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FBI Agent Bobby Dees #1
Pretty Little Things
Thirteen-year-old Lainey Emerson is the middle child in a home police are already familiar her mother works too much and her stepfather favors his own blood over another man’s problems—namely Lainey and her wild older sister, Liza. So when Lainey does not come home from a Friday night out with her friends, it is dismissed by the Coral Springs P.D. as just another disillusioned South Florida teen running away from suburban drama and an unhappy home life. But FDLE Special Agent Bobby Dees, who has headed up the Department’s difficult Crimes Against Children (CAC) Squad in Miami for more than a decade, is not quite so sure. Nicknamed “The Shepherd” by colleagues, he has an uncanny ability to find the missing and bring them back home— dead or alive. Haunted by the still-unsolved disappearance of his own daughter, Bobby recognizes the all too familiar up-swell inside him, the gut feeling that Lainey Emerson is no runaway. A search of her computer and a talk with her best friend reveal Lainey was involved in a secret internet relationship, spawned over a chat room, and nurtured through untraceable instant messages. Bobby fears she may be the victim of an online predator, and when chilling hand-painted portraits of other possible victims are mailed to a local television station, he realizes she may not be the only one. The faceless monster from cyberspace, who has gone to remarkable lengths to stay invisible, now seeks a captive audience. And it is Bobby Dees he wants watching. Can Bobby win this deadly game of cat and mouse, one involving the most prolific killer he has ever encountered? And will he be able to save Lainey and the others before it is too late?
360 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Jilliane Hoffman
27 books594 followersJilliane P. Hoffman began her professional career as an Assistant State Attorney prosecuting felonies in Florida from 1992 to 1996 with special assignments to the Domestic Violence and the Legal Extradition Units. Originally from Long Island, she currently lives in South Florida with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 576 reviews
February 7, 2017
meeeega gut!!!
September 19, 2010
Pretty Little Things by Jilliane Hoffman
This book is not for the faint of heart. It deals with disposable children. Children who have been abandon by society or have abandoned society. Kids who have run away or have been snatched from all walks of life. Internet predators are specifically addressed and this is the story of Special Agent Bobby Dees and his efforts to save these children.
This was an excellent mystery. It was still hard to read. The predator was despicable and wholly frightening. What was also frightening was the Internet naiveté that kids demonstrate even as the Internet matures. Simply log on to any of the social networks and see the inappropriate postings that could lead to devastating consequences. I would like to see the book used in a middle school reading program led by the guidance department. It’s intensity could be construed as a “scared straight” type of book but it might serve to enlighten kids to some of the dangers they face in an electronic environment.
Do you know that your kids DSi or xBox can communicate to other online users and that neither they or you know who they are REALLY communicating with?
Parents should seek out and read this book. It isn’t necessary to overeact but simply the act of reading this book could help to open some naïve eyes, in both parent and child.
I highly recommend the book.
This book is not for the faint of heart. It deals with disposable children. Children who have been abandon by society or have abandoned society. Kids who have run away or have been snatched from all walks of life. Internet predators are specifically addressed and this is the story of Special Agent Bobby Dees and his efforts to save these children.
This was an excellent mystery. It was still hard to read. The predator was despicable and wholly frightening. What was also frightening was the Internet naiveté that kids demonstrate even as the Internet matures. Simply log on to any of the social networks and see the inappropriate postings that could lead to devastating consequences. I would like to see the book used in a middle school reading program led by the guidance department. It’s intensity could be construed as a “scared straight” type of book but it might serve to enlighten kids to some of the dangers they face in an electronic environment.
Do you know that your kids DSi or xBox can communicate to other online users and that neither they or you know who they are REALLY communicating with?
Parents should seek out and read this book. It isn’t necessary to overeact but simply the act of reading this book could help to open some naïve eyes, in both parent and child.
I highly recommend the book.
November 17, 2018
3,5 Sterne - 3,75
Es war ein ganz guter Krimiroman. Das Thema war interessant und durch die vielen verschiedenen kleinen Dinge, die passiert sind, um dann wieder zusammen zu finden hat es auch wirklich Spaß gemacht die Geschichte zu verfolgen.
Leider habe ich mich mittendrin etwas gelangweilt manchmal und auch wenn der Plottwist am Ende auch mich sehr überrascht hat, so war es für mich ein sehr gutes Durchschnittsbuch, aber es hat noch etwas gefehlt, dass ich ihm 4 Sterne geben würde.
Auch wenn ich Robert Dees, die Hauptperson mochte, so sprang der gewisse Funke am Ende leider nicht komplett über
Es war ein ganz guter Krimiroman. Das Thema war interessant und durch die vielen verschiedenen kleinen Dinge, die passiert sind, um dann wieder zusammen zu finden hat es auch wirklich Spaß gemacht die Geschichte zu verfolgen.
Leider habe ich mich mittendrin etwas gelangweilt manchmal und auch wenn der Plottwist am Ende auch mich sehr überrascht hat, so war es für mich ein sehr gutes Durchschnittsbuch, aber es hat noch etwas gefehlt, dass ich ihm 4 Sterne geben würde.
