Loved this book, new author to me, action packed. Great drama and a wonderful rollacoaster of emotion, The main characters are well developed and i found it difficult to not be invested in the outcome.

3/5

This book was just ok. I was expecting it to be interesting.... I was hoping to engage with the characters and the plot but it never happened. While I enjoy romantic stories I also love thrillers but I did not find myself at the edge of my seat or interested, unfortunately.

Im sure followers of the series will like it but I did not enjoy it.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

The man they call Deadeye has escaped from prison, just as Special Agent Luce Hansen goes on vacation with her lover, forensic pathologist Harper Bennett.

Deadeye is a vicious serial killer, a sociopath with no feelings or thoughts for anyone. On the anniversary of his first kill, two brothers are shot while out jogging.

But something seems a little off. Manner of killing is different ... bodies left out in the open is different ... trophy taking is a little different.

Has Deadeye changed? Is there a copy cat? A partner in crime?

Hansen and her team must track a killer that is extremely good at hiding in plain sight. It becomes even more dangerous when Hansen goes missing.

Suspenseful from start to finish, this well written crime fiction is full of action. The characters are solidly defined. I enjoy the blend of the professional along with the private lives of Hansen and Bennett.

Although third in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone. As always I recommend starting at the very beginning to see how the recurring characters have grown.

Many thanks to the author / Bold Stroke Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

BCI Agent Luce Hansen is a strong woman. Catching serial killers is what she does. Can she catch this one or will she become his victim? Can her relationship survive this case? Another well written story of strong women , murder, and love. I will now, anxiously await the next book in the series.

I love the Luce Hansen series and I like the way Ms Doench has developed the character over the 3 books. This is an exciting crime novel with good characterisation and a genuinely nail biting ending. It’s difficult in a fictional book to say the characters are a bit two dimensional as, of course, they are but apart from Luce, none of the characters in this book feel "real". I liked the plot of Deadeye escaping but throughout I was wondering why he didn’t just keep going - why come back? And Luce at the end... well I won’t put any spoilers as I think that is a cardinal sin but I wasn’t convinced by her actions. I will stick with the series though as I love Luce and I’m keen to see how the author develops her character.

Recommended if you’ve read book 1 and 2 though this will stand alone.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review

This took me a long time to read but there are parts I really liked and others I didn’t care for. Luce Hansen is called in from her vacation when a serial killer escapes from prison. Leaving her lover, Bennett, she makes her way to rural Ohio where two young men have been shot and killed. Finding a sniper serial killer in the hunting community is going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

The Luce Hansen Thriller series is definitely more of a mystery and suspense with a lesbian lead than anything resembling a romance. It’s one of the things I really like about the two books I’ve read in the series. Luce comes from a difficult background and is constantly trying to get the better of her demons. I didn’t read the second in the series and I’m on the fence as to whether I’m going to.

In this installment, Luce and Bennett have a fairly good relationship because they’re both within the realm of law enforcement. Bennett doesn’t have a huge role to play which disappointed me a little but I did enjoy Luce’s growth and development. What I didn’t enjoy that much was the actual serial killer. Snipers and shooters who kill people they don’t know don’t make sense to me. I can almost understand killing someone known and hated or the likeness of someone hated but I don’t really get it when it’s random or sport. Coming from this point of view, I wasn’t very engaged by the story line, even though I enjoyed the characters.

Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review

Similar to the first two reads in the series; not so much about romance as it is about relationships, family, and finding a voice for the victims. This story is well written with much detail. An escaped serial killer with skill to kill with one shot. As the read unfolds, the plot thickens and becomes more complex and creepy. Special Agent Lucinda "Luce" Hansen and Harper Bennett, forensic pathologist along with Colby Sanders constitute a solid and supportive friend group. Each person has issues and try and help in their own way all in the name of love and caring.

Methodical thriller that comes off as more of an introspective look at the lead than a high octane thriller. I haven't read the first two books so that does put me at a disadvantage in regards to the build up, but Doench gives us enough to refresh veteran readers and to help out new readers. Luce Hansen is a bit of a mess, after having been through a ton of really dark stuff, but she can't rest, as an old nemesis comes back to haunt Hansen. It was interesting to look at an established relationship, which we see here, with Harper Bennett, Luce's girlfriend. Even though they are in the same field, Harper has a much healthier outlook on life, while Luce is a brooder. It feels like the relationship should be at a crossroads, but because Harper really isn't there most of the time, it just feels like Luce is distancing herself.

