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Wendy H. Jones
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Killer's Countdown (The DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Wendy H. Jones (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 859 ratings
Dead Women. A Ruthless Killer. A Detective with something to prove. Newly promoted Detective Inspector Shona McKenzie struggles to cope with her new job, the respect of her colleagues, and the need to solve the hardest case of her life. Will she succeed? A killer stalks the streets of Dundee, Scotland. Shona,having recently returned to Scotland, relies on the local knowledge of Sgt Peter Johnston and the rest of her team to help her track down the killer. However, this is no ordinary killer. Shona needs to use every trick in and out of the book to bring them to justice. The final revelation will shock you to the core. If you like books by Val McDermid, Ian Rankin, Alex Gray, Stuart MacBride, Lin Anderson, Kathy Reich, James Patterson, Tess Gerritsen, or Karin Slaughter, then you will love this book.
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  1. Book 1 of 8
    The DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries
  2. Print length
    296 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    October 7, 2014
  5. File size
    1.4 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

I was very taken by the plucky but vulnerable character of DI Shona McKenzie, a great detective who is seems unable to make as great a success of her love life as of her career. (Debbie Young)

I can see why Wendy H Jones has so many fans, because this book is thoroughly addictive. Heroine DI Shona McKenzie is the best sort of policeman: firm but fair, and sharp as a razor. (London Lass)



Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00O55H2NY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scott and Lawson; 1st edition (October 7, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 7, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.4 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 296 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0993067719
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 859 ratings

About the author

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Wendy H. Jones

Wendy H. Jones

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International Award Winning Author Wendy H. Jones lives in Scotland, and her police procedural series featuring DI Shona McKenzie are set.Wendy has led a varied and adventurous life. Her love for adventure led to her joining the Royal Navy to undertake nurse training. After six years in the Navy she joined the Army where she served as an Officer for a further 17 years. Killer's Countdown was her first novel and the first book in the Shona McKenzie Mysteries. Killer's Crew won the Books Go Social Book of the Year 2017. The seventh book in the series. Killer's Curse will be released early august 2020. The Dagger's Curse, the first book in The Fergus and Flora Mysteries, was a finalist in the Woman Alive Magazine Readers Choice Award Book of the Year. Turning to humorous crime the Cass Claymore Investigates series was born. She is also a highly successful marketer and is currently in the process of rereleasing her completely updated marketing book Marketing Matters. This will be part of the Writing Matters Series following the release of Motivation Matters. She is also the author of the Bertie the Buffalo picture book and associated soft toy and colouring book. Wendy is delighted to be one of the authors in two anthologies aimed at empowering women - The Power of Why, and Women Win Against All Odds. She is proud to be the President of the Scottish Association of Writers and is the host of The Writing and Marketing Show podcast, a writing and marketing coach. and CEO of Writing Matters online writing school, Authorpreneur Accelerator Academy.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
859 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy this crime mystery for its compelling detective drama with enough suspenseful twists and turns. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its readability as a solid debut novel with likeable characters, and customers appreciate its fast-paced nature. However, the writing style receives mixed reviews, with some finding it well-written while others criticize the cliched dialogue.

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23 customers mention "Suspenseful story"23 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the suspenseful story of the book, praising its compelling detective drama with enough twists and turns to keep readers engaged.

"This is a terrific mystery series debut from Wendy H Jones, starring one very tough Scottish cookie: Dundee Detective Shona McKenzie...." Read more

"...This novel is a very entertaining read with a sufficiently complicated plot line & enough suspenseful twists and turns to keep the reader engaged...." Read more

"...She had a strong plot and all the right instincts." Read more

"...One is accustomed to a fast, suspenseful plot in a thriller and to interesting investigative details in a police procedural, but I don't believe I..." Read more

18 customers mention "Readability"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be an amazing and solid debut novel that is very entertaining to read.

"...The book makes effective and seamless shifts in points of view: from third person Shona's to the killer's p.o.v.--as a tormented student and now...." Read more

"...This novel is a very entertaining read with a sufficiently complicated plot line & enough suspenseful twists and turns to keep the reader engaged...." Read more

"...guilty despite her tormentors, is completely due to the talent of this remarkable new author, whose work I highly recommend, and that not lightly..." Read more

"...I also loved the Scottish setting and characters. A terrific debut novel. I look forward to the next installment in the series." Read more

15 customers mention "Character development"12 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the characters in the book, finding them likeable, with one customer particularly appreciating the Scottish setting and another noting the large cast of characters.

"...The cast of characters is quite large and varied enough to keep things interesting...." Read more

"...I also loved the Scottish setting and characters. A terrific debut novel. I look forward to the next installment in the series." Read more

"I enjoyed the plot, characters and the realistic view of the police, its relationship to the media and society, and the ever looming presence of the..." Read more

"Wendy Jones's characters seem two dimensional and the dialogue stiff and unnatural...." Read more

9 customers mention "Pacing"9 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, describing it as fast-paced and a great start to the series, with one customer noting it's a police procedural set in Dundee.