Auch wenn ich Robert Dees, die Hauptperson mochte, so sprang der gewisse Funke am Ende leider nicht komplett über
March 9, 2014
A gripping (and horrifying) story that grabbed my attention at the beginning, but the ending was awful. Unexpected, yes, but also highly unlikely and surrounded by a clumsy set of bizarre coincidences that made even less sense the more I thought about them.
May 8, 2021
Jilliane Hoffman schreibt so spannend🖤
February 8, 2016
Wow! It's 2am and I've read this book pretty much non stop over a 6 hour period, could not put it down...excellent plot, characters, and I did not see the ending coming at all.
I was expecting this book to be more gruesome and graphic in describing the killers methodologies but I read a lot of crime and this is not really a descriptively gory book in comparison to others. It's not sweetness and light don't get me wrong, it's a dark twisted sick serial killer that plays a pivotal role in this book. That's never going to end well for some.
I'm exhausted from the roller coaster of reading but enjoyed it hugely. 4.5 stars.
I was expecting this book to be more gruesome and graphic in describing the killers methodologies but I read a lot of crime and this is not really a descriptively gory book in comparison to others. It's not sweetness and light don't get me wrong, it's a dark twisted sick serial killer that plays a pivotal role in this book. That's never going to end well for some.
I'm exhausted from the roller coaster of reading but enjoyed it hugely. 4.5 stars.
October 2, 2018
Wat een pageturner! Benieuwd naar het vervolg hierop.
April 7, 2013
I really struggled with this book and almost packed it in a few times. The last was at around 58% and by then I needed to persist as I'd invested too much time on it.
There were way too many mistakes, some very basic indeed such as curser being used for cursor and concealor for concealer. Capital letters were missed at the start of sentences. There was a passage that made no sense whatsoever too-"just like the in the Bible".......
It was written as a teenager in places and that got very tiresome indeed.
There were a lot of explanations of technical terms of very basic IT that I felt weren't needed as nobody would be lost as long as they had a basic grasp of the internet.
However, there were lots and lots of acronyms and abbreviations used and they weren't always explained, just thrown into the text.
The story itself was an interesting tale but the stuff already described made the process too laborious for me and I wouldn't download more by this author.
There were way too many mistakes, some very basic indeed such as curser being used for cursor and concealor for concealer. Capital letters were missed at the start of sentences. There was a passage that made no sense whatsoever too-"just like the in the Bible".......
It was written as a teenager in places and that got very tiresome indeed.
There were a lot of explanations of technical terms of very basic IT that I felt weren't needed as nobody would be lost as long as they had a basic grasp of the internet.
However, there were lots and lots of acronyms and abbreviations used and they weren't always explained, just thrown into the text.
The story itself was an interesting tale but the stuff already described made the process too laborious for me and I wouldn't download more by this author.
August 14, 2024
Ponekad je triler jedino što vam treba na plaži na ljetovanju. Nešto što se pročita u dan, dva iako ovaj roman istovremneo otvara i ozbiljne teme digitalnog predatorstva. Iako se (tehnološki) može primjetiti da je već prošlo neko vrijeme od kako je ova knjiga napisana ako ništa drugo danas je digitalno predatorstvo vjerojatno još intrigantnije, prisutnije i teže ga je uočiti pa samim time i sve teme koje otvara ovaj roman još uvijek su aktualne. Dodatno je zanimljiva činjenica da se roman bavi i pitanjem bjega maloljetnika od kuće i to kako sa strane maloljetnika i razloga koji ih na to tjeraju tako i odnosom roditelja/staratelja prema takvom događaju.
January 12, 2015
Pretty Little Things by Jilliane Hoffman is a 2014 Thomas & Mercer publication.
I have always enjoyed novels by Jilliane Hoffman and this one was no exception. A gritty and heart wrenching suspense thriller that left me in white knuckled suspense and a feeling of pain for victims of these crimes and their families, but also a feeling of hope.
When thirteen year old Lainey disappears it's not just a job for Bobby Dees and the Crimes Against Children Squad. For Bobby each of these crimes is personal because he knows exactly what these families are going through. He himself has a missing daughter and lives life in a hell on earth limbo, not knowing if she is dead or alive.
The case is gruesome and harrowing as the author examines not only the way these girls get lured into traps by these predators, but the effect it has on the families, the investigative process, and the reminder that with each closed case, there are still countless missing and exploited children yet to find and rescue.
As a parent who raised two children just on the cusp of the cell phone, IM explosion and dealt with some on these issues myself, and having no idea how cleaver these kids can be when trying to keep something hidden from you. I can't stress to parents enough how accurate this novel was. As clever as kids are, so are the predators, more so, in fact. These kids want be to grown up, but they still need a watchful eye on them at all times. They can be at home, safe and sound, but a predator is right there in their rooms with them,via computers and smart phones, tempting them and luring them into a clever trap and you will never seen it coming. Certain messaging applications leave no record making it impossible to determine what might have happened in a worst case scenario. It literally sent chills down my spine reading about it, thinking about what these kids suffer and if they are fortunate enough to survive, how their lives will never, ever be the same.
