Dark Highway

I liked the idea, but the whole book unfortunately didn't work for me. And it's mostly my fault.<br /><br />There are some very specific things about books that I don't really like, and sadly two of them appeared in this book. First, I don't like flashbacks. Very often I simply skip them. Here, chapters about the past events made almost half of the book. And although I tried to read them, I had the feeling that they did not bring anything new to the main story, except maybe adding depth. Which is actually good. It just wasn’t up to my alley.<br /><br />The second thing is narrating from too many points of view. There is Jessica POV and Matt POV, there are three points of view for each of the three victims, there is mysterious Dea POV, and there is a point of view of a man who might be the murderer. Oh, and in the prologue, we have a scene from another POV, which does not come back later. It was too much for me. These two things made it not a book for me.<br /><br />But like I said, I like the general idea of the plot. The way the murders were related to each other and how they were related to past events. And although I fairly quickly predicted who the murderer was and why they chose these particular victims, it was an enjoyable and quick read.<br /><br />I also liked the characters, especially Jessica and Matt. I haven't read the previous books in this series, so I don't know their story that well. But they're fine, although Jessica, in my opinion, took unnecessary risks sometimes. Also, I'm not entirely sure about the relationship between Jessica and Matt, it is so unreasonably complicated. But maybe this thread will be developed more in the next books.<br /><br />Overall, it's a good book that just didn't work for me. But I may read previous books in this series or the next ones one day.<br /><br /><i>Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Dark Highway is the third book in the well-written Jessica Shaw series, about a prickly but determined PI working cases in small-town Southern California, by Scottish former journalist Lisa Gray. I had read the two previous instalments but you can easily get into this as a stand-alone, as you get all the necessary backstory and it doesn’t spoil the earlier books either. I enjoyed this missing-person case and am liking Jessica more and more as the series progresses.<br /><br />Lonely and looking for work, Jessica has ignored her better judgement and gone to untrustworthy but attractive fellow PI Matt Connor for a job. A young artist has gone missing in the desert and her anxious parents hire Matt &amp; Jessica to find her. They soon discover that other women have also vanished in the same area - how do these cases connect to the fate of a young bartender thirty years earlier?<br /><br />This was a smoothly paced mystery with intriguing characters, and a great sense of place, although for me there were too many clues, so that it was obvious what was going on by at least half way through - I prefer the suspense to last for most of the book. I was still glued to the kindle to find out how things would turn out, and definitely liked the unexpected ending. Jessica is tough but compassionate and smart enough to both solve the mystery and get herself out of trouble without her unreliable partner. I’ll happily continue this series to read more of her adventures.<br /><br />Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon UK for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. Trigger warning for rape (mentioned, not described in detail) and violent attempted rape (described.) Dark Highway is published today.

Jessica Shaw has taken a job working under Private Investigator Matt Connor so she can qualify for a California P.I. License. Their first case is finding 24-year-old Laurie Simmonds who disappeared two months ago. Her van was found along Twentynine Palms Highway and the police have no leads. Jessica and Matt quickly discover that two other women have disappeared from the same deserted highway in the last two years. As they re-interview the many witnesses in these missing persons cases, Laurie's parents suddenly drop the case. But Jessica isn't ready to give up on the case or on Laurie Simmonds.<br /><br />The third book in Lisa Gray's Jessica Shaw series is a page turner. With Jessica and Matt looking into three separate missing persons cases, there were a lot of characters to keep track of. I ended taking notes so I could keep them straight in my head. The timeline jumps when telling the missing persons stories got a little confusing for a while. I'm glad the author tells us the date and whose point-of-view we are reading at the beginning of each chapter.<br /><br />I liked this mystery and did eventually figure it out only a few minutes before Jessica did herself. This was a good addition to the series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.<br />

<strong>#abrknpoet reviews Dark Highway</strong><br /><br />Dark Highway by Lisa Grey is a gripping thriller that follows Detective Jessica Shaw as she investigates a series of murders linked to her own past. The book is fast-paced and full of twists and turns that keep the reader hooked until the end. The author does a great job of creating a dark and suspenseful atmosphere, as well as developing the main character's complex personality and backstory.<br /><br />However, the book also has some flaws that might disappoint some readers. For example, some of the secondary characters are not very well fleshed out and seem to serve only as plot devices. The dialogue can also be a bit cheesy and unrealistic at times, especially when it comes to the romantic subplot. The ending might also feel a bit rushed and anticlimactic for some, as it leaves some loose ends unresolved.<br /><br />Overall, Dark Highway is a solid thriller that will appeal to fans of the genre who enjoy a fast and exciting read. It is not a perfect book, but it is certainly entertaining and engaging.<br /><br /><br />4.1 stars

This is the third book in the Jessica Shaw series, and what an exciting, well written series it is. Jessica is a very likable character, filled with a caring compassion, perfect for her career choice. She’s a PI who searches for missing people, and never gives up on a case until she finds an answer. I truly admire her ability to put clues together in her search for answers. Wow, what an ending to this book.<br />Thanks, Lisa, for sharing your talent with us. I’m looking forward to book four and getting more insight into Jessica.

