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    So Close The Hand Of Death
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    So Close The Hand Of Death
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    So Close The Hand Of Death
    Ebook400 pages7 hours

    So Close The Hand Of Death

    By J.T. Ellison

    4/5

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    About this ebook


    It's a hideous echo of a violent past. Across America, murders are being committed with all the twisted hallmarks of the Boston Strangler, the Zodiac Killer and Son of Sam. The media frenzy explodes and Nashville homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson knows instantly that The Pretender is back and he's got helpers.

    As The Pretender's disciples perpetrate their sick homages stretching police and the FBI dangerously thin Taylor tries desperately to prepare for their inevitable showdown. And she must do it alone. To be close to her is to be in mortal danger, and she won't risk losing anyone she loves. But the isolation, the self–doubt and the rising body count are taking their toll she's beside herself and ready to snap.

    The brilliant psychopath who both adores and despises her is d
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins Publishers Australia
    Release dateJul 1, 2012
    ISBN9781460833629
    Author

    J.T. Ellison

    J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 25 novels, and the EMMY® award winning co-host of the literary TV show A WORD ON WORDS. She also writes urban fantasy under the pen name Joss Walker. With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim and prestigious awards. Her titles have been optioned for television and published in twenty-eight countries. J.T. lives with her husband and twin kittens in Nashville, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

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    Reviews for So Close The Hand Of Death