This book was obviously well researched and thought out, the pacing and timing were spot on, and for the suspense is taut. I was very pleased with the ending and poignancy it stressed. Well Done! 5 stars
I have always enjoyed novels by Jilliane Hoffman and this one was no exception. A gritty and heart wrenching suspense thriller that left me in white knuckled suspense and a feeling of pain for victims of these crimes and their families, but also a feeling of hope.
When thirteen year old Lainey disappears it's not just a job for Bobby Dees and the Crimes Against Children Squad. For Bobby each of these crimes is personal because he knows exactly what these families are going through. He himself has a missing daughter and lives life in a hell on earth limbo, not knowing if she is dead or alive.
The case is gruesome and harrowing as the author examines not only the way these girls get lured into traps by these predators, but the effect it has on the families, the investigative process, and the reminder that with each closed case, there are still countless missing and exploited children yet to find and rescue.
As a parent who raised two children just on the cusp of the cell phone, IM explosion and dealt with some on these issues myself, and having no idea how cleaver these kids can be when trying to keep something hidden from you. I can't stress to parents enough how accurate this novel was. As clever as kids are, so are the predators, more so, in fact. These kids want be to grown up, but they still need a watchful eye on them at all times. They can be at home, safe and sound, but a predator is right there in their rooms with them,via computers and smart phones, tempting them and luring them into a clever trap and you will never seen it coming. Certain messaging applications leave no record making it impossible to determine what might have happened in a worst case scenario. It literally sent chills down my spine reading about it, thinking about what these kids suffer and if they are fortunate enough to survive, how their lives will never, ever be the same.
This book was obviously well researched and thought out, the pacing and timing were spot on, and for the suspense is taut. I was very pleased with the ending and poignancy it stressed. Well Done! 5 stars
December 3, 2021
Nachdem ich schon einige wirklich gute Bücher von Jilliane Hoffman gelesen habe, lange aber zu keinem Buch von ihr mehr gegriffen habe, war es mal wieder an der Zeit.
Und was soll ich sagen - die Geschichte hat bei mir eingeschlagen wie eine Bombe.
Der Einstieg direkt haaresträubend, man kann sich quasi von der ersten Seite an denken, wie die Geschichte mit Lainey und ElCaptain ausgehen wird und steht dann hilflos daneben.
Man bekommt während des Lesens den einen oder anderen Verdächtigen auf dem Silbertablett präsentiert - ich hatte Anfangs sogar den richtigen Riecher, hab mich dann aber zum Ende hin doch von der Autorin in die Irre führen lassen, nur um dann mit Schrecken der Wahrheit ins Auge blicken zu müssen.
Sensationell gut geschriebener Thriller, der ein wahrer Pageturner ist und einem die Haare zu Berge stehen lässt.
Und was soll ich sagen - die Geschichte hat bei mir eingeschlagen wie eine Bombe.
Der Einstieg direkt haaresträubend, man kann sich quasi von der ersten Seite an denken, wie die Geschichte mit Lainey und ElCaptain ausgehen wird und steht dann hilflos daneben.
Man bekommt während des Lesens den einen oder anderen Verdächtigen auf dem Silbertablett präsentiert - ich hatte Anfangs sogar den richtigen Riecher, hab mich dann aber zum Ende hin doch von der Autorin in die Irre führen lassen, nur um dann mit Schrecken der Wahrheit ins Auge blicken zu müssen.
Sensationell gut geschriebener Thriller, der ein wahrer Pageturner ist und einem die Haare zu Berge stehen lässt.
January 6, 2020
Lainey schwebt im siebten Himmel, denn sie hat ein Date mit Zach! Zach, der total gut aussieht, genauso tickt wie sie - und den sie nur aus dem Internet kennt. Aber das ist doch kein Problem, oder? Nur warum ist der Mann, zu dem sie ins Auto steigt, nicht blond wie auf dem Foto? Als Lainey aus ihrem Traum erwacht, ist sie bereits in einem Albtraum gefangen.
Special Agent Bobby Dees wird mit ihrem Fall betraut, der sich bald zum Horror eines jeden Ermittlers entpuppt...
Letztes Jahr habe ich "Cupido" von Jilliane Hoffmann gelesen und war sehr begeistert. Auch "Mädchenfänger" konnte mich wieder überzeugen. Das Buch ist durchweg spannend, der Leser wird mit vielen Grausamkeiten und Morden in Atem gehalten. Die Vorstellung, dass das Kind in ein fremdes Auto steigen könnte und entführt wird ist einfach schauderhaft. Man merkt dem Buch natürlich an, dass es bereits 2010 geschrieben wurde - heute sind die Möglichkeiten für solche Täter im Internet noch viel größer als damals. Umso besser finde ich, dass darüber ein Thriller geschrieben wurde. Mir hats super gefallen, auch wenn ich diese typisch amerikanischen Happy-Ends nicht wirklich leiden kann, daher gibts einen halben ⭐ Abzug, weshalb das Buch 4,5 / 5 ⭐ erhält. Leseempfehlung!