So for me, there was an interesting case, with some good characters, but because of the flat narration by Luce (the story is told in first person, from her perspective), it feels like the book is just going through the motions. So, unless this is just Luce dealing with her demons, this comes off as just a little too weightless for me.

Special Agent Lucinda "Luce" Hansen and Harper Bennett, forensic pathologist and kind of controlling where Hansen's eating and exercise is concerned.

Along with a cast of characters, some good, some bad (and you won't know who's who until the end) this is a gripping and detailed story of a serial killer and his diabolical killing game.

This isn't a lesbian romance, per se, but it's a good thriller that has lesbians in it. I wasn't convinced that Luce and Bennet were all that devoted to each other, but that wasn't the point of the story, although it would have been nice to see something like caring go on between them. Their relationship seemed impersonal and mechanical most of the time.

"Deadeye" likes to play a killing game where he kills with one shot and takes a souvenir from each kill. Apparently, he does not work alone. Who are his accomplices and how many are there?

This is well-written and compelling as a murder/serial killer thriller, and is made for those who try to guess who the bad guys are.

I was given an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t know that this book was the third installment of ‘Luce Thrillers’, so all I can say is I’m sorry I missed the first two books. When you start reading a series you have no choice but to go back and read from the first but this is a stand-alone, I had know problem following.
Harper Bennett, forensic pathologist has had her share of bad relationships and being in a relationship with special agent Luce Hansen’s has its challenges. She looks after herself and expects Luce to follow her lead. Eat right, exercise and most importantly stop drinking. Not an easy task for Luce who has always fallen into a bottle as her way of dealing with life. We first meet up with the women while they are on vacation.
Someone is stalking and murdering people who are just trying to do a little hiking in the forests of Simmons County, Ohio. The MO lead them to believe that the killer is none other than Deadeye, a man already serving a life sentance for murder. Just so happens Deadeye had some friends on the outside willing to help him escape, starting with a nurse that works at the prison.
Even though they are on vacation when Luce’s supervisor and good friend Sanders calls for her to come help she has no choice but to go. She put Deadeye behind bars once and is determined to do it again. So the hunt begins.
Excellent read. Had a hard time putting this one down. Very, very enjoyable.
ARC via NetGalley/Bold Stroke Books

When I first read the blurb for Deadeye by Meredith Doench, I was intrigued. It sounded really interesting. Then I realized it was the third book in a series. I knew I would not have enough time to get the first two novels and read them before I needed to review this book, so I initially passed it by. The problem was, the blurb kept calling to me, so I finally gave in and asked for the book. I hope all the publishers and authors out there see how important blurbs and book covers can be for sales.
I’m glad I got the novel. I really enjoyed the story. It is a straightforward murder mystery by characters who are obviously well-developed from the past books. While I know I probably missed out a little by not reading books one and two first, I can tell you that it did not detract from my enjoyment of the tale. Whenever I really needed info from the other novels, the author was good enough to let the main character give the information though her thoughts. The murder mystery itself is well-written with a bit of a surprise ending. This is a romance-light story. Hansen and Bennett are already an established couple, though like all couples, they do have some rough moments.

This is a good solid murder mystery that I’m very glad I read. I do wish that I’d had the time to read all three in order though. I believe that I would have enjoyed this book even more if I had. Therefore, I’m going to encourage you to do as I say and not as I did. If you love great mystery books, get all three novels in this series and read them in order. I think you will be glad you did.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Rainbow Reflections:
https://rainbowreflections.home.blog/

Special Agent Luce Hansen is on a much needed break with her new partner Dr Harper Bennett when Hansen gets the call that serial killer Deadeye has escaped from custody. Two brothers are shot which may or may not be the work of Deadeye and Hansen, for the first time, is put in charge of the investigation. At the same time Hansen's mentor is in hospital and also Hansen is questioning her relationship with Bennett so she's under immense pressure. 
This book is definitely more of a thriller rather than a romance thriller. I felt he relationship between Hansen and Bennett was more of bit part and if you're into romance this book probably won't do it for you. Having said that, l really enjoyed this book as a stand alone murder mystery, you were kept guessing till the end as to who done it. The really interesting part was the ending, I felt it was dragged out but am left wondering if that's because I felt I was being lectured to!

