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Book Reviews of Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1)

Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1)
Ashes to Ashes - Kovac & Liska, Bk 1
Author: Tami Hoag
ISBN-13: 9780553106336
ISBN-10: 0553106333
Publication Date: 3/2/1999
Pages: 496
Rating:
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 116

3.8 stars, based on 116 ratings
Publisher: Bantam
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

107 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
A book about a serial killer that delves deep into his mental state. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time reading this, in awe that someone could write about such things, yet still wanting to read to the end, unable to determine how this story would end.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 330 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Enough already with the metaphors, similes and idioms. I get it. In this laborious story, Kate Conlon, a former FBI agent and currently a child advocate is brought in to help a young witness identify a man, the Cremator, whom she saw in a park late at night setting a body on fire. As this very long story goes, it gets quite twisted as to who are the good guys, who are the bad guys and which characters are brought in to confuse the story even more. When the third victim of the Cremator is identified as the damaged daughter of a billionaire the big guns are called in, in the form of Special Agent John Quinn, who just happened to be the ex-lover of Kate. One more twist. And of course, now Kates life is in danger. The only thing that kept me reading was that I couldn't figure out who the Cremator was; too many major and minor characters were thrown at you in hopes that something would stick and lead you down the wrong path and yet again you would be bouncing back and forth with possibilities.I dont think I will be reading this author again since about one-third of this book could have been removed and the story would have flowed much better and as an experienced author, for me, she just couldnt keep up the momentum
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 193 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
TAMI HOAG has got to be one of the best writers out there. This one was exceptional. You wondered who the villian was and though I came close the end was a bit of a suprise. A couple of them actualy.
THANKS TAMI.... Keep up the good work.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 60 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
A complicated, very intense and involving read. Hard to put down. Tami Hoag always provides suspenseful plot twists and this book is no exception. Take a deep breath....
bears1 avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 16 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Great read. I didn't figure this one out and I usually do by the time I get to the end. Lots of twists and turns along with a bit of romance.
pooht avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 25 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This was such a page turner. I love reading Tami Hoag she know how to get you into the story. This book keeps you guessing until the very end.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 533 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Hoag (A Thin Dark Line) has a way of sneaking up on the reader in superior thriller tradition, taking her time in revealing monstrous images lurking in the dark corners. The Cremator, a Minneapolis serial killer, has been torturing prostitutes before incinerating them in local parks, but no one pays much attention until it appears that the third victim may be Jillian Bondurant, a billionaire's daughter. Former FBI agent Kate Conlan, now a victim/witness advocate, is enlisted to handle a reluctant teenage witness who claims to have seen the latest torching. Kate's life becomes further complicated when ace FBI profiler John Quinn is called in by Jillian's father. Kate and John share a personal history, he being one of the reasons she left the Bureau five years ago, and they must each contend with their painful past as they work together to catch the diabolical killer who appears to be taunting them at every turn. Hoag uses crisp dialogue effectively to distinguish the many diverse characters, while Kate and John's mirror-image Machiavellian work ethics justify both their mutual attraction and aversion. Devoting equal attention to the mystery of the serial killer's identity and the romantic tension between her engaging protagonists, Hoag does service to both, scripting love scenes worthy of George Clooney and Renee Russo, the Hollywood stars she mentions as look-alikes for her principals. Granting a humanizing dignity to the victims' corpses, she neatly sidesteps the graphic crudeness of some of her competitors, while still providing enough surprise twists and stomach-turning carnage to satisfy any heebie-jeebie enthusiast.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW
escapist avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 70 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Amazing. I haven't read a mystery that wasn't predictable in a long time but this on kept me guessing until the very end! I loved it.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This is one of the few books that actually freaked me out. Very scary.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Eerie, suspensful, and full of twists and turns! A great read!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This has to be one of the best mysteries I have read in a long time. Tami keeps you guessing in all corners, really hard to put down till it is finished.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on
Helpful Score: 1
This was the first Tami Hoag book I've read, and it will only be the first. I'm a fan! Kept me glued to it till the end!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 107 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Hoag, as always, takes her time setting up a this wonderful dark thriller involving a Minneapolisr serial killer. The Cremator tortures prostitutes and then burns their bodies in local parks. No one seems to care much about these women until it appears that the latest victim may be Jillian Bondurant, a billionaire's daughter. Former FBI agent Kate Conlan is now a victim/witness advocate. She is called upon to work with a reluctant teenage witness who says she has seen the latest torching. Complications ensue when famous FBI profiler John Quinn is called in by Jillian's father. Kate and John have a shared past. Their relationship was the main reason she left the Bureau five years ago. They are faced with dealing with their painful history as they work together to catch the killer who o be taunts them at every turn. Hoag's excellent helps the reader keep track of the many diverse characters, while Kate and John's intense work ethics keep them simultaneously attracted and repelled by one another. This is a romance within a mystery and Hoag handles both masterfully.
sig avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 33 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Hoag has become one of my favorite story tellers.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 145 more book reviews
A monster known as the Cremator is killing prostitutes in Minneapolis parks and setting their bodies on fire. When one of his victims turns out to be the daughter of a local billionaire, and a homeless teenager claims to have witnessed the burning, it brings together former FBI agent Kate Conlan (now working as a victim-witness advocate) and the Bureau's top serial-killer profiler, John Quinn. Conlan and Quinn share a painful personal history; now they have to work together against a very smart lunatic who seems to be able to read their minds.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
Tami Hoag is Great
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
It has been awhile since reading this book but it is a murder mystery I couldn't put it down!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 588 more book reviews
Thiller deluxe.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 54 more book reviews
Very good Tami Hoag book. I enjoyed it immensely.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 711 more book reviews
This was a great book! Very intense!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 5 more book reviews
A real page turner with plenty of good suspects.
katydid13 avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 55 more book reviews
Very well crafted mystery!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 19 more book reviews
Hoag tells a good story very well indeed.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 11 more book reviews
Katie Conlan, former FBI agent turned victim/witness advocate faces the most difficult role of her career and her life. FOr she is the only woman who can stop the killer and the one woman he wants next.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
In the darkness a match is struck.Not for heat, not for light...but to ignite the fire of the killer.He leaves nothing behind but ashes...and the ice-cold certainty that he will strike again.
IT'S AN UP-ALL-NIGHT READ.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 42 more book reviews
Great book - love Tami Hoag!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 27 more book reviews
Suspense--suspense--thrill-thrill
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 11 more book reviews
This book is amazing! It will keepy you glued to the sofa with your favorite blanket!
FrequentReader avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 40 more book reviews
My first Tami Hoag Book.. Very good. If you like Law and Order type shows, you will enjoy this book a lot.
Spine creasing but very good shape.

