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Lizzy Gardner #6
Evil Never Dies
Private investigator Lizzy Gardner believed in law and order once. But after losing a loved one to a killer and watching too many vicious predators game the system and walk free, she’s traded flawed justice for perfect vengeance.
Together with her tough and trusted assistants, Lizzy is tracking down a list of Sacramento’s worst offenders and dealing out the payback they deserve. But she may be lethally outmatched by a new criminal, a murderer the papers have dubbed the Sacramento Strangler. This ritualistic serial killer is dropping corpses and cryptic clues at a shocking rate—and he’s growing bolder and bloodier the longer he’s at large.
In the suspenseful finale to the Lizzy Gardner series, bestselling author T.R. Ragan’s gutsy heroine lashes out against the relentless onslaught of evil as she desperately fights to hang on to her own humanity.
Together with her tough and trusted assistants, Lizzy is tracking down a list of Sacramento’s worst offenders and dealing out the payback they deserve. But she may be lethally outmatched by a new criminal, a murderer the papers have dubbed the Sacramento Strangler. This ritualistic serial killer is dropping corpses and cryptic clues at a shocking rate—and he’s growing bolder and bloodier the longer he’s at large.
In the suspenseful finale to the Lizzy Gardner series, bestselling author T.R. Ragan’s gutsy heroine lashes out against the relentless onslaught of evil as she desperately fights to hang on to her own humanity.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2015
About the author
T.R. Ragan
20 books1,981 followersT.R. Ragan (Theresa Ragan) is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling mystery and thriller author.
Readers interested in signing up for a monthly newsletter or getting their name in a TR RAGAN book should check out her website at www.trragan.com
Facebook • Twitter • Instagram: @trraganauthor
LIZZY GARDNER SERIES
Abducted
Dead Weight
A Dark Mind
Obsessed
Almost Dead
Evil Never Dies
FAITH MCMANN TRILOGY
Furious
Outrage
Wrath
JESSIE COLE SERIES
Her Last Day
Deadly Recall
Deranged - 10/18
Buried Deep - 4/19
Readers interested in signing up for a monthly newsletter or getting their name in a TR RAGAN book should check out her website at www.trragan.com
Facebook • Twitter • Instagram: @trraganauthor
LIZZY GARDNER SERIES
Abducted
Dead Weight
A Dark Mind
Obsessed
Almost Dead
Evil Never Dies
FAITH MCMANN TRILOGY
Furious
Outrage
Wrath
JESSIE COLE SERIES
Her Last Day
Deadly Recall
Deranged - 10/18
Buried Deep - 4/19
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 388 reviews
August 15, 2017
It's over last book in this series it's sad gonna miss all the characters this series was so engaging don't want it to stop,can't wait to start reading her new books.brilliant writing.will miss lizzy.and her friend's.if you love crime please please read this series.10 star plus rating.
November 6, 2017
Disappointed.
Read other books by this author, but this one really disappointed me. Many evil people in this world, but getting enjoyment out of killing turned me off. Killers has to be punished, Lizzy Gardner is taking her revenge in this book again and again.
Read other books by this author, but this one really disappointed me. Many evil people in this world, but getting enjoyment out of killing turned me off. Killers has to be punished, Lizzy Gardner is taking her revenge in this book again and again.
July 20, 2018
This is the 6th and last book ( ☹ ) in the Lizzy Gardner series. I think the author has done the right thing in ending the series here, even though I am a bit disappointed. Once again Lizzy and her team, Hayley, Kitally and Jessica are trying to deal with rapists and child abusers who manage to evade justice. However, they reach a point where they start to question what they are doing and if they have overstepped the line and will they meet their match?
This has been a gritty series, but there are also some other good series by this author waiting to be read!
This has been a gritty series, but there are also some other good series by this author waiting to be read!
August 9, 2015
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, T. R. Ragan, and Amazon Publishing Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this book, which allows me to provide you with this review.
Having no previous experience in the Lizzy Gardner series, I took the plunge into this series finale, unaware of the gem that awaited me. Lizzy Gardner Investigations has built a reputation as a stalwart firm in Sacramento, helping those in need. However, since the murder of Lizzy's fiancé, justice and equality are stale concepts, replaced with the urge for retaliation and retribution. The investigative team amasses a list of Sacramento's most despicable rapists and molesters before planting evidence to ensure they are punished and keeping their own hands clean. While the team works through the list, a sadistic criminal lurks in the shadows, committing heinous crimes and depositing clues to hint at his intentions. Lizzy is determined to unveil the Sacramento Strangler and save a missing teen before she becomes his next victim. If that were not enough, a well-known personality is using his power to lure young women into his clutches, before disposing of them and threatening harm to any who talk. With a handful of other cases to flesh out the story, this fast-paced end to the series has Ragan bidding adieu to a wonderful collection of characters from all walks of life, each with their own growth exemplified over six novels.
Parachuting into a series half a dozen books in can have its downfalls, both for the reader and the author. As a reader, you are left to pick up the random pieces of characters and understand how they made it to this point without feeling utterly and completely out of sync. For the author, without enough backstory, you may lose a new reader and suffer the chance that they will never connect and therefore seek not to look to the previous books. Ragan does both, not sacrificing the forward movement her regulars expect, but also building the characters with enough openness to reflect their personalities and personal growth. Ragan effectively handles multiple storylines and keeps pace throughout the novel, allowing sub-plots to grow at the pace of the main story, while not going chapters with no mention, so as to lose the reader's interest. I felt able to handle the numerous characters throughout without having to flip back or pull out a cheat sheet just to remember what's happened. Add to that, these are characters who show both good and evil, making them even more realistic. You cannot ask for more in a series, in a book, and especially in a finale.
