Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Review & Giveaway: The Perfect Suspect by Margaret Coel


Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: September 6th 2011 by Berkley Hardcover
more details...
ISBN0425243486 (ISBN13: 9780425243480)

From publisher:

After a candidate for governor is murdered, and his estranged wife is arrested for first-degree homicide, journalist Catherine McLeod receives a call from an anonymous woman claiming she saw the real killer leave the scene of the crime but is afraid to confide in the police. To uncover the truth, Catherine must risk her career-and her life-to find the witness who can identify the candidate's murderer: Detective Ryan Beckman.

My thoughts: Catherine McLeod proved to be a very intrepid journalist. She wasn't just looking for sensational news stories but the truth. She also had a great deal of empathy for the victims. Detective Beckman was a loose cannon. She was insecure about her lowly beginnings yet proud of her police career as she saw it. She's a morally flawed individual though and her emotional makeup got the better of her good sense. The scary part of this made me see how easily someone in law enforcement could frame another person.

 Although billed as a mystery, it has some of the characteristics of a police procedural and all the characteristics of the suspense format. In a procedural or suspense novel, unlike a traditional mystery, the reader knows the victim and the murderer right from the get-go. (One reason I included the publisher's synopsis) The ensuing plot is how the investigation proceeds and how or even if the killer gets caught and what tripped them up.

In a well written one, such as this, the reader is immersed in the mental and emotional cat-and-mouse game being played out between investigator(s) and killer. Coel approached this with the investigator being a civilian, so to speak. We, as readers, don't get too much insight into the actual investigation other than what part Detective Ryan plays in it. It's doubly interesting seeing that she is also the killer! However you want to define it, The Perfect Suspect is the perfect read.

I've never read Coel before but I am so glad I agreed to review this one.  Wow, what a great story this turned out to be.  Excellent plot, superbly paced and with in-depth characterizations. I really liked the way Coel lets the reader into the killer's head and then switches to the action. And non-stop action it is; a thrill ride all the way!   I read it in two sittings and did not want to put it down. TBG liked it as much as I did. For more about the author, please visit her website. 4.5****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was received from Berkley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to the generosity of Berkley, one lucky winner from the US can read this one too. Open to US only and the deadline to enter is September 17th at 5 PM (est). Please be sure to leave an e mail address in your comment. Bonus entries available for this contest are as follows:

+1 for posting on your facebook page with link to giveaway
+2 for being a follower, old or new. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.
+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.


Good luck!

29 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great book, loved your description of it as a thrill ride :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the giveaway.

    +2 I follow on GFC under Bethie

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

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  3. I haven't read many police procedurals but this one sounds like it's very good, and has just turned my head. I loved reading your thoughts on it, and would love to be entered in your giveaway, thanks!

    zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

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  4. oh, right up my alley!

    +2 follow on GFC and GReader

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  5. thanks for this great giveaway. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  6. Sounds like a good book. Thanks for the giveaway.

    +2 follow as sandyg265

    sgiden at verizon.net

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  7. I love police procedurals and boy, have you made this one sound good. I'd love to be entered in the giveaway.

    I subscribe in Google Reader.

    kathy(at)bermudaonion.net

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  8. I love those mental cat-and-mouse games!! This one sounds like a solid read and I'm thrilled that you loved it so much!!!

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  9. I have another Margaret Coel on my shelves, given to me by my aunt years ago. Maybe this is the time to dust it off and read it. I'd love to win the new one and am a follower under the name of Susan.
    sdryburgh at hotmail dot com

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  10. Sounds pretty good!!! I think it is a risk to give all the info early one but it sounds like she pulled it off and still made it suspenseful.

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  11. This sounds great!

    yvone473[at]optonline[dot]net

    I'm a follower through GFC under Yvonne

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  12. I love Margaret Coel's other books, so this series looks like one I could get into.

    +2 follower on Google Reader

    tbranco24 AT gmail DOT com

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  13. This looks good! I think journalists always make good detectives...that observant gene or something!

    +GFC follower (holdenj)

    Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  14. This sounds like a book I would really enjoy! Thank you for the giveaway!

    mittens0831 at aol dot com

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  15. I follow on GFC - Carol M
    mittens0831 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  16. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/CarolAnnM/status/111885947251068928

    mittens0831 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for the chance to win this one.

    I'm a GFC follower.

    fforgnayr@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'd love to read this "perfect read!"
    Thanks for the chance to win!
    +2 follower
    ericandsarita at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  19. thanks for the chance to read this mystery...

    i'm a follower, too :)

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Always love to read a new mystery writer and your review sounds like this is a carefully written one.

    Thank you for the giveaway.

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  21. +1 I posted this giveaway on my Facebook page:

    http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1802916392

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  22. I am an old GFC follower under the name of Carol N Wong.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  23. +3 I tweeted:
    http://t.co/gjo8S3T


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Wow this sounds like a very interesting read. Thanks for the giveaway.
    I follow your blog via GFC/Pamela Keener
    Pam
    pk4290 at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  25. I would love to read this!

    misusedinnocence@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  26. I follow on gfc as misusedinnocence.

    misusedinnocence@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  27. I do love my suspense and thrillers! This one sounds like a page-turner, especially with your 4.5 rating! Thanks for the chance to win!

    +2 old follower on GFC

    knittingandsundries(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Sounds exciting! Thanks for the giveaway.
    +2 follower by GFC
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  29. Thanks for the chance to win - I am a follower gfc name - griperang (Angela) and I have blogged your giveaway - http://griperangsbookmarks.blogspot.com/p/giveaways.html

    ReplyDelete

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