join the team. Their first case together seems to be a random shooting, but as more bodies pile up, the victims bearing a striking resemblance to Grace, it becomes obvious that there's nothing random about these murders. The crux of writing a compelling romantic suspense novel is balancing the tension with romance, and sometimes, there's more of one than the other. Here, the fact that a serial killer is on the loose, targeting the heroine, takes a back seat to Grace and Gavin's attraction to one another. Readers hoping for more of a thriller than a romance may be disappointed. This book is also a spinoff to Diamond's (Dangerous Games, 2017, etc.) O'Connor & Kincaid series, and while the plot and main characters can stand on their own, the introduction of secondary figures from a previous series often feels like a revolving door of names and details. Considering that the romance takes center stage, the book is wonderfully paced, with Grace and Gavin approaching the investigation two different ways: Grace relies on her logic and profiling experience, while Gavin is led by gut instinct and hunches. As both of them try to resist acknowledging their previous one-night stand, it becomes an almost adorably awkward scenario, if readers can ignore the presence of a murderer targeting women in the D.C. area.While the romance and suspense frequently feel at odds with one another, this is a compulsively readable romantic thriller.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Diamond, Tess: SUCH A PRETTY GIRL." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Sept. 2017. Book Review Index
Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A502192404/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=254bcb2c. Accessed 23 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A502192404
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http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
QUOTED: "captivating romantic thriller."
"The pulse-pounding suspense continues unabated until the final page is turned."
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
Such a Pretty Girl
Publishers Weekly.
264.36 (Sept. 4, 2017): p71. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Such a Pretty Girl
Tess Diamond. Avon, $7.99 trade paper (384p) ISBN 978-0-06-265582-0
In Diamond's captivating romantic thriller, an FBI profiler discovers a very personal connection to the serial killer she's tracking. Grace Sinclair seems to have it all: beauty, brains, and a successful career as an FBI profiler and author. She is assigned to investigate a case in which a woman was brutally murdered and diamonds were placed on her ears by the killer. As Grace and fellow FBI agent Gavin Walker investigate the murder, they each recall the momentous night they spent together years before. Their investigation intensifies when more murders occur. While working tirelessly to solve the crimes as the body count escalates, Grace and Gavin feel their attraction intensifying, leading to some scintillating sex scenes. Meanwhile, Grace realizes the killer may be someone she knows. Diamond carefully combines romance and suspense in equal measures, and the pulse-pounding suspense continues unabated until the final page is turned. (Oct.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Such a Pretty Girl." Publishers Weekly, 4 Sept. 2017, p. 71. Book Review Index Plus,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A505468080/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=6b8918de. Accessed 23 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A505468080
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QUOTED: "Diamond writes a taut, compelling romantic thriller with believable villains, smart heroes, and a fresh plot that keeps readers engaged."
"a solid, appealing debut."
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
Diamond, Tess: DANGEROUS GAMES
Kirkus Reviews.
(Feb. 15, 2017): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Diamond, Tess DANGEROUS GAMES Avon/HarperCollins (Adult Fiction) $7.99 3, 28 ISBN: 978-0-06-265580-6
Maggie Kincaid, a former FBI negotiator working a sensitive kidnapping case, finds herself clashing with Jake O'Connor, a security expert also working the investigation, but as evidence of secrets and corruption emerge, he becomes her most trusted ally.Maggie has a "once-in-a-lifetime kind of talent" as a hostage negotiator, but she turned her back on her FBI career after a tragic mistake led to the death of a teenage girl. Now her mentor is asking her to come back to work a case that involves another teen, the daughter of a senator who proves to be less than forthcoming in the investigation. Jake, a former Ranger who consults on special cases, is also helping out. At first Jake thinks Maggie is mishandling the negotiation, but he soon comes to admire just how strong and smart she is and how well she's navigating the various players, most of whom have sexist chips on their shoulders. As Jake and Maggie dive further into the mystery, they realize the senator has a lot to hide, much of it illegal, and there are some powerful people who are far more concerned with keeping their secrets than with saving the girl. Maggie, who was abducted as a child, is infuriated by their interference and determined to save her, but when she doesn't know whom she can trust, Jake becomes a valuable ally. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking, their attraction is sizzling, and the danger is rising. Maggie and Jake weren't looking for love, but now that they've found each other, they have to survive in order to consider a future together. Debut author Diamond writes a taut, compelling romantic thriller with believable villains, smart heroes, and a fresh plot that keeps readers engaged while keeping the door open for a sequel. Some details--particularly occasional D.C.-area geography and descriptions and the main sex scene, which seems out of character for laser-focused Maggie--miss the mark. A solid, appealing debut.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Diamond, Tess: DANGEROUS GAMES." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2017. Book Review Index
Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A480922075/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=9ffc9818. Accessed 23 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A480922075
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QUOTED: "Tess Diamond does a superb job of outing the 'bad guys' one by one. Cold chills made me shudder as she brought their values to light. The kidnapper really surprised me. How Ms. Diamond makes it all so believable is a masterful bit of writing."
"a gripping story."