Kudos, Madam Ragan for this entertaining piece of work. I am determined to see the Lizzie Gardner Investigations' team grown through all novels and will, soon enough, trek backwards to see how they came to this ultimate place. You are not only a gifted writer, but you captivate without going overboard.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Having no previous experience in the Lizzy Gardner series, I took the plunge into this series finale, unaware of the gem that awaited me. Lizzy Gardner Investigations has built a reputation as a stalwart firm in Sacramento, helping those in need. However, since the murder of Lizzy's fiancé, justice and equality are stale concepts, replaced with the urge for retaliation and retribution. The investigative team amasses a list of Sacramento's most despicable rapists and molesters before planting evidence to ensure they are punished and keeping their own hands clean. While the team works through the list, a sadistic criminal lurks in the shadows, committing heinous crimes and depositing clues to hint at his intentions. Lizzy is determined to unveil the Sacramento Strangler and save a missing teen before she becomes his next victim. If that were not enough, a well-known personality is using his power to lure young women into his clutches, before disposing of them and threatening harm to any who talk. With a handful of other cases to flesh out the story, this fast-paced end to the series has Ragan bidding adieu to a wonderful collection of characters from all walks of life, each with their own growth exemplified over six novels.
Parachuting into a series half a dozen books in can have its downfalls, both for the reader and the author. As a reader, you are left to pick up the random pieces of characters and understand how they made it to this point without feeling utterly and completely out of sync. For the author, without enough backstory, you may lose a new reader and suffer the chance that they will never connect and therefore seek not to look to the previous books. Ragan does both, not sacrificing the forward movement her regulars expect, but also building the characters with enough openness to reflect their personalities and personal growth. Ragan effectively handles multiple storylines and keeps pace throughout the novel, allowing sub-plots to grow at the pace of the main story, while not going chapters with no mention, so as to lose the reader's interest. I felt able to handle the numerous characters throughout without having to flip back or pull out a cheat sheet just to remember what's happened. Add to that, these are characters who show both good and evil, making them even more realistic. You cannot ask for more in a series, in a book, and especially in a finale.
Kudos, Madam Ragan for this entertaining piece of work. I am determined to see the Lizzie Gardner Investigations' team grown through all novels and will, soon enough, trek backwards to see how they came to this ultimate place. You are not only a gifted writer, but you captivate without going overboard.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
June 29, 2015
This series which began in 2011 has now officially ended .. and what an ending it is!
This book starts on a roll and doesn't come to a halt until the very last sentence on the very last page. Several stories all seemingly intersecting keep the readers on their toes.
Lizzy Gardner is a PI. Still mourning her fiancee who was murdered on their wedding day, she and her partners have gone a bit rogue. They have chosen the top 5 rapists who have served no time for lack of proof or on technical errors. And they are taking them down!
While they have split up to follow these guys, Lizzy gets a visit from an elderly gentleman who believes that the nursing home murdered his wife. And someone was nice enough to send him a note advising he gets an autopsy scheduled.
The homeless are having their own problems, as well. A woman, who they call Ghost, is randomly attacking them while they sleep... for absolutely no reason at all. Gardner & crew are hoping to catch her in the act.
The author really did a great job wrapping up the series.... no cliff hangers, nothing to leave you wondering what happened to everyone. I've read all but one or two of the books, but this one actually could be read as a stand-alone.. it hints about previous adventures they've had.
I gave it 5 stars because it was, indeed, a fine series and I hate to see it come to an end. On the other hand, I can hardly wait to see what see what the author does next.
My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for allowing me access to read and review.
This book starts on a roll and doesn't come to a halt until the very last sentence on the very last page. Several stories all seemingly intersecting keep the readers on their toes.
Lizzy Gardner is a PI. Still mourning her fiancee who was murdered on their wedding day, she and her partners have gone a bit rogue. They have chosen the top 5 rapists who have served no time for lack of proof or on technical errors. And they are taking them down!
While they have split up to follow these guys, Lizzy gets a visit from an elderly gentleman who believes that the nursing home murdered his wife. And someone was nice enough to send him a note advising he gets an autopsy scheduled.
The homeless are having their own problems, as well. A woman, who they call Ghost, is randomly attacking them while they sleep... for absolutely no reason at all. Gardner & crew are hoping to catch her in the act.
The author really did a great job wrapping up the series.... no cliff hangers, nothing to leave you wondering what happened to everyone. I've read all but one or two of the books, but this one actually could be read as a stand-alone.. it hints about previous adventures they've had.
I gave it 5 stars because it was, indeed, a fine series and I hate to see it come to an end. On the other hand, I can hardly wait to see what see what the author does next.
My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for allowing me access to read and review.
August 8, 2015
Loved it!
Disclaimers- After Jared died, I was ready to throw that book out the window. I almost didn't read this one, but I am so glad that I did. The book had great character development. It was nice to see the minor characters upfront in the story. The story line kept you in suspense and the main villain was so horrible that I had to keep reading to see what happened. Lizzy finding out she was pregnant with Jared's baby was icing on the cake and the redeeming quality for me of this series. After all Lizzy goes through in this series, she needed something good to happen. Great book. I am sad that it ended.
Disclaimers- After Jared died, I was ready to throw that book out the window. I almost didn't read this one, but I am so glad that I did. The book had great character development. It was nice to see the minor characters upfront in the story. The story line kept you in suspense and the main villain was so horrible that I had to keep reading to see what happened. Lizzy finding out she was pregnant with Jared's baby was icing on the cake and the redeeming quality for me of this series. After all Lizzy goes through in this series, she needed something good to happen. Great book. I am sad that it ended.