3.75 Stars. Good but not great. This is the third book in the Luce Hansen series. All of the books have been exciting crime/mysteries stories but I did feel like this one wasn’t quite on the same level. The first book Crossed is still the best, in fact I think I personally have it rated too low. And while most of this story is contained in this one book, I would suggest reading these in order to get the most out of the series.

If you are new to this series these are pretty gritty crime/mysteries. The main character Luce specializes in serial killers so do not go reading these looking for cozy mysteries. In fact all of these books have some nice bits of excitement to them although this book was probably least exciting of all three.

All three books are really well written however I must admit I was disappointed in the mystery this time. I love when authors can drop little subtle clues that if you are paying attention you might be able to guess who the “bad guy/girl” was. In this case I felt like the killer came out of left field. Maybe I missed something but I didn’t really get how it all tied in, basically the “why” of it all. I was just left scratching my head which was disappointing for me from such a good series.

I’m going to keep this review short because honestly my brain is still on the USA winning the World Cup! I need to go back to Twitter and search for more locker room celebrations:) I would still recommend this book and this series. I think I have very high expectations for this series because it is so good, so this book did seem a little off compared to the others. It was a good book but Crossed is still by far my favorite of the series.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

This is the third book in this series that I'm going to have to get the first two so I can get to know the characters.

Agent Luce is just been appointed co-director of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and her girlfriend Harper is a forensic pathologist just went on vacation when Luce is called upon to recapture escape serial killer nicknamed Deadeye known for his single deadly shot.


I like that this was told from Luce point of view because we get the reasoning behind her searching for Deadeye as she recalled memories of past events. As Harper tries to deal with the reality of Luce work and wonder if she can built a life with someone who puts her life on the line and the job first.

This was well paced story that had you guessing what going to happen next. I like the friendship between Luce and Colby because the scenes in the hospital was very emotional.

Deadeye was the third book in the Luce Hansen thriller series. In this book, Luce was appointed co-director of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation by her mentor and friend, Colby Sanders. Her girlfriend, Harper Bennett, was hired to work as their forensic pathologist. All three had personal problems that needed to be dealt with, but the main storyline involved an escaped serial killer, nicknamed Deadeye, for his single deadly shot.

This story was told from Luce’s perspective and her past events that involved her father, Harper, Colby, and even Marci, her first love. For example, since the story involved searching for Deadeye during hunting season, Luce recalled her reluctance to kill innocent animals while hunting with her father. Or, with a beer in hand, Luce thought about the clean living pact she made with Harper as she drank herself to a massive morning after hangover.

The established relationships from the previous storylines continued in this book. However, I didn’t feel there was much of a relationship growth between Harper and Bennett from the previous story, and they still called each other by their surnames, which was fine.Throughout the story, it seemed like Colby and Luce had more of an emotional connection than Luce and her girlfriend, especially during the hospital scenes. It felt more like a supportive friendship between the women than a romantic one. Personally, I would have enjoyed the story better if the author wrote more open dialogue between the characters instead of just reading what took place through Luce’s perspective, especially with regard to Bennett’s life saving role in this story. I thought this part could have connected the women on a deeper emotional level, but instead the author treated Bennett’s role almost as a side note.

Luce’s internal reasoning regarding her pursuit of Deadeye was well played out and the serious tone was written accordingly. In order not to give anything away, I’m not going to expand on it. But if you like procedural mystery drama, you will enjoy this part of the story. It was well written and captivating.

Since this is the third book in the series, the author did explain some references to Luce’s previous relationships and traumatic events. But you might want to read the other two to get a better overall understanding of Luce’s life.

An ARC was given for an honest review.

After having read Books 1 and 2 of Meredith Doench's utterly engaging "Luce Hansen Thriller" crime series, which I thoroughly enjoyed, obviously I HAD to read its 3rd installment, "Deadeye!" Speaking of Doench, it was thanks to Jeannie Levig who first recommended her series to me when we talked about dark lesfic crime thrillers. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known and would've missed an opportunity to explore Doench's brilliant crime writing style and plot weaving in lesfic! For me, her style is reminiscent of James Patterson and Thomas Harris', which is my cuppa tea. Needless to say, Doench's 3rd installment continued to showcase her crime/thriller writing skills in crafting yet another intriguing case, not to mention, her insights into the ongoing development of Hansen's emotional and psychological journey as she continued her efforts to juggle her work with her personal life better this time. One swift read later, yup, this one's my favourite installment of the series, yet.

