Title: Lure
Author(s): John W. Mefford
Series: A Ball & Chain Thriller #4
Published by Sugar Hill Press on July 23, 2019
Pages: 269
Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller
Format: arc, ebook
Purchase: Amazon
Rating:
A painting. A memory. A death.
Can safe refuge ever be found?
Mindi Mendrano had it all -- she was a golden goddess with a tennis prowess few had ever seen.
And then she vanished.
Who had the greatest motive to kill her?
Before Cooper Chain can finally get the green light to pen his first book -- a biography on a once-famous tennis phenom -- he must find her. If she's still alive.
Can secrets kill?
A man disappears into the bowels underneath the city of Dallas, and Willow can't make sense of it or the odd people she befriends. Does at least one man have an ulterior motive?
Two die the hard way, leaving Willow and Cooper scrambling to see through a haze of clues.
Can secrets kill?
Retracing every aspect of Mindi's former life, team Ball & Chain uncover a key to her past. But will it unlock memories that create the ultimate time bomb?
The very existence of a hidden society is on the line -- and one man will either force their loyalty or recreate one of the deadliest events in modern history.
Can secrets kill?
Cooper and Willow have one chance to stop the killing and save a life. But will they be too late?
Get LURE now!
You'll love this Ball & Chain thriller if you're a fan of the Fox & O'Hare novels by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg, Michael Connelly's Ballard and Bosch, David Baldacci's King and Maxwell, Tess Gerritsen's Rizzoli and Isles, or the TV show "Castle."
Don't miss out on all the Ball & Chain Thrillers: MERCY - Book 1 FEAR - Book 2 BURY - Book 3 LURE - Book 4
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Lure by John W. Mefford is the fourth book in the Ball and Chain series. This is one of those series that needs to be read in order as the plots in each book are intertwined. Once again, Mefford has created a story that left me wondering what the heck did I just read.Trouble always seems to find Cooper and Willow; no matter how hard they try to keep their heads down. Just when they think they have escaped one threat another rears its ugly head. They cannot seem to get a break. Amidst the trouble, they also encountered their share of adventure. Their latest being locating a tennis player who went missing four years ago.I liked that the story also addressed issues in the character’s personal lives. Cooper and Willow’s relationship is growing and things between them has gotten quite interesting. We also see an improvement in his relationship with his daughter.The story build up gradually culminating in an explosive ending. There were several threads, which at first appeared to have no connection but by the time the story ended, the connections became clear. The end gave rise to many nagging questions, which I hope to get answers to in the next installment. I enjoyed the banter between the protagonists, which had me laughing a few times.
Although this series takes a different approach from the author’s previous books, Mefford’s style of writing remained the same.
Conclusion/Recommendation
Overall, another great addition to the series. Fans of mystery would enjoy this latest from Mefford.
The torment builds and builds and builds….
He can’t deny it.
But in what form will the pressure erupt? Cooper Chain isn’t just down on his luck — he’s almost down for the count. The mob wants a piece of him, and he sees no way out.It’s a special week for Willow Ball, a woman who’s survived her own tribulations to reach this milestone in her life.Through fate — or a temporary misalignment of the stars — Willow and Cooper cross paths for the first time since college. Will an unexpected spark re-ignite the flame?A shattering discovery changes everything for Willow and Cooper. The murder is unlike any other. But what will the cops do about it?Attacks ensure, chaos ruptures a family . . . Through it all, how can Willow and Cooper find the killer?
But it’s not over. As the bodies pile up, a pattern develops and it rocks Willow and Cooper to the core.
And then someone emerges after a three-decade disappearance. Could he be connected to this string of murders?
The past might provide the breadcrumbs to end this nightmare. But Willow and Cooper may not live long enough to see it through.
Will mercy save a life or end many?
Her death has haunted him for over thirty years. And he’s hell-bent on making someone pay. A father goes missing. Not just any father. But a person once worshipped for his world-class talent.Enter the most unconventional team around: Willow Ball and Cooper Chain.As a nurse at the community clinic, Willow has seen the painful effects of heroin addiction. But now she’s compelled to help a grieving wife and mother.Dodging the mob at every turn, Cooper has a plan to bring them down while getting traction on his upstart career. Is he marching into a trap?With their relationship bordering the “friends with benefits” stage, Willow and Cooper team up to find the missing person. But it’s not that simple. Nothing with them is ever simple.
The hunt corkscrews into an impossible maze of events — their lives threatened by a swarm of twisted deviants and social misfits.
Emotions run rampant, stoking one savage response after another. A spark ignites the hate, but what is the real fuel for this wave of brutal crimes?
Ultimately, can Willow and Cooper save a family from the torment before it’s too late?
Only if they can overcome their own…fear.
Don’t miss BURY (The Ball & Chain Thrillers Book 3)
The blade of the shovel digs deeper and deeper.
And the cries from below are slowly devoured by the howl of a coyote. Willow Ball and Cooper Chain are tied at the hip — on some days that’s a fantasy, other days a curse.But there’s one thing they agree on: if they hope to outsmart a ruthless crime boss, luck will have to fall their way.But that’s only part of their perilous imbroglio. Life slips off the rails in a hurry . . . and the implications could be deadly.A shallow grave is uncovered… and it’s the unthinkable. With little evidence, authorities have no suspects. But could this be connected to a similar incident more than two decades earlier?When another girl goes missing, their world stops down. How is Cooper’s daughter caught up in the web?
Every path seems blocked, because every person wants something buried. Does that include what Willow and Cooper feel for each other?
Cops are gunned down, friends are framed and murdered — how can Willow and Cooper make sense of it all to finally end the mayhem?
But when one more person goes missing, it shreds Cooper’s heart.
What will Cooper and Willow sacrifice to save his daughter?
Available to buy from….Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Paperback
About John W. Mefford
Amazon #1 Bestselling Author, #2 bestselling author on Barnes and Noble, and a Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal winner. John W. Mefford has been writing his debut novel since he first entered the work force almost thirty years ago, although he never put words on paper until 2009. Once he started writing, however, he couldn’t stop. Many readers ask John from where he gets his ideas. Well, he’s a veteran of the corporate rat-race, a former journalist, and he’s always been an astute observer of human and social behavior. On top of that, he’s really good at embellishing. A member of International Thriller Writers, John writes novels full of electrifying suspense the same types of books he has loved to read since before he could shave. When he’s not writing, he chases his youth on bike or a basketball court, all while making mental notes of people and societies across the land.
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Great review. Looks good and nice giveaway.
Great review I’m glad you enjoyed the story.
Gemma @ Gemma’s Book Nook
Great review!
Glad to hear you enjoyed this one. It sounds pretty good.
Glad you enjoyed this book.
These look intense
Great review I absolutely love mystery books and this one looks and sounds like a awesome mystery series. I am really glad you fully enjoyed reading it, thank you so much for sharing your awesome post and for putting this book series on my radar.
This sounds like such a great series! I love great banter, and the fact that this book made you laugh is great! The explosive ending sounds terrific as well! Wonderful Review Nadene 🙂
Lindy@ A Bookish Escape