July 14, 2016
Yeah. I'm done with this series. It's the same plot over and over again. How many serial killers could really be that obsessed with killing one woman?
December 17, 2017
For the final novel of her six-book series, author T.R. Ragan gives her hero Lizzy Gardner perhaps the toughest case of her career. She's determined to put a successful businessman, who preys on young women with few financial resources, behind bars. At some point, Lizzy decided to cross into the gray area of getting her suspect. But she's still way behind her assistants Hayley and Kitally. They are not above planting evidence to keeping a dirtbag from committing more crimes. And most of these crimes are directed at women. It's almost as if Ragan tapped early into the #metoo movement. These women have felt the effects of predatory harassment and crimes against their gender. But they're tired of being victims. They want a say in how they face their recovery. And recovery in this case involves eliminating the threat, preventing what happened to them being repeated on other women or girls. They don't get a lot of help from law enforcement, primarily because of who they are. Cops don't like interference and like vigilantes even less. Ragan wraps up the story lines she's spent six novels spooling out. It's cathartic to some degree, but even then she doesn't make anything simple. Life is tough. Survivors do what the can. And sometimes the story doesn't really have a blissful ending. This is not a fairy tale.
July 13, 2015
Holy crap! We got us a set of bad ass girls and wouldn't you know it, I find out about them in the sixth and final book in the series. Guess someone's got a lot of catching up to do. Ha!
Well this one ranks 4.5 stars for me. I loved it!!! There were some real mean killers in here. The ones you want to get a hold of yourself and do the old "telephone pole up the rectum" routine. The story was good with several subplots going on and a lot of killers on their "list". And, I loved all the characters especially the hormonal one. That girl, house out in the middle of nowhere? That girl is cray cray.
I read this one pretty quick as it was certainly the page turner, so yes I was up until the wee hours of the morning just because. Yeah, like I could have put it down. Not!! Anyways, I highly recommend this one and as for the series, I'm going to have to get busy. Oh, and I had no problems with it being the sixth in the series. It could have been the first for all I knew.
Thanks Amazon Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
Well this one ranks 4.5 stars for me. I loved it!!! There were some real mean killers in here. The ones you want to get a hold of yourself and do the old "telephone pole up the rectum" routine. The story was good with several subplots going on and a lot of killers on their "list". And, I loved all the characters especially the hormonal one. That girl, house out in the middle of nowhere? That girl is cray cray.
I read this one pretty quick as it was certainly the page turner, so yes I was up until the wee hours of the morning just because. Yeah, like I could have put it down. Not!! Anyways, I highly recommend this one and as for the series, I'm going to have to get busy. Oh, and I had no problems with it being the sixth in the series. It could have been the first for all I knew.
Thanks Amazon Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2015
A special thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
EVIL NEVER DIES (Lizzy Gardner #6) by T.R. Ragan with her grand finale in this riveting suspense series! Having read books #4-6 in the series, (need to go back and read 1-3), sad to reach the end of the series (bittersweet).
Almost Dead #5
Obsessed #4
However, could not wait to catch up with the team – Hayley, Kitally, and Lizzy, the kick ass strong women of the Sacramento Lizzy Gardner Investigations, dealing with the worst offenders and hopefully handing out the payback they deserve. Vigilante --Lizzy is angry and nothing had been the same since Jared’s funeral, and Hayley continues to walk a fine line between compassion and cold heartedness.
After Jared, things have been tough; however, he would want her to pick herself up and carry on. As the book opens they are handpicking six criminals who need to be punished – The worst of the repeat offenders. Five men and one woman (Ghost who attacks the homeless), all of whom had committed numerous crimes- rape, stabbings, muggings, assault, and battery—Divide and conquer! They start checking off the list.
In addition, there is the thirty-eight year old liar and serial killer. (He has been at it for eighteen years) A killer who will never stop. He loves death and deceit. He killed both his parents five years ago. He wants to kill people and then writes in his journal and paints. Sacramento Strangler strikes again and philanthropist mark Kiel’s daughter found dead in Capitol Park.
For the last few weeks Lizzy’s focus had been on Wayne Bennett. Rich and powerful and he used the power to take advantage of young women – the worst kind of predator. Everyone thought they could trust the self-made millionaire. He was seduced by money and power and lost his moral bearings. One woman Tammy Walters has been outspoken about his work and now her eighteen year old sister, Miriam is missing. They are sure Bennett killed her.
Now a new client The Shady Oaks Nursing Home mystery, a mysterious note left behind for a husband about his wife's care.
Connections of the crazy serial killer and his past surface as they get closer to closing in. Will he ever die?
As the series wraps up nicely, Lizzy is finished being a PI, taking losing Jared to realize this isn’t the life she wants to lead. She will get the girls back on track with lots to celebrate. Lizzy made a difference and left with some nice surprises. Each gal has their own path. Lizzy is a survivor, even traumatized by her past, she pushes forward to heal and help others. (loved the note from the author).
As I have mentioned in my previous reviews, love T.R. Ragan’s crime writing (glad you decided to transition from romance to thrillers—you are in your element), mixed with wit and humor and strong tough women- triumph over tragedy. Strongly reminded of Karin Slaughter- one of my crime thriller favorites.
What a great series! Hopefully we will catch up with the gals again in another series. Highly recommend. Cannot wait to see what’s next!