"This was a fast paced police procedural about a detective inspector on the hunt for a spree killer...." Read more

"Fast paced with a murder around every corner, author Wendy H. Jones, begins her series featuring Detective Inspector, Shona McKenzie...." Read more

"This is a fast paced procedural set in Dundee. DI Shona McKenzie was born in Dundee but raised in England...." Read more

"Wendy H. Jones' Shone McKenzie books are complex and fast-paced, with occasional jolts of humor that zip quickly past you as you're tripping over..." Read more

12 customers mention "Writing style"7 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing style of the book, with some finding it well written while others describe the dialogue as cliched.

"...of this book come from the Dundee setting and the masterful insertions of just enough dialect to remind us we're not in Kentucky...." Read more

"...It's light, enjoyable reading, The style of writing is not my favorite - one simple declarative sentence after another, repeated over and..." Read more

"...Here, I must commend Author, Wendy Jones for writing an incredibly multilayered antagonist, which because of the authors skill, I was able to feel..." Read more

"Wendy Jones's characters seem two dimensional and the dialogue stiff and unnatural...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reb MacRath
    5.0 out of 5 stars A New Mystery Writer's Stunning Debut
    Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2015
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    This is a terrific mystery series debut from Wendy H Jones, starring one very tough Scottish cookie: Dundee Detective Shona McKenzie. Comparisons of Shona to Sherlock Holmes are well-intentioned, but misleading. Faced with a seemingly unstoppable--and uncatchable--killer...plus an ever-rising body count...Shona succeeds as much by luck, pluck and dogged detective work as by shrewd deductions. The book makes effective and seamless shifts in points of view: from third person Shona's to the killer's p.o.v.--as a tormented student and now. Sound confusing? It isn't, as told by Jones--and this accounts for my giving the writing a 'great rating' though the style is pared down and no-nonsense. The body count here is exceptionally high, but the violence is never too gory. A good deal of the pleasure of this book come from the Dundee setting and the masterful insertions of just enough dialect to remind us we're not in Kentucky. Wendy H Jones is a writer to watch.
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  • D. R. Johnson
    4.0 out of 5 stars 4 Stars - a very good read
    Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2016
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    The rating when I purchased this book was 4 stars, and I believe that's a very accurate rating. This novel is a very entertaining read with a sufficiently complicated plot line & enough suspenseful twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. The cast of characters is quite large and varied enough to keep things interesting. I liked it well enough that I will likely purchase the next book in this series. It's light, enjoyable reading,

    The style of writing is not my favorite - one simple declarative sentence after another, repeated over and over and over. That staccato style of writing gets a bit old & tiresome. Also, the text is littered with every cliche you've ever heard. I would advise the author to beware of this shortcoming and to avoid it like the plague - pardon my cliche!! It's a relatively minor point, but the misuse and overuse of commas is positively laughable! After reading this book where commas are sprinkled liberally on every page, I will never complain again about the well known, successful authors in this genre whose novels are punctuated as if each comma costs $10,000!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Auntie Annie
    3.0 out of 5 stars The book improves as it continues
    Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2016
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    Wendy Jones's characters seem two dimensional and the dialogue stiff and unnatural. That said, the dialogue improves as the book goes on, though the banter later in the book contradicts the snappish, uptight character portrayed at the beginning. I also found it a bit disconcerting that the chapters jumped around in time -- it interrupted the flow to have to pause and think, Oh, yes, this was eight years ago. This was true of chapters inside the head of the murderer. The relationships with authority seemed false. I'm sure either the officer or the boss would have lost the job for some of the remarks recounted. And the murderer was made out to be a sort of super-being. I found that difficult to accept as well. I came away with the impression that the writer was trying just a bit too hard, and that if she relaxes her next book will be much stronger. She had a strong plot and all the right instincts.
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  • Paula Rose Michelson
    5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ! So Brilliant it Rivals Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes Stories!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Reviewing Wendy H. Jones first book was an amazing experience for having my own books blessed by her thoughtful reviews, as I began to read, I must admit that I was concerned lest she prove to be a novice in the genre she had selected. However, before I finished the `Prologue', I knew she was a master wordsmith.

    Diving into the read, which to my way of thinking is the only way to enjoy a worthy mystery, I was intrigued for seldom aside from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes masterpieces have nuanced dialogue and unique settings been so deftly introduced that this California gal felt the chill of Dundee, heard the lilt to the accents as I was drawn deeper into DI Shona McKenzie's world where she finds herself surrounded by bodies that mount almost hourly.

