Mark GilroyReseñas

A serial killer, kills under the radar of everyone or so he believes , arrives in Chicago. Detective Kristen Conner is part of the team that have to find him/her before they kill again.
Probably too much family and church scenes for me to give it more than 3 stars.

The eldest son of a Chicago billionaire is murdered and the only clue lead to an exclusive dating service.
For me too much description of Connor's workouts and fighting strategy.

3.75 stars. Kristen Conner is a Chicago PD detective, when a serial killer starts carving up professional woman in their homes. Then the FBI comes to town because he has done this in many other cities, and left no meaningful clues. Pressure mounts, exacerbated by a video blogger who hates the mayor. Gilroy does a decent job with cloaking the identity of the killer, even when Kristen herself becomes a target.

Cute collection of humorous Christmas stories and sayings.

Title: Cold As Ice (A Kristen Conner Mystery #3)
Author: M.K. Gilroy
Pages: 400
Year: 2015
Publisher: Sydney Lane Press
Kristen Conner is visiting her sister in New York City when she decides to take a very early morning job in Central Park in below freezing temperatures before her flight leaves for her return trip to Chicago. Unfortunately, she stumbles upon a crime scene as the criminal is leaving it. What follows is an eruption of violence by the Russian mafia in New York City with Kristen right in the middle of things. She returns to Chicago, but with a protective detail surrounding her. She is ordered to see the department’s counselor before she will be returned to active duty. Also upon her return she learns of the murder of one of her neighbors in the old neighborhood where she grew up. Her mom provides a clue to help the investigation, but seems nervous so Kristen moves in with her temporarily.
Kristen’s love life is also in upheaval as her FBI semi-boyfriend keeps telling her they need to talk, but then is so busy with his job he never has time to tell her what they need to talk about. This keeps Kristen thinking, but only negative thoughts. She has these thoughts on the back burner while trying to solve the murder of her neighbor, avoid being a target for the Russian mafia as well as trying to keep a serial killer behind bars from the story in book one, Cuts Like a Knife. No worries, right?
Wow! This book kept me glued to my seat as I was drawn in with action, suspense, mystery, fear, faith and a little bit of romance in this crime-fighting novel. The last fight scene in the story is just great! Kristen Conner continues to be a Christian in her life as well as her job as a Chicago police detective. She is tough as nails when it comes to a physical challenge. She keeps most people at a distance, but begins to see where that path isn’t always in her best interest. She is learning to allow herself to be vulnerable emotionally, at least a little bit. One thing to mention though is that there were several typos in the book; it didn’t detract from the content of the story, but was definitely noticeable. I am anxiously awaiting the fourth book in the series that will be released in the spring of 2016 to see what trouble Kristen has gotten herself into this time and how she gets out of it!
My rating is 5 stars.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Title: Every Breath You Take (A Kristen Conner Mystery #2)
Author: M. K. Gilroy
Pages: 365
Year: 2012
Publisher: Worthy Publishing
In this second book of the Kristen Conner series, Kristen returns from a temporary leave of absence spent in an FBI training center. She arrives in Chicago expecting a little love and recognition from her co-workers and boss for a job well done when she singlehandedly took down a serial killer. She barely receives acknowledgement that she is back. She is immediately plunged into another high profile murder case. A billionaire’s eldest son is brutally murdered with a hammer to the head several times. What soon comes to light is a high end prostitution service exclusively for the rich. The madam in charge of the escort service is a suspect for the murder, but events unfold that change that. As part of the investigation, Kristen infiltrates the escort service as one of the escorts.
As the investigation proceeds, Kristen’s personal life takes an upturn. She is still coaching her niece’s soccer team, her older sister is about to have a baby any day, her younger sister may have a new job and an FBI agent she went out with a couple of times during her last case gets in contact with her and they begin to date when he is in Chicago as he currently lives in Washington, D.C. Kristen keeps going over the case in her head and gets an idea. When she goes to check it out, she stumbles upon something she never expected.
This is another great suspense/mystery book! Kristen’s feisty personality, wit and grit are evident and I really liked that. She is tough physically and can hold her own in hand-to-hand fights. She lives her faith, loves her family and serves the public to the best of her ability. My next book to read and review here will be the third in the series, Cold as Ice, which I can’t wait to dig into! I sure hope there are many more Kristen Conner books from the pen of this talented author. Don’t miss this series!
My rating is 5 stars out of 5.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Title: Cuts Like a Knife (A Kristen Conner Mystery #1)
Author: M. K. Gilroy
Pages: 410
Year: 2012
Publisher: Worthy Publishing
Kristen Conner has anger issues; just ask her family and friends! She is a detective with the Chicago Police Department, lives alone and goes to church. Now, she has been assigned a new case. There has been a grisly murder of a woman by means of a knife. The manner of the murder has alerted the FBI, which then sends a task force to work in conjunction with the Chicago Police Department. This may be the work of a serial killer who has used the same method of murder in several other cities, then goes underground for a little while and pops back up in another city months or even years later. Chicago could be the sixth city where the killer has struck. Another body is soon discovered killed in the same manner. Another thing in common in all the murders is that the killer never leaves any evidence, so the task force has very little to investigate.
As the pressure to solve the case mounts, Kristen’s anger and keeping herself at a distance from others increases. She spends all her time working the case, trying to catch the killer. Her love life takes a down turn, but she doesn’t seem too upset by this. She has no time for a relationship right now, even though she is quickly approaching thirty as her family points out. As the killer continues to evade the police, Kristen discovers a clue that might solve the case.
I really liked this character. She has a great sense of humor and is grounded in her faith. She is a gritty, sometimes in-your-face person who is also well-versed in defending herself the old school way…with her fists. She will do anything to protect her family and pushes her bosses to the limit by ignoring their orders. Her father was on the Chicago police force and she feels honored to follow in his footsteps. The story is full of action, tension, loyalty, family devotion and much more. Kristen will make you laugh and sometimes make you cringe at some of her more direct comments or observations. I can’t wait to read book two in the series, Every Breath You Take.
My rating is 5 stars out of 5.
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.