JDCMustReadBooks
EVIL NEVER DIES (Lizzy Gardner #6) by T.R. Ragan with her grand finale in this riveting suspense series! Having read books #4-6 in the series, (need to go back and read 1-3), sad to reach the end of the series (bittersweet).
Almost Dead #5
Obsessed #4
However, could not wait to catch up with the team – Hayley, Kitally, and Lizzy, the kick ass strong women of the Sacramento Lizzy Gardner Investigations, dealing with the worst offenders and hopefully handing out the payback they deserve. Vigilante --Lizzy is angry and nothing had been the same since Jared’s funeral, and Hayley continues to walk a fine line between compassion and cold heartedness.
After Jared, things have been tough; however, he would want her to pick herself up and carry on. As the book opens they are handpicking six criminals who need to be punished – The worst of the repeat offenders. Five men and one woman (Ghost who attacks the homeless), all of whom had committed numerous crimes- rape, stabbings, muggings, assault, and battery—Divide and conquer! They start checking off the list.
In addition, there is the thirty-eight year old liar and serial killer. (He has been at it for eighteen years) A killer who will never stop. He loves death and deceit. He killed both his parents five years ago. He wants to kill people and then writes in his journal and paints. Sacramento Strangler strikes again and philanthropist mark Kiel’s daughter found dead in Capitol Park.
For the last few weeks Lizzy’s focus had been on Wayne Bennett. Rich and powerful and he used the power to take advantage of young women – the worst kind of predator. Everyone thought they could trust the self-made millionaire. He was seduced by money and power and lost his moral bearings. One woman Tammy Walters has been outspoken about his work and now her eighteen year old sister, Miriam is missing. They are sure Bennett killed her.
Now a new client The Shady Oaks Nursing Home mystery, a mysterious note left behind for a husband about his wife's care.
Connections of the crazy serial killer and his past surface as they get closer to closing in. Will he ever die?
“Evil Never Dies – it never ends. You can catch a killer and throw away the key, but here’s always someone else out there slicing and dicing, killing people just because they can. For every evil person caught and locked behind bars, there’s two more waiting on the sidelines.”
As the series wraps up nicely, Lizzy is finished being a PI, taking losing Jared to realize this isn’t the life she wants to lead. She will get the girls back on track with lots to celebrate. Lizzy made a difference and left with some nice surprises. Each gal has their own path. Lizzy is a survivor, even traumatized by her past, she pushes forward to heal and help others. (loved the note from the author).
As I have mentioned in my previous reviews, love T.R. Ragan’s crime writing (glad you decided to transition from romance to thrillers—you are in your element), mixed with wit and humor and strong tough women- triumph over tragedy. Strongly reminded of Karin Slaughter- one of my crime thriller favorites.
What a great series! Hopefully we will catch up with the gals again in another series. Highly recommend. Cannot wait to see what’s next!
JDCMustReadBooks
November 27, 2016
I finished the series despite my disappointment in books 3 & 4 and outright anger at book 5. Honestly it was a waste of my reading time.
The title of this book is spot on: Evil Never Dies. Most times in mysteries the good guys get the bad guys. And most times the good guys really are good guys. In this book Lizzy and her friends cross the lines so far that I cannot even really categorize them as the good guys anymore. Vigilante justice isn't romantic or justifiable. These women are no longer just scarred and flawed, but basically good -- they are now criminals. And, after book 5, we no longer have Jared's positive influence either.
In this book, we end the story with Evil still Thriving, and the lead character creating an arsenal in her home. Ugh! I will not miss this series.
The title of this book is spot on: Evil Never Dies. Most times in mysteries the good guys get the bad guys. And most times the good guys really are good guys. In this book Lizzy and her friends cross the lines so far that I cannot even really categorize them as the good guys anymore. Vigilante justice isn't romantic or justifiable. These women are no longer just scarred and flawed, but basically good -- they are now criminals. And, after book 5, we no longer have Jared's positive influence either.
In this book, we end the story with Evil still Thriving, and the lead character creating an arsenal in her home. Ugh! I will not miss this series.
July 13, 2015
Sadly, this was the last installment of the Lizzy Gardner series. I have enjoyed each of these well-written books immensely and will truly miss these strong female characters. After the events in book 5 "Almost Dead", I was left wondering whether there could ever be a satisfactory ending for Lizzy, Hayley, Kitally & Co, but I am pleased to say T.R. Ragan has succeeded in bringing this series to a fitting end delivering another gritty, dark thriller with great dialogue and packed full of action. Highly recommended, but should be started with book 1 in the series to truly appreciate the characters' relationships and development.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2018
Amazing
I am an avid reader of thrillers . I found the Lizzy Gardner series by accident and I am so glad that I did it is the absolute best series of books that I've ever read. I even managed to read them all in a week. There is always a lot going on in the stories but you can always keep up with the storyline. Lizzy is a survivor who even though she has suffered so much adversity she never gives up and will always fight for the underdog even at great pain and suffering to herself. Everyone of the main characters of the book have their own story to tell and you will take them all into your heart, but I'd have liked to learn more about Jared and Kittaly . Overall I highly recommend these books and this Author.
I am an avid reader of thrillers . I found the Lizzy Gardner series by accident and I am so glad that I did it is the absolute best series of books that I've ever read. I even managed to read them all in a week. There is always a lot going on in the stories but you can always keep up with the storyline. Lizzy is a survivor who even though she has suffered so much adversity she never gives up and will always fight for the underdog even at great pain and suffering to herself. Everyone of the main characters of the book have their own story to tell and you will take them all into your heart, but I'd have liked to learn more about Jared and Kittaly . Overall I highly recommend these books and this Author.