Special Agent Bobby Dees wird mit ihrem Fall betraut, der sich bald zum Horror eines jeden Ermittlers entpuppt...
Letztes Jahr habe ich "Cupido" von Jilliane Hoffmann gelesen und war sehr begeistert. Auch "Mädchenfänger" konnte mich wieder überzeugen. Das Buch ist durchweg spannend, der Leser wird mit vielen Grausamkeiten und Morden in Atem gehalten. Die Vorstellung, dass das Kind in ein fremdes Auto steigen könnte und entführt wird ist einfach schauderhaft. Man merkt dem Buch natürlich an, dass es bereits 2010 geschrieben wurde - heute sind die Möglichkeiten für solche Täter im Internet noch viel größer als damals. Umso besser finde ich, dass darüber ein Thriller geschrieben wurde. Mir hats super gefallen, auch wenn ich diese typisch amerikanischen Happy-Ends nicht wirklich leiden kann, daher gibts einen halben ⭐ Abzug, weshalb das Buch 4,5 / 5 ⭐ erhält. Leseempfehlung!
June 1, 2022
Brilliant book, it has been on my shelf way too long
Quite a gruesome read and deals with teen runways who are taken and murdered in the cruelest ways
Good detective in Bobby Dees and would read more by this author
Quite a gruesome read and deals with teen runways who are taken and murdered in the cruelest ways
Good detective in Bobby Dees and would read more by this author
July 9, 2010
Ein sehr gutes Buch, das ich innerhalb von 2 Tagen verschlungen hatte und bei dem man am Ende eigentlich gern wieder von Neuem anfangen möchte um zu schauen, ob man eingangs nicht ein paar Hinweise auf den Mörder übersehen hatte. Denn mit diesem Ende hätte ich nicht wirklich gerechnet und frage mich immer noch, wie er das so alles bewerkstelligt hat.
Zur Ausgangslage: über's Internet macht der "Mädchenfänger" (der von der Polizei allerdings "Picasso" genannt wird; wieder mal so ein Fall wo man sich fragt wieso der dt. Verlag diesen Titel gewählt hat) Bekanntschaft mit jungen Mädels, gibt sich als 17jähriger fescher Kapitän der High-School-Football Mannschaft aus und spioniert seine Opfer vorerst mal gründlich aus. Irgendwann lädt er sie zu einem Treffen ein und kidnappt sie dabei, um sie anschließend seiner Mädchensammlung hinzuzufügen. Sobald er einer überdrüssig geworden ist, ermordet er sie und teilt dies seit neuestem auch regelmäßig der Polizei + Presse mit. Schließlich gefällt ihm die ganze Aufmerksamkeit, die ihm die Medien plötzlich schenken, ungemein.
Dann gibt es da noch den Polizisten, dessen eigene Tochter vor einem Jahr spurlos verschwunden ist und der verbissen darum kämpft, diesen Fall aufklären zu können. Vielleicht bringt ihm das ja auch seine Katy zurück?
Die Thematik des Buches ist auf jeden Fall sehr aktuell und realistisch. Man fragt sich zwar eigentlich, wieso junge Mädels (oder durchaus auch ältere!) noch immer auf solche Internet-Blind-Dates hereinfallen, aber im Grunde glaubt man doch immer "diese ganzen Geschichten gibt es nur in den Nachrichten, mir selbst würde sowas nie passieren". Insofern rennt auch die 13jährige Lainey in ihr Verderben, indem sie sich mit dem schnuckeligen Zack trifft und noch nicht einmal ihrer besten Freundin davon erzählt, aus Angst dass sie am Ende doch versetzt wird. Eine dumme Entscheidung, aber durchaus auch nachvollziehbar. Viel schlimmer ist eigentlich, dass sie eigentlich offiziell erstmal als Ausreißerin gilt, bei den Verhältnissen zu Hause auch durchaus verständlich. Ist vielleicht gar ihr Stiefvater für ihr Verschwinden verantwortlich? Ein Blick auf seinen Computer fördert zumindest sein Faible für 'barely legal girls' zu Tage.
Der Lesefluss ist super, auch wenn die Geschichte kurz vorm Showdown ins Stocken gerät als auch die Polizei mit ihren Ermittlungen nicht weiter zu kommen scheint. Aber generell liest sich das Buch sehr sehr flüssig und angenehm. Stilistisch haben mich nur die doch sehr häufigen Referenzen auf den 'Cupido'-Mörder gestört, die anscheinend den Leser dazu anregen sollten, auch dieses Buch der Autorin zu lesen falls man es nicht schon getan hat. Das hätte in etwas reduzierter Form deutlich weniger plakativ gewirkt.
