I've now read and reviewed a couple of Lisa Renee Jones' novels, some I've liked, some I've hated, and unfortunately this one falls into the latter category, and, because there were so many things that irritated me about this novel, I can only give it a 1-star rating.

I was eager to get in at the beginning of a series, since my luck in that area has been a bit spotty lately, but this book didn't read like the first novel in a series, it read like the second, with much of the backstory alluded to, but not fully explained.

Then we get to the heroine, Lilah Love (really?), and the entire novel is little more than her incessant, self-absorbed, internal dialogue, much of it confusing, filled with f-bombs, and I found her to be utterly obnoxious. Her age is indeterminate, but she's been a police officer and is now an FBI agent and profiler, yet her inner thoughts make her sound beyond immature. She's rude and abrasive to nearly everyone she encounters, and by the time I was 25% into the book, my opinion of her character didn't improve. Yes, she'd been through a traumatic event in the past, but then the why of her boss putting her on a case that is so similar to what happened to her made zero sense to this reader.

Then there's Kane Mendez, the supposedly sexy man in Lilah's past, but their prior relationship is never fully explained. And then we have her current flavor of the month, Rich, whom she is utterly rude to and his attraction to this cold, hard, nasty and emotionless woman certainly escaped me. There are also a large number of characters whose presence in this novel and their prior relationships with Lilah also remain a mystery. Oh, and apparently her actress mother was at one time the creme de la creme of society in the Hamptons. Was there any reason for her mother to even be mentioned? I felt it added absolutely nothing to this story, aside from making me think of Mariska Hargitay, star of Law & Order SVU and the real-life daughter of the late Jayne Mansfield.

While I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of the novel, and should keep my personal opinion to the story as told, and while I shouldn't comment on things like typos, there was one misused word that appeared repeatedly, when the author referred to getting verification of testimony, she kept using the word, "collaborated," rather than the correct word, "corroborated." Whenever it appeared, it had me gritting my teeth. If you're writing a murder mystery, it's kind of important to know the difference between those two words.

Just as I was finishing this novel, hoping for some resolution, it wasn't there. Instead, be forewarned, it ends with an annoying cliffhanger, and, after disliking this novel and its heroine as much as I did, there is no way on earth I'd voluntarily read the next novel in this series for closure. I really hate giving reviews as scathing as this one, but there was simply no other alternative in this case.

She left town to get away from it all -- boyfriend and circumstances, She is forced to return to solve a murder that involves her boyfriend and those same circumstances.

Murder Notes begins a story about Lilah Love and her work as an FBI profiler. She is good at what she does and because of this she is known as Murder Girl. She is initially called in to investigate/profile a murder and is forced to head home to investigate similar style murders and confront her past in the process, which appears to be connected to her present situation in the form of old boyfriend and son of mob boss, Kane Mendez. A host of secondary characters from Lilah's past triggers her suspicious nature and question everything she knows.

Book One is filled with rich characters and a suspenseful plot. Questions are asked and relationships are tested. Lilah doesn't know who to trust but there is no doubt that Book Two will be packed with action and answers.

Buried in the very glamorous community of Hamptons is a rather sinister secret. It has been festering for years, shaping Lilah Love's life, unbeknown to her. A string of homicides she investigates brings Lilah home, to this secret. Confronting the existence of this secret has been nothing short of life-threatening for Lilah. It has changed the way she views her home, her family, and almost everyone that is around her. In Murder Notes, we saw Lilah finally starting to piece together all the untoward events in her life and her cases.

4 stars.
Definitely a page turner. A dark mystery/thriller/romance that is fed to you through FBI profiler Lilah Love's eyes. The way this story is written, feels like the author is dangling a carrot for her readers that remains perpetually out of reach (a little maddening at times but it very much captured my interest) . Tell me more!!!!
This book (she says sarcastically) doesn't even have the courtesy to end with a cliffhanger it just tails off mid-scene so fortunately for me I get to read book 2 "Murder Girl" right away (ARC) as usually that delay leaves me exasperated beyond words. I really hate to wait for satisfaction.
Will review this further after I finish the second book in this duet. Do love the writing here. A winner so far.
***Just finished Book #2 "Murder Girl" and what a rollercoaster ride. Definitely recommend. See link to review***
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

ARC received in exchange for an honest revi

This book captures you from the beginning! It's a great start to a new series. While it's different than I was expecting from this author it was a good read.

This could have been a good book! It has an interesting story and good characters. But it spent far too much of the book going back and forth between the current events and "that night". And...when the book ended mid-story with no build up, it did not make this reader happy. In defense of the story...the interesting story...I have already started reading the next book, MURDER GIRL, and it is much, much better. In the long run, the book is worth reading to get to the second book.