November 20, 2018
This is another solid offering in this series and one I enjoyed reading, although it didn't seem to have quite the spark of the last two instalments. Perhaps there is only so much evil one can take in a short blast through of a series and it didn't quite hit me as hard. It didn't help that we've already had one Sacramento Strangler in the series - now deceased if I remember rightly - so having a second killer with the same nickname just felt to me like Ragan had run out of interesting ideas.
This actually wasn't as gritty as I had anticipated either, having read the entire series through now. I really had expected this to be grim, dark and downright sadistic at times and it well... wasn't. There were moments, but it was no where near the grisly vigilante fest that I had braced myself for. I know a few people were actively disappointed that our good guys were crossing the line, but personally I went into this looking forward to the change of rhythm and routine... and that didn't quite materialise. There was some of the vigilante aspects, but it seemed to be a fairly light thread throughout the novel, which focused heavily on the Sacramento Strangler and on trying to bring one rich dude to justice the proper way.
There is also a significant amount of repetition throughout the series as the story lines begin to merge in my head. Without a doubt, they are all good books individually but put together and you can't help but want to scream - just how many utterly evil lunatics with the capability of acting on it do you imagine live in one city!? And let's face it, these aren't minor lunatics. These are psychopaths or sociopaths and they are acting out their violent tendencies in the worst of ways. There is a fair amount of the general or opportunistic crime; the drug dealers, the rapists, the fraud and the scams, but the sheer amount of individuals that are depicted as either serial killers or rapists, with the ability to hide their activities from the law is somewhat baffling.
Ok, it's a big city. But let's put it into perspective - Sacramento has a population of 501,000 people according to the God of Google. Birmingham in the United Kingdom has 1.086 million people and we have a fraction of the amount of crazies that she is talking about. New York has 8.62 million and even they don't manage to hit the vivid heights of the sheer amount of crazy serial killers that are depicted here. Terrorists, maybe. But the thing with terror attacks is that they tend to be plotted by one mastermind group and the minions are sent out to destroy themselves or get caught. The individuals carrying out the attacks do not tend to be the brains of the operation and they are often brain-washed as well as taken advantage of at their most vulnerable. That is not the case with individual serial killers, all of whom are intelligent, manipulative, ruthless , utterly vicious and lacking remorse or empathy.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book. But it and the series as a whole have serious flaws. The writing and the characters are strong, but the fact that this could have gone in so many different ways and instead stuck with the formula that I've seen played out five times before really disappointed me. If you're setting me up for serious vigilante justice, then I want to see that displayed. I don't want a lead character going sappy half way through and regaining her squeamishness. If you are going to twist your good guys into morally grey, justice in their own hands, types in direct response to a life-altering event in their life, then you need to follow through. I just didn't get the follow through here.
This actually wasn't as gritty as I had anticipated either, having read the entire series through now. I really had expected this to be grim, dark and downright sadistic at times and it well... wasn't. There were moments, but it was no where near the grisly vigilante fest that I had braced myself for. I know a few people were actively disappointed that our good guys were crossing the line, but personally I went into this looking forward to the change of rhythm and routine... and that didn't quite materialise. There was some of the vigilante aspects, but it seemed to be a fairly light thread throughout the novel, which focused heavily on the Sacramento Strangler and on trying to bring one rich dude to justice the proper way.
There is also a significant amount of repetition throughout the series as the story lines begin to merge in my head. Without a doubt, they are all good books individually but put together and you can't help but want to scream - just how many utterly evil lunatics with the capability of acting on it do you imagine live in one city!? And let's face it, these aren't minor lunatics. These are psychopaths or sociopaths and they are acting out their violent tendencies in the worst of ways. There is a fair amount of the general or opportunistic crime; the drug dealers, the rapists, the fraud and the scams, but the sheer amount of individuals that are depicted as either serial killers or rapists, with the ability to hide their activities from the law is somewhat baffling.
Ok, it's a big city. But let's put it into perspective - Sacramento has a population of 501,000 people according to the God of Google. Birmingham in the United Kingdom has 1.086 million people and we have a fraction of the amount of crazies that she is talking about. New York has 8.62 million and even they don't manage to hit the vivid heights of the sheer amount of crazy serial killers that are depicted here. Terrorists, maybe. But the thing with terror attacks is that they tend to be plotted by one mastermind group and the minions are sent out to destroy themselves or get caught. The individuals carrying out the attacks do not tend to be the brains of the operation and they are often brain-washed as well as taken advantage of at their most vulnerable. That is not the case with individual serial killers, all of whom are intelligent, manipulative, ruthless , utterly vicious and lacking remorse or empathy.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book. But it and the series as a whole have serious flaws. The writing and the characters are strong, but the fact that this could have gone in so many different ways and instead stuck with the formula that I've seen played out five times before really disappointed me. If you're setting me up for serious vigilante justice, then I want to see that displayed. I don't want a lead character going sappy half way through and regaining her squeamishness. If you are going to twist your good guys into morally grey, justice in their own hands, types in direct response to a life-altering event in their life, then you need to follow through. I just didn't get the follow through here.
July 15, 2019
4.5 stars, This series got the right ending I think , we though it was nowhere near as strong as Faith McMann which I wish I could experience for the first time all over again.
June 26, 2018
A good ending to the series, Patterson-esque in its characters and multiple interesting story lines. I highly recommend the Lizzy Gardner books to anyone who enjoys thrillers/suspense.