This is the 3rd book in the Jessica Shaw series. Jessica has teamed up with Connor to solve the mystery of 3 women who have disappeared. Matt Connor is definitely not at the top of my favorite character people - enough said there.<br /><br />Jessica starts pulling together the pieces of the missing women and the story jumps from her current day investigation to the past where each of the missing women are showcased. It does jump back and forth a little too much for my preference but I understand why it was done. It fleshes out each of the missing women.<br /><br />I liked how Ms. Gray pulled all the pieces together from the introduction scene, to the missing women, to the families that missed them and the reason behind the crime. <br /><br />At first I could book the book down, but the further I read the harder it was to put down. This is a solid addition to the series and I look forward to the next book.<br /><br />Thanks to NetGalley &amp; Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC of this book.

3,5 ⭐️ <br />Zdecydowanie najlepszy tom z całej serii.

Dark Highway is the third instalment in the Private Investigator Jessica Shaw series, set in Los Angeles, California. Jessica specialises in missing persons cases and is currently logging hours towards her California PI license working for Matt Connor’s company MAC Investigations, with whom she has a chemistry with from previous books. The story opens with Nick, Junior, Zee and Dusty driving down the highway in Zee’s Cutlass with a dead woman in the trunk. They stop and Dusty directs his fearful acquaintances to dig a grave and bury the body. Meanwhile, Jessica and Matt hold a meeting with a wealthy new client, Renee Simmonds, the mother of twenty-four-year-old missing Venice artist Laurie Simmonds, who has been missing for two months. Renee informs them that Laurie’s VW campervan was found on the shoulder of a remote and deserted stretch of Twentynine Palms Highway and strangely none of her personal items were inside. Renee feels she has no choice but to hire PIs as the police investigation has stalled. They also know that two other young women, Mallory Wilcox and Amanda Meyers, disappeared from the same area in similar circumstances in cases stretching back three decades.<br /><br />It doesn't take long before, out of the blue, Laurie’s parents remove MAC from the case. Jessica feels they were getting close to discovering the truth about the three missing girls and isn't about to give up now. This is a compulsive and exciting thriller with a whole lot of action, a believable plot and a cast of engaging characters. I found I wasn't so keen on the sexual tension or romantic attraction between Jessica and Matt as it didn't really add much to the story. That said, I love Jessica as a protagonist as she's a strong, independent woman who knows her own mind, gets results and is nobody's fool. The plot is quite convoluted as it shifts between multiple points of view as well as including flashbacks and although at the beginning it took a little getting used to it, I felt that the transitions were executed pretty seamlessly. There's also a backstory to Jessica that is interesting and is explored more throughout this book. There are ample twists and turns and a great use of red herrings/misdirection with Gray really pulling out all of the stops by ratcheting up the tension towards the end culminating in a spectacular conclusion. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Amazon Publishing for an ARC.

Chilling as it is thrilling, DARK HIGHWAY had me reading late into the night and feverishly turning the pages. Gray keeps her foot on the gas in this third installment of the Jessica Shaw series, delivering twist after heart-pounding twist in her satisfying conclusion. This is a must-add to your thriller list!

Well, well, well, what a surprise this book turned out to be. It is the 3rd book in the series, but could be read as a stand alone. This was my first Lisa Gray novel and my first book of the Jessica Shaw series, but I definitely want to go back to book one and learn more about Jessica. <br /><br />Jessica has become a private investigator and is at loose ends. She connects with Matt Connor, owner of MAC Investigations. He gives her a missing persons case - a young woman has disappeared near Joshua Tree and her family is desperate to find her. Jessica's investigation connects to the disappearance of two other young women. What is the commonality? If she can figure that out, she can maybe figure out what happened to all of them.<br /><br />The story and plotting is very good. I liked learning that Jessica herself was once a missing person - that is apparently the story in book one. The conclusion of the novel is action packed and adrenaline inducing, even if you figure out the "whodunnit" part early. Two things keep me from giving this book 5 stars - the first part is all the POV's and timeline shifts. As a reader, it's hard to connect all these people and dots at first and makes the beginning of the book a little disjointed. The 2nd sour note, for me, came when Jessica is "given" the clue that unravels the whole case. It's clunky to the story.<br /><br />All in all, this was a really good mystery/detective novel and I am excited to have found a new author and series to pursue.<br /><br />Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas &amp; Mercer for my ARC of this book.