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Dangerous Games by Tess Diamond
March 17, 2017 By completedreviews Leave a Comment
Dangerous Games by Tess Diamond
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (369 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia
Maggie Kincaid left the FBI two years ago and didn’t look back . . . until now. A senator’s daughter has been abducted, and the nightmare set in motion isn’t just familiar to Maggie, it’s personal. She’ll need all the help she can get to bring Kayla Thebes home alive—even if that help comes from a hot-as-hell ex-soldier who plays by his own rules. . .
For Jake O’Connor, negotiation equals weakness. But he’s immediately drawn to the sexy former agent who epitomizes strength. It isn’t long before he and Maggie are working together 24/7, learning to read each other’s signals and wanting much more.
But for Maggie and Jake, letting their guard down—even around each other—may be dangerous. Now, as they close in on a kidnapper with nothing to lose, their first mistake could shatter a young girl’s last chance…
“I-got-your-back” secret service story, Dangerous Games, is an adrenaline junkie’s paradise. My anxiety level skyrocketed every whip stitch. The “bad guys” who have power, money, and connections in high places that the “good guys” have to outsmart is mind boggling.
Maggie Kincaid, ex-FBI and overloaded with emotional baggage, is coaxed back to the FBI to negotiate for the release of fourteen-year-old Kayla, Senator Thebes’ daughter. IF you happen to be a woman who has succeeded in a male-dominated profession, you can empathize with Maggie. Many of the male agents that are not as good at their jobs as she is at hers make her life miserable—adding to her load of grief, anger, and guilt that she has lived with for years.
Jake O’Connor, former Army Ranger, now best at his job of handling sensitive D. C. political issues, becomes part of the mass of people at Senator Thebes” house. He is to see to the senator’s interest. His self concept is in good shape, even though, he too has nightmarish past events in his career that haunt him. He is not threatened by Maggie’s abilities. He can see her expertise in negotiating and gravitates to her. What a team they make!
Tess Diamond does a superb job of outing the “bad guys” one by one. Cold chills made me shudder as she brought their values to light. The kidnapper really surprised me. How Ms. Diamond makes it all so believable is a masterful bit of writing. Even better is the way she reveals Maggie’s dedication and determination to save Kayla, even when the odds are sky high against her.
There are characters one loves to love and many others one loves to hate. Oh, yes, even a sex scene gets worked in amid all the chaos. A gripping story!
QUOTED: "a fast paced story with twists and turns and an amazing heroine."
Such A Pretty Girl
Such a Pretty Girl by Tess Diamond
Author Tess Diamond
Release Date September 26, 2017
Publisher Avon
ISBN/ASIN 0062655825
Our Rating
Reviewed by BPoston
Buy the Book
Our Review
Grace Burrows works for the FBI as a criminal profiler. Her work has also helped her to become a very successful crime novelist. She has been assigned to help solve a string of murders which appear to have no connection…until she realizes the murder victims bear a striking resemblance to her.
As Grace and her new partner and former lover, Gavin Walker, work the crime scenes, they are drawn into the mind of a madman who appears to be playing an exciting game of cat and mouse with Grace. Can they figure out who this person is before Grace becomes his next victim?
SUCH A PRETTY GIRL is a fast paced story with twists and turns and an amazing heroine in Grace Burrows. This book will capture you quickly and if you are like me, you will read it straight through.
RJ RECOMMENDED READ
QUOTED: "Dangerous Games by Tess Diamond is a gripping romantic suspense story."
"The suspense plot did overwhelm the romance a bit."
"Dangerous Games by Tess Diamond is a solid romantic suspense from a new author. The romantic suspense plot kept me on pins and needles."
Review: Dangerous Games by Tess Diamond
Written by Jennifer Porter
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DangerousGamesDangerous Games by Tess Diamond (romantic suspense, Avon, March 2017)
Summary:
In Tess Diamond’s gripping debut, when an elite negotiator and a security expert team up to solve a kidnapping, the only thing higher than the tension is the heat . . .
Maggie Kincaid left the FBI two years ago and didn’t look back . . . until now. A senator’s daughter has been abducted, and the nightmare set in motion isn’t just familiar to Maggie, it’s personal. She’ll need all the help she can get to bring Kayla Thebes home alive—even if that help comes from a hot-as-hell ex-soldier who plays by his own rules. . .
For Jake O’Connor, negotiation equals weakness. But he’s immediately drawn to the sexy former agent who epitomizes strength. It isn’t long before he and Maggie are working together 24/7, learning to read each other’s signals and wanting much more.
But for Maggie and Jake, letting their guard down—even around each other—may be dangerous. Now, as they close in on a kidnapper with nothing to lose, their first mistake could shatter a young girl’s last chance…
Review:
Dangerous Games by Tess Diamond is a gripping romantic suspense story about a couple’s race to save a young girl and stop a kidnapper. Maggie Kincaid used to be a negotiator for the FBI, but left her job after a hostage situation ended badly. She has been hiding from the world and licking her wounds until her old FBI boss and mentor reaches out and asks for her help. A senator’s 14-year old daughter has been kidnapped. Together with Jake O’Connor, the head of the senator’s security team, the two hunt down the kidnapper in a race to save the teenager. Along the way, we learn more about Maggie’s past asn her own kidnapping, an event that led to the death of her sister and endless guilt for Maggie.
