The Morning After
4 Stars

The suspense plot is fast-paced with an intense and exciting climax and resolution. While the serial killer/buried alive trope is not all that original, Jackson has added a unique twist or two to the killer's MO and motivation. My one minor issue is that the killer is not one of the suspects in the story, which takes some of the fun out of following the clues and eliminating red-herrings.

Despite the classification as romantic suspense and some hints at a developing relationship between Nikki and Pierce, there is no actual romance in this installment. That said, the dialogue and interaction between the leads are a highlight of the book. Both are well-developed with compelling backstories and is entertaining to see them overcome their preconceived notions and prejudices against one another to work together.

Overall, this is a huge improvement on the first book in the series, which was truly awful. It will be interesting to see where Jackson takes these characters next. ( )

The Morning After by Lisa Jackson

The story moves at a steady pace with well developed (likable) characters, vivid details, thrills, chills and a splash of romance. Overall I found The Morning After enjoyable and feel Lisa Jackson fans will enjoy it as well. Great as a standalone, but I do suggest reading the first in the series The Night Before. ( )

News reporter, Nikki Gillette, senses that the story she has found is a big one, so she begins investigating with tips from her late brother's best friend who is in the Savannah Police Department. Detective Pierce Reed refuses to give Nikki the time of day because she has always been a pain whenever he has tried to investigate cases, but once Nikki labels this new killer, "The Grave Robber," the killer's interest in her seems to grow. Nikki knows that Reed is the key to the case, so she sticks to him like glue but as they get closer to finding the killer, it becomes clear that they are now both in danger.

The Morning After begins with the intense premise of a serial killer who buries his victims alive along with a corpse already occupying a coffin. While the two protagonists are not the most likable of characters, the first three quarters are a taught thriller, focusing on the killer and his victims as Nikki and Reed try to piece together clues to lead them to the murderer. However, the book begins to fall apart when the unlikely romance between the two protagonists starts to take shape and the characters begin to act illogically. The clues draw the plot into a tighter and tighter circle, bringing attention to who the killer might be, but by this point, the reveal is a letdown. Overall, The Morning After is a strong thriller with many interesting elements, but falls a bit short at the end. 3 1/2 stars ( )

Taková běžná detektivka. Napínavá, ale ne nijak extra, nic originálního. Milostný příběh nerušil, byl i docela logický a nebyl nijak vtíravý a trapný. I když to bylo klišé: policista nenávidáící novináře zachrání a dá se dohromady s otravnou novinářkou, která dík zážitku s vrahem nazná, že novináři jsou bezcitné štěnice :)
Popisy únosů a vražd byly bohužel spíš na jedno brdo, ale nebylo to špatné. Prostě průměr. ( )

Ok story, not real suspenseful, but held my attention. The romance is very weak almost non-existent. ( )