The Fixer
by T.E. Woods
Publisher: Alibi (Random House, LLC)
by T.E. Woods
Publisher: Alibi (Random House, LLC)
Release
Date: February 4, 2014
Genre:
Mystery/Thriller
Length:
312 Pages
ISBN:
978-1-477578-01-8
ASIN: B00EBRU0OY
About the book:
T.E. Woods
delivers a fast-paced thriller—the first in an electrifying new series—peopled
with sharp, intriguing characters and more twists and turns than a
corkscrew.
Never
a doubt. Never a mistake. Always for justice. Never for revenge. She’s the
person you hire when you need something fixed—permanently. With a strict set of
criteria, she evaluates every request and chooses only a few. No more than one
job per country, per year. She will only step in if it’s clear that justice
will not be served any other way. Her jobs are completed with skill and
precision, and never result in inquiry or police investigation. The Fixer is
invisible—and quite deadly. . .
In
the office of a clinical psychologist in Olympia, Washington, a beautiful young
woman is in terrible emotional pain. She puts up walls, tells lies, and seems
to speak in riddles, but the doctor is determined to help her heal, despite the
fact that she claims to have hurt many people. As their sessions escalate, the
psychologist feels compelled to reach out to the police . . . but it might be
too late.
In
Seattle, a detective gets a call from his son. A dedicated journalist, he wants
his father’s expertise as he looks into a suspicious death. Together they
follow the trail of leads toward a stone-cold hired killer—only to find that
death has been closer than either could have imagined.
“Pitch-perfect
. . . solid characters, unpredictable twists and excellent plotting; a
must-read for those who enjoy crime fiction.”—Kirkus Reviews
About T. E. Woods
T.
E. Woods is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Madison,
Wisconsin. Her scientific writings are well represented in peer-reviewed
journals and academic texts. Her literary works earned her first place for
Fiction at the University of Wisconsin Writers’ Institute. Dr. Woods enjoys
kayaking, hiking, biking, and hanging around the house while her two dogs help
her make sense of the world. Her habit of relaxing by conjuring up any manner
of diabolical murder methods and plots often finds her friends urging her to
take up knitting.
A mesmerizing psychological thriller blurring the lines between vigilantism and justice, The Fixer by T.E. Woods was more than I expected. Complex characters, questions about the definition of justice in our society, and a cop forced to make difficult choices while dealing with his own loss and personal grief, help make the first book in the Mort Grant series a captivating read. If you’re a fan of mysteries filled with plenty of twists and turns, I highly recommend adding this book to your must read list.Beginning her story in contemporary, Miami, Ms. Woods introduces us to “The Fixer”, a female assassin with very strict criteria, as she evaluates her next job. Choosing to walk away from her potential client, a man who isn’t seeking justice but is instead seeking freedom from his marriage, “The Fixer” quickly grabbed my attention by anonymously tipping off the police. Moving the action from Miami to Olympia, Washington, Ms. Woods introduces us to the main characters, Dr. Lydia Corriger and Detective Mort Grant, whose path’s cross on more than one occasion.A successful clinical psychologist, Lydia Corriger lives an orderly, if somewhat regimented life. Keeping everyone at arm’s length, Lydia finds her medical skills challenged by Savannah, a new and beautiful patient, who insists she’s broken beyond repair. Adding to Lydia’s discomfort, she finds herself romantically pursued by the owner of her favorite coffee shop.Ms. Woods does a really good job developing Lydia’s character; at first she’s distant and difficult to get to know but as the story progresses and we get to know Lydia, it’s clear she’s a gifted psychologist and that her new patient has a lot of dark secrets. Secrets which result in Lydia visiting the police and asking for information about a recent murder.Still mourning the recent loss of his wife, homicide detective Mort Grant finds himself working a case without any clues. When his son, a reporting chasing a high profile case, calls and requests his assistance, Mort realizes their two cases have similarities. Determined to discover the truth, Mort finds himself on the trail of an assassin known only as “The Fixer”. When Lydia Corriger requests information about his case, he realizes she just might know the killer.Ms. Woods does a good job developing the relationship between Mort and Lydia; while they have different reasons for working together, they’re both intelligent and watching them work with together and with others adds additional depth to their characters. Especially as they work with the secondary characters.Does Lydia know the identity of “The Fixer”? Will Mort be able to live with the choices he makes as he solves his case? You’ll have to read The Fixer to find out. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what Ms. Woods has in store for us next.My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Crowns
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Thanks for this review! I'm so glad you liked it. I get the sense you really "got" the relationship between Lydia and Mort. Just wait until you see what those two get themselves into with the next book. Be on the lookout for "The Red Hot Fix" in June. Thanks again for your kind words. It means the world to me...and I hope you'll tell your friends! T.E.Woods
ReplyDeleteSounds like this was a fantastic read! Thanks for being on the tour!
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