Redemption Thriller #11

Ivy Nash Thriller # 5

As in many series to get a better understanding of the chain of events surrounding the protagonist past, it is always preferable to follow the reading order but since each book features a different story there is no trouble to start here, “In Control” works pretty well as a stand-alone.

I like this one the best and by far. The story is more exciting and thrilling read than the previous books in this series. It opens with what appears to be a kidnapping and as the story develops from a steady pace into a fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping tempo when Ivy discovers there is more to the case than she thought. Things get even more complicated when she finds herself embroiled in another case involving her best friend. At first, the two threads appear unrelated but as Ivy digs deeper this is not what it turns out to be. Either is going to cause Ivy a few headaches……

Mr. Mefford did it again with his great storyline that kept me on my toes from start to finish, with the well-developed characters playing excellent roles in this multiple plot twists adventure, with the way he has intertwined his two stories and most of all how he pulled me into an international drug trafficking ring, professional hit and one cover-up after another.

This book is full of suspense and hard to put down.

Ivy Nash thriller #4

Redemption Thriller # 10

Ivy Nash dedicated her life to rid the world of those who prey on children, which is why she started an organisation called ECHO. Their mission is to protect vulnerable children, especially the ones in the foster home system.

In book #4, this strong woman is called upon to search for a missing boy by his grandfather. No sooner does she rescue the boy, his brother goes missing as well. Strange coincidence….and a nightmarish outcome….

Oh boy, this series is getting darker and a little crazier as it moves on. Again we are on the edge of our seat, biting nails, watching over our shoulder along with Ivy waiting for the predator to strike again. Despite all of her life experience nothing has prepared her for the “fun house” and the terror unlike any other…. Ivy ends up in the greatest danger of all, in the clutches of a master criminal.

This story is very descriptive and a roller-coaster ride through crime after crime. The large cast of nefarious characters are mostly in disguise so you can’t know who they really are till the author’s gives us mini bites of information. This story is rife with deceit and deception and is told with confidence. But, (always a but) I lost interest along the way; the author’s obsession with the many torture methods was over the top, too many gory details for my stomach. For this reason “Break In” is by far not my favourite story.

Hopefully book #5 will be less farfetched…….

Ivy Nash Thriller book #2

Redemption Thriller book #8

I love John Mefford’s books because you can rarely figure out how the mystery will turn out, definitely hard to guess who the perpetrator is, who he is pursuing, who might be his next victim, when his next move will be and what gruesome action he will do next. “In Pursuit”, is much darker than anything I have read so far by this author. It is simply spine-chilling, evil and hair-raising. Even with all this, I loved every moment.

We follow two threads seamlessly, jumping between characters and time frames with no confusion. Although the subject matter may be over the top it is smoothly put together so we can read it with ease.

A serial killer is terrorizing San Antonio and the method of murder is beyond macabre. Ivy Nash seemed to be the one intersecting point between the victim and herself. She is pulled into the case by her police friend.

Meanwhile Ivy is on a case of a run-away teen looking for her parents.

M. Mefford once again has created a winning crime thriller with defined characters and a dramatic plot that kept me on the edge of my seat and turning pages furiously. The story is visual; it definitely would make a captivating movie. This is no doubt that books from this author are my kind of books, ones that are captivating from the start and never let go.

I am a huge fan of this author, I simply love the way he writes. This may be the second book in this series but it has been more than a dozen I have read so far. I loved them all.

Ivy Nash Thriller book #1

Redemption Thriller book # 7

Ivy Nash is the second sub-series of the Redemption Thriller Collection. In the past few months I have been reviewing the Alex Trout Thrillers, the first of the sub-series and enjoyed them immensely, so I was eager to get my teeth (hands) on the Ivy Nash experience hoping to be as much entertained as in the first series.

John Mefford is a talented author and knows how to build his characters for us to relate to them and he does a good job in doing so. “In Defiance” starts by telling us a bit of Ivy’s background, a system kid growing up in foster care. As an adult Ivy became a special investigator for Child Protective Services and would do anything for the wellbeing of children. So, when a volatile hostage situation at a foster home happens Ivy is right there to help but unfortunately the situation reaches a bitter end and an investigation is launched. The story that follows is a series of twists and turns, accusations, abuse, connections to drugs and a shockwave of horrific childhood memories.

Ivy is a character you simply love: she is strong, independent and is not afraid of trouble. Her past will not dictate her present and she will go all out to prove that a 10 year old boy is not guilty of murder. There is some heart breaking moments.

The tempo is moderate and keeps the same pace from start to finish. Although I did find Ivy’s drama entertaining I was not as captivated by it has I was with Alex’s stories, anyways so far. . Having said this, “In Defiance” is still a page turner and a good opening for another exciting series. Looking forward to story #2.