Rating 4.5 Stars

I like Lisa Renee Jones writing. She's good at creating characters and stories that are interesting and intriguing. Murder Notes is the grittiest of her books that I've read. Lilah Love isn't very likable but she is fascinatingly complex. She accomplished a lot already having dropped out of law school, worked for the NYPD and becoming a successful FBI profiler (maybe a little too quickly for real life). She smart, talented and can think like a killer. In part because she is one. Jones drags out explaining this part of Lilah's history excruciatingly slowly - in a good, sitting on the edge of your chair, chewing your nails kind of way. She's almost cruel to Rich, her fellow agent boyfriend. To her credit, she never offered him more but he wants to take their relationship to the next level. Her ex, Kane Mendez, is even more convinced she's the one for him but she's equally closed off from him. She's not a warm welcoming person even to her brother and cousin she loves, or her father with whom she has a strained relationship. In my mind, she did have a close, loving relationship with her mother before she died. Perhaps, her current reticence was born from the loss of her mother.

This book offers far more questions than answers. Who is committing the murders? What is their motivation? Are they targeted to get Lilah's attention and to bring her home to NY? Who can be trusted? What's Kane's involvement with his dead father's cartel? Is Lilah's dad dirty? Is Lilah's boss dirty? Are the NY FBI agents on the take? Who's really running the show? and the world as we know it? Throughout I wanted Lilah to quit fighting the truth that Kane is the only one who sees all of her facets and embraces even the darkest side of her but that seems no more likely than her finding love with Rich.

The answers to these questions can't be contained in one book and I was dying to know what came next as I came to the final pages. Time to go from this page-turner to the next - Murder Girl.

As an FBI profiler, it’s Lilah Love’s job to think like a killer. And she is very good at her job. When a series of murders surface—the victims all stripped naked and shot in the head—Lilah’s instincts tell her it’s the work of an assassin, not a serial killer. But when the case takes her back to her hometown in the Hamptons and a mysterious but unmistakable connection to her own life, all her assumptions are shaken to the core.

Thrust into a troubled past she’s tried to shut the door on, Lilah’s back in the town where her father is mayor, her brother is police chief, and she has an intimate history with the local crime lord’s son, Kane Mendez. The two share a devastating secret, and only Kane understands Lilah’s own darkest impulses. As more corpses surface, so does a series of anonymous notes to Lilah, threatening to expose her. Is the killer someone in her own circle? And is she the next target?

* * * * *

I found the character of Lilah to be interesting though she is so shut down emotionally that I can't say that I was able to emphasize with her. What really kept me reading this book was the fact that I found some of the secondary characters intriguing enough that I wanted to get to know them better. Alas that didn't really happen but now the mystery has me hooked. I really want to know the story behind the story so I am being held hostage.

Why hostage you might ask. Well I don't feel that this first book answered any questions, it just brought up more. There were no conclusions reached at the end, just a cliffhanger. So I feel that if I don't read the second book than I have wasted my time reading the first. And I don't care for that feeling. I want to look forward to the next book in a series and in this case, it feels like an obligation. I guess that is one way to sell books but not one that has ever impressed me.

As you can probably tell, I don't recommend this book to my readers unless you are a fan of cliffhanger endings. If so, you would probably really enjoy this book as it is well written and has a mystery that will hook you in.

***I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by the publisher or author.

****For the innocent, they don’t expect the brutality of the actions required to take a life, so they simply cannot process the inconceivable. For the guilty, it’s all about denying your own ability to do such a thing, and denial can be a slow, brutal sword that carves you inside out. Though there is another class of people that are more animal than human. Those so sick, so demented that they feel a fleeting joy from death and then seek more joy by doing it again. And again. You won’t find guilt in their eyes. You won’t find remorse. There are times when I’ve felt like one of those animals, but then the guilt starts again.
But you see? There is no remorse. I’m not sure what that says about me.

****There are too many links between me, a secret I need to ensure stays buried, and these murders for me to ignore.

That right there ^^^ is one of the things I love about LRJ’s books!
The suspense, the elegance of the words woven onto the page. The mystery, the clues that draw you in and keep you captive till you’ve figured every last thing out. I love a good murder mystery and this book is definitely taking me on a ride.

I’m drawn in, holding my breath to see where all the clues lead and can’t wait for the next book!

Not my normal type of romance book that I have read before. I normally love all books from this author. A different storylines from author. S good introduction with this type of plot.

I love the mystery and intrigue of Murder Notes! I can’t wait for the next installment in the series

Having read most of the author’s books, this one was just an intriguing and addictive. I can never put one of her books down and I know that there is so much more to the story than what I’m reading. Just like seeing a movie more than once, you can read her books multiple times and still find things you missed or didn’t connect. This is more of a mystery than many of her books but still has enough steam to make it interesting! Can’t wait for the next one!

I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was promised or received for this review.

Murder Notes by Lisa Renee Jones is the first book in the Lilah Love series and it is completely filled with intrigue and mystery along with the requisite romance and steam. Lilah is an FBI profiler forced to go back to her roots and solve the mystery of a possible serial killer. Not only must she deal with this but she must also deal with her family and their issues and political aspirations as well as the man she left behind years ago, along with her own deep seeded issues with her past. I am absolutely intrigued and can't wait to read the second in the series to possibly find out who done it!! Well written with plenty of hints along the way to throw you into the mystery.

4.5 star

The story has laughs, secrets, suspense, and heartbreak.

