‘Crimes And Passion’ Is A Sexy Thriller That Will Keep You Guessing Until The Last Page – Book Review

January 10, 2021

Written by Capt McNeely

Georgia Division ZADF Twitter: @ZADF_ORG

Characters

When I read the summary blurb about Crimes and Passion by Jeffrey S. Stephens I expected a Basic Instinct-type femme fatale (which isn’t a bad thing) but I couldn’t have been further from the truth. Stephens characters are as unique as they are deep. They are well developed, realistic, and extremely dynamic. Detective Walker is a fantastic character who can be added to the long ancestry of fictional, determined, flawed detectives.

Plot

In depth, twisted, sexy, and keeps you guessing. There are red herrings all over the place and Stephens is in full control of our suspicions and emotions as we read. This is an exceptionally winding plot that has many stories all tied together by Stevens’ skill as an author. Personally, I don’t know how he not only kept everything straight, but presented it a way that makes sense to the reader, keeps everyone guessing, and increases the intrigue as the plot moves forward.

Writing

Keeps all the characters and suspects strong and believable. Each suspect has a strong reason for being a suspect that is interwoven into the plot and action of the novel. As I mentioned in the last paragraph, how Stevens keeps track of everything in a handle-able way is impressive. Just that fact alone shows how gifted of a writer Stephens is, but then he throws in a bunch of other tricks and tools like having diary inserts throughout the text that give necessary details and information.

Critique

Not a critique, but more of disclaimer that there is a lot of sex in this book. It is no 50 Shades, but it is pretty heavy on the sex…just so you know. However, the only real critique I can find is that there are a lot of characters that are presented in a fairly quick way which can make it difficult to keep track of everything. I understand that these characters are necessary and there is not other way to present them. They are all important and have lives of their own within the story, but you may want to have a piece of paper next to you as you read to keep track of everyone.

Eulogy

A great whodunnit that legitimately keeps you guessing. Just when I thought I was so smart and had figured out who the murderer was, Stephens laughed in my face and added a new twist. Not just twisting for twisting’s sake, but thought-out, legitimate story twists that add tot he plot and strengthen the mystery. If you like murder mysteries, adrenaline pinching stories, lots of twists, lots of sex, and gore spattered on the pages, this is the book for you. It is a fantastic book that I am excitedly encouraging you all to buy (here) and read immediately!

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