Lorrie M. (ilovedale3) reviewed The Rosary Girls (Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, Bk 1) on + 524 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
Action and chills right from the beginning of the book! This book is an excellent psychological thriller. If you like books like "The Bone Collector" or some of Patricia Corwell's books, you'll enjoy this one.
Barbra T. reviewed The Rosary Girls (Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, Bk 1) on + 53 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I did not complete this graphic novel. I enjoy a good mystery, but the author's details through the killer's eyes was far more tha I could tolerate. I've no doubt there are those who can read thru it, but best if you have a strong stomach and aren't bothered by extreme brutality toward teenage girls. I threw the book away--I didn't even want to post it on PBS!
Karen F. (earlsgirl) reviewed The Rosary Girls (Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, Bk 1) on + 188 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I loved this book! The first I have read by this author and I am definitely ordering the others. It really delivers on suspense. Right up there with James Patterson's best stories! If you like thrillers you will not be disappointed.
Eadie B. (eadieburke) -
Helpful Score: 1
This book is about a violent serial killer in Philadelphia whose victims are Catholic high school girls who are found murdered with rosary beads wrapped around their hands. Since I was born in Philly and went to Catholic school, I did enjoy all the Philly locations mentioned from Center City to the Far Northeast. The religious details about the rosary and the mention of many Catholic high schools made the book very familiar to me. I found the relationship of Kevin Byrne, a veteran policeman, and Jessica Balzano, a new partner, very interesting. Richard Montanari's research was top-notch and very informative. The murderer was a complete surprise but the ending dragged unnecessarily due to many twists of different suspects. If you are familiar with Philly and enjoy mystery/thrillers, then you will enjoy this book.
Angie (aladdin) -
This particular large print copy DOES have a dust cover jacket. Jessica and Kevin try to work together while battling their own problems, an exciting new series with a unique setting...NOT NYC and NOT LA, but Philly. These 2 detectives in Philadelphia try to solve serial murders by a psycho who leaves no clues.
This is the LARGE PRINT version and there's no book jacket.
Marianne S. (sfc95) -
Absolute A+++++ thriller. The last 75 pages are not to be read any other way but in one solid read. It was great, everything a serial killer read should be and then some, I have definetly found a new author to read. If you are a fan of Chelsea Cain, Harlan Coben and the like this author is right up there with them. Great book.
Pat M. J. reviewed The Rosary Girls (Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, Bk 1) on + 66 more book reviews
New to me but known to millions, this author's the Rosary Girls has a copywriter note on its cover: "Relentlessly paced and vividly told, Rosary Girls is a smart, emotionally complex, fiercely gripping thriller. ....Takes chances, and breaks new ground.. and I found it was all true. Montanari seems to care about and understand his protagonists, and the reader cares. He knows people and the environment, based in Philadelphia, social and otherwise he writes about and the reader nods in recognition sometimes. Sadly the plot centers on a
vicious killer, hunted by veteran cop Kevin Byrne and Det.Jessica Balzano. This is a memorable read. I have since bought 3 more of his books.
vicious killer, hunted by veteran cop Kevin Byrne and Det.Jessica Balzano. This is a memorable read. I have since bought 3 more of his books.
Patty M. (nightreader) reviewed The Rosary Girls (Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, Bk 1) on + 38 more book reviews
Good mystery
Great book!
Donna H. (myanniecat) reviewed The Rosary Girls (Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, Bk 1) on + 218 more book reviews
Kept me guessing until the end...
Stacy C. (bleusz) reviewed The Rosary Girls (Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, Bk 1) on + 33 more book reviews
Very good and suspensful
Deanna F. (Deannie45) reviewed The Rosary Girls (Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, Bk 1) on + 23 more book reviews
Best book I've read in a long time! Very suspenseful and lots of twists.
Debbie W. (nurseypooh) reviewed The Rosary Girls (Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, Bk 1) on + 35 more book reviews
First book I have read of his. I will be reading more. Very intriguing, keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Sleepy26177 reviewed The Rosary Girls (Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, Bk 1) on + 218 more book reviews
It is Jessica Balzano's first day at the Philadelphia homicide unit with her new partner Kevin Byrne. With no time to acclimated they catch their first case together:
A young girl is found dead in the basement of an abandoned house. Her neck is broken, her hands wrapped with a rosary and bolted together like in prayer. With a second victim found not 24 hours later it becomes clear the killer favors young teenage girls attending Catholic schools and takes them in broad daylight.
Jessica and Kevin need all their instincts to follow the upcoming leads bringing them to a psychiatrist working for the Catholic schools. But something doesn't seem to fit when their only suspect is found hanged in his house. With his death the secret of the girls connection to each other and a lead to the killer seems to be lost forever.
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Speaking of building characters Montanari introduces two cops that couldn't be a better match to each other. With Jessica being the wife struggling with her separated cop husband and Kevin the commited veteran cop a lot of their background flows through the book building a relationship to the reader.
This novel is so full of turns that it is difficult to keep up and as soon as you think you might have figured out who the killer is you're slapped square in the face.
Gruesome, dark and amazingly thrilling.
Following this first novel are three books in a series around Balzano and Byrne: The Skin Gods, Merciless and Badlands.
A young girl is found dead in the basement of an abandoned house. Her neck is broken, her hands wrapped with a rosary and bolted together like in prayer. With a second victim found not 24 hours later it becomes clear the killer favors young teenage girls attending Catholic schools and takes them in broad daylight.
Jessica and Kevin need all their instincts to follow the upcoming leads bringing them to a psychiatrist working for the Catholic schools. But something doesn't seem to fit when their only suspect is found hanged in his house. With his death the secret of the girls connection to each other and a lead to the killer seems to be lost forever.
-
Speaking of building characters Montanari introduces two cops that couldn't be a better match to each other. With Jessica being the wife struggling with her separated cop husband and Kevin the commited veteran cop a lot of their background flows through the book building a relationship to the reader.
This novel is so full of turns that it is difficult to keep up and as soon as you think you might have figured out who the killer is you're slapped square in the face.
Gruesome, dark and amazingly thrilling.
Following this first novel are three books in a series around Balzano and Byrne: The Skin Gods, Merciless and Badlands.
Donna M. reviewed The Rosary Girls (Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, Bk 1) on + 13 more book reviews
Veteran Philadelphia cop Kevin Byrne and his rookie partner Jessica Balzano have just caught the case of a lifetime. Someone is killing devout, young women, bolting their hands together in prayer, and committing an abomination upon their bodies.
Cami B. (psychoreader) reviewed The Rosary Girls (Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, Bk 1) on + 109 more book reviews
SOMEONE IS KILLING DEVOUT YOUNG WOMEN,BOLTING THEIR HANDS TOGETHER IN PRAYER,AND COMMITTING AN ABOMINATION UPON THEIR BODIES.
A RELENTLESSLY SUSPENSEFUL,SOUL-CHILLING THRILLER
A RELENTLESSLY SUSPENSEFUL,SOUL-CHILLING THRILLER