A monster known as the Cremator is killing prostitutes in Minneapolis parks and setting their bodies on fire. When one of his victims turns out to be the daughter of a local billionaire, and a homeless teenager claims to have witnessed the burning, it brings together former FBI agent Kate Conlan (now working as a victim-witness advocate) and the Bureau's top serial-killer profiler, John Quinn. Conlan and Quinn share a painful personal history; now they have to work together against a very smart lunatic who seems to be able to read their minds
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 17 more book reviews
Tami Hoag is a little grisly, but she has insight and depth to her characters, so i like her writing. this one is a good one.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 16 more book reviews
Kate is a former FBI agent. A former lover gets called into the same case she is working. This is a mystery, romance, and suspense book.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 44 more book reviews
A suspense thriller, Tami Hoag keeps you riveted!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 137 more book reviews
Another good book from the Queen of Crime
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 12 more book reviews
Great read!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 4 more book reviews
a detailed packed thriller
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 13 more book reviews
This book kept me on the edge of my seat.
AngelWings avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 160 more book reviews
This was a fairly good book.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 11 more book reviews
another good reading from tami hoag
mindyislosingit avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 19 more book reviews
Tami Hoag is a great writer. I really like her books.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on
This is a thriller. You won't be able to put it down.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 45 more book reviews
This was my first Tami Hoag, but certainly not my last. This book was hard to put down.
haggatha avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 55 more book reviews
excellent book, Tami Hoag is a great writer.
lilysmommy avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 3 more book reviews
serial killer murder mystery: strong characters and interesting story.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 35 more book reviews
I love this writer. I read anything she writes. Another great book!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 164 more book reviews
He performs his profane ceremony in a wooded Minneapolis park, anointing his victims, then setting the bodies ablaze. He has already claimed three lives, and he won't stop there. Only this time there is a witness. But she isn't talking. Enter Kate Conlan, former FBI agent turned victim/witness advocate. Not even she can tell if the reluctant witness is a potential victim or something more troubling still. Her superiors are interested only because the latest victim may be the daughter of Peter Bondurant, an enigmatic billionaire. When he pulls strings, Special Agent John Quinn gets assigned to the case. But the FBI's ace profiler of serial killers is the last person Kate wants to work with, not with their troubled history. Now she faces the most difficult role of her career - and her life. For she's the only woman who has what it takes to stop the killer...and the one woman he wants next.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 45 more book reviews
Thriller about a killer called the Cremator. An advocate that protects witnesses and victims, named Kate teams up with FBI special agent Quinn to catch the killer.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 171 more book reviews
GOOD BOOK COULDN'T PUT ITDOWN HOAG IS GREAT
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 95 more book reviews
From the back cover: He performs his profane ceremony in a wooded Minneapolis park, annointing his victims, then setting the bodies ablaze. He has already claimed three lives, and he won't stop there. Only this time there is a witness. But she isn't talking.