Zur Ausgangslage: über's Internet macht der "Mädchenfänger" (der von der Polizei allerdings "Picasso" genannt wird; wieder mal so ein Fall wo man sich fragt wieso der dt. Verlag diesen Titel gewählt hat) Bekanntschaft mit jungen Mädels, gibt sich als 17jähriger fescher Kapitän der High-School-Football Mannschaft aus und spioniert seine Opfer vorerst mal gründlich aus. Irgendwann lädt er sie zu einem Treffen ein und kidnappt sie dabei, um sie anschließend seiner Mädchensammlung hinzuzufügen. Sobald er einer überdrüssig geworden ist, ermordet er sie und teilt dies seit neuestem auch regelmäßig der Polizei + Presse mit. Schließlich gefällt ihm die ganze Aufmerksamkeit, die ihm die Medien plötzlich schenken, ungemein.
Dann gibt es da noch den Polizisten, dessen eigene Tochter vor einem Jahr spurlos verschwunden ist und der verbissen darum kämpft, diesen Fall aufklären zu können. Vielleicht bringt ihm das ja auch seine Katy zurück?
Die Thematik des Buches ist auf jeden Fall sehr aktuell und realistisch. Man fragt sich zwar eigentlich, wieso junge Mädels (oder durchaus auch ältere!) noch immer auf solche Internet-Blind-Dates hereinfallen, aber im Grunde glaubt man doch immer "diese ganzen Geschichten gibt es nur in den Nachrichten, mir selbst würde sowas nie passieren". Insofern rennt auch die 13jährige Lainey in ihr Verderben, indem sie sich mit dem schnuckeligen Zack trifft und noch nicht einmal ihrer besten Freundin davon erzählt, aus Angst dass sie am Ende doch versetzt wird. Eine dumme Entscheidung, aber durchaus auch nachvollziehbar. Viel schlimmer ist eigentlich, dass sie eigentlich offiziell erstmal als Ausreißerin gilt, bei den Verhältnissen zu Hause auch durchaus verständlich. Ist vielleicht gar ihr Stiefvater für ihr Verschwinden verantwortlich? Ein Blick auf seinen Computer fördert zumindest sein Faible für 'barely legal girls' zu Tage.
Der Lesefluss ist super, auch wenn die Geschichte kurz vorm Showdown ins Stocken gerät als auch die Polizei mit ihren Ermittlungen nicht weiter zu kommen scheint. Aber generell liest sich das Buch sehr sehr flüssig und angenehm. Stilistisch haben mich nur die doch sehr häufigen Referenzen auf den 'Cupido'-Mörder gestört, die anscheinend den Leser dazu anregen sollten, auch dieses Buch der Autorin zu lesen falls man es nicht schon getan hat. Das hätte in etwas reduzierter Form deutlich weniger plakativ gewirkt.
June 19, 2012
Jilliane Hoffman was introduced to me originally by a friend and I read her first novel Retribution (2005) which I adored. However her next book didn't come out until a year later (Last Witness - 2006) and another two years go by before another book gets released (Plea of Insanity - 2008) and after that I forgot about her because it is so unpredictable with the timings of her books. Therefore I couldn't wait to get my grubby little paws on her latest thriller.
Pretty Little Things tells the story of Elaine Emerson know as Lainey. She is a normal girl except for the fact that she might as well be invisible in her own home. Her mother is too busy to know or care what she does, her little brother can do no wrong, her step-father is too busy at work and her elder sister no longer bothers coming home. So when Lainey is left to her own devices online, things go terribly wrong. With their recent house move and the loss of all of her school friends Lainey is finding it hard enough as it is to fit in at her new school, so when a handsome boy makes friends with her online she sees no reason why she shouldn't meet up with him. For Lainey this is where it all goes wrong. Where she is taken and who has taken her she can't say but she does know that she is scared and that she isn't alone.
Bobby Dees is a Special Agent and when he gets that all too familiar phone call one morning he knows the coming weeks will be hell. Bobby is suffering with his own demons and his marriage is falling apart at the seams following the disappearance of his own daughter over a year ago. Still, he pushes his grief to one side and gets to work on his latest case involving the missing Lainey. Bobby soon realises that Lainey was pretty much left to her own devices and it doesn't take long for him to figure out the last contact Lainey had was with somebody known only as El Capitan. The question is can he get to her before she winds up being another statistic?
Wow, I was really thrilled with this new book and finished it within a day and a half. It took me the usual two or three chapters to really absorb myself in the story but once there I couldn't resist going back chapter upon chapter until before I knew it I was finished. The story is laid out really well with the story told from Bobby Dees, Lainey as well as the disturbed life of the man who has taken young Lainey. The chapters were written well enough for me to start fearing for my nieces growing up! Bobby Dees is written very well and you end up liking him and Jilliane Hoffman doesn't go overboard with the sympathy vote for him which I liked. I cannot come up with one thing I didn't like about this book and am only sad that I now don't know how long I will have to wait for the next one!
Pretty Little Things tells the story of Elaine Emerson know as Lainey. She is a normal girl except for the fact that she might as well be invisible in her own home. Her mother is too busy to know or care what she does, her little brother can do no wrong, her step-father is too busy at work and her elder sister no longer bothers coming home. So when Lainey is left to her own devices online, things go terribly wrong. With their recent house move and the loss of all of her school friends Lainey is finding it hard enough as it is to fit in at her new school, so when a handsome boy makes friends with her online she sees no reason why she shouldn't meet up with him. For Lainey this is where it all goes wrong. Where she is taken and who has taken her she can't say but she does know that she is scared and that she isn't alone.