The kidnapper is quite the evil bad buy, and I admit that this story got a bit scary at times (kidnappers are not nice). There were also some serious twists and turns during the story as Maggie tries to come to grips with her past, both her kidnapping and her FBI career. After all, she left her job for a reason and has to overcome her self doubt. Along the way, she and Jake grow close, bonding while trying to solve the case - especially when they realize they might the only one’s they can trust.
For me, the suspense plot did overwhelm the romance a bit. However, I was quite caught up in the mystery surrounding the kidnapping and Maggie’s past, so this seemed somewhat appropriate. I definitely liked Maggie and Jake together; they made a great team and ended up being everything to each other.
One thing of note, Dangerous Games was previously published in three parts, and it is obvious that it was written this way with requisite cliffhangers at the section end points. This didn’t take away from the story, but it was noticeable. I was very happy to have the entire story to read in one sitting.
Dangerous Games by Tess Diamond is a solid romantic suspense from a new author. The romantic suspense plot kept me on pins and needles and I look forward to more from this author.
Tess Diamond: no website
Book Disclosure: An ebook was provided by the publisher via edelweiss.
Last modified on Thursday, 30 March 2017 19:36
QUOTED: "Ms. Diamond does a great job helping the reader to really know Grace, but Gavin never feels fully fleshed out. ... It seemed as though Ms. Diamond was in too big a hurry to get to the meat of the story and just didn’t take the time to create the kind of fully-realized hero I’ve come to expect from a good romance."
Such a Pretty Girl
Tess Diamond
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I picked up Such a Pretty Girl in hopes of losing myself in that perfect blend of romance and mystery I’ve been fortunate enough to find in many of the romantic suspense novels I’ve read recently. For the most part, I got what I was looking for, but this latest novel by Tess Diamond isn’t without its problems.
Grace Sinclair is a best-selling crime novelist, a volunteer counselor at a center for troubled teens, and the FBI’s top profiler. Her life is steeped in darkness, but she seems to like it that way. She wants to make a difference in the world, and her various jobs all help her to do that.
She doesn’t have time for romance. Two years ago, she shared one night of passion with a fellow FBI agent, but the two of them haven’t crossed paths since, and that’s fine with her. Sure, she still thinks about Gavin Walker, but she knows that’s as far as things will go. Love and marriage are fine things for other women, but not for Grace, who considers herself far too busy to waste time on something as frivolous as romance.
As readers of romantic suspense can probably guess, Grace and Gavin are thrown together as they investigate a series of brutal murders. Both have fond memories of the night they spent together, but neither seems overly inclined to take things any further. At least, not at first. Instead, they focus on unraveling a series of strange clues the killer leaves for them.
As the body count rises, so too does the sexual tension between Grace and Gavin. They have a wonderfully intuitive professional relationship, but things aren’t quite as smooth when they’re off the clock. Gavin makes several small overtures in the early part of the story, but Grace doesn’t take him up on them until a little over halfway through the novel. I appreciated her need to take things slowly, but her reasons for doing so are pretty complicated, and didn’t entirely ring true for me. It’s not that I want people to jump into bed with one another straight away, but the chemistry between these two was very obvious, and I found myself anxious to see them working toward their HEA.
I would also have liked to learn a bit more about Gavin’s back story. Ms. Diamond does a great job helping the reader to really know Grace, but Gavin never feels fully fleshed out. I like to understand the motivations of the characters I read about, and so many of Gavin’s – both personal and professional – are sort of glossed over. It seemed as though Ms. Diamond was in too big a hurry to get to the meat of the story and just didn’t take the time to create the kind of fully-realized hero I’ve come to expect from a good romance.
Grace is a bit of a Mary Sue, and this makes her a difficult heroine to fully embrace. I couldn’t relate to her because she’s absolutely perfect at everything she does. She seems to have no faults; her coworkers and supervisors go along with everything she suggests without question and the one time someone does question a theory she brings forward, they’re quickly forced to come around to her way of thinking. I’m drawn to more three-dimensional characters. I obviously want them to have strengths, but a few weaknesses help to make them seem more like actual people.
If you’re a frequent reader of romantic suspense, I’m willing to bet you’ve come across a story that’s pretty similar to this one. Grace and Gavin are racing to put a stop to a serial killer, but, before they get very far, they realize the killer is probably after Grace. Ms. Diamond does a good job putting her own spin on this too-familiar tale, but, if formulaic books tend to put you off, you might want to pass on this one.
While Such a Pretty Girl does have its good points, it’s not a book I can, in good conscience, recommend. There are so many great romantic suspense novels out there, and this one didn’t meet my expectations in all the ways I hoped it would. I won’t say I’ll never read anything else Ms. Diamond writes, but, for now, I’m moving on to something else.
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