Hands
of Evil, written by Melissa Barker-Simpson, is a masterfully crafted crime
romance and thriller. The opening of the book gives off the vibe of a Law and Order television show. If you
happen to be a big fan of Law and Order,
then this is the perfect book for you…I know it was for me.
Barker-Simpson’s characters are well-rounded
and capture her readers from the first paragraph. If you’re looking for a page-turner,
these great characters will keep you going till the very end. She makes you
root for the victims and hope that love will overcome all odds.
Her main character Jonathan Jukes,
or JJ, is by far the most versatile. He faces many trials throughout this book that
force him to see part of himself he doesn’t wish to face. He finds himself
craving the attention of a woman who brings the horrors of his past to full
light. She makes him face the reality of his failures and tests him to his
breaking point. Will he fail to protect a woman he loves again, or will he
succeed in his attempt to overcome the odds?
JJ is definitely a man worth
following on his journey to face his past and open himself up to rejection, which
could possibly be his undoing. But he isn’t the only character who captures the
reader from beginning to end. In this novel there is also a romance element
that only Grace Jameson can fill.
She is the victim in this novel, challenged
by the same nightmares that hundreds of real women face daily. Grace finds
herself in a position that could possibility lead to her death, by not one man,
but two. Even though death is staring her in the face, she still finds a way to
seek light within the darkness. That will lead to some very steamy romance scenes,
reminiscent of lovers in their honeymoon phase.
This crime/romance thriller brings
to light many issues that women and children deal with on a regular basis. Though
this is a fictional story, it will strike a very real nerve with many readers.
Barker-Simpson shows us with her
book how the hands many use to bring good to the world, can actually be a force
of evil. Between finding a killer who is out for revenge, and escaping an
abusive ex-husband, Grace’s life journey will keep you on the edge of your seat
to the end.
Rating: 5/5
Review provided by: Kathryn Jenkins
Synopsis:
Jonathan
Jukes, better known as JJ, is an ex-marine sniper and one of the founding
members of Morgan and Fairchild.
He
is dubbed as Mr Fix It within the team, due to his eye for detail and an uncanny
ability to see the bigger picture. When Morgan and Fairchild are called upon by
the local murder investigation team, JJ is ready to take the lead.
Despite
the deviation from his normal role, JJ sees no reason why he shouldn’t accept
the assignment. It isn’t the first time he’s worked with Charles Macavoy, nor
will it be the last.
But
what starts as a simple task to provide expertise and training to an outside
agency, becomes the biggest problem JJ has ever faced.
Grace
Jameson, an interpreter unwillingly caught up in the hunt to find a killer,
turns out to be an integral part of the whole investigation. Something Morgan
and Fairchild had failed to predict.
For
JJ she represents a special kind of danger. She reminds him too much of his
past, of the one person he failed to protect. Yet he is drawn to her, and that
distraction has a way of undermining his control. It has the potential to
change everything, especially when he finds himself in a situation he can’t fix.
A threat which grows ever more potent the more he resists.
About the Author:
Melissa Barker-Simpson
I've been writing since, well...since I was
knee-high to a grasshopper. I often look
back on those earlier stories, and apart from laughing at the heavy-handed
drama, or cringing at my inexperience, I am reminded that I have always lived
in other worlds.
My first novel was published in 2008, and I
love nothing more than working on a new project. The voices inside my head
invariably pull me in different directions, so although I try to work on one
thing at a time, those who know me would tell you it doesn't always work!
I have a full-time job which, though does
not involve writing per se, incorporates my love of language. As a British Sign
Language Interpreter, I get to translate information between two languages
which is (mostly) fun.
I have two beautiful daughters who bring me
great joy. They also keep me grounded, because otherwise I would have my head
in the clouds permanently!
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