Bobby Dees is a Special Agent and when he gets that all too familiar phone call one morning he knows the coming weeks will be hell. Bobby is suffering with his own demons and his marriage is falling apart at the seams following the disappearance of his own daughter over a year ago. Still, he pushes his grief to one side and gets to work on his latest case involving the missing Lainey. Bobby soon realises that Lainey was pretty much left to her own devices and it doesn't take long for him to figure out the last contact Lainey had was with somebody known only as El Capitan. The question is can he get to her before she winds up being another statistic?
Wow, I was really thrilled with this new book and finished it within a day and a half. It took me the usual two or three chapters to really absorb myself in the story but once there I couldn't resist going back chapter upon chapter until before I knew it I was finished. The story is laid out really well with the story told from Bobby Dees, Lainey as well as the disturbed life of the man who has taken young Lainey. The chapters were written well enough for me to start fearing for my nieces growing up! Bobby Dees is written very well and you end up liking him and Jilliane Hoffman doesn't go overboard with the sympathy vote for him which I liked. I cannot come up with one thing I didn't like about this book and am only sad that I now don't know how long I will have to wait for the next one!
August 25, 2016
I liked this book very much- and I really liked the main character Bobby Dee , an officer with the Crimes Against Children Squad . This novel deals with disposable children. Children who have been abandon by society or have abandoned society. Kids who have run away or have been snatched from all walks of life. Internet predators are specifically addressed -and for those who have kids or grand kids- reading this will make your grey hairs come in with lightning speed!
A very good read, I wold love for this author to make a series out of this main character Bobby Dee- or at least another book!
Very much recommend
A very good read, I wold love for this author to make a series out of this main character Bobby Dee- or at least another book!
Very much recommend
October 9, 2021
4 / 5 Sterne ✩✩✩✩
Der flüssige Schreibstil, das angenehm hohe Erzähltempo und die beeindruckend authentischen Figuren haben mir einen spielerisch leichten Einstieg in die Geschichte bereitet und neugierig auf die Handlung gemacht. Dadurch, dass das Buch vergleichsweise kurzweilig ist und vieles Schlag auf Schlag passiert, bin ich auch schnell vorangekommen und habe kaum gemerkt, wie die Seiten an mir vorbeigezogen sind – ein klassischer Pageturner eben. Die Plot Twists am Ende überraschten mich jetzt nicht all zu sehr, aber ich empfand das Ganze trotzdem als ein gelungener Thriller mit fesselnder Atmosphäre und hohem Unterhaltungspotenzial.
Der flüssige Schreibstil, das angenehm hohe Erzähltempo und die beeindruckend authentischen Figuren haben mir einen spielerisch leichten Einstieg in die Geschichte bereitet und neugierig auf die Handlung gemacht. Dadurch, dass das Buch vergleichsweise kurzweilig ist und vieles Schlag auf Schlag passiert, bin ich auch schnell vorangekommen und habe kaum gemerkt, wie die Seiten an mir vorbeigezogen sind – ein klassischer Pageturner eben. Die Plot Twists am Ende überraschten mich jetzt nicht all zu sehr, aber ich empfand das Ganze trotzdem als ein gelungener Thriller mit fesselnder Atmosphäre und hohem Unterhaltungspotenzial.
November 4, 2015
This was a fantastic book! Had me hooked in right from the start, well written and kept me guessing. Didn't pick the ending, that's for sure, and I loved every bit of it. Just added Jilliane Hoffman to my mental list of books to look out for.
February 25, 2017
THIS IS A FAST PACED CRIME THRILLER That you won't be able to put it down. It was very well written it was rich in facts but easy to read. The story is told from the perspective of Detective Bobby
Dees (his daughter had vanished over a year ago. As well as the victim Lainey ( 13 year old girl)that goes missing after agreeing to meet a young boy she met on the internet. Of course he was a predator,who seeks out young girls to kidnap and torture.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it. It is exciting book with a good ending.
Dees (his daughter had vanished over a year ago. As well as the victim Lainey ( 13 year old girl)that goes missing after agreeing to meet a young boy she met on the internet. Of course he was a predator,who seeks out young girls to kidnap and torture.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it. It is exciting book with a good ending.
June 3, 2017
Well, I kinda liked this book.
It had many elements I need in a book, as a bit of action, interesting main character and something happened that I didn't read about much before. So I don't know about other, but I haven't read many books of children kidnapping. I did watch many episodes of various TV shows about it, but not in the books. It is quite upsetting to read about it, because you don't want to see that hit the news or happen to anyone you know. It's just too much.
But the author did fairly good job on it. I liked the retrospective in the book and also I liked the mainstream main character.
