I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Two detectives must hunt down and stop a serial killer serving up her own brand of justice in author Terry Shepherd’s “Chasing Vega”, the first in the Jessica Ramierez series. 

The Synopsis

When a meth bust goes bad, Detective Jessica Ramirez and her partner, Officer Alexandra Clark, find themselves in pursuit of a serial killer who dispatches her own form of street justice from the rim of the Grand Canyon. They soon discover that the danger their adversary poses reaches well beyond Arizona and into the very heart of the New York City Financial District.

Filled with 21st century crimes and non-stop action, Terry Shepherd’s first detective thriller features a diverse ensemble cast of strong smart women and the men who try to keep up with them.

Jess and her partner, Officer Alexandra Clark, grab you from page one, and don’t let you go until the last plot twist is finally revealed.

Chasing Vega is a heart pounding roller coaster ride that will make you want to return to Jess and Allie’s world again and again.

The Review

This was an edge-of-your-seat thriller! The author did an amazing job of slowly elevating the tension and the drama of the narrative, adding to the high-stakes atmosphere of the novel. The vivid imagery of the novel’s settings did a fantastic job of highlighting the powerful writing and almost cinematic quality of the author’s writing style.

Yet it was the character development that really stole the show. The protagonist and titular star of this novel, Jessica Ramierez, was a brilliant new action and policy-driven hero, bringing a strong, Latina detective into a high-stakes hunt for a serial killer. The character’s complex family life and steely determination to face off against the sexism and misogynism within the police department was incredible to see, as was the relationships she built with colleagues and friends along the way. The personal stakes that pulled her into this case and the powerful conclusion to her chase with this complicated killer will leave fans eagerly wanting more stories from this author.

The Verdict

A remarkable, action-packed, and engaging thriller, author Terry Shepherd’s “Chasing Vega” is a marvelous start to the Jessica Ramirez series. A must-read thriller, the author expertly balances character growth and atmospheric storytelling that will keep fans invested all the way into the climactic finale. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

I’m a writer and editor by trade, living in Jacksonville, Florida with my beautiful wife. Between the two of us, we earn enough to keep the lights on, pay the Internet bill and share adventures together. Except for a few excursions and some daily cardio, I spend every free minute in front of a keyboard, spilling out the contents of my disordered mind. Someday maybe it will coalesce into something with commercial appeal. I’m ok if it doesn’t.

Jessica Ramirez is my “protagonist”, what we call our heroes and heroines in the trade. Yes, she patterened after a real Latina cop and I base her on actual events in that cop’s life. To protect the innocent, I weave a composite of traits and adventures in the lives of some amazing police women I’ve had the honor of knowing. Jess has had her share of troubles navigating her career in a department that is one of the last bastions of overt male chauvinism. She’s far from perfect, but has a good heart and a desire for both justice and compassion. Her wild hair tendencies get her into trouble. “La Familia Ramirez” is her rock and her best friend and sometime partner Ali Clark is a confidant and fellow troublemaker.

Check out Jess’ Journal to get to know her a little better. I hope it will inspire you to want to read “Chasing Vega”, her first adventure and “Chasing the Captain”, the one I’m trying to finish now.

I also write stuff for kids. My grandson asked me one day if I had a job. I spend a lot of time with him and with his sister, so it was natural that he might think I was a slacker. When I told him I wrote books, he asked if I could write one for him, so he could be a star. “Hudson and the Missing Tiger” became the first in what will be “The Waterford Detective” series for elementary school kids.

And when the Pandemic came upon us, I wanted to create something that could teach children habits that could help protect them from the Coronavirus. I grew up loving Dr. Seuss and with the help of my brilliant illustrator – son-in-law, Casey Ratchford, we created two books in “The Mystery Bug Collection”. “Juliette and the Mystery Bug” teaches proper hand-washing and nose-blowing. And “Juliette and the Masked Hero” teaches about Masking and Social Distancing. I wrote both books in the anapestic tetrameter style of the good Doctor and are available, along with everything I write at Amazon. The Mystery Bug series became so popular that we created mystery-bug.com as a place where parents and educators can find lesson plans for the classroom and more resources to help create productive conversations with kids about Covid19.

You can tell that my adventures in fiction have been unfocused and a little crazy. That’s ok. I’m often unfocused and crazy. I don’t expect to get rich doing this stuff. I do hope that what I write touches your heart and perhaps gives you an escape from this uncertain world we live in.

Thanks so much for reading this far. See you in the next chapter!

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