    4/5

    79 ratings21 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I love this series by J.T Ellison. I think I have read most (maybe all) of them and they all keep me engrossed and not able to get anything done until I am finished. LOL Can't wait for the next one.
    • 5/5
      This was my first exposure to J.T. Ellison's works, and I was pleasantly surprised. The main plot with the recreation of certain serial killings across America was inspired, and it kept me thinking throughout the story. I highly enjoyed the interactions between the main characters, as well.Comes highly recommended from me.
    • 3/5
      It was a good book, but too much going on for me.
    • 3/5
      I found the story entertaining - a serial killer sets up a game challenge for other killers to produce exact copies of famous serial killers' murders, in a kind of race across the country - , but the police's involvement and solution were a bit predictable, and the main characters (the cops) way too simple for my taste.Only after finishing did I find out that this is part of a series - I had no problem reading this without having read the previous books, though I now realize that there were quite a few references to earlier developments.
    • 4/5
      I loved the other books in this series and this book did not disappoint! I love the plot and the charectors. Thrills and chills!
    • 5/5
      I can tell thier were other books in the series before this but I did not feel lost at all.Taylor is homacide LT. in Nashville. Dr. Baldwin works with FbI profiling they are engaged. A serail killer called Pretender is focused on Taylor and wants to play with her. Pretender has helpers he is training they are killing in LA, Boston, NY following different killers mo. He has made all these big plans to draw taylor into. the start of the book he has kidnapped her sargent and took his eyeball out and killed his fiance to get her to go to North Carolina. Their are so many victims and strings its hard to focus she has to be overwhelmed and her fiance is hiding things from her. This books has lots of twists and turns before its all wrapped up. It was hard to put the book down last night and first thing i did this morning was get it out again. I will definately look for her other books. I want to get to know the characters better and see how they worked together in past books and hope for more of them if the future. I was given the book by Library thing in exchange of honest review
    • 4/5
      I love this series by J.T Ellison. I think I have read most (maybe all) of them and they all keep me engrossed and not able to get anything done until I am finished. LOL Can't wait for the next one.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed reading this novel, it kept my interest throughout although the ending was fairly predictable.Taylor Jackson is a homicide lieutenant working in Nashville. There is a psychopathic mastermind called The Pretender out there using acolytes to murder and maim all the people Taylor loves most and it's a race against time to stop him targeting any more. Taylor herself is the ultimate target and she know she must deal with The Pretender personally. She fights her own demons in coming to terms with the fact that she must find and murder this man. A good read.
    • 3/5
      This is my second JT Ellison book so I haven't been following this series thoughout and I find it be a big hinderance. I felt very lost for the first half of the book with so many references to previous happenings that it took awhile for me to have enough information to really get into the book - that said once I did I really enjoyed it. It was very fast paced and well written (with the exception of the lacking backstory), the characters are enjoyable (and probably more so if I'd read more than just one of the previous five books). I would like to go back and read the others, but of course with so many books, so little time. I'm not sure when this will be. I don't know that I'll read anymore in this series without first going back to the begining.
    • 3/5
      I found this book somewhat predictable and frustrating. Although Ellison puts together a good story, none of the plot points was new: internet bloggers targeted, serial killers recruited through the internet to aid a "master" serial killer, copycat killers... more would become spoilers.I have read all of Ellison's books, but am iffy about getting the next.
    • 2/5
      I found this a very average thriller plodding and predictable with an ending that was expected and somehwhat disappointing. The style of J T Ellison is not unsimilar to James Patterson and the plot in some ways reminded me of Kiss the girls but without the teeth and edge of the seat excitement that Patterson instills in his readers. I was tempted to award only one star but I feel that might have been somewhat unfair as the book was an easy read and not an unpleasant experience.
    • 4/5
      The Pretender, a serial killer is back, and this time he has help. Across the country murders are being carried out by persons unknown.Taylor Jackson, Nashville homicide detective, is being taunted by the message "Let's Play". Her friends and family are in danger, so she wants to work alone.A blogger is seeing the overview, as she writes her true crime blog. Colleen is the widow of a fallen police officer, working with police departments all over the country. As Taylor is in the midst of a horror in North Carolina, Colleen starts putting the pattern together.As things from bad to worse, Taylor is racing against the clock to catch her killer/killers. Taylor decides to hunt the Pretender down and kill him. She finds herself in a very dark place. Her FBI lover, John Baldwin has been suspended, and he struggles to protect her.The Pretender targets Taylors friends, and with so many deaths to be solved, will they find the killer/killers?This was such a good story, I got all of the series from my library, so I could catch up and jump into the dark world she inhabits. The stories are dark, and very well written, leaving this reader on the edge of her seat, rushing to the end, but wanting more!I received this book from Planned Television Arts for review. Thank you!
    • 5/5