Anyways, if you want to read something a bit different I recommend this book to you :)
It had many elements I need in a book, as a bit of action, interesting main character and something happened that I didn't read about much before. So I don't know about other, but I haven't read many books of children kidnapping. I did watch many episodes of various TV shows about it, but not in the books. It is quite upsetting to read about it, because you don't want to see that hit the news or happen to anyone you know. It's just too much.
But the author did fairly good job on it. I liked the retrospective in the book and also I liked the mainstream main character.
Anyways, if you want to read something a bit different I recommend this book to you :)
March 12, 2017
This is another book that mysteriously wandered into my orbit and I am glad it did. More than a police procedural or a standard mystery it is a book that points out the statistics of missing children, how children of a certain age are generally presupposed to be runaways and the requirements for an amber alert.
The main character is a FDLE agent who is renowed for his work with missing and exploited children. Bobby Dees might be a good cop but was he a good parent? And can he solve the case of missing Lainy while not sleeping. You see his own daughter disappeared from home almost a year later.
As bodies pile up the killer is teasing Dees and his wife with hints about his daughters location? Could she be a victim?
The author shows how predators use the internet to get to kids. It is a wake up call for parents of teens and preteens.
The main character is a FDLE agent who is renowed for his work with missing and exploited children. Bobby Dees might be a good cop but was he a good parent? And can he solve the case of missing Lainy while not sleeping. You see his own daughter disappeared from home almost a year later.
As bodies pile up the killer is teasing Dees and his wife with hints about his daughters location? Could she be a victim?
The author shows how predators use the internet to get to kids. It is a wake up call for parents of teens and preteens.
March 13, 2016
It's a very tough read, not for the faint of heart, that's for sure. The dangers of the internet are much more real than we want to believe. You can never really be sure who you are chatting with and this book shows the shocking consequences of it.
A good book overall with a very credible and likeable cop. Some things did not add up though or were never explained. The twist at the end was not believable to me.
A good book overall with a very credible and likeable cop. Some things did not add up though or were never explained. The twist at the end was not believable to me.
February 15, 2018
Super Buch! Greift sehr gut die Anfänge des Internets und der Chatverabredungen auf. Das Buch hat mich daran erinnert, wie es bei mir selbst und Freundinnen damals war. Es zeigt sehr schön wie schnell etwas passieren kann und wie wichtig es ist, dass sich Eltern für ihre Kinder und das Geschehen im Internet interessieren. Es konnte zwar peinlich werden, wenn Mutti neben einem saß, wenn man chattete, aber heute bin ich ihr dankbar. Nur 4 von 5 Sternen, weil mir das Ende nicht zusagt.
(Nach der Cupido-Reihe habe ich etwas anderes erwartet.)
(Nach der Cupido-Reihe habe ich etwas anderes erwartet.)
July 11, 2010
Obwohl nicht spektakulär (keine Toten, Folterszenen oder ähnliches) ist der Auftakt des neuen Buches von Jiliane Hoffman gelungen: Ein Psychopath beobachtet die 13jährige Lainey und tritt über ein Pseudonym mittels Internet mit ihr in Kontakt. Ein heißer Flirt entfaltet sich, ein Treffen bahnt sich an - und die Lesenden zittern mit, weil sie ahnen was geschehen wird. Doch das war's dann für die nächsten 100 Seiten mit der Spannung. Ausführlich wird die Suche nach der verschwunden Lainey beschrieben, es folgen weitschweifende Erklärungen über vermisste Kinder und die Psyche der Beamten, die sich damit befassen. Über Laineys Schicksal liest man gerade mal fünf Seiten, die zudem eher vage formuliert sind.
Doch dann wird die erste Leiche gefunden, angekündigt durch ein grauenvolles Gemälde. Schon bald ahnen die Ermittler, dass dies nicht das einzige Opfer war/ist. Besondere Brisanz hat dieser Fall für Bobby, den in diesem Fall leitenden Special Agent, dessen Tochter ziemlich genau ein Jahr zuvor verschwunden ist. Der Psychopath scheint ein übles Spiel mit ihm zu treiben...
Das Buch liest sich gut und flüssig, schön ist der realistische Bezug zur heutigen Zeit (die Vorliebe der Teenager für Hannah Montana und Twilight, wie wenig Eltern von ihren Kindern wissen...). Allerdings hält sich für meinen Geschmack die Spannung in Grenzen. Der Aufbau zweier zeitgleicher Szenarien, die scheinbar auf einen gemeinsamen Punkt zulaufen, die allmähliche Annäherung des Psychopathen an Billy - alles Spannungsmomente, die man so oder so ähnlich schon dutzendfach anderweitig gelesen hat. Zudem tauchen immer wieder Ungereimtheiten auf, über die man nur den Kopf schütteln kann: Innerhalb kürzester Zeit wird anhand eines Gemäldes erkannt, wo es entstanden ist. Der Boss der Special Agents (recht weit oben also :-)) hat keine Ahnung was ein Trojaner ist, usw. Es gibt noch mehrere solche Fragwürdigkeiten, die einem die Freude an diesem Thriller doch etwas verdrießen. Auch die Hintergründe der Verbrechen bleiben nebulös: was den Täter antrieb, welche Grausamkeiten er den Mädchen tatsächlich antat - nichts wird wirklich aufgeklärt.