Enter Kate Conlan, former FBI agent turned victim/witness advocate. Not even she can tell if the reluctant witness is a potential victim or something more troubling still. Her superiors are interested only because the latest victim may be the daughter of Peter Bondurant, an enigmatic billionaire. When he pulls strings, Special Agen John Quinn gets assigned to the case. But the FBI's ace profiler of serial killers is the last person Kate wants to work with, not with their troubled history. Now she faces the most dificult role of her career -- and her life. For she's the only woman who has what it takes to stop the killer...and the one woman he wants next.
sarah5775 avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 386 more book reviews
I LOVED this book. It is a riveting suspense/mystery with interesting and believable characters and a conclusion that is almost impossible to figure out. Out of all the Tami Hoag books I have read this is my favorite. I highly recommend it.
liamsgramma avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 25 more book reviews
Another great read by Tami Hoag. A little more dark than some of the others. Some I find as just a good mystery, some the killer is just too creepy and sick. Great writing by a great mind. Love Tami Hoag.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on
Ienjoyed this book frombeging to end, one of her finest scrips !
tamtam1014 avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on
I loved this book! She is an excellent author!!!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 337 more book reviews
Good story. Great twist in the end! Abridged 4 tapes
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 11 more book reviews
Loved this. great read awesome author.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 194 more book reviews
Another great book by Tami Hoag.
sarah5775 avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 386 more book reviews
This is my favorite book by Tami Hoag, whose books are always good. The story revolves around a murderer who burns his victims alive. A homeless teenager is a witness to one of these crimes, and former FBI agent Kate Conlan must protect the girl and get her to talk. A book that kept me guessing from beginning to the suspensefull end.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 37 more book reviews
Kate Conlan is on the trail of the Cremator, and advocating for the teenage runaway who has seen his face as he lit a match over his third victim. Will her own demons lead to her own doom, or will her fate be of doom?
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 6 more book reviews
Fantastic
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 5 more book reviews
great book love Hoag
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 108 more book reviews
I really enjoyed this one!!! COULD NOT put it down!!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 9 more book reviews
Excellent!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 31 more book reviews
This is the book that turned me on to Hoag........now I can't get enough of her!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
Abridged - strong story and well done abridgement.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 14 more book reviews
This is a must read for any Hoag fan! I could not put this book down!
gigi avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 355 more book reviews
Very intense! Tightly woven mystery that keeps you in suspense and has an incredibly surprising ending.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 35 more book reviews
I'm hooked, can't wait to read the next book in the series!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
Tami Hoag's new thriller sometimes is too much and you want to put the book down and pretend that much horror could never exist. But by now you are hooked on the characters and want to see justice. Like most Hoag's books, the twists and turns to justice is tricky and be prepared to be unprepared for the ending.

