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Click on the links to read the full reviews. CHASING DARKNESS
A tough special agent with the Department of Justice, and a dedicated single mother to her orphaned nephews, Sam Chase is unbreakable. Until two women, both from the shadows of Sam's past, are discovered strangled. For Sam, the most unnerving detail is the eucalyptus branch tucked behind the victims' ears -- the signature of a notorious serial murderer already convicted and executed for his crimes. To detective Nick Thomas, the only link to the copycat killings is Sam herself. And when she becomes the target of threats -- each one more menacing than the last -- his feelings for her just might jeopardize the case. But to understand the killer's twisted motive is to explore Sam's past -- and a crime she's spent a lifetime trying to bury. "Girard portrays the
effects of child abuse with clarity and honesty... [she] maintains
the novel's swift pacing and high tension... a compelling thriller
and a skillful treatment of a difficult topic." A Romantic Times Top Pick! "[A] very well written
venture into the dark side of human nature... For a riveting read,
chilling and heartrending at times, but with an overall faith in the
existence of good, I highly recommend Chasing Darkness." "Danielle Girard is
a name to watch because she's rapidly reaching the level of a Nancy
Taylor Rosenberg or a Sandra Brown..."
RUTHLESS GAME
When the rookie awakens on a strange street, she thinks the stress of the job may just be getting to her. But when her first call of the day takes her and her partner back to the same street and the scene of the murder of a man Alex recognizes, she begins to discover there are things about her past that she doesn't know. And to stay alive, Alex has to find answers before someone gets to her. "Ms. Girard may be
new to me, but she is moving up to my list of favored authors. I will
not be missing her books in the future. The passionate, believable
characters grabbed me from the first page and kept my attention riveted
to the final word." "Girard has done it
again -- a gripping thriller." "Danielle Girard knows
how to keep the suspense so high the audience never leaves until the
book is finished."
SAVAGE ART
Casey McKinley has left Virginia and moved across the country to San Francisco to try to forget her worries. But she will never be able to forget her last case -- one that ended in a serial killer's brutal attack and prompted her resignation from the FBI. Finally on the mend, both physically and psychologically, she has no intention of re-entering the world she left behind. But when Police Inspector Jordan Gray comes to her for help in tracking a killer who mutilates his victims, Casey finds the case so eerily familiar that she can't turn her back. "Danielle Girard makes
a very promising debut with this extremely intense and frightening
novel. Definitely an author to watch." "[A] skillfully written
first novel...a fast-paced page turner that will be hard to put down...a
tautly written thriller." "The heroine is a
fascinating character... This serial killer tale is so good fans will
want sequels." "Savage Art is tense
and fast-paced, a book that keeps the reader turning pages. The cast
of characters is... true to life and sympathetic... Savage Art is
frightening and sometimes gruesome, but it compels the reader... Thanks
to likable players, lots of action and solid deductive reasoning,
the story rushes to the inevitable climax. Savage Art is a thriller
that looks deep into madness and still entertains -- no mean feat." "Danielle Girard has
done an amazing job with her first novel, Savage Art. It's fast-paced,
suspenseful, and gripping. I couldn't put it down! I could hardly
believe this was a first novel." "Fans of the serial
killer genre will find something new in Danielle Girard's debut Savage
Art...Along with the forensic detail and the thrill of the chase,
Girard works in an excellent subplot involving Casey's recovery from
her horrifying injuries with the help of a tough-minded rehab therapist.