September 12, 2018
Really enjoyed reading this series feel like you get to know characters will miss lizzy Gardner
February 27, 2020
Very nice conclusion of the series. The book is more about the personal life of the characters than about solving cases (a switch that is gradually made throughout the series). I really liked the concluding chapters. So many messages about life, forgiveness, letting people be their selves. Touched me profoundly.
January 31, 2018
I've come to the conclusion that I'm simply not a fan of T.R. Ragan's work. Really wish I hadn't purchased this entire e-book series when they went on deep discount via Amazon. Just goes to show you can't trust Amazon's reviews at all. If I buy the books, I feel obligated to read them, and honestly, these books were a snore fest.
They're so formulaic. And since I've literally read books 4, 5, and 6 within the past week, I can definitely say they're all exactly the same--way too many story lines per book, over-the-top characters, and Lizzy saving the day (always well before the cops or the FBI even have a clue, despite her meager resources).
Another thing I've noticed about Ragan's writing, if something is randomly mentioned in the middle of the book (a weapon, for example), you better believe that weapon will be used at the end of the book, in some big climatic scene. Ragan isn't great at disguising twists or surprises either. These stories are very, VERY predictable.
This particular book though...really? I have to assume Ragan was inspired by the show Dexter, with all this vigilante justice. It was pretty absurd and not at all cleverly written. I mean, how many serial killers can one town have in less than year? And why are they all so obsessed with Lizzy? It's more than a little implausible.
I don't know, guys...all I can say is, these books kind of suck.
Read if you want, but I can recommend far superior series in the same genre.
They're so formulaic. And since I've literally read books 4, 5, and 6 within the past week, I can definitely say they're all exactly the same--way too many story lines per book, over-the-top characters, and Lizzy saving the day (always well before the cops or the FBI even have a clue, despite her meager resources).
Another thing I've noticed about Ragan's writing, if something is randomly mentioned in the middle of the book (a weapon, for example), you better believe that weapon will be used at the end of the book, in some big climatic scene. Ragan isn't great at disguising twists or surprises either. These stories are very, VERY predictable.
This particular book though...really? I have to assume Ragan was inspired by the show Dexter, with all this vigilante justice. It was pretty absurd and not at all cleverly written. I mean, how many serial killers can one town have in less than year? And why are they all so obsessed with Lizzy? It's more than a little implausible.
I don't know, guys...all I can say is, these books kind of suck.
Read if you want, but I can recommend far superior series in the same genre.
March 27, 2018
I chose this book because I thought it sounded like a vigilante type book and I do like when someone goes around killing or maiming rapists or serial killers. However, I thought Lizzy got a little carried away with Bennett. I mean, kill him or cut his “wanker” off but she was on the verge of beating him to death. Then Hayley wanted to go ahead and kill him and Kitally was kind of in shock as she watched Lizzy beat him. Really, though, Bennett did deserve to die; he was a rich rapist who just continued to pay people in law enforcement and the government off while he went about raping innocent young girls. In the end he got exactly what he deserved.
And Zackery? The first time he killed (his little sister) he was 10 years old. He was a sicko, that’s for sure. And he’d been killing all his life, because he simply liked it.
I loved this book. I started it late last night and finished it today. No skipping chapters, no skimming pages. I ate up every word. Those are the kind of books I’m always looking for.
No sex but the F-bomb was used 31 times.
As to the narration: The awesome Kate Rudd narrated again. I absolutely love her reading. Her voices are tremendous and her emotions are exactly right.
June 23, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for my honest opinion.
Lizzy Gardner runs her own private investigation firm with Kitally and Hayley working for her. The women have become vigilantes after seeing how many criminals excape justice and have come up with a list of most wanted that they begin taking down.
Wayne Bennett has been raping young women and because of his deep pockets he's been getting aw week with it. Now one of the women he's believed to have a relationship with has disappeared and Lizzy knows he has something to do with it and sets out to prove it.
The Sacramento Strangler is killing women at an escalating level. The clues he leaves behind baffle the police. Lizzy's deceased fiance was an FBI agent that got close to exposing the Stranglers identity so the FBI come to her looking for any clues she may have to stopping the serial killer.
Lizzy and her friends have a lot on there plates morally and emotionally. Especially after the loss of her love. I've recommended this book to several friends already and look forward to other books by Ragan.
Lizzy Gardner runs her own private investigation firm with Kitally and Hayley working for her. The women have become vigilantes after seeing how many criminals excape justice and have come up with a list of most wanted that they begin taking down.
Wayne Bennett has been raping young women and because of his deep pockets he's been getting aw week with it. Now one of the women he's believed to have a relationship with has disappeared and Lizzy knows he has something to do with it and sets out to prove it.
The Sacramento Strangler is killing women at an escalating level. The clues he leaves behind baffle the police. Lizzy's deceased fiance was an FBI agent that got close to exposing the Stranglers identity so the FBI come to her looking for any clues she may have to stopping the serial killer.
Lizzy and her friends have a lot on there plates morally and emotionally. Especially after the loss of her love. I've recommended this book to several friends already and look forward to other books by Ragan.
July 21, 2015
This was my first Lizzy Gardner book and I will read the other books about this character. Lizzy and her rag tag group of friends are always trying to help the underdog which is how they come to take in a pregnant runaway they found sleeping in the park who swears she is 18 but does not look a day over 16. They are also trying to stop a serial rapist who prays on the underprivileged young women in his program to help those in that situation advance but has been able to buy his way out of all the trouble because of his wealth and connections. It is all Lizzy can do to get up each day after the death of her fiance and she has not been able to get past her grief. But this group of people have become her family and she will survive.
