Beautiful Maids All in a Row by Jennifer Harlow is a 2016 Alibi publication.

Gritty and Intense-

Iris Ballard is a shell of the woman she once was. She’s left the FBI after watching her husband get murdered right in front of her and after sustaining serious injuries of her own.

Yet, when a string of murders indicates a new serial killer, already being dubbed ‘The Woodsman’ is on the loose, Iris’s old partner and best friend, Luke, tries to lure her out of her alcoholic haze to help catch the killer. This is an opportunity for Iris to finally get back to work and perhaps saving someone’s life by catching this monster, will soothe some of her guilt.

But, it's not easy climbing back into the saddle. Iris suffers from severe panic attacks and debilitating nightmares. However, she manages to rise to the occasion, hoping to prevent more deaths, but also hoping for a little redemption.

Although she must face and fight off her personal demons, her profiling skills aren't rusty in the least.

Regardless, when she is certain she’s found the right guy, she has a hard time selling everyone else on the idea. In the meantime, more lives could be lost, maybe even Iris’s.

This is my kind of thriller! Dark, atmospheric, with well drawn characters, and high octane suspense. I read this book in one sitting, it was that riveting. I really liked Iris and Luke and think they make a very good team, both professionally and personally. I hope they will return for more action, in the near future.

This series is off to a fantastic start! I can’t wait to read the next installment! ( )

This book is the first in the Iris Ballard series. A lot of time was spent developing the characters, but not at the expense of a great story. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to more books in this series.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. ( )

The “Woodsman” killer has plagued the east coast for 4 months when Iris Ballard is introduced. Iris is a retired renowned FBI profiler brought in as a consulting forensic psychologist by a former partner and lover. She is hesitant to ‘get back on the horse’ as she is still reeling from the death of her husband two years before, a death she feels responsible for.

In this first book of what’s to become the Iris Ballard series, the author spends time getting to the heart of Iris’s character, filling us in on her backstory as the dead bodies pile up and the investigation plays out. Iris’s very likeable and unconventional personality reminded me a lot of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone, the star of Grafton’s “alphabet mystery” series.

This book first caught my eye because I am fascinated with the role of a criminal profiler, how astute these people are, playing out scenarios and putting themself in a victim’s shoes. Glad I read it as it is an interesting mystery and I love Iris Ballard’s personality, keen observations and drive. I hope the momentum continues on subsequent installments. ( )

Beautiful Maids All in a Row by Jennifer Harlow is a highly recommended thriller.

Dr. Iris Ballard is just trying to survive day to day now. Two years ago she was working as a profiler for the FBI when she and her husband were attacked in their home by a serial killer she has helped track down. Her husband was killed. Iris survived being cut open but lives daily with flashbacks, phantom pain from her wounds, and guilt. She left the FBI and is teaching at a small college, drinking and mixing it with pills to forget. She rarely gets a full night of sleep from the nightmares.

Iris happens to see her former partner, Luke Hudson, on TV, as part of the investigation to find the serial killer dubbed "The Woodsmen." She also realizes that she knew his latest victim. When Luke shows up at her door asking for help in constructing a psychological profile of the killer, she's not interested, until she sees the case file and reluctantly agrees to help. Iris is up against an intelligent killer who thrives on control and not making mistakes. Can Iris help Luke and the FBI or has she really met her match?

Beautiful Maids All in a Row is a page-turner. The writing is good. The plot moves along with only a few stalls along the way. The serial killer is ruthless and takes pleasure in being cruel and torturing his victims. The descriptions of his actions are vivid and brutal. Iris is depicted as a real person; she is flawed, damaged, and struggling with her own anger issues and mental health. Luke is less well developed as a character, but Harlow does set up a backstory for the two. This looks like an intriguing start of a new series. Based on this first book, I would certainly pick up the next book featuring Iris Ballard. Yeah, she's damaged physically and emotionally, but she is also tough and determined.

There are several flaws in this novel, but, after I learned that Harlow was 19 when she wrote this years ago, I am choosing to overlook them - even though she has written several books since and could have, perhaps edited some of the questionable material out or added material to keep it realistic in the novel. Specifically I'm questioning the opening addictive behavior of Iris and the abrupt cessation of her addictive pattern. A patch is mentioned for the smoking (not as easy as all that) but what about the drugs and alcohol? The something in the mouth scene was too close to Silence of the Lambs for me. But, moving beyond any qualms, I think Iris has a lot of potential for more investigations.

Disclosure: My advanced reading copy was courtesy of the publisher/author.
http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/2016/10/beautiful-maids-all-in-row.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1786973817 ( )

Two years ago, Dr. Iris Ballard left her job with the FBI after she was attacked and her husband killed. Since then she has been leading a quiet existence surviving on candy bars, alcohol, and pills. That all changes when her former FBI partner, Luke, persuades her to profile a serial killer, dubbed 'the Woodsman'. His identity is revealed about halfway through the book, but that didn't distract from the exciting and suspenseful plot at all. A successful manipulator who loves to be in control, the Woodsman has everybody but Iris fooled and revels in pitting himself against Iris whom he regards as a worthwhile adversary.
I really enjoyed this fast-paced thriller. While Iris is certainly not a unique character in this genre, I have to say I really liked her. The mix of vulnerability and kick-ass stubbornness and strength was really appealing, and I loved her wit. Her inner thoughts and some of her interactions with Luke and others were really funny and a good counterweight to some of the dark and gory details of the serial killer's depravity. The relationship between Iris and Luke was fun to follow, but I liked that the romance angle remained fairly in the background and the focus was more firmly on hunting and outwitting an evil psychopath.
I was pretty surprised to learn this was actually the first book written by Jennifer Harlow when she was just 19. It was well written, cleverly plotted, and the characters just drew you in. I would love to read more about Iris and Luke and hope there will be a follow-up. I would definitely recommend this to any fans of psychological thrillers.
I received an ARC via NetGalley. ( )