Somit bleibt nach dem Lesen der letzten Seite die Erkenntnis: Ganz ok, aber mehr auch nicht.
Doch dann wird die erste Leiche gefunden, angekündigt durch ein grauenvolles Gemälde. Schon bald ahnen die Ermittler, dass dies nicht das einzige Opfer war/ist. Besondere Brisanz hat dieser Fall für Bobby, den in diesem Fall leitenden Special Agent, dessen Tochter ziemlich genau ein Jahr zuvor verschwunden ist. Der Psychopath scheint ein übles Spiel mit ihm zu treiben...
Das Buch liest sich gut und flüssig, schön ist der realistische Bezug zur heutigen Zeit (die Vorliebe der Teenager für Hannah Montana und Twilight, wie wenig Eltern von ihren Kindern wissen...). Allerdings hält sich für meinen Geschmack die Spannung in Grenzen. Der Aufbau zweier zeitgleicher Szenarien, die scheinbar auf einen gemeinsamen Punkt zulaufen, die allmähliche Annäherung des Psychopathen an Billy - alles Spannungsmomente, die man so oder so ähnlich schon dutzendfach anderweitig gelesen hat. Zudem tauchen immer wieder Ungereimtheiten auf, über die man nur den Kopf schütteln kann: Innerhalb kürzester Zeit wird anhand eines Gemäldes erkannt, wo es entstanden ist. Der Boss der Special Agents (recht weit oben also :-)) hat keine Ahnung was ein Trojaner ist, usw. Es gibt noch mehrere solche Fragwürdigkeiten, die einem die Freude an diesem Thriller doch etwas verdrießen. Auch die Hintergründe der Verbrechen bleiben nebulös: was den Täter antrieb, welche Grausamkeiten er den Mädchen tatsächlich antat - nichts wird wirklich aufgeklärt.
Somit bleibt nach dem Lesen der letzten Seite die Erkenntnis: Ganz ok, aber mehr auch nicht.
December 29, 2010
This was the first book I read of Jilliane Hoffman. She had me at the first sentence, I could not put this book down. The plot of the story is a real-life issue of internet predators. Through this book and its characters I realized how naive I am to on-line chats and techy stuff kids are into. As a parent, my eyes are now WIDE OPEN!
As a reader, I felt the emotion Hoffman was describing of her characters. At times it made me sick to my stomach and scared. A writer who can reach through the pages and pull you into the story like Hoffman does in this novel-- has tremendous talent.
I recommend this book and her other books to anyone who loves crime and drama.
As a reader, I felt the emotion Hoffman was describing of her characters. At times it made me sick to my stomach and scared. A writer who can reach through the pages and pull you into the story like Hoffman does in this novel-- has tremendous talent.
I recommend this book and her other books to anyone who loves crime and drama.
July 21, 2015
I really enjoyed this book but I feel like it was a little overkill. I understand trying to make it a serial killer, but I think that it could have been done differently. I got tired of reading the same thing every 50 pages. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. The ending was terrific once I finally got to it...I did not guess the killer at all. I like Jilliane Hoffman as an author and can't wait to read more of her work.
March 17, 2019
Wie auch bei "Cupido" fängt das Buch sehr spannend an und flacht dann in der Mitte komplett ab. Schade! Auch das Ende war mir echt zu konstruiert. Ich dachte mir sogar schon "Wer ist wohl am unwahrscheinlichsten der Täter" und zack, der war es natürlich... und die komplett verkitschte Wendung am Ende geht meiner Meinung nach bei so einem traurigen Thema gar nicht. Alles in allem ein verwirrender Thriller, der leider auch nicht durch einen besonderen Spannungsbogen überzeugt.
March 6, 2015
Just finished this book this morning. Only took a day or so to read. Was an emotional and sometimes upsetting book but captivating and easy to follow. This is the first book I've read by Jilliane Hoffman but I will look at reading others.
September 5, 2015
I need a shelf for sadistic serial killers. For now I am just filing them under thrillers. I enjoyed this book but then I am a fan of police procedural crime novels. So no shocker there.
August 17, 2023
Found this book at a goodwill & had never heard of it before. I was surprised! It kept me interested and at the edge of my seat. The storyline was different and I was into it. A serial killer labeled as “Picasso” by the media was abducting runaway teens and terrorizing the task force’s top agent with clues along the way. I felt like I was watching a criminal minds episode. The chapters would alternate between the detectives and the victims. Mostly centering on the detective, but I wish there were more chapters from the victims perspective. The writing wasn’t the best, there was some over-explanations at points, as well as some unrealistic scenes. I also really wanted more of the forensic history / psychological background of the serial killer as to why he did what he did. But overall I enjoyed the book. I would say it was a 3.75, it had the potential of being a 4 if the story was better written. I will give the author some credit since her background is in law as a state attorney, which is why the writing seemed more matter-of-fact and less developed at times.
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