A compelling debut." "I couldn't tear myself
away. Danielle knows how to write a suspense so you are not just a
reader, you are a participant." "Danielle Girard knows
how to rivet your attention with the very first page and keep you
reading all night long." "Savage Art is a gripping
first novel that is not for the faint of heart. Vivid characters and
a very scary villain kept me reading until the end." "A terrific read,
guaranteed to keep you up late at night and make you sleep with the
lights on!" "A chilling and suspenseful
debut, Danielle Girard's Savage Art explores one of the dark places:
the soft underbelly of vulnerability. But Savage Art isn't just about
jeopardy, it's also about hope and resourcefulness and perseverance
in the face of terror. Girard writes her compelling tale with the
authority of a woman who knows what it takes to survive." "Danielle Girard's
debut novel, Savage Art, is so compelling it is impossible to put
down. A wonderfully suspenseful novel. Our realm of mystery readers
should not pass this one by. I hope to see more from this truly talented
author." "Savage Art has a
well-paced and very clever plot, with excellent protagonists and supporting
cast, as well as a horrific villain. I enjoyed Savage Art very much." "An intense read from
beginning to end. Danielle Girard has written a winning debut sure
to haunt you." THE ROOKIE CLUB Fifteen years ago in a San Francisco bar, the Rookie Club was founded--a
tight-knit band of female cops, each struggling for respect from their
male peers. Jamie Vail was one of them. So was Natasha Devlin, the
woman Jamie caught in bed with her husband. When Natasha Devlin is murdered, Jamie wants nothing to do with
the investigation. A seasoned inspector in the Sex Crimes Department,
she’s facing her own terrifying case--female officers brutalized
by a serial rapist who leaves no clues to his identity. Members of
the Rookie Club are under attack and a sick game turns into a deadly
vendetta. When the primary suspect holds the key to Devlin's murder,
Jamie must confront her past and hunt a killer who could be one of
their own. Jamie is trapped between two brutal cases and time is running out
before she becomes the killer's ultimate prize.
"The eponymous club is a support group for female officers and several of its members figure prominently in this exciting tale. One story line follows Jamie Vail as she tries to catch a vicious rapist who is attacking policewomen and staff. He leaves no forensic evidence, yet Jamie thinks she knows who it is. But proving the suspect's guilt is nearly impossible. The other narrative string is the search for the killer of fellow policewoman Natasha Devlin, who not only stole Jamie's husband but also took her "protect and serve" mandate a bit too seriously by "serving" just about the entire male portion of the force. Potential suspects abound.
This police procedural/thriller is a dark tale, full of violence and damaged people. Initially I was put off by the violence and risqué passages, but once the story got going, I became engaged and flipped pages as fast as I could do get to the resolution. This Barry-Award-winning author is in good form her. " "The first book in Girard's series has things going for it. The plot is intricate and the characters are fleshed out...Overall, a fine read, with just the right amount of suspense and twists along the way. " "THE ROOKIE CLUB is a police procedural thriller that shows how far women have come in the police department and how far for they have to go. Jamie's life is in turmoil as her ex-husband is arrested in Cassandra's death, a homeless boy sees a police officer knife Jamie's dog and she is playing "mommy" to an alcoholic who struggles to stay sober. She is an admirable role model and the story line is very exciting because nobody will guess the identity of the killer. Danielle Girard is a brilliant crime writer whose works are on a par with Kay Hooper, Lisa Gardner and J.D.Robb. " COLD SILENCE A former FBI agent with
a new identity, Cody knows that old secrets -- and vendettas -- die
hard. Now she's on the run again to save her son from the man who
wants only one thing: cold-blooded revenge. "In this story of
vengeance, lies and betrayal, Girard does a great job ratcheting up
the loneliness and terror felt by her main characters. This is nail-biting
suspense at its finest!" "Cold Silence is an
imaginative, fast-paced and gripping novel. It is a thriller in the
true sense of the word -- white knuckles, rapidly turning pages and
shallow breathing all are built into the package. The writing is crisp
and assured, the plot is tight enough, characterizations are wonderful
and the tension is off the charts." "This novel has a
dynamic gripping, plot, excellent characters, smooth writing, and
enough action and palpable suspense to keep you turning pages well
into the night. [If] you're up for something that will really grab
you -- go for it!" "Readers of suspense
novels should already be familiar with Danielle Girard's works. Her
graphic and frightening tales of innocents in danger keep readers
enthralled until the last page." "Danielle Girard is
a superb thriller writer who never disappoints her audience... [R]eaders
will finish the book in one sitting." |
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© Danielle Girard, 1999-2012 |
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