      I have been a huge fan of J. T. Ellison since I received a copy of The Cold Room through LibraryThing Early Reviewers. I introduced her to members of my book club through All the Pretty Girls. So Close the Hand of Death is a nail biting, chilling suspenseful thriller. Taylor Jackson is a driven homicide detective made human by her compassion for the dead or injured especially those dead or injured because of association with her. So Close the Hand of Death managed to answer some of the questions readers have had, but left others unanswered. Fans are now left with heightened anticipation for the next Taylor Jackson novel. If you love reading about serial killers and being scared to death, this is the book for you.
    • 5/5
      An amazing story that chronicles the four year struggle between a Nashville Amazon police lieutenant and a psycho serial killer who targeted her and her close friends and family for an imagined slight when she laughed at him when he asked her to dinner after she pulled him over following a police shooting on the Freeway. Police Lieutenant Taylor Jackson and her fiance Dr. John Baldwin, an FBI Psychiatrist, worked together to try and stop this serial killer. This twisting story follows the multiple deaths from coast to coast as a recruited set of killers executed contributors to a Crime Blog that was unraveling the psycho's identity. The recruits were working for a promised cash prize and an opportunity to watch the psycho finish his anticipated principle victim, Lt. Jackson. The recruited killers mimicked famous historical killers, i.e. Boston Strangler, Zodiac Killer and the New York Killer of Homosexuals. A trail of death led from each city of origin towards Nashville, the designated location for the final confrontation. The details of the hunting and killings and the reactions of the individual killers to the finality of the killings and the implied threats at all levels to the associates, friends and family of detective Taylor keep this story an anxious page turner. I loved the rich characters (both good and bad) enjoyed their development and now I am looking forward to additional stories from this author hopefully involving this character set. Grab yourself a copy if for no other reason than the rush of adrenaline.
    • 5/5
      From my blogI read my first J.T. Ellison book in February, the beginning of this series, All The Pretty Girls, and wasn't impressed but because I said it was my favourite genre and that I love kick ass detectives a virtual assistant asked me to review her newest. I wasn't going to give this author another chance but I am glad I did.J.T. Ellison definitely enjoys having lots going on with her thrillers. In So Close the Hand of Death she brings back 3 past serial killers wrapped up in one as The Pretender, he recruited a team of pshyco's to help him create his game. The authors words "He's a chameleon. He adapts, copies, mimics, then disappears." The best part is he sent a message to Detective Taylor to say 'Let's Play'. All the characters were great, my favourite was the Crime Blogger, intelligent, motivated and her full story the way it tied in, wowsa. She was more up to date then the news journalist and her followers knew what was going on. There are murders going on everywhere, different states and all are connected, the detective teams are trying to figure it all out. Working against the clock but never getting to anyone in time, only being able to review evidence and come up with possible ideas to catch The Pretender. Who will win the game, The Pretender, Taylor or no one. I still could do without the romance piece but there is a great mystery to Taylor and Baldwin relationship in this one that keeps you waiting for the blowout. Something I love about serial killer books is when the author gives us history, why the person becomes a serial killer, what the childhood was like, family etc, this was brilliant. I definitely recommend this one, it can be read as a stand alone, even though I really enjoyed it still didn't make me say I have to go back and continue the series. From what I have went back to read fans think this is her best to date.
    • 5/5
      I too love J.T. Ellison books. Furthermore, I rank Taylor Jackson, John Baldwin, and the Pretender among my favorite characters. If you like police detective novels with really creepy, disturbing characters you will love the Taylor Jackson series by J.T. Ellison. My only suggestion is to start with one of the earlier books in the series - if you start with this book, while I believe you will enjoy it, you won't get the full excitement of the story. As always, I look forward to the next book to find out where the ride will take us next.
    • 5/5
      I love J.T. Ellison books. This is no exception. The Pretender, who is a serial killer, has been a major thorn in Taylor Jackson's side for four years, taunting her and always one step ahead of her. Now it has come to the showdown as he sends her a message after kidnapping Fitz, her surrogate father figure,--"Let's Play." One thing I like about Ellison books is that when you're less than half way through the book you think it's coming to a conclusion and then another twist pops up. The suspense continues to the very end. If you enjoy psychological thrillers, I would highly recommend, not only this book, but any of J.T Ellison's novels. I'm anxiously awaiting her next one.
    • 4/5
      For fans of police procedurals and those who enjoy a 'nice' serial killer thriller, Nashville homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson is back for the sixth book in the series... and this time just one serial killer is not enough!On the same night, in several places across the country, gruesome murders take place, each seemingly committed in the 'style' of a famous serial killer. The Son of Sam, the Zodiac killer, the Boston Strangler appear to be back...but behind them all, it soon become apparent to Jackson, is one evil mastermind, The Pretender, protege of the Snow White killer. The Snow White killer, who we met in 14, may have been defeated by Jackson, but that was certainly not the end of the story. No, once again, even as the bodies fall and the chase is on across the nation, stretching police resources to the point of breaking, it seems that the killer's real motive is very personal and that Jackson, and all those closest to her, are the ultimate targets. Yes, The Pretender, psychopath extraordinaire, is back, Taylor is his target, and this time he has a lot of helpers.Taylor is not alone in the battle either, because back once again are all the great characters from