June 27, 2015
A good middle-of-the-road thriller. Nothing about this set me alight but it had a decent storyline and kept the action flowing. I could tell that the author switched from writing romance, the personal relationships of the main characters were forced into the story even when they had little or nothing to add to the plot- Ragan clearly believes that everyone should end up coupled and/or happy ever after (or both). It was a pleasant enough time to pass away a few hours.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2015
Excellent Addition
This book has so many twists and turns it will make you dizzy, but there is so much excitement and violence going on, you won't be able to put it down...
This was an excellent addition to the Lizzy Gardner books and possibly my favorite yet. All the girls are at it trying to catch the bad guys and a little surprise that will melt your heart! ❤️
This book has so many twists and turns it will make you dizzy, but there is so much excitement and violence going on, you won't be able to put it down...
This was an excellent addition to the Lizzy Gardner books and possibly my favorite yet. All the girls are at it trying to catch the bad guys and a little surprise that will melt your heart! ❤️
May 31, 2016
Outstanding Series
I hated getting to the end of this book knowing if was the last. From the first book, Abducted, the Lizzie Gardner Series has been unputdownable.. This last title Evil Never Dies describes the series perfectly. Survival, Good vs Evil, how evil can insinuate itself into most of us & the ability to examine ones self truly when looking in the mirror.
I hated getting to the end of this book knowing if was the last. From the first book, Abducted, the Lizzie Gardner Series has been unputdownable.. This last title Evil Never Dies describes the series perfectly. Survival, Good vs Evil, how evil can insinuate itself into most of us & the ability to examine ones self truly when looking in the mirror.
November 19, 2017
Best series ever!
I really recommend the series and all books by T. R. Ragan.
I really recommend the series and all books by T. R. Ragan.
March 17, 2017
Every time I think I am done Lizzie just drags me back in.
June 14, 2017
I don't normally like it when a series ends, but I think that T.R. Ragan did a good job wrapping up this story line. I will miss the characters, but am able to let them go with a sense of closure.
September 21, 2016
Personal Response:
Evil Never Dies was the sixth and final book to the Lizzy Gardner series. Each book of the series made me want to keep reading, but something about this book just kept me on my toes. I would stay up late most nights reading this book. There were times I would be out and about and I would stop to read just a little bit. A little turned into a lot and soon enough I was 26 chapters in. I am quite sad that I finished this series. I wish there were more books in the series, and I hope the author will continue to write series similar to this one.
Plot:
Evil Never Dies takes place in Sacramento, California. Lizzy Gardner and her team of investigators work together to stop serial killers in the Sacramento area. In this book of the series, Lizzy and her team worked together to solve two cases.
One of the cases was about the ‘Sacramento Strangler.’ The Strangler would choose his victims randomly, strangle them, and then used his love of art to leave hints on or around the bodies. The Strangler ended up being Jake Polly, who was formerly known as Zachary Tucker. When Jake was a young boy, he killed his sister by pushing her in the family pool and drowning her. The sensation Jake got on that day, was what made him a serial killer. Jake would use his victims as a human canvas to paint gruesome pictures of his victims. Jake was known around Sacramento as a public art teacher. He was able to stay under the radar for quite some time before being caught by Lizzy and her assistant Jessica.
The other case Lizzy and her crew worked on, was about Wayne Bennett. Bennett abducted and sexually abused young woman in Sacramento. If any of the woman talked to Lizzy or the police, he paid them a visit to keep them quiet. Lizzy’s team set up cameras in some of his rental homes and kept an eye on him. They caught him on camera abusing a woman. When Lizzy talked to her the women refused to testify against Bennett, because he was dangerous and she was scared for her life.
Setting:
Evil Never Dies took place in Sacramento California. The setting of Sacramento is very modern and took place all year round. From time to time they would be in other towns, but for the most part they were in Sacramento. Lizzy used to have an apartment with her fiance, Jared Shayne, until he was shot and killed on their wedding day. Lizzy was then living with her two assistants, Kitally and Haley. Towards the end of the book, Lizzy found out she was pregnant with Jared’s baby. Upon finding out about her pregnancy, Lizzy bought a house in Loomis, California. She quit the private investigation business and decided to live peacefully with her son, Nicholas Gardner Shayne.
Characterization:
Lizzy Gardner was the main character throughout the series. She was a tall blonde with brown eyes. She fought long and hard to catch bad people in Sacramento. Lizzy was always dedicated to her work. Lizzy was very broken after the tragic death of her fiance, Jared. When handling a tough situation, she always looked at what Jared would do to help.
Haley was another one of the main characters. She had brown hair that fell at her shoulders, and lots of peircings. Haley’s mom had a boyfriend named Brian who sexually abused Haley everyday for years. When Haley was old enough, she sought out for revenge to kill him. Brian killed Haley’s mother after she threatened him and cut off his private parts. She thought maybe he would learn the first time to stay away from her and her mother. When Haley found her mother dead, everything changed. Haley became more eager to kill Brian and his posse. After the death of Brian, Haley sought out to kill all of his friends. Haley was blunt, and easily angered, but she also had a soft side.
Kitally is our third and final main character. She has short blonde hair and green eyes. Kitally was Haley’s friend and they met while Haley was in jail. Kitally’s family was extremely wealthy. She caught her dad having an affair, so he babied her to keep her mouth shut. Lizzy would assign Kitally a person to keep an eye on. Throughout this book, she was in charge of the Ghost case. The Ghost was a girl with white spiky hair who would assault homeless people for no reason. Kitally snuck into the Ghost’s house, and beat her. She warned her to stop what she was doing or she would come back and kill her.