The book flap tells you the story line, but you are never quite prepared for the gritty characters or the slow trail to finding the killer. A solid read for those who like thrillers and mysteries combined.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 24 more book reviews
I loved this book. It was a little slow during the set up of the characters and I wanted to wuit many times..but when everything happens at the end..OH MY GOSH was all I kept screaming..and thats not good when you have sleeping children.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on
He performs hs profane cermony in wooded Minneapolis park,anointing his victims,then setting the bodies ablaze. He has already claimed three lives,and he won't stop there. Only this time there is a witness. But she isn't talking.
twosey avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 52 more book reviews
A page turner with great suspense. The killer was a bit obvious but the story had a great sense of danger. Gave me the creeps more than once.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 18 more book reviews
good mystery
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 12 more book reviews
good mystery, I couldn't put it down
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 18 more book reviews
Wow! This will knock your socks off, then scare the heck out of you! I highly recommend this to those who can take a good read, with all blood and gore of a Stephen King or Dean Koontz! I found the characters likable, and plan to find more of her books! They are worth your time!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 141 more book reviews
I have not read this book, but my friend Chris TORE through this one and his other Hoag novels before begrudgingly letting me put them up on Paperback Swap. He gives them two great big thumbs-up!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 69 more book reviews
This book has made me a true Tami Hoag fan. Her characters are real and draw you into the story. This book highlighted what can happen when love and family do not exist.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 5 more book reviews
Very intense reading. There is alot of violence in it. But it is exciting.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 9 more book reviews
i like it.
robinmy avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 2115 more book reviews
Two prostitutes have been murdered. Their bodies burnt. The media has dubbed the killer "The Creamator". But the murders do not hit the front page until another body is found and the daughter of Billionaire Peter Bondurant is believed to be the third vicitm. Detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska are working around the clock to solve this crime. A witness to the crime is unwilling to tell the police what she saw. Victim/Witness advocate Kate Conlan is on hand to help her through the ordeal. But Kate isn't happy when FBI Special Agent John Quinn is brought in to profile the killer. Kate and Quinn share a past that she doesn't want stirred up.

This is a good suspense story with lots of red herrings. I certainly didn't figure out who the killer was. I liked the pairing of Kate & Quinn, though I thought they could have talked over their problems much earlier in the book. Kovac and Liska are both very interesting characters that I want to read more about in the next book in the series. My rating: 4 Stars.
norma6448 avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 74 more book reviews
This is a great Hoag story!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 41 more book reviews
He performs his profane ceremony in a wooded Minneapolis park, anointing his victims, then setting the bodies ablaze. He has already claimed three lives, and he won't stop there. Only this time there is a witness. But she isn't talking.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 3578 more book reviews
Thriller. A serial killer commits his brutal acts of murder. A very scared young girl, Angie has seen the serial killer's face in the dark, but she is too scared to talk. Enter her advocate Kate Conlin. Kate can not tell if Angie is a reluctant witness, potential victim or something more troubling still.

