T. J. Brearton

The Killing Time (previously titled, In Darkness) introduces rookie FBI agent, Shannon Ames, a dedicated and intelligent young woman whose goal is to work in violent crimes. Her first major case has her working with the local cops to identify a serial killer who seems to have a grudge against the media.

The Killing Time was a solid police procedural with a well plotted mystery and an understandable motive. The suspense was tautly woven and kept me riveted until the end. I particularly enjoyed the topic of the influence of the media and the lack of accountability and disconnect there is in regards to online actions. The author tackled the issue sensitively and made some very valid points.

People piling on, people too isolated and desensitized to realize the real-world impact made by their online actions.

BREARTON, T.J.. The Killing Time (A Shannon Ames Thriller Book 1) (p. 185). Inkubator Books. Kindle Edition.

That said, although the mystery was good, the characters were another matter entirely. I can't say I really had any strong feelings about any of them. Shannon was kind of bland and lacked a distinct voice and the rest of the characters were interchangeable. The hints of romance were awkward and added nothing of value to the plot. If you're after character driven fare, this probably isn't for you but for those who like procedurals, it's a good read. I'll definitely be picking up the rest of the series. 3 stars.… (meer)

I found it to be a little disappointing. The plot itself is well-written and drew me in, but I just couldn't get excited about the characters...especially Callie Sanderson, whose husband Abel is in a coma as a result of an auto accident that she is convinced wasn't an accident as the police concluded. The main reason she's convinced is that she was told Althea who is a psychic, that he drove into a tree while trying to avoid someone. I'm not opposed to the notion that there are folks who "see" and "know" things others may not, but Callie's determination to go off on her own despite good advice from people to whom she should listen to, like the police...kind of placed her in the nut category for me. Not only did she not listen to reason, her "on-my-own sleuthing" never once turned up any facts the police didn't already know. Finally, there's that title thing. I like for my titles to at least somewhat fit the storyline...after all that's what most of my choices of books are based on. So, all the way through, I kept waiting to find out what the "lies" were that her husband told. All I could see was that while he didn't always spell out in detail what he did and where he was every minute of every day, I couldn't find a single time in which he told an actual untruth. All that said, the story itself held my interest throughout. I just sort of ignored Callie's relentless questioning of her own thoughts and those of everybody else and focused on what was actually happening. It seems that two young girls recently went missing and haven't been found, and little by little, connections between the girls and Abel come to light. Questions began to form and that's usually a sign that I don't totally hate the book:) Was it possible her husband had something to do with the girl's disappearances? We learned that he did go out a few times without telling her specifically where he'd been. Still, Callie can't believe he's involved, but the plot thickens as she digs deeper, egged on by Althea's newfound insights. Her neighbors in the rather remote area of the Adirondacks become suspects also based only on something they said, or didn't say, even Abel's estranged brother, Garr, who suddenly turns up out of nowhere, isn't immune from her suspicions. Meantime, the police, led by detective Footman, continue to work the case despite Callie's constant harping about issues they're already investigating. Overall, it was worth 4 stars and I believe that this is a book that most readers of this genre will enjoy.… (meer)