Obviously, I have to comment on the captivating book cover! Feast thy eyes: A scope target. Fixed on a Celtic cross. Red all over. Interpretation: Danger. Insidious. Deadly. Sniper. That's the story. Right there. Staring at me. Who wouldn't be curious? Well, I was! And as I explored the story, I was immediately struck by its symbolism. Well done!

Because Doench also included Hansen's private life which she first developed in "Crossed" (Book 1), continued growing in "Forsaken Trust" (Book 2), including her romantic relationships/entanglements, there was no reason she wouldn't further advance Hansen's relationship with her current partner, Bennett (first introduced in "Forsaken" not merely as Hansen's love interest but played a major role in investigating and solving the featured case), in this installment. So, even though, like other crime serials, the Luce Hansen series is a procedural, meaning each installment can be read as a stand-alone, I'd personally advise readers who haven't read the previous two books, to do so, IF you're also interested in the chronological development of Hansen's private life besides the case-of-the-week plot.

Back to the case in "Deadeye," Doench's methodical approach to setting up the crime plot in the prologue especially how it ended only elevated the level of my curiosity and intrigue about not so much the who but the why the crime occurred. The perpetrator's motivation, so to speak. That's one of the reasons I love crime thrillers because of the rush I feel, as a reader, as I get to play "detective" alongside the MC and/or other characters charged with solving the case. Nothing more thrilling than participating in victimology, post-mortem examinations, identifying, hunting and ultimately catching the murderer, all in the comfort of my seat exploring, discovering and uncovering the case through words and scenarios depicted in the book. And if you're familiar with Doench's style, her prowess in the art of crime procedures with a rich knowledge in the technical details of law enforcement investigation methods was once again portrayed effectively in this story. Plus, this time there was a matter of ballistics. The level of technical detail that Doench described about this area of expertise and what I learned from it (especially the so-called art of reloading casings and bullet making! Whaa?!) was utterly fascinating to me! Whilst the featured murder case wasn't original, per se, but add the hunt for an escaped serial killer and the subsequent findings and discoveries from the investigation and pursuit, made for a refreshing and thrilling crime story, indeed. Plus, the escaped convict, nicknamed "Deadeye," was known to Hansen and the investigating team, making the hunt more personal and with conviction. 

Speaking of Hansen, in this installment, we saw her quietly attempting to settle into a somewhat normal relationship situation with Bennett, her forensic pathologist girlfriend. No worries if you don't know anything about Hansen and Bennett's story (Book 2) because Doench gave a sufficient account on it in this installment so you'd get a gist of their status at this point. But once again, the case took precedence over her private life as she was tasked to hunting down and recapturing serial killer, Deadeye. To borrow Thomas Harris' term, Hansen was most definitely a "manhunter." Ironic that this particular case of the two murdered brothers and the search for Deadeye led Hansen right smack in the middle of hunting season! In the hunting town was where Doench subtly steered the case toward something more dubious and sinister. Without giving anything else away, here's a famous quote that I reckon would give you an idea...

"Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow creatures is amusing in itself." - James Anthony Froude

I was delighted that Doench delved more into Hansen's psyche in this installment, the progress she'd made thusfar which, despite having made a significant improvement since Book 1, no thanks to her relationship with Bennett, still had remnants of her PTSD from when she first encountered a horrendous crime which took her first love's life. The most jarring difference in her emotional and psychological reaction to her deep-seated loss whenever the memory of Marci came floating back into her stream of consciousness was more wistful and melancholic than the debilitating agony she'd suffer at the mere mention of Marci's name in the past. As with the two previous installments, Doench also wrote this book in first-person. So, like before, Hansen's inner psyche, emotional turmoil, dilemma about the case, her mental well-being, matters of the heart described were acutely felt as she stumbled her way through her journey of reconciling her priorities in life, love and her future. I was chuffed to discover that in this installment, Hansen finally took the proverbial step forward into the promise of light and love in her life after years of living in the dark shadows of her mental, emotional and psychological torture with crippling fear for her safety, a destructive mindset that effectively held her own soul hostage in the previous two installments.

