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Monday, June 27, 2016

Field of Graves - Review

Field of Graves (A Taylor Jackson Novel) by J.T. Ellison
Rating: Very Good
Source: NetGalley

Description:  All of Nashville is on edge with a serial killer on the loose.  A madman is trying to create his own end-of-days apocalypse and the cops trying to catch him are almost as damaged as the killer.  Field of Graves reveals the origins of some of J.T. Ellison's most famous creations: the haunted Lieutenant Taylor Jackson; her blunt, exceptional best friend, medical examiner Dr. Samantha Owens; and troubled FBI profiler Dr. John Baldwin.  Together, they race the clock and their own demons to find the killer before he claims yet another victim.  This dark, thrilling and utterly compelling novel will have readers on the edge of their seats, and Ellison's fans will be delighted with the revelations about their favorite characters. (From Goodreads)

Genre: Mystery

Why I Picked This Book:  I've been wanting to try this author since I first came across her not too long ago and I thought a prequel would be a good place to start.

My Impression: I feel a bit cheated.  How did it take me so long to read Ellison's books?  I feel like the book fairy should have shown up at my doorstep with one of her books shoved it into my hands and told me to read it years ago.
But now that I've finally found her I definitely plan to keep reading!  The characters in this are wonderfully flawed.  What both Taylor and Baldwin have gone through is horrible and you can easily see why they have the scars that they do have.  However, they're both brilliant at their jobs and while Baldwin may need a bit of a shove to get back to it Taylor is focused to the point of ignoring what's going on in her head without getting too angsty about it.  I really enjoyed seeing the way the unit worked together each person having their own role and their own strengths.  I also really liked that there are times when her coworkers are concerned about Taylor and while they use endearments they don't belittle her or try and push her aside.

The mystery itself had me holding my breath at times.  There is nothing cozy about this book but at the same time I didn't feel like it was overly graphic.  While there is a lot of violence the descriptions are more clinical than gore-y and while we do see through the killer's eyes from time to time I didn't feel like it got to twisted emotionally though the case is seriously twisted on its own.

On a personal level I really enjoyed the local aspect.  I live about 90 miles away from Nashville and have spent quite a bit of time there so I recognized many of the landmarks that were mentioned which always adds an extra amount of enjoyment to a book.  But at the same time this made it a little more personal and a little more unsettling for me.  The victims were the ages of my daughters and I live in the hometown of one of the victims and even know a few kids that went to Vandy.  This was definitely one of those books that I needed to read a chapter of something a bit happier before I closed my eyes for the night!

I had no problem jumping into the series with this book.  I expect that this being a prequel made that a bit easier but I wouldn't be surprised if this was the case with all the books as Ellison's writing was so vivid I instantly connected to the characters.  This book had me staying up too late and double checking the locks and I enjoyed every minute of it!  I can't wait to read more!
 
Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Absolutely!  I really just want to buy all her books and go find a corner to sit in with them.

Would I Recommend this Book?: Yes!  If you like mysteries with a little grit read this book!

20 comments:

  1. Haha. I have been there, when I'm asking myself "why did I wait so long to read this book?" I'm glad you really enjoyed this. I think it's a bit too dark for me.

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    1. Right! I feel like we should be told when there is an author or book that is perfect for us! It's definitely on the dark side.

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  2. I've only read one of these books, and while I loved it, I've never gone back to read the others. Not really sure why.

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    1. That's pretty much the story of my life. There are so many series that I loved the first book but somehow never got back to them!

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  3. You know I've read all of her Taylor Jackson plus the Sam Owens' series. I just downloaded this prequel with my book credit. I've been waiting patiently to get it and now I'm excited to have it. I can't say enough about J.T. Ellison!

    The only book I stumbled over a bit and didn't enjoy as much was her recent stand-alone: No One Knows. It didn't help that it was compared to The Girl on the Train. It's almost like she wanted to try her hand at that type of psychological suspense, but this is what she is known for and excels at, so I'll stick to her series installments.

    Glad you finally found her. I agree with this statement of yours: "There is nothing cozy about this book but at the same time I didn't feel like it was overly graphic. While there is a lot of violence the descriptions are more clinical than gore-y"-- yes, there is a difference, and these are the kinds of procedural/crime fiction mysteries I thrive on.

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    1. I do love a good procedural! Have you read Deborah Crombie? If not I think you'd like her. I didn't realize Sam had her own series. Now I'm really looking forward to reading more!

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  4. "Wonderfully flawed" characters appeal to me too. :-) I definitely want to read this one--and this series.

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    1. I do like characters that are flawed but not so flawed that it's impossible like them at all.

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  5. I have only read one book by this author, No One Knows, which I loved. I have heard good things about this series, so I definitely want to start reading it. I love mysteries with "flawed" characters. I have a feeling I would enjoy Taylor Jackson.

    Thanks for sharing.

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    1. I'm curious about No One Knows. It's sounds like it's more psychological thriller than this one. I think you would enjoy Taylortoo!

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  6. Oh wonderful to discover an author you really want to read more of. I have heard so much of her but haven't got around to trying any of her books. Not sure even though the violence is clinical - will see, but everything sounds so good!

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    1. It's definitely on the dark side but I didn't find it too graphic.

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  7. I was on board at the mention of a serial killer. lol. This really does sound great, though!

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    1. I've been in a serial killer mood lately. I really enjoyed this one!

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  8. Sounds like it hit a little too close to home. Lol.
    I like thrillers that are in the middle; not overly graphic but you get the gist of what the killer is doing. Sounds like this one is that perfect middle ground.
    Glad you liked it! And yay for finally starting an author you've been meaning to for forever. Stupid book fairy, never does its job.

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    1. Right! The book fairy needs to improve! There's no telling what all I'm missing!

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  9. I have a few books of hers, and looking forward to reading them. That's a little eerie about the connections between you and the book but that little personal touch adds something to a story. I'm glad to hear that the violence is not graphic, that's my preference for sure. :D

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    1. It definitely got a little eerie at times! I had to put it down and take a deep breath a time or two. It was very good though!

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  10. I haven't read a gritty mystery novel in ages and this author has been on my radar for years, must make sure I try this one. I like that you mentioned its a prequel (thanks) because it makes me want to read it more :)
    -Kimberly @ Turning the Pages

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    1. I picked this one because it was prequel too! That way I could start with a new book but not be confused.

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