    The pacing of this novel and alternating of chapters allowed this reader to live the heroine or villain's reality as if it were mine. Here, I must commend Author, Wendy Jones for writing an incredibly multilayered antagonist, which because of the authors skill, I was able to feel for. And that says a lot given the villainy and meticulous depravity of this villain genius whom, I believe felt it her own recompense for the misery she had suffered at the hands that were supposed to love, protect, teach, and befriend her.

    That one can feel for this person after all she has done, yet know she is guilty despite her tormentors, is completely due to the talent of this remarkable new author, whose work I highly recommend, and that not lightly for this book now sits on my shelf next to The Complete Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, namely all of his Sherlock Holmes classics bound, and dare I say held in the highest regard by my husband and me who at one time fancied a trip to England for no other purpose than to visit the residence of this famed genius sleuth, namely his fictional 221B Baker Street address, which I have it to understand does now sort of exist because in 1990, a blue plaque signifying 221B Baker Street was installed at the Sherlock Holmes Museum, situated elsewhere on the same block.

    I mention this because if the rest of the series Author, Wendy H. Jones is penning meets this standard, I have no doubt that the post will need another plaque before she has finished what she has so brilliantly begun!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Donna
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced and Complex
    Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2015
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    Don't let the slightly disorientating beginning put you off--you'll soon be as gripped as I was. One is accustomed to a fast, suspenseful plot in a thriller and to interesting investigative details in a police procedural, but I don't believe I've ever before encountered such deep development of the villain's psyche. I also loved the Scottish setting and characters. A terrific debut novel. I look forward to the next installment in the series.
    One person found this helpful
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  • KR
    5.0 out of 5 stars Killer on the loose!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2022
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    This was a fast paced police procedural about a detective inspector on the hunt for a spree killer. I liked that Shona McKenzie came across as a little bossy as she was trying to prove herself as a new DI. While I didn't find this book graphic, the killings take on a serious approach, showing just how far the killer was willing to go. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Joey
    5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful debut!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 7, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This was on my TBR list for a while, but thankfully I finally found time to read it and have loved it! DI Shona is faced with the enormity of having to solve one murder, when another and another keeps popping up, they all seem to be random but they also seem to be linked. Can she find the link between them and then catch up with a killer who's skilled in many different ways and is almost a ghost? You'll have to read to find out. This was my first reading of a book by Wendy Jones and I am not disappointed at all. I loved the prose and the way it was written seemed to pull you into it's grip and I soon found that despite it being almost midnight I *had* to finish this book and know exactly what motivated the killer to their start in a life of crime. It deals with some serious issues such as child abuse, bullying and neglect, but does so in a way that makes you relate to all the characters on some level. The level of accuracy in the book is outstanding and I could picture myself following along with the investigation as a silent shadow because the story made it seem as if I were there myself.

    As a debut novel, it is excellent and I will be reading the next in the series when it comes out. Wendy Jones is someone to keep a watch out for. She writes believable crime and allows you to follow the characters as if they were real. Highly recommended and I loved every page of it!
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  • HM Holten
    4.0 out of 5 stars Written with knowledge and expertise.
    Reviewed in Germany on September 2, 2018
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    Jones presents ‘Killer’s countdown’ in elegant prose. The narrative presents the reader with two protagonists: the killer and the (female) police officer. This way, we get confronted with the chilling thoughts and arrogance of a serial killer. Policework must be meticulous, and hence the detective can appear somewhat dry. This clash makes the contest between the characters all the more spine-tingling. We’re a long way from Agatha Christie: this has a far tougher substance. Jones handles the dual point of view with great skill.
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  • Kim R
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great start to the series
    Reviewed in Australia on December 21, 2017
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    Great start to the series! Jones' storytelling is good, and the tension in the book builds along with the body count. There are a few minor editing issues, but I'm willing to overlook these as I had a number of chuckles at the dry Scottish humour that appears throughout the book. A great read, and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
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  • Kenneth Dawson
    4.0 out of 5 stars A good read and an author worth following.
    Reviewed in Australia on November 15, 2015
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    A good book and certainly a great start to a series set around a female detective in Dundee, Scotland. Some of the characters are perhaps a little over-written, but this does not take away from the good plot and skill of the author as a story teller. I am looking forward to reading Ms. Jones's future works.
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  • Reader4life
    4.0 out of 5 stars A fast paced procedural
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2017
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    This is my first read of this author and I found this story to be fast paced and full of action. I enjoyed the accuracy of the procedural side of things and found the descriptions of events perfect. The author writes an engaging story; plenty of murder and detective stuff! For me, I would have liked to have seen a few more ‘likeable characters’ in the book, especially the DI in charge and at times, I found the flipping of POVs both an asset and a hindrance. It was great to get a first-person account from the killer’s point of view, to understand motives and drives etc but at times it made it tricky to follow, especially at the beginning. There were a few grammar and tense issues but nothing that would spoil the story. A good read!
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