Harry James Krebs

Vengeance is Mine (Benjamin Tucker, #1) by Harry James Krebs

Benjamin Tucker, a true crime author likes to help authorities solve brutal crimes. Then one(murder) happens close to home, the murders are brutal and viscous. Soon Ben is being stalked by the murderer and he and his family are in danger.

A fast paced, page turning all night read. Some twists and turns that will have you reading late into the night. The plot was fantastic, an original story line. I recommend to those who love a great murder/thriller/suspense… (més)

This is a book that most definitely fits in the adult category due to its language and the some of the description of the crime scenes, it is a mesmerizing tale of Benjamin Tucker, crime author and amateur detective who is swept up in the investigation of a serial killer who decapitates his female victims.

I loved the characters in Ben’s family. They brought humour and lightness to this otherwise dark story of murder. Of course, this blended family wasn’t totally realistic though, because what blended family could get along so well and not have any issues to work out? I enjoyed the fantasy of it however.

Though this was a serious book with a serious topic Krebs was able to inject it with humour and wit through the personalities of his characters. He’ll have you drooling over the fabulous dishes Roberta cooks up. My favourite character of all was Oscar, Ben lopsided dachshund who had difficulty steering himself and easily ended up requiring rescuing from the pool.

The mystery of who this killer was and why he was so fascinated with Ben Tucker was so filled with twists and turns it was a true roller coaster ride. And the ride was fast! I didn’t want to put this book down because I wanted answers, and I wanted them now!

If you enjoy the mystery/thriller/crime genres, I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy Vengeance is Mine. This was a very entertaining and thrilling book to read. I rated it 4 out of 5 due to the amount of profanity.

Thank you to the author for providing a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.

To see my complete review, visit Shelf Full of Books http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-vengeance-is-mi...… (més)

What makes you choose the career you’re in? For Ben Tucker, it was what happened on his 18th birthday. His girlfriend was killed – raped and mutilated. He explains, “…Christine’s murder still affected my life. Her killer had never been identified, and the feeling of utter helplessness that instilled in me had left me with an irrational drive to seek justice for victims of extreme violence.” He’s an investigative reporter who offers assistance in the form of research to the police in Holly Springs, North Carolina. He was also hoping to gain material for his next true crime novel. His first, Deception, was selling like hot cakes. His most recent offer to assist was when the authorities had found the second headless corpse. Both were sitting on the bed with an open Bible before them turned to Romans 12: 19 “…for it is written, vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord”. And then, the killer makes it personal. He wants to connect with Ben; he told Ben, “…the two of us have a destiny.” Now, Ben becomes very concerned for Maggie, Amanda Jane, and Julie – his wife, daughter and stepdaughter. For his third victim, the MO changes; it was for Ben.

This was a good crime thriller and kept me interested throughout. I felt I knew the characters fairly well. Ben is imperfect, as we all are. However, some of his imperfections didn’t sit well with me. He had a loving and extremely beautiful wife that he proclaimed to love deeply, yet more than once, he allowed himself to come dangerously close to cheating on her. This novel offered a great twist which mystery lovers yearn for. I like pets in novels as well as the next animal lover, but it seemed that Oscar, a little wiener dog, got more than his fair share. I think we were told every time he was taken out to relieve himself. We were also more than adequately provided with the contents of every meal the family had. I did enjoy the overall story line and feel the author has a promising future. I’ll be watching for the 2nd in the series, A Benjamin Tucker Mystery. I rated the novel at 3 out of 5.… (més)