the previous books in the series. We have her now fiance, FBI profiler John Baldwin, who is dealing with several problems of his own, both professional and personal, her father figure Sergeant Pete Fitzgerald, and her best friend and medical examiner Dr. Samantha Loughley. But those closest to her are in terrible danger and even as she hunts down the Pretender, she must distance those closest to her, both to protect them and to keep her secret. Because Taylor has a plan, a plan for the Pretender that she can not share with anyone.Ellison is a great writer and this is a real page turner, from the shocking opening pages, through some great, surprising twists and turns, to, as always in Ellison's books, a great conclusion. Both Jackson and Baldwin are flawed yet with deep resources of strength, as befits all great thriller characters, and The Pretender is as creepy and evil as all 'good' serial killers should be, with a last minute twist that took me by total surprise.I will admit that I am not always a fan of thrillers where the central characters, especially if it a detective or police officer, is the target of the killer. I think it is usually a weakness if the story becomes too personal, that a bit of distance is best. And I must say, when we discover what is behind the Pretender's hatred of Taylor in this book, I was a bit let down. But that being said, Ellison pulls it off in this book, once again.Now, can this be read as a stand-alone book? Perhaps, since Ellison does attempt, pretty successfully, to explain the relevant backstory. But quite honestly, I think many readers would be rather confused and certainly for maximum enjoyment, it would be best to go back and read the previous book. Yes, I know...another series...how can a reader ever catch up?But you better hurry, because the next Taylor Jackson book, Where All The Dead Lie, this time set in Scotland, will be released October 1.
    • 4/5
      When I read Ellison's first book in the Taylor Jackson series - All The Pretty Girls - I was immediately hooked. I loved Ellison's writing, as well as the characters she'd created. This is #6 in the series and, while I still love Ellison's writing, I'm not as enthralled with the direction the series has taken. Detective Taylor Jackson is constantly being persecuted, singled out by serial killers, chased, and otherwise endangered in a personal way. Her friends suffer for the mere fact of being close to her. For me, the storyline of Taylor's over-the-top endangerment has become so routine that it has ho-hum bordering on unbelievable feel. This would be a difficult book to read as a stand-alone. Ellison carries threads of each book through to the next. Killers come back for revenge and past cases haunt her. I'd suggest starting with the first book, so that you have a good feel of all that is going on. ** I received this ebook from Harlequin as an early review copy, through netGalley.com. **
    • 4/5
      Taylor Jackson just can’t seem to catch a break. She has just come off a violent, emotionally disturbing investigation, when she and her team are plunged back into an equally horrifying set of murders. The Pretender is back and this time he won’t quit until he has destroyed Taylor and all she holds dear. Longtime readers will have the answers to some of their questions, but many more will arise. J. T. Ellison does a magnificent job of luring the reader in and leaving them gasping – making it even harder to wait for the next Taylor Jackson book.
    • 5/5
      So Close the Hand of Death is the 6th in the Taylor Jackson series.Taylor Jackson get’s word from her fiancé John Baldwin that her fellow team member and father figure Fitz has been found, alive as she’s spiriting her way to him there is a macabre crime spree going on all across the country and Taylor fears that The Pretender is back that diabolical serial killer that mimics other serial killers and was the student of The Snow White Killer, he’s been haunting her ever since he got away and it looks like his ghost may just have materialized. Taylor is now very afraid for all the people around her that she cherishes will be in the line of fire for this madman and she has to find a way to not only keep her loved ones safe but to find a way to permanently stop The Pretender. Taylor of course is helped by the one man who is her true soul mate and he’s vowed to keep her safe at all costs, but there are still secrets he hasn’t shared with Taylor and he’s about to learn the cost of not coming clean.Ms. Ellison is a terrifyingly cleaver author to keep her stable of characters interesting by giving them the utmost in villains to find and eliminate. This plot is straight out of the dictionary of Hardboiled Crime Fiction with a diabolical evil doer who is Oscar worthy. It’s an over the top crime with an over the top villain but that’s what brings her fans back time after time. I also love the not quite cliffhanger but that hint of what’s to come that brings me back novel after novel. If you’re a fan then you’re used to that no-nonsense in your face cop speak that Ms. Ellison uses and for her series and her characters it’s very effective. Her characters rarely change so we get a chance to really get to know what makes them tick as well as keeping an eye on what they’re up to now. Her heroine Taylor Jackson is a straight shooting good cop, not necessarily by the book, but always in the name of justice and what I really like about her is how she evolves with each subsequent novel as she learns how to be not only a better cop but a better friend/lover/person sometimes in spite of herself. Her other main characters from the cops to her friends to her significant other all take supporting role awards and I love the interaction between the characters. Her romance between John and Taylor is ongoing although not always smoothly and it’s that certain angst that keeps her fans wondering what exactly is on the horizon for this couple.So all in all what it boils down to is this amazing talent that Ms. Ellison has in spinning a tale that keeps her fans glued to the pages and buying the next one in the series long before the published date. She has a unique style that’s all her own but her plots remind me of Lisa Gardner’s. One thing’s for sure she can definitely bat in the majors because this is another home run.Well done Ms. Ellison you make it hard for me to patiently wait for the next installment in Taylor’s life.