Every Kind of Wicked

Maggie Gardiner is a forensics expert who works hand in hand with Cleveland detective Jack Renner in crime solving. They have a unique partnership. They each have a secret that would put them behind bars for a really long time .. and they are at the mercy of each other to never share that secret. The fly in the ointment is Maggie's ex-husband. Rick is certain that Jack is involved in something nefarious and sets out to prove it. Rick is also a homicide detective and investigates the death of a woman who is thought to have died from a drug overdose. Maggie and Jack are caught up in looking for the identity of a man found dead from a single stabbing directly into his heart. A key card in the victim’s wallet leads to the local university’s student housing—and to a grieving girlfriend with an unsettling agenda. The two cases emerge and leads to an unexpected motive for the deaths. But what really throws Maggie is the fingerprint found at another murder scene.. a fingerprint is blood .. and it's belongs to Rick ... and where has Rick disappeared to? As with all the books in this series, it is well written with a solid plot and skillfully drawn characters. This is a page-turner with action packs suspense starting on the very first page and not letting up until the unexpected satisfying conclusion. Although 6th in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone. I highly recommend a reading marathon starting at the very first meeting of Gardiner and Renner. It's a terrific series that shouldn't be overlooked. Many thanks to the author / Kensington Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Every Kind of Wicked by Lisa Black Gardiner and Renner #6 An alliance forged in death Each holds a secret about the other They work together They watch one another What relationship is this and What could it become? Intriguing premise, wonderful characters, great police/murder mysteries to solve that hook me in a bit more with each book in the series. I love Maggie and Jack and though their relationship has not been romantic it always has seemed to have the potential for more IF they can overcome a major issue that in fact is the one that brought them together. I don’t know if there will be more books in this series as in some ways this wouldn’t be a bad way for the series to end BUT I would hate to say goodbye to these two characters if the author has more to share about them as they solve more cases together. What I liked: * Jack: Hm…hmm…hmmmmm…this is a man with his own moral compass and a mandate to fulfill. He is intelligent, cunning, ruthless and yet seems to have a warm center while knowing what he believes is right and what is wrong. * Maggie: a brilliant woman skilled in her forensic field. She is divorced, has always known right from wrong, and then…she began to question. I find her quirky and intriguing with potentially hidden depths. * The relationship between Jack and his work partner, Riley. * The way the relationship between Jack and Maggie as it has developed over the series * Shanaya – I kind of like her but really wonder about HER moral compass and why she got into the way of life she did * The police procedural aspects of the story. * The overlapping threads of the story and how they all were woven together * That the case was solved * The last little bit that I won’t get away but REALLY liked it :) What I did not like: * The bad guy who created the scam/con * Knowing that the type of crime in this story exists and harms so many * Not knowing when I finished the book whether it is the last in the series or if there will be more in the future. Did I enjoy this book? Yes Would I read more in this series? Definitely Would I read another book by this author? Without a doubt Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars