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Publication
Dutton (2016), Edition: First Edition, 416 pages
Description
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag returns to the bestselling series of her career with a Kovac and Liska case that will delight fans and new readers alike. A murder from the past. A murder from the present. And a life that was never meant to be... As the dreary, bitter weather of late fall descends on Minneapolis, Detective Nikki Liska is restless. After moving to the cold case squad in order to spend more time with her sons, she misses the rush of pulling an all-nighter, the sense of urgency of hunting a murderer on the loose. Most of all she misses her old partner, Sam Kovac. Sam is having an even harder time adjusting to Nikki's absence, saddled with a green new partner younger than pieces of Sam's wardrobe. Sam is distracted from his troubles by an especially brutal double homicide: a middle-aged husband and wife bludgeoned and hacked to death in their home with a ceremonial Japanese samurai sword. Nikki's case, the unsolved murder of a family man, community leader, and decorated sex crimes detective for the Minneapolis PD, is less of a distraction: Twenty years later, there is little hope for finding the killer who got away. On the other end of the spectrum, Minneapolis resident Evi Burke has a life she only dreamed of as a kid in and out of foster homes: a beautiful home, a family, people who love her, a fulfilling job. Little does she know that a danger from her past is stalking her perfect present. A danger powerful enough to pull in both Kovac and Liska and destroy the perfect life she was never meant to have"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member hubblegal
There was a time when I would grab every book written by Tami Hoag as soon as it was released (once she started writing thrillers instead of romance novels). While her suspense books always contained quite graphic violence, I found her storylines to be riveting. But at some point, it began to seem
There are two cases being investigated in this book. The first is the savage present day murder of a professor and his wife by a Japanese samurai sword being handled by Det. Sam Kovac. The second is a cold case involving the murder of a decorated sex crimes detective that Det. Nikki Liska has reluctantly been assigned as she has little hope of solving it. I found both cases to be fascinating and I flew through the book. The mysteries were suspenseful and well plotted. Be prepared for some very grisly scenes.
As mentioned, Kovac and Liska aren’t working together on the same case in this book. Kovac has a new partner who he’s training and who is making him feel his age. Liska takes on cold cases in the hopes of spending more time with her teenage boys. The author does an excellent job of developing these two characters and their friendship.
There’s also Evi Burke, a very likeable woman who has found happiness after a very hard youth. But her perfect life is soon to be threatened by secrets of her past. There was no way I couldn’t care for this character and literally sat on the edge of my seat as evil headed her way.
This book was given to me by the publisher through First to Read in return for an honest review.
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that the violence was taking over with less and less compelling stories so I started skipping some of her books. This one sounded interesting and I’m very glad that I gave her work another try.There are two cases being investigated in this book. The first is the savage present day murder of a professor and his wife by a Japanese samurai sword being handled by Det. Sam Kovac. The second is a cold case involving the murder of a decorated sex crimes detective that Det. Nikki Liska has reluctantly been assigned as she has little hope of solving it. I found both cases to be fascinating and I flew through the book. The mysteries were suspenseful and well plotted. Be prepared for some very grisly scenes.
As mentioned, Kovac and Liska aren’t working together on the same case in this book. Kovac has a new partner who he’s training and who is making him feel his age. Liska takes on cold cases in the hopes of spending more time with her teenage boys. The author does an excellent job of developing these two characters and their friendship.
There’s also Evi Burke, a very likeable woman who has found happiness after a very hard youth. But her perfect life is soon to be threatened by secrets of her past. There was no way I couldn’t care for this character and literally sat on the edge of my seat as evil headed her way.
This book was given to me by the publisher through First to Read in return for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member Virginia51
I give this newest book by Tami Hoag a five out of five. I love reading about Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska. They always worked good together and now they have to learn to work apart. Nikki is now in cold cases and bored with the 9-5 work day. She wishes for the adrenaline rush she had before in
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homicide. Kovac has to get used to a new partner while working a horrible double homicide. This is a great story that has a lot of twists and turns. This was hard to put down. I received this from Firsttoread for a fair and honest opinion. Show Less
LibraryThing member JudithDCollins
A special thank you to Penguin/Dutton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tami Hoag returns following Cold Cold Heart (2015) with THE BITTER SEASON (Kovac & Liska #5) –A clever, twisted chilling haunting suspense of family secrets, lies, and revenge.
Two separate twisted
As the book opens it is winter in Minneapolis, MN twenty-five years earlier. A sex crimes cop Ted Duffy is chopping wood. Purgatory had become his life. Little did he know, this would be his last night on earth. Could death be worse?
Flash forward to present day. The twenty-fifth anniversary of Ted Duffy case. The murder of one of the city’s finest (which no one liked). The news may shake something loose. An unsolved murder.
From the last book in the series, The 9th Girl, Liska has a wake up call and decides to take a step back from the long hours of homicide, to spend more time being a mother of her two sons. With her crazy ex-husband, which is like another terrible teen—someone has to the responsible adult.
Nikki finds she is missing the adrenaline rush of the hunt; and now she is in Cold Cases. She takes no crap from any man (love her). She learned a long time ago to take any advantage she could get in this profession still dominated by men. She is working with a new female Homicide lieutenant, Joan Mascherino- a good thing. However, she has to deal with male bully, Grider--- a manipulator, prick and royal pain in her ass--who happened to be on the case twenty-five years ago, friend, and never solved. She is sure to remind him of this often. He explodes, when Nikki is chosen to head up the case.
Liska had her own agenda. She had leveraged her role in closing the Doc Holiday cases to get assigned to this unit. In homicide she may be on for twenty-four hours or more straight. In Cold case, there was no urgency. Regular hours, giving her more time with her boys. She had spent the better part of a decade in Homicide. But RJ and Kyle (14 and 16) were growing into young men and she needed to be there for them. No matter how much she loved her job, she loved the boys a million times more. The challenges would be different, but she would still be fighting for a victim.
Sam Kovac, misses Liska (Tinks)– Tiny but fierce. However, now he is saddled with all these new young punks with his latest partner, Taylor. Young “Magic Mike” Channing Tatum. (lots of fun here)…Sam did not want a new partner. He was too old and cranky to break into a new one. He and Liska had been partners for so long, they were comfortable together; their styles meshed, and they had learned to tolerate each other’s annoying habits. Like an old married couple that had never had bad sex. Instead he has a kid, a good-looking one in great shape-at that—making him feel even older.
Kovac: “How can you even break a sweat in Cold Case. Your vics have all been dead for years.”
Liska: “Like my love life.
Kovac: “Maybe that’ll pick up now that you don’t have to worry about going on a date smelling like a fresh corpse.”
She always nagged him like a wife; more annoying than a kid sister. However, he could not blame her for transferring to take care of her boys as a single mom—He still misses her.
Kovac has a new murder case. A husband and wife have been murdered in their own home. A crazy daughter Diana, and a conservative son Charlie. The professor is not liked by many, including colleagues and his own family. There is motive; however, nothing to nail the case. The double homicide of a U of M professor and his wife in their own home would bring out the brass and local political muscles to push for an full investigation and closure as soon as possible.
While her old partner is working the scene of a double murder, killed by a sword-wielding maniac;
Liska has her cold case to dig through. Liska thought of all the excitement she was missing and thinks of her own case, yesterday’s news. She could use this media attention.
Her only clues: a wife, which married her dead husband’s brother, a daughter (which was only nine years old when her dad was murdered), and two foster teen girls which had been kicked out after the cop’s murder. Someone is hiding something. A crazy neighbor and a son.
At first all dead ends. Nikki is persistent. She will not be happy until she tracks down the killer. The killer who has gotten away with murdering a cop for twenty-five years. Someone knows something. No one likes her asking questions. The family acts as though they do not care if the killer is found. No one wants to relive the murder all over again. (or so they say).
A few neighbors, and one of the girls who has moved away, now working as a social worker with at risk teens. Evi Burke, the young woman, wife and mother, married to a fireman. How does she fit into the picture? Nikki has to dig into her past. The teen who lived with the Duffy’s at the time of the murder.
In her wildest dreams, she would never have guessed, her cold case might be the key to Kovac’s murder case. A brutal killer is on the loose. He will stop at nothing including decapitation, and brutal killings in his madness for revenge. In the end, Liska’s new name is Wonder Woman-- Explosive!
Having read all the books in the Kovac & Liska series, (love them), my favorite partners in crime duo---was curious as to how the long time partners would fit in this installment. These two will keep you in stitches laughing with Hoag’s witty bad ass one liners.
Never fear —the duo may not be partners; however, they get some joint action when two cases become connected…. we still get our fix.
This is one of those book, you cannot put down. Lots of twists, turns, and surprises; a serious whodunit ingenious mystery. A big surprise ending. Horror fans will get plenty of blood, body parts, decapitation, gore, and violence…not for the weak of heart.
Dark, intense, and chilling ---A complex psycho-thriller you cannot miss. Please, do NOT let Kovac & Liska end—from your own Palm Beach County fan.
Tami Hoag returns following Cold Cold Heart (2015) with THE BITTER SEASON (Kovac & Liska #5) –A clever, twisted chilling haunting suspense of family secrets, lies, and revenge.
Two separate twisted
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cases. A cold case. A murder from the past. A murder from the present. And a life that was never meant to be. Both cases will collide, in this heart-pounding psycho-crime mystery thriller, leaving your page-turning into the wee hours of the morning. As the book opens it is winter in Minneapolis, MN twenty-five years earlier. A sex crimes cop Ted Duffy is chopping wood. Purgatory had become his life. Little did he know, this would be his last night on earth. Could death be worse?
Flash forward to present day. The twenty-fifth anniversary of Ted Duffy case. The murder of one of the city’s finest (which no one liked). The news may shake something loose. An unsolved murder.
From the last book in the series, The 9th Girl, Liska has a wake up call and decides to take a step back from the long hours of homicide, to spend more time being a mother of her two sons. With her crazy ex-husband, which is like another terrible teen—someone has to the responsible adult.
Nikki finds she is missing the adrenaline rush of the hunt; and now she is in Cold Cases. She takes no crap from any man (love her). She learned a long time ago to take any advantage she could get in this profession still dominated by men. She is working with a new female Homicide lieutenant, Joan Mascherino- a good thing. However, she has to deal with male bully, Grider--- a manipulator, prick and royal pain in her ass--who happened to be on the case twenty-five years ago, friend, and never solved. She is sure to remind him of this often. He explodes, when Nikki is chosen to head up the case.
Liska had her own agenda. She had leveraged her role in closing the Doc Holiday cases to get assigned to this unit. In homicide she may be on for twenty-four hours or more straight. In Cold case, there was no urgency. Regular hours, giving her more time with her boys. She had spent the better part of a decade in Homicide. But RJ and Kyle (14 and 16) were growing into young men and she needed to be there for them. No matter how much she loved her job, she loved the boys a million times more. The challenges would be different, but she would still be fighting for a victim.
Sam Kovac, misses Liska (Tinks)– Tiny but fierce. However, now he is saddled with all these new young punks with his latest partner, Taylor. Young “Magic Mike” Channing Tatum. (lots of fun here)…Sam did not want a new partner. He was too old and cranky to break into a new one. He and Liska had been partners for so long, they were comfortable together; their styles meshed, and they had learned to tolerate each other’s annoying habits. Like an old married couple that had never had bad sex. Instead he has a kid, a good-looking one in great shape-at that—making him feel even older.
Kovac: “How can you even break a sweat in Cold Case. Your vics have all been dead for years.”
Liska: “Like my love life.
Kovac: “Maybe that’ll pick up now that you don’t have to worry about going on a date smelling like a fresh corpse.”
She always nagged him like a wife; more annoying than a kid sister. However, he could not blame her for transferring to take care of her boys as a single mom—He still misses her.
Kovac has a new murder case. A husband and wife have been murdered in their own home. A crazy daughter Diana, and a conservative son Charlie. The professor is not liked by many, including colleagues and his own family. There is motive; however, nothing to nail the case. The double homicide of a U of M professor and his wife in their own home would bring out the brass and local political muscles to push for an full investigation and closure as soon as possible.
While her old partner is working the scene of a double murder, killed by a sword-wielding maniac;
Liska has her cold case to dig through. Liska thought of all the excitement she was missing and thinks of her own case, yesterday’s news. She could use this media attention.
Her only clues: a wife, which married her dead husband’s brother, a daughter (which was only nine years old when her dad was murdered), and two foster teen girls which had been kicked out after the cop’s murder. Someone is hiding something. A crazy neighbor and a son.
At first all dead ends. Nikki is persistent. She will not be happy until she tracks down the killer. The killer who has gotten away with murdering a cop for twenty-five years. Someone knows something. No one likes her asking questions. The family acts as though they do not care if the killer is found. No one wants to relive the murder all over again. (or so they say).
A few neighbors, and one of the girls who has moved away, now working as a social worker with at risk teens. Evi Burke, the young woman, wife and mother, married to a fireman. How does she fit into the picture? Nikki has to dig into her past. The teen who lived with the Duffy’s at the time of the murder.
In her wildest dreams, she would never have guessed, her cold case might be the key to Kovac’s murder case. A brutal killer is on the loose. He will stop at nothing including decapitation, and brutal killings in his madness for revenge. In the end, Liska’s new name is Wonder Woman-- Explosive!
Having read all the books in the Kovac & Liska series, (love them), my favorite partners in crime duo---was curious as to how the long time partners would fit in this installment. These two will keep you in stitches laughing with Hoag’s witty bad ass one liners.
Never fear —the duo may not be partners; however, they get some joint action when two cases become connected…. we still get our fix.
This is one of those book, you cannot put down. Lots of twists, turns, and surprises; a serious whodunit ingenious mystery. A big surprise ending. Horror fans will get plenty of blood, body parts, decapitation, gore, and violence…not for the weak of heart.
Dark, intense, and chilling ---A complex psycho-thriller you cannot miss. Please, do NOT let Kovac & Liska end—from your own Palm Beach County fan.
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LibraryThing member Kris_Anderson
The Bitter Season by Tami Hoag is the latest Kovac and Liska novel. Liska has transferred to the new Cold Case Unit (funded with a half a million-dollar grant) in Minneapolis, Minnesota to have regular hours and spend more time with her two sons. After going through hundreds of files the new unit
Sam Kovac misses his old partner, Nikki Liska. Kovac is on his third partner in three months. His latest is Michael Taylor (a fledgling homicide detective). Kovac’s latest case is the death of Dr. Lucien Chamberlain and his wife. They were murdered (in a gruesome fashion) with a Japanese sword from Dr. Chamberlain’s collection. Who wanted to kill this professor and his wife?
Nikki Liska dives into her case. However, it seems like the Duffy family does not seem to really want the case solved. No one will answer questions. Liska is relentless in her pursuit of closing this case especially when she discovers that her case and Kovac’s are connected. Someone is not telling the truth. Liska and Kovac will have to work through the secrets and lies to reveal the killer.
The Bitter Season was just wonderful. I did not want to put this book down! There were so many wonderful twists and turns (I just loved it). The mystery was complicated and not easy to solve (but I did). I enjoyed how this mystery was revealed to the reader. There is an overabundance of foul language in the book (which I did not enjoy). The Bitter Season is well-written, fast paced, and has great characters. The Bitter Season can be read if you have not enjoyed the previous books in the series (I have not read other books in this series). I give The Bitter Season 5 out of 5 stars. I cannot wait for the next book in the Kovac and Liska series.