Amidst public frenzy only Kate can decide what it takes to stop the serial killer and the one woman that he wants next.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 330 more book reviews
great!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 103 more book reviews
Good read - very suspenseful - characters seem real - sex scenes a little sappy, but didn't detract from the story.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on
This is the first book I've read by this author. I liked the book very much and plan to read more.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 46 more book reviews
Ms. Hoag writes books with believable characters,exceptional polts and make you want more.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 32 more book reviews
Excellent story - I was guessing until the end and still had the wrong person!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 14 more book reviews
great book. couldn't put it down!!
romeo avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 334 more book reviews
I love Tami Hoag! Great book
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 911 more book reviews
A wonderful read.
aussiekez1 avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 26 more book reviews
Wow, what a terrific read this is, can't seem to put it down. Find myself snatching this book and reading whenever I get a free minute of two.
One of the best books I have read in along time.
debs avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 650 more book reviews
This is a gripping story from the first page to the last. Great character development - you really get to know how they think and why they react the way they do. It's almost 600 pages, but it will go by so fast you won't know what hit you.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 279 more book reviews
Great book
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
Attention keeper!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 111 more book reviews
Five years after the death of her daughter, the breakup of her marriage, and a love affair that cost her her job at the FBI, Kate Conlan has picked up the pieces of her life and established a new career in Minneapolis as a victim's advocate. Her life is stagnant but settled until a serial killer, who has been nicknamed the Cremator, makes himself known. Thus far he has left behind the mutilated and burned bodies of two women, both known prostitutes. But the third victim attracts much more attention when it appears to be the daughter of one of the city's wealthiest and most influential men: Peter Bondurant. The problem is, no one is sure the body is that of Jillian Bondurant, for while her driver's license was left at the site, the fingers on the corpse have been burned away, there are no identifying marks on the body, and the victim's head is nowhere to be found.
Adding to the mystery is Angie DiMarco, a bedraggled, homeless, and skittish young woman who witnessed the gruesome burning of the corpse. Hoping to get a description of the killer, the cops detain Angie. But the young woman is clearly scared out of her wits and offers little help. That's when Kate is assigned to the case.

Despite Kate's best efforts, Angie remains withdrawn, secretive, and uncooperative. Adding to Kate's frustration is the FBI Agent who has been brought in on the case: John Quinn, the man Kate had an affair with five years before. At first Kate considers begging off the case and having someone else work with Angie. But in addition to feeling a sense of responsibility toward the troubled girl,Katealso feels strangely drawn to her.

The investigation of the case progresses no better than Kate's attempts to get Angie to talk. Peter Bondurant is throwing his weight around, yet appears to be holding back key information. Sordid details about Jillian Bondurant's life begin to emerge, but no critical evidence can be found. The people of Minneapolis are in an uproar, demanding the killer be caught. And while the police have a bevy of potential suspects to sift through, none of them quite seem to fit.

The tension mounts when Angie suddenly disappears, the only clue a frighteningly large trail of blood. Kate is devastated and ends up at loggerheads with both her boss and the rest of the investigative team, some of whom blame her for Angie's disappearance. Adding to Kate's turmoil is her growing awareness that five years apart has done little to quell the passion between her and Quinn.

When the Cremator strikes again, leaving a woman's body burned beyond recognition inside a car, Kate fears the victim is Angie. It's not, but Kate's relief is short-lived when the body is identified as one of the other crime victims Kate had been counseling. Terrified that the Cremator chose this particular victim as a personal message, Kate grows even more concerned when a series of unsettling events make her wonder if she is being watched, or even stalked by the killer. Her instincts prove true, and though Kate does her best to protect and prepare herself, nothing can prepare her for the final shock of coming face to face with the Cremator.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 38 more book reviews
great read
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 43 more book reviews
Good read!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 14 more book reviews
Really good.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 236 more book reviews
Some Killers are born.
Some are made.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 39 more book reviews
He performs his profane ceremony in a wooded Minneapolis park, anointing his victims, then setting the bodies ablaze. Enter Kate Conlan, former FBI agent turned victim/witness advocate.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 57 more book reviews
some killers are born. Some are made. For him, the question is irrelevent. the taste for murder has always been present, prowling the edge of his consciousness like a hungry wolf. In a wooded Minneapolis park, he performs his profane ceremony. He arranges the body to his satisfaction. He pours the accelerant, anointing the dead. Then he lights the match.the newspapers have dubed him the Cremator. He has already claimed three lives. And he won't stop there. He has a plan for greatness. Only this time there is a witness. A teenage runaway with a dubious identy and a murky past, but angie isn't talking.Enters Kate, once a FBI agent, which she left under a cloud of scandel. Now she helps their victims and protects witnesses.But Kate knows angie is a reluctant witness. But the last victim was the daughter of Peter Bondurant-enigmatic billionaire business man who wants to influence the way the case is being handeled. amid the frenzy of public hysteria,politics, and media attention, Kate is confronted with the most difficult role of her career-and her life. For she is the one woman who has what it takes to stop the Creamtor...and the one woman he wants next.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 367 more book reviews
Some killers are born.