This is Lilah’s story. Lilah is very good at her profiler job with the FBI. The new case she just got has her thinking one thing and other’s thinking something different. This case will take her back to her own hometown. The things she uncovers are strange and have her rethinking things. She knows the players in the town some more then other but with the bodies piling up she needs to solve the case. She is getting anonymous notes that threaten to expose her and her secrets. But who would do such a thing? Does she know the killer? If she does will she figure it out before they strike again? With all the danger around is she going to be next on the killer’s list?

I loved these characters and the side characters. I felt I was able to connect with the characters and the story was a great read.

I highly recommend this book.

I didn't want to put this book down. I do feel a bit cheated that it ended on a cliff-hanger as I feel this is a cynical marketing ploy, but despite this, I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.
That out of the way, I'll get to content. A tough female FBI agent, a past she needs to keep hidden which involves a distinctly inappropriate ex and plot full of twists and turns. Enough to keep the reader frantically turning pages! The book is written in the first person, which can be annoying but this author seems to avoid the pitfalls, resulting in a flowing, engaging writing style.
A new author to me and I will certainly look for more of her work.

This story has it all, lies, murder, deceit and of course who is behind the murders. Lilah is a character that you will love and who doesn’t take nobody shit. I really love the connection between Kane & Lilah and these exes Have unfinished business. Can’t wait too read what’s going too happen next.

Lilah Love is a FBI profiler. She is investigating multiple murders that eventually point her back home to where she is from. Kane is her ex and who saved her one night from someone who tried to kill her. But who else saw what they did that night? Who can she trust? I love the mystery and suspense. I love Kane who protected her and has been ever since that night. Lilah doesn't take crap from anyone and is one badass women but who is trying to take her down? I can't wait to read the second book! Book given to me by author.

Wow! This is my first book by Lisa Renee Jones. I LOVED IT!!!! It isn't my normal romance book so going in I wasn't sure if it was the book for me. I am so glad I gave it a chance! Otherwise I would've missed out on a great read. The story focuses around an FBI agent, Lilah Love. She's feisty, she's a spitfire.....with a nasty mouth and a secret. I don't want to give away too much info....you really just must read it yourself. Lots of characters....including Tic Tac, Kane, Andrew, Samantha, Woods, Eddie, Alexandra, Murphy, Rich, Greg, etc.....the list goes on and on, so pay close attention to them all! This book ends in a cliffhanger.....which is killing me! I can't wait for Murder Girl to come out in July!

The lead protagonist is Lilah Love, an FBI profiler. Her job is to find killers, for which she needs to think like a killer, by getting into their heads. When a series of murders take place in New York, just weeks from one another, Lilah’s instincts tell her that it’s not a serial murder, but planned assassinations. All victims are killed in an identical manner. Stripped naked before death, a single clean shot to their head. The killer’s MO is quite unique, and shows every sign of an assassin at work.

As she starts her investigation, she’s called on to her hometown New Hamptons where a similar murder awaits her as a homecoming gift. The daughter of Mayor, Sister of Police Chief, and an intimate past with the local don’s son, leaves her in a trapped situation, where she must fight not to become the next victim of a dangerous enemy, close to home.

So far so good. I love a fast paced book, especially when there is a murder to solve. The author had made sure the first few chapters are fierce enough for her readers to hinge to the book. The characters sound a bit dramatic in a Thriller of this level. For instance, detective Lilah Love’s character is described more of a bittersweet 28 year old FBI profiler, who blurts out at almost everyone she encounters. Drunk with power, I must say. I am intrigued to see how the characters turn out in a long run.

Lilah Love finds herself back in the Hamptons where she left 2 years ago after a life-changing event took place. Lilah is an FBI profiler. She has been tasked with solving a string or murders that appear to have something in common - her. She returns to her house that used to be her mother's and begins trying to piece together what is going on.

Lilah Love was not easy for me to like. She is obnoxious at times, self-absorbed for sure and seems to have an attitude that she can do what she wants but everyone else needs to conform to what she expects from them. She sees her ex - Kane and tries to demonize him some more. She refers to him as the "devil" and "Satan" but then reminisces about what they shared. I got whiplash from it at times. I wanted to understand more of their dynamic but was just given bits and pieces which made it hard to understand them.

The book was kind of disjointed to me at points. I got Lilah was a driven person and devoted to her job, but she also had childish tendencies that detracted from her for me too. It takes a while to discover what really happened to her and I failed to understand her blaming Kane entirely for what appeared to be her doing also. They share a secret that could ruin them both but she seems to think Kane was more evil than her and I didn't buy that. Their one "romantic" encounter was tough to read since it was quickly over and contained almost nothing descriptive to lead one to feel a true connection between she and Kane. Almost the whole story is spent with Lilah making conjectures, finding notes left by someone threatening to expose her secret, and her wondering if her family is corrupt. It just got to be too much going on at points and I had a hard time following her thought process. She was paranoid at a minimum and some of her leaps of logic were hard to fathom. When the book ended I would have liked some more answers and not been left with more questions than when I started. Hoping the next book flows better since the story itself was interesting and had great potential.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my honest review.