I received a complimentary copy of The Bitter Season from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the book.
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meets to discuss their first case. Gene Grider (a retired detective) has come back to the cold case unit with an agenda. He wants the first case they work on to be the Ted Duffy case. Ted Duffy was an officer who was killed on the job twenty-five years previously. Grider is very determined (and a misogynist). The boss decides it will be the first case, but Liska will work it (a new set of eyes and since Grider did not solve it the first time around). Grider is not thrilled and goes out of his way to make things difficult for Nikki Liska. Sam Kovac misses his old partner, Nikki Liska. Kovac is on his third partner in three months. His latest is Michael Taylor (a fledgling homicide detective). Kovac’s latest case is the death of Dr. Lucien Chamberlain and his wife. They were murdered (in a gruesome fashion) with a Japanese sword from Dr. Chamberlain’s collection. Who wanted to kill this professor and his wife?
Nikki Liska dives into her case. However, it seems like the Duffy family does not seem to really want the case solved. No one will answer questions. Liska is relentless in her pursuit of closing this case especially when she discovers that her case and Kovac’s are connected. Someone is not telling the truth. Liska and Kovac will have to work through the secrets and lies to reveal the killer.
The Bitter Season was just wonderful. I did not want to put this book down! There were so many wonderful twists and turns (I just loved it). The mystery was complicated and not easy to solve (but I did). I enjoyed how this mystery was revealed to the reader. There is an overabundance of foul language in the book (which I did not enjoy). The Bitter Season is well-written, fast paced, and has great characters. The Bitter Season can be read if you have not enjoyed the previous books in the series (I have not read other books in this series). I give The Bitter Season 5 out of 5 stars. I cannot wait for the next book in the Kovac and Liska series.
I received a complimentary copy of The Bitter Season from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the book.
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LibraryThing member gpangel
The Bitter Season by Tami Hoag is a 2016 Dutton Books publication.
Back before everyone was trying to write the next “Gone Girl”, Tami Hoag was pumping out solid romantic suspense novels and edge of your seat thrillers. She has found a nice solid niche with her own brand of psychological
Tami Hoag has always been one my ‘go to’ authors and I do make every effort possible to read every single one of her novels. This book, like all the others before it, drew me in immediately, and for the most part held my undivided attention from start to finish.
For those who have followed this series, you will find some things have changed just a bit, as
Liska joins the newly minted cold case squad, and Kovac breaking in a new partner. But, never fear, the dynamic duo will soon find their paths crossing once more, in this dark, lurid, tale of suspense and mystery.
“Thou hast spoken right, ‘tis true. The wheel is come full circle…” from King Lear- William Shakespeare
Liska’s first assignment in the cold case squad is to solve a twenty-five-year old murder in which a sex crimes officer was killed while chopping wood at his family home. Naturally, with his line of work, he had enemies, but as Liska begins taking a closer look at the man’s family, friends and neighbors, she hits a nerve… or two.
Meanwhile, a much despised college professor and his wife are brutally murdered in their posh home, and Kovac is once more in the spotlight as the lead detective.
“If there’s one thing I can assure you about working Homicide, it’s that you are going to see some of the most mentally F’d-up family situations you can imagine. After all the years I’ve been doing this job, just when I say I’ve seen everything, somebody comes up with some new and different way to be a sick, perverted wack job. Never judge a family by their address or bank account,” he went on. “And never underestimate the power of the American public to utterly shock and disappoint you.” – Kovac
These words of warning Kovac gives his new partner proved prophetic as this case turned out to be one twisted tale of family dysfunction and abuse, which led to tragic consequences for so many people.
I was spellbound by the cold case more so than the murder of the professor and became annoyed by the intrusion of that part of the story. Of course the two cases are intertwined, and I confess, I literally gasped out loud with shock at the way it all came together. I never saw it coming, and for someone as jaded as I am, that’s saying something.
The only complaint I have is that going into the home stretch the story slowed down to a crawl without anything interesting taking place. There are portions of the book that could have been skipped over which would have helped to keep the timing sharp and the suspense from losing momentum.
However, the wait is worth it in the end, which left me feeling short of breath, and completely stunned. This is a traditional psychological thriller, gritty and dark, and disturbing, as it should be, but also emotional and sad, with a realistic conclusion, that left me feeling unsettled and maybe even a little melancholy, but happy that the truth was finally revealed, no matter how difficult it was to absorb.
Overall, this is another solid effort by one of my favorite authors. 4 stars
Back before everyone was trying to write the next “Gone Girl”, Tami Hoag was pumping out solid romantic suspense novels and edge of your seat thrillers. She has found a nice solid niche with her own brand of psychological
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thriller, in the Kovac and Liska series, this being the fifth installment. Tami Hoag has always been one my ‘go to’ authors and I do make every effort possible to read every single one of her novels. This book, like all the others before it, drew me in immediately, and for the most part held my undivided attention from start to finish.
For those who have followed this series, you will find some things have changed just a bit, as
Liska joins the newly minted cold case squad, and Kovac breaking in a new partner. But, never fear, the dynamic duo will soon find their paths crossing once more, in this dark, lurid, tale of suspense and mystery.
“Thou hast spoken right, ‘tis true. The wheel is come full circle…” from King Lear- William Shakespeare
Liska’s first assignment in the cold case squad is to solve a twenty-five-year old murder in which a sex crimes officer was killed while chopping wood at his family home. Naturally, with his line of work, he had enemies, but as Liska begins taking a closer look at the man’s family, friends and neighbors, she hits a nerve… or two.
Meanwhile, a much despised college professor and his wife are brutally murdered in their posh home, and Kovac is once more in the spotlight as the lead detective.
“If there’s one thing I can assure you about working Homicide, it’s that you are going to see some of the most mentally F’d-up family situations you can imagine. After all the years I’ve been doing this job, just when I say I’ve seen everything, somebody comes up with some new and different way to be a sick, perverted wack job. Never judge a family by their address or bank account,” he went on. “And never underestimate the power of the American public to utterly shock and disappoint you.” – Kovac
These words of warning Kovac gives his new partner proved prophetic as this case turned out to be one twisted tale of family dysfunction and abuse, which led to tragic consequences for so many people.
I was spellbound by the cold case more so than the murder of the professor and became annoyed by the intrusion of that part of the story. Of course the two cases are intertwined, and I confess, I literally gasped out loud with shock at the way it all came together. I never saw it coming, and for someone as jaded as I am, that’s saying something.
The only complaint I have is that going into the home stretch the story slowed down to a crawl without anything interesting taking place. There are portions of the book that could have been skipped over which would have helped to keep the timing sharp and the suspense from losing momentum.
However, the wait is worth it in the end, which left me feeling short of breath, and completely stunned. This is a traditional psychological thriller, gritty and dark, and disturbing, as it should be, but also emotional and sad, with a realistic conclusion, that left me feeling unsettled and maybe even a little melancholy, but happy that the truth was finally revealed, no matter how difficult it was to absorb.
Overall, this is another solid effort by one of my favorite authors. 4 stars
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LibraryThing member smik
We have become used to multi-stranded police procedurals, but with its 3 strands THE BITTER SEASON is just a bit different. Hoag manages to keep the mystery of their convergence alive until almost the very end.
There is another plot line too: Detective Nikki Liska has recently moved into Cold Cases,
The tension in the second half of the story was very well done.
A good read.