Safety and Security. That's the crux of Hansen's life, innit? Incidentally, it was also this plot's theme as I realised the symbolism of certain acts and behaviours of the related characters. Although the heinous killings were straightforward on the surface, but as I explored Doench's aptly weaved and constructed twists and turns, I realised the larger picture at play, which gave the entire plot an eerie and unsettling effect for me because it was reflective of what's happening in our world today. Healthy paranoia or delusions of grandeur? Fear is always the starting point, innit? And that could easily mutate into something more insidious altogether, as we've seen/heard too many times IRL. That said, I felt like the two symbiotic conditions, the 2 S's, were used as a theme in this book when Doench deftly ran two parallel stories to highlight the various metaphorical existence of safety and security through various circumstances, viewpoints and state of mind of individuals with different agendas including Hansen. Safety and security, with or without. Real or an illusion? Or just a state of mind?

The Celtic cross. My favourite part of the story, really, because of its metaphorical and thematic connotations with the plot and Hansen's journey. What a well-crafted side-story that Doench astutely weaved into the mix involving this particular ornament that had always played a pivotal role in Hansen's past, only this time its implications were never more critical to her reconciliation between her past and her present/future than in this particular circumstance. But what struck me with resonance was its symbolic value to Hansen's sense of safety and security and its impact on her changing perspective about what made her truly safe and secure. That moment when she discovered who had possession of the cross was very subtly depicted but powerful. That mo just affirmed what she realised - that she finally found her true source of safety and security. She could finally go to sleep in peace knowing that she was safe! Small mercies, eh? But oh-so life-affirming for Hansen!

All in all, I really enjoyed the case and how Doench dissected it with procedural details including interrogations, witness interviews, fact findings, the actual field work, that always thrilled my sense of curiosity when reading crime fiction! Speaking of interrogations, I loved the scenes between Hansen and Debbie, whose behavioural characteristics, I thought, were effectively described, hence, the psychological angle of the dialogue felt even more compelling. Transference and manipulation in the context of prison and its most violent dwellers. Interesting. The secondary characters in this story were interesting. I particularly liked Donovan especially her natural rapport with Hansen. She was a detective whose instincts had led her to be recruited into Hansen's task force. I appreciated that Doench took the time to reveal her character by peeling away the layers as we uncovered more about her and her back story through her encounters and private convos with Hansen. In fact, one of my favourite scenes was of them having a poignantly introspective exchange which was written with a subtlety that resonated, which made another related scene my favourite one of the book. I was caught off-guard by Doench's quiet but impactful words that packed an emotional punch, bringing that particular moment to life. Utterly affecting.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention this - Bennett. I absolutely loved Bennett since she was introduced in Book 2. So I was thrilled when I read this book's blurb that she would be featured in the search for Hansen in the story. So, I was expecting a POV shift from Hansen to Bennett when she got wind of her girlfriend's disappearance. I was excited because Bennett had an innate skill in finding clues with her astute analytical abilities so I thought it'd be thrilling to see how she'd go about it, switching POVs between Hansen and Bennett. Alas, it didn't happen. Instead, Doench only mentioned Bennett's involvement in passing in the aftermath, which was a bit of a let down, tbh, because the blurb sure gave me the impression that there would be more than just a mention of someone who happened to play an essential, life-changing role in Hansen's life especially in this installment. I reckon Doench didn't want to be distracted by another POV, instead only focussing singularly on Hansen's at all times? I sure hope, if there's going to be another installment, that Doench would re-consider because I believe Bennett's character could enrich and widen the overall appeal of the crime thriller series, making it even more intriguing and exciting. Imagine the possibiltiies! Let's not forget Bennett was a forensic pathologist with a nose for solving crimes with her unique way that suited Hansen's perfectly! Having said that, Doench's decision didn't really affect the overall impact of the story, no worries. It's just my personal preference and I thought it'd have made it even better, imho. Oh, what do I know, eh? Anyway...

"Deadeye" is definitely worth a read, as either a stand-alone or serialised. Regardless, I defo recommend "Crossed" and "Forsaken Trust" to fans of the crime/thriller/mystery genre, which like "Deadeye," could also be read as stand-alones, too. Although, as I said, for those who're curious about Hansen's story besides the fascinating criminal cases featured in all three installments, I'd strongly advise reading them in chronological order. Luce Hansen is one fascinating and captivating character to explore as Doench has richly personified her emotionally and psychologically with utter aplomb! So, give it a read!

*An ARC copy was furnished, with much appreciation, by BSB via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.