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Formats
Paperback Details
  • 06/2023
  • 9781960076212
  • 221 pages
  • $13.99
Hardcover Details
  • 06/2023
  • 9781960076205
  • 221 pages
  • $22.99
Ebook Details
  • 06/2023
  • 9781960076229 B0BSG42JH1
  • 191 pages
  • $5.99
Karen Fuller
Author
Lethal Connections: The Poison ID Unit
Karen Fuller, author

Adult; Mystery/Thriller; (Market)

In a sleepy little parish just outside of New Orleans, murder is no rare occurrence. Sergeant Lance Knight has a pile of unsolved homicide cases on his desk. On the surface, none seem to be connected. The victims are all men with money or power. An investment banker, a lawyer, and a local politician. They don’t socially run in the same circles. Lance can’t find a connection. Working closely with coroner Gina Goodwin, Lance and Gina discover a pattern. Three unrelated things the bodies all have in common—a string of lethal connections. Is it just a coincidence, or is it something more? Things heat up when Lance realizes he’s getting close to finding the killer, and everything spirals out of control. Can he piece it together before it’s too late?
Reviews
In the swamps of Louisiana, a body is discovered floating in the murky waters of the Wetlands Observatory. Not an unusual day for Detective Lance Knight from the nearby St. Bernard’s Sheriff’s Department. The manner of death, though, and the case that follows prove anything but. When more victims are discovered around the waters of Chalmette, Louisiana, Lance and the coroner, the indomitable Gina Goodwin, discover a most unusual common thread: each has venom in the bloodstream, from what Gina describes as “snakes with a venom I’ve never encountered before.” (And she’d know—she adores herpetology.) From there, the case slithers into surprising territory, including the underbelly of a drug ring operated by a reputed witch practicing black magic.

Lethal Connections pulses with spry dialogue ,surprising bursts of tension and danger, and a plot as slippery as a swamp copperhead. For all the fast-moving procedural fun, though, Knight possesses an insightful perception that imbues the storytelling with emotional weight and resonance. Insights into the life of the widow of a victim who cheated on her, for example, bring welcome humanity to the case, as does the winning repartee between the detective and a smirking coroner, quick to deploy the “stink-eye” when appropriate, who has it in her to star in her own mystery series.

The three co-authors’ voices and interests blend into unison but also likely enrich the varied personalities and areas of expertise of this strong cast of characters. Gina’s introduced, in one scene, “elbow deep in internal organs,” while Lance struggles, a bit, with questions like whether he should pull out a chair for her at an Italian restaurant. His minor uncertainty is the kind of winning detail that keeps readers invested, not just in the bodies discovered among the reeds but in the sleuths on the case. The mystery is crisply told, the killer a surprise, and local color and folklore are engaging.

Takeaway: A detective facing Louisiana poisonings may find the killer too close for comfort.

Great for fans of: Tess Gerritsen, D.J. Donaldson.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B

Book Nerdection

Andrew Okiemute from Book Nerdection dubs Lethal Connections a Book Nerdection Must Read. “Lethal Connections is an exciting crime novel that keeps the reader in anticipation of a resolution of the tension. If you love crime novels, the try-to-find-the-bad-guy type of novel with a lot of pieces to try to put together, then this novel is for you. With a suspense-packed progression of events and exciting plot twist, Lethal Connections meets all the cravings of a crime novel lover.”

BookTrib

Action, mystery and intrigue are all concentrated for maximum potency in the new book Lethal Connections: The Poison ID Unit (World Castle Publishing). When investigator Lance Knight discovers an unusual connection between a number of recent murders, he enlists the help of an expert toxicologist to stop a killer before they strike again. As Lance draws closer to the truth, the body count increases, and the case takes several slithering turns. Fans of James Patterson and Harlan Coben will instantly be drawn in by Lethal Connections, a clever crime novel with an intriguing, toxic twist.

Literary Titan

★★★★★ Literary Titan says, “I highly recommend this gripping read to fans of thrillers and crime fiction. It is the perfect read for suspense lovers with strong and intelligent characters. Lethal Connections is an engaging and page-turning novel that will not disappoint.”

Readers' Favorite

★★★★★ Pikasho Deka of Readers’ Favorite says, “The authors perfectly capture the feel and ambiance of rural Louisiana, with its swamps, poisonous reptiles, and the underlying criminal underworld. The hyper-realistic and gritty tone of the narrative is peppered with bouts of humor sprinkled throughout the pages. Can't recommend it highly enough.”

Formats
Paperback Details
  • 06/2023
  • 9781960076212
  • 221 pages
  • $13.99
Hardcover Details
  • 06/2023
  • 9781960076205
  • 221 pages
  • $22.99
Ebook Details
  • 06/2023
  • 9781960076229 B0BSG42JH1
  • 191 pages
  • $5.99
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