Thematic Connection:
My main thematic connection in Evil Never Dies was heroism. I believe it’s heroism, because Lizzy and her team of investigators worked under the rug to catch rapists and killers who did not have enough evidence against them to be locked up. Lizzy and her team to this to make Sacramento a safer place to be.
Another thematic connection that came to mind was revenge. In book one, Lizzy was abducted by a serial killer and put through hell as a teen. After that incident, 10 years later, Lizzy decided to open up her own private investigation business. She killed her child abductor, and sought out to get rid of other people in Sacramento just like him.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to someone over the age of 14, and who enjoys books that cannot be put down. The entire Lizzy Gardner Series is amazing. Each book made you want to keep reading. There is some harsh language in this series, so I would recommend it for mature readers only.
Evil Never Dies was the sixth and final book to the Lizzy Gardner series. Each book of the series made me want to keep reading, but something about this book just kept me on my toes. I would stay up late most nights reading this book. There were times I would be out and about and I would stop to read just a little bit. A little turned into a lot and soon enough I was 26 chapters in. I am quite sad that I finished this series. I wish there were more books in the series, and I hope the author will continue to write series similar to this one.
Plot:
Evil Never Dies takes place in Sacramento, California. Lizzy Gardner and her team of investigators work together to stop serial killers in the Sacramento area. In this book of the series, Lizzy and her team worked together to solve two cases.
One of the cases was about the ‘Sacramento Strangler.’ The Strangler would choose his victims randomly, strangle them, and then used his love of art to leave hints on or around the bodies. The Strangler ended up being Jake Polly, who was formerly known as Zachary Tucker. When Jake was a young boy, he killed his sister by pushing her in the family pool and drowning her. The sensation Jake got on that day, was what made him a serial killer. Jake would use his victims as a human canvas to paint gruesome pictures of his victims. Jake was known around Sacramento as a public art teacher. He was able to stay under the radar for quite some time before being caught by Lizzy and her assistant Jessica.
The other case Lizzy and her crew worked on, was about Wayne Bennett. Bennett abducted and sexually abused young woman in Sacramento. If any of the woman talked to Lizzy or the police, he paid them a visit to keep them quiet. Lizzy’s team set up cameras in some of his rental homes and kept an eye on him. They caught him on camera abusing a woman. When Lizzy talked to her the women refused to testify against Bennett, because he was dangerous and she was scared for her life.
Setting:
Evil Never Dies took place in Sacramento California. The setting of Sacramento is very modern and took place all year round. From time to time they would be in other towns, but for the most part they were in Sacramento. Lizzy used to have an apartment with her fiance, Jared Shayne, until he was shot and killed on their wedding day. Lizzy was then living with her two assistants, Kitally and Haley. Towards the end of the book, Lizzy found out she was pregnant with Jared’s baby. Upon finding out about her pregnancy, Lizzy bought a house in Loomis, California. She quit the private investigation business and decided to live peacefully with her son, Nicholas Gardner Shayne.
Characterization:
Lizzy Gardner was the main character throughout the series. She was a tall blonde with brown eyes. She fought long and hard to catch bad people in Sacramento. Lizzy was always dedicated to her work. Lizzy was very broken after the tragic death of her fiance, Jared. When handling a tough situation, she always looked at what Jared would do to help.
Haley was another one of the main characters. She had brown hair that fell at her shoulders, and lots of peircings. Haley’s mom had a boyfriend named Brian who sexually abused Haley everyday for years. When Haley was old enough, she sought out for revenge to kill him. Brian killed Haley’s mother after she threatened him and cut off his private parts. She thought maybe he would learn the first time to stay away from her and her mother. When Haley found her mother dead, everything changed. Haley became more eager to kill Brian and his posse. After the death of Brian, Haley sought out to kill all of his friends. Haley was blunt, and easily angered, but she also had a soft side.
Kitally is our third and final main character. She has short blonde hair and green eyes. Kitally was Haley’s friend and they met while Haley was in jail. Kitally’s family was extremely wealthy. She caught her dad having an affair, so he babied her to keep her mouth shut. Lizzy would assign Kitally a person to keep an eye on. Throughout this book, she was in charge of the Ghost case. The Ghost was a girl with white spiky hair who would assault homeless people for no reason. Kitally snuck into the Ghost’s house, and beat her. She warned her to stop what she was doing or she would come back and kill her.
Thematic Connection:
My main thematic connection in Evil Never Dies was heroism. I believe it’s heroism, because Lizzy and her team of investigators worked under the rug to catch rapists and killers who did not have enough evidence against them to be locked up. Lizzy and her team to this to make Sacramento a safer place to be.
Another thematic connection that came to mind was revenge. In book one, Lizzy was abducted by a serial killer and put through hell as a teen. After that incident, 10 years later, Lizzy decided to open up her own private investigation business. She killed her child abductor, and sought out to get rid of other people in Sacramento just like him.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to someone over the age of 14, and who enjoys books that cannot be put down. The entire Lizzy Gardner Series is amazing. Each book made you want to keep reading. There is some harsh language in this series, so I would recommend it for mature readers only.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2019
I Adore Lizzy Gardner!!!
If you do not continue the series with Lizzy you simply must continue it with Kitally Investigations. I am so in love with all of the characters that it would be dismal getting involved with an entire new group. Please consider!! Wonderful reading!!!
If you do not continue the series with Lizzy you simply must continue it with Kitally Investigations. I am so in love with all of the characters that it would be dismal getting involved with an entire new group. Please consider!! Wonderful reading!!!
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