Hands of Evil - Book 2 in the Morgan and Fairchild Series

Jonathan Jukes is accustomed to working alongside the police within his role as close protection officer at Morgan and Fairchild. But when Detective Sergeant Charles Macavoy requests the team’s help, JJ finds it’s his toughest case yet.

A serial killer, whose calling card is to remove the hands of his victims, is targeting interpreters. When lines begin to blur and JJ's past comes back to haunt him, he soon discovers the biggest threat comes from a woman who stands at the centre of it all.

This is the third of Barker-Simpson's novels that I've read and it seems each one is better than the last! The engaging relationships and interaction between the characters were strong, as I've come to love and expect from this writer. The lead heroine, Grace, was very likable and I admired and appreciated the way Barker-Simpson chose to portray her as a survivor rather than a victim; it made for a refreshing and far more interesting dynamic.

Overall I felt the writing was very strong, the plot well thought-out and the balance between the romance and action elements spot on.

This is the second book I’ve read by Melissa Barker-Simpson and it most certainly will not be the last!

The author’s ability to draw the reader into the story and characters is incredible. Each time I sat down to read I planned on only doing it for an hour, but every time it ended up much longer. I would glance up at the clock and not even realise two hours had flown by.

The characters throughout were brilliantly written, and I loved how Melissa wrote the character of Grace. The interactions between the characters flowed really well and the dialogue was engaging and realistic.

Throughout the book the romance and action is balanced perfectly. The plot is well paced and I never once found myself skipping through sections, in fact, it was almost the opposite as there were some scenes I read over twice because they were so good!

I highly recommend this book. Melissa Barker-Simpson creates a great story filled with great moments along with high quality writing and enjoyable characters.

I love the fact that author, Melissa Barker-Simpson writes strong women characters. Grace is no exception. She has been through a lot of abuse, but has come out stronger. Paired with JJ, it seems that nothing could get by the two of them. However, JJ has some personal problems to deal with while he is protecting Grace.

‘Hands of Evil’ is well written and the story flows well. I found it another page-turner and a fast paced read. I loved the book and highly recommend it. I’m looking forward to Book 3.

Hands of Evil caught me from the get go. It’s incredibly well written but that’s not what got me. What caught my interest and didn’t let it go was the humanity of the characters, their honest appeal. Add to that the fact that the book is like a fantastic version of CSI and I was hooked.

JJ is the kind of guy I’d want watching my back. He’s smart, dedicated and can drop a bad guy in under two seconds. I liked him from the start and reading the book only increased his appeal.

Grace is a survivor of abuse. Not a victim. The difference is powerful and delightful. She’s a woman determined to find her wings again even if life has thrown her some tough cards. I loved that she was into self-defence, and she worked out. I loved that she had a job and stood up to bullies without caving in. She was awesome.

There’s a bad guy in Hands of Evil and I won’t say too much because I don’t want to give anything away. Suffice it to say that this particular nemesis had a tragic past that gave him a touch of humanity sometimes lacking in romance.

This book is rich with stories and likeable characters without taking away from the main love story. I wanted to know more about Justin and the rest of the team. I was curious about their lives and histories. They were tough as nails, smart as they come but somehow approachable and funny. I got a sense they’d be awesome friends.

I love romance and I don’t usually like mystery but this book had me. I had to find out what happened. The pace wasn’t rushed or slow, it was exciting. I had to stop myself from gobbling up the book and I know I’ll read it again to savour it slowly. A really great read, I’d highly recommend it.

Hands of Evil is the second installment of Melissa Barker-Simpson's Morgan and Fairchild series.