Some are made.

For him, the question is irrelevant. The taste for murder has always been present, prowling the edge of his consciousness like a hungry wolf. In a wooded Minneapolis park, he performs his profane ceremony. He arranges the body to his satisfaction. He pours the accelerant, anointing the dead. Then he lights the match.

"Ashes to ashes."

The newspapers have dubbed him the Cremator. He has already claimed three lives. And he won't stop there. He has a plan for greatness. Only this time there is a witness. A teenage runaway with a dubious identity and a murky past, Angie DiMarco has seen the face of the killer in the flickering light of the funeral pyre. Now the police have Angie, but Angie isn't talking.

Enter Kate Conlan. She knows all too well the dark side of the human heart. Once an up-and-coming FBI agent, she left the Bureau under a cloud of scandal. Now, instead of catching criminals, she helps their victims and protects witnesses. The job of advocate suits her just fine--until she's assigned to Angie.

Not even Kate can tell if the troubled youth is a reluctant witness, a potential victim, or something more troubling still. Her superiors are interested only in badgering Angie for a lead, because the Cremator's latest victim may be the daughter of Peter Bondurant--an enigmatic billionaire businessman with power to influence the way the case is handled.

Bondurant pulls strings and gets Special Agent John Quinn brought to the case. The FBI's ace profiler of serial killers, Quinn shares a painful past with Kate and hides a secret that is driving him toward madness. He is a man on a ragged edge, and yet his insatiable need to do justice drives him to catch the Cremator--no matter what the cost to himself.

Amid a frenzy of public hysteria, politics, and media attention, Kate is confronted with the most difficult role of her career--and her life. For she is the one woman who has what it takes to stop the Cremator...and the one woman he wants next.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
Please note that this book was purchased from a public library sale, so there will be a few places in the book with the libraries stamp on it. Thanks.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 115 more book reviews
He performs a profane ceremony in a wooded park. He has already claimed 3 lives and won't stop there. Kate Conlan, former FBI agent has a reluctant witness, and she must stop this serial killer. Action-packed thriller.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 7 more book reviews
good used condition. no tears, some bent corners. No loose pages or writing.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 34 more book reviews
"He performs his profance ceremony in a wooded Minneapolis park, anointing his victims, then setting the bodies ablaze. He has already claimed three lives, and he won't stop there. Only this time there is a witness. But she isn't talking.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 114 more book reviews
He performs his profane ceremony in a wooded Minneapolis park, anointing his victims, then setting the bodies ablaze. He has already claimed three lives, and he won't stop there. Only this time there is a witness. But she isn't talking.
Enter Kate Conlan, former FBI agent turned victim/witness advocate. Not even she can tell if the reluctant witness is a potential victim or something more troubling still. Her superiors are interested only because the latest victim may be the daughter of Peter Bondurant, and enigmatic billionaire. When he pulls strings, Special Agent John Quinn gets assigned to the case. But the FBI's ace profiler of serial killers is the last person Kate wants to work with, not with their troubled history. Now she faces the most difficult role of her career-and her life. For she's the only woman who has what it takes to stop the killer...and the one woman he wants next.
Chitimacha-Princess avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 586 more book reviews
ASHES TO ASHES...

He performs his profane ceremony in a wooded Minneapolis park, anointing his victims, then setting the bodies ablaze. He has already claimed three lives, and he won't stop there. Only this time there is a witness. But she isn't talking.

Enter Kate Conlan, former FBI agent turned victim/witnessadvocate. Not even she can tell if the reluctant witness is a potential victim or something more troubling still. Her superiours are interested only because the latest victim may be the daughter of Peter Bondurant, an enigmatic billionaire. When he pulls strings, Special Agent John Quinn gets assigned to the case. But the FBI's ace profiler of serial killers is the last person Kate wants to work with, not with their troubled history. Now she faces the most difficult role of her career--and her life. For she's the only woman who has what it takes to stop the killer...and the one woman he wants next.