Author's guest post at my blog:
http://bookfare.blogspot.com/2015/07/foodfic-please-welcome-mk-gilroy-author.htm...

Just Before Midnight, a Christmas novella by Mark Gilroy, was the December pick for By The Book. We met two nights ago to discuss the book. The consensus: it was okay. I think our biggest problem with the book was that it was novella length. It left us wanting more – more characterization, more detail in the plot, and most importantly, more story. We wanted to know what happens to the characters! If this book had been a full blown novel, we would have enjoyed it more.

There are four story lines in Just Before Midnight – an empty-nest couple experiencing a Christmas on their own, a young pregnant woman with a husband in Afghanistan, a down and out dad trying to rebuild his life and a nurse with a troubled teenager and out of work husband. All four story lines count down until they intersect right before midnight on Christmas Eve.

The characters’ stories are compelling. They all have worries and fears that they are facing. They all are going into a Christmas with uncertainty. The novella is fast-paced with twists and turns. And the story has a happy and unexpected ending. All pluses for our group. We just needed more! I guess that is good. We would love Just Before Midnight to be reworked into a novel.

If you can manage to squeeze some reading in before your own Christmas celebration, we really do recommend Just Before Midnight. Just know, you may want more!

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

Chicago P.D. detective, Kristen Connor, is back in M. K. Gilroy’s second novel, Every Breath You Take. This time Kristen is working undercover as a paid date to discover who killed the son of an uber-wealthy Chicago businessman. Once again Kristen’s dedication and intuition solve the case. This book is a great read for those who like police procedurals and a tough and funny protagonist.

Kristen has just returned to Chicago after a summer of rehab and training with the FBI. Her love life is in question and she is glad to be back in Chicago where the familiarity of family and work keep her head in the game. Her first day plunges her into a new investigation where she must go undercover, this time as a high priced call girl. Kristen is not a girly-girl and her experiences in this new undercover job are hysterical. But of course Kristen will get her man.

I really love the characters created by M. K. Gilroy. Kristen Connor is by far the most fun and interesting, but her family and co-workers, including her fashionista partner, give a depth to this plot-driven series. Kristen’s love life is again a story line, but the murder investigation really takes center stage. And this book is a clean read — no worries about profanity or sex. So, if you like a quick-paced mystery, great characters and a story that keeps you guessing, then definitely check out Every Breath You Take.

