Crush by Alan Jacobson

I finished reading Crush, the second in Alan Jacobson's series featuring Karen Vail. An enjoyable read with plenty of research on the author's part to make the story believable. For the price (currently free for Kindle and Nook), it's a must-read. The plot flows well and you have to keep reading until the very end to figure out who the killer really is (sorta, kinda, maybe?).

I really enjoyed the wine-country setting!

Great action scenes and descriptions that paint a vivid image. Unfortunately, the ending is abrupt and leaves you hanging a bit too much for my taste. I understand the author is hooking us in for the next book and even enjoy a few loose ends to keep me guessing, but we're not talking about your average cliffhanger...the author leaves nearly every tangential storyline up in the air.

I wanted to scream when I realized there isn't even a preview of the next book at the end. If I like a book, guaranteed I'll buy the next one out by the same author. But... I believe every book should be able to stand alone and this one falls short in that department. Loved it up until the very end, but it's never good to leave a reader frustrated and I am. Crush has great reviews on Amazon and even several from well-known, best-selling authors...so what do I know? It's free for the time being, so see for yourself. Or better yet, wait until the next one comes out and read them both to avoid my frustration.

Summary: Great writing, plot & characters...unsatisfying ending--in this reader's opinion.

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional literary reviewer. I do not know this author and I am not being paid or otherwise compensated for this review. The opinions stated here are mine alone.