Nichole Christoff's mystery series starring Jamie Sinclair is off to a strong beginning with the first installment, The Kill List. This action-packed and intriguing mystery is quite riveting with plenty of unexpected twists and turns. A great cast of characters, a very descriptive writing style and a baffling mystery are just a few of the reasons this debut novel is so entertaining and impossible to put down.

The Kill List opens with private investigator Jamie Sinclair using herself as bait for a stalker and then quickly segues into a request from her ex-husband to help find his kidnapped daughter. Upon arrival at Ft. Leeds, Jamie is besieged by memories of when she lived on the post as a teenager. But it is coming face to face with her ex-husband Tim Thorp and his new wife Brandy that she finds most disconcerting. Setting aside her unease, Jamie is quick to begin the search for three year old Brooke. But the investigation is soon hampered by interagency squabbling and the discovery that Tim has been less than honest with her. With the help of military policeman Lt. Colonel Adam Barrett, she uncovers and follows several possible leads with little regard to her personal safety.

Jamie is a strong, tough and gutsy lead character who does not let anyone tell her what she can or cannot do. She is still hurting from her divorce but finding Tim's daughter is more important than her broken heart. She is tenacious and clever and at times, she acts before she thinks, with sometimes disastrous results. Jamie has a strong moral compass but she is also willing to bend a few rules to get to the truth.

Adam Barrett teams up with Jamie right away and helps her throughout the investigation. He is keenly observant, patient and caring, but he never lets sentiment get in the way of duty. While he is not afraid to ask Jamie probing questions about her personal life, he does not press her for more than she is willing to reveal.

The investigation into Brooke's disappearance is full of puzzling and seemingly unrelated clues. The search for the kidnapper yields a few promising leads, but the trail quickly goes cold. Jamie's attention is diverted when the stalker escapes during a court appearance and comes after her. The novel really becomes suspenseful as Jamie finds herself in one dangerous situation after another. Thankfully Adam offers her a safe haven when it becomes apparent that her life is in danger, but from whom? The kidnapper? The stalker? Both?

The Kill List is a suspense-laden and fast paced novel that fans of police procedurals are going to love. The mystery element of the storyline is brilliantly executed and nearly impossible to solve. The characters are multi-faceted and well developed. The plot twists are outstanding and Nichole Christoff brings the novel to an absolutely shocking and dramatic conclusion. ( )

Good story with good characters. Had an issue with part of the story, but it wasn't enough of an issue that I didn't enjoy the book. Would recommend and getting ready to read book two. I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. ( )

Jamie Sinclair is a licensed PI and Security Consultant. After years of no contact, Tim Thorpe contacts her; he’s her ex-husband. At first, she has no intention of helping him regardless of what he wants, but then he explains that his and Brandy’s three year old daughter has been abducted. Even if she could turn her back on Tim, she cannot turn her back on a child who needs help. And Brooke needs help quickly, as she has type I diabetes. So, if Tim wants Jamie’s help, this is not the time to keep secrets. Yet he does, which only prolongs the investigation and further endangers the life of little Brooke. His wife, Brandy, also seems secluded and sneaky.

I really liked Nichole Christoff’s debut novel and the first in the Jamie Sinclair series. As a debut, it picks right up in the middle of ‘life’. From reading some of Jamie’s background with Kevin (Kev) Jaeger, FBI Special Agent, I would not have assumed this to be the first of a series. The author accomplished placing us right into the action very early on. Fort Leeds is a fictional army base located in New Jersey. The base was not unfamiliar to Jamie as she lived there as a teen when her father was Major General James Sinclair. She’s tough on herself because her father would never accept anything that wasn’t her absolute best.

There is a bit of a romance element as she and the MP, Adam Barrett, become attracted to each other. The romance is not overdone; it doesn’t compete with the main story. Basically, this is an enjoyable mystery leaving no loose ends and I look forward to more from this author, and more of Jamie Sinclair. I rated The Kill List at 4 out of 5. ( )

This title kept me reading and guessing till the end. Filled with intense scenes and a great cast of characters, I had a fun time with this book. Fans of James Patterson, Nelson Demille, and Erica Spindler will have a great time with this as well. ( )

Jamie Sinclair is a security expert and if she did not wear expensive clothes and very sexy handmade shoes I would say she was a strong protagonist. Unfortunately, Ms Sinclair's fancy clothes turn out to be made from graphene or something because she can perform the most amazing acrobatics and broken field running in them and they aren't damaged. It's pretty amazing how well she can sprint in spike heels.

The premise and plot of the book are pretty good but the execution is weak. As I look through my reading notes I see lots of too easy coincidences, sexy clothes worn in inappropriate settings, strange deviations from military protocol, a military based that is only fenced on three sides, and a killer who is instantly recognizable. (As a matter of fact, the killer is so obvious that I actually questioned how someone so obvious could be anything other than a red herring. Alas, no.) Jamie's father talks like an automaton. Ms Christoff confuses Helmand with Kandahar. And how does Jamie buy an air ticket for less than $200?

I received a review copy of "The Kill List: A Jamie Sinclair Novel" by Nichole Christoff (Random House – Alibi) through NetGalley.com. ( )