Gilroy is working on book 3 in the series; I can’t wait!

Recommended.

Cuts Like A Knife was the last audiobook that I listened to, and I just could not put it down, er, turn it off! Mark Gilroy has created a complex character in Kristen Connor, a Chicago police detective who loves her family and her job. The almost-30 detective reminds me a little of Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanovich’s bestselling series and Gracie Lou Freebush from Miss Congeniality. But only a little. She is definitely her own woman, and this is a mystery/suspense series you don’t want to miss.

Detective Kristen Connor has an anger problem, at least that is what her partner, her boss and her family keep telling her. They also say she pushes people away, not ready to commit to a relationship. But Kristen is dedicated to her job and that job includes catching the Cutter Shark, a serial killer that is terrorizing the women of Chicago. Between coaching her nieces’s soccer team, attending AA meetings undercover, and juggling a confusing love life, Kristen follows the leads and her intuition in pursuit of the murderer.

Kristen Connor is a fun and funny character. She sees herself and others objectively, warts and all. She is tough, gritty and not one to be knocked down. I loved her outlook on life and her small prayers sent heavenward for those she meets and those she loves. There are three voices in the novel: Kristen, a vlogger and the killer. Each presents part of the story and just enough detail to keep the reader guessing along with the FBI and the Chicago PD. Gilroy has created a truly scary killer without graphic descriptions, a feat unto itself. But when the killer catalogs the tools of his trade, I got a big case of the creeps. A page-turner to the end, you will not figure out just whodunit. There is an added bonus for listeners of the audiobook — an interview with the author. And the narrator does a wonderful job as well.

If you are a fan of Steven James, Mark Bertrand or Brandilyn Collins, be sure to check out Cuts Like A Knife. I am currently listening to the second book in the Kristen Connor Series, Every Breath You Take, and am enjoying it as much as the first book.

Kristen Connor, Chicago Police Department, is a detective who goes after a serial killer. Good suspense.

Kristen Conner is one of the youngest detectives on the Chicago police force, and just recently returned to duty after recuperating from injuries sustained while taking down a serial killer. When a high profile murder occurs the same day she returns to the force, she steps up to the plate. Even when her duty includes her going undercover as a high priced cake girl, Kristen works the murder investigation.

This is the second M.K. Gilroy/ Kristen Conner novel that I have read and enjoyed. Kristen is a complicated character, who second guesses her actions on the job and with her family, but not enough to change her ways. In this novel, she picks up a long distance FBI love interest that broadens the storyline. Kristen and her family are Christians, and they live their faith, though Kristen stumbles enough that she definitely feels human, and her efforts to grow are enjoyable. The murder mystery keeps you guessing until almost the very end, with great descriptions of fight scenes that keep the action hopping. I stayed so involved that I lost a little sleep when I did not read the end during my normal hours. I recommend this to readers who enjoy clean detective mysteries with lots of secondary storylines that add interest.

Received Galley from NetGalley.com.

Full of Tension!

Kristen Conner, the newest detective on the force, does not know that a new serial killer in town focuses on her. Attempting to live up to her father’s reputation at the police department, Kristen pushes herself to go the distance, with her family, in the department, and during self-defense training, but not at personal relationships. The FBI lists AA meetings as a place where the killer met some of his victims, so Kristen begins attending, meeting some others there that help her grow, but all the while the killer watches. Where will he strike next?

This is a great read! Kristen relies on her family, but also on the Lord for her strength. Maybe I am slow, but Gilroy kept me guessing almost until Kristen figures out the identity of the killer, and I was on pins and needles with the ending. I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys a hunt for a serial killer, but the Christian adds to the depth. Though there is violence, there is no profanity or sex.

Received Galley from NetGalley.com

I may not be a woman who can literally kick butt but I certainly love to read about women who can. So when I read the publisher’s short description for Cuts Like a Knife, Book #1 in a new detective mystery series by publishing veteran Mark K. Gilroy, I knew it was probably going to be my kind of novel. After reading it, I was shocked to learn it was a debut novel. Gilroy’s writing feels effortless, as if he had been doing this for decades. Read the rest of my review at http://popcornreads.com/?p=3537.