There is another plot line too: Detective Nikki Liska has recently moved into Cold Cases,
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thinking it will be more of a 9 to 5 job and that she will have more family time with her teenage sons. But she is not sure she has done the right thing - she misses the adrenalin surge of the homicide investigation, as well as her friends in that squad. And to top it all, her first cold case is nearly twenty five years old and focusses on the murder of a high profile cop. There is resentment from a retired cop that she has been given a case that has almost been his life work.The tension in the second half of the story was very well done.
A good read.
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LibraryThing member Vicki_Weisfeld
The Bitter Season is Hoag’s latest crime thriller featuring the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based team of police detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska. This time, the pair is split up, because Liska has joined a new Cold Case unit, hoping for more regular working hours that will let her spend time with
The first case she’s assigned is the 25-year-old murder of a fellow detective, Ted Duffy, a star in the department’s sex crimes division, was shot to death in his back yard. The man’s family is less than enthusiastic about dredging up the details of the crime again. Repeated investigations over the years have plowed the same unpromising ground, unearthing nothing more than painful memories.
Meanwhile, Kovac has a new partner, newbie Michael Taylor, who is not only easy to look at, but actually knows a few useful things. An adolescence spent watching martial arts movies comes in handy when Kovac and Taylor are assigned to a brutal new murder case. Lucien Chamberlain, a University of Minnesota faculty member in the running for the chair of the East Asia studies department and his wealthy, socially connected, alcoholic wife Sondra have been viciously murdered in their home. They were slashed and stabbed with items from the professor’s collection of martial arts paraphernalia—a collection that is, the medical examiner’s investigator says, “a homicidal maniac’s wet dream.”
Out of the woodwork comes a parade of victims. Or are they suspects?
Despite working on separate cases, Kovac and Liska interact fairly often, and the banter between them and their teams’ other detectives is lively. They’re experts at bringing in a spot of erudition, too. “Shakespeare would have had a freaking field day with these people,” Kovac says, and another detective responds, “ʻThou hast spoken right, ʼtis true. The wheel is come full circle . . .’”
But are Kovac’s and Liska’s cases truly separate? Through fast-moving chapters written from alternating perspectives, you see these skilled detectives work their way through to the core of their respective cases, culminating in a surprising confrontation that demonstrates how skillfully Hoag has laid out her clues.
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her teenage sons. The first case she’s assigned is the 25-year-old murder of a fellow detective, Ted Duffy, a star in the department’s sex crimes division, was shot to death in his back yard. The man’s family is less than enthusiastic about dredging up the details of the crime again. Repeated investigations over the years have plowed the same unpromising ground, unearthing nothing more than painful memories.
Meanwhile, Kovac has a new partner, newbie Michael Taylor, who is not only easy to look at, but actually knows a few useful things. An adolescence spent watching martial arts movies comes in handy when Kovac and Taylor are assigned to a brutal new murder case. Lucien Chamberlain, a University of Minnesota faculty member in the running for the chair of the East Asia studies department and his wealthy, socially connected, alcoholic wife Sondra have been viciously murdered in their home. They were slashed and stabbed with items from the professor’s collection of martial arts paraphernalia—a collection that is, the medical examiner’s investigator says, “a homicidal maniac’s wet dream.”
Out of the woodwork comes a parade of victims. Or are they suspects?
Despite working on separate cases, Kovac and Liska interact fairly often, and the banter between them and their teams’ other detectives is lively. They’re experts at bringing in a spot of erudition, too. “Shakespeare would have had a freaking field day with these people,” Kovac says, and another detective responds, “ʻThou hast spoken right, ʼtis true. The wheel is come full circle . . .’”
But are Kovac’s and Liska’s cases truly separate? Through fast-moving chapters written from alternating perspectives, you see these skilled detectives work their way through to the core of their respective cases, culminating in a surprising confrontation that demonstrates how skillfully Hoag has laid out her clues.
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LibraryThing member Tatoosh
Tami Hoag has created a genuine mystery that will fool you to the end.
An expert in East Asian culture and his wife are found brutally murdered in their Minneapolis home. His skull was shattered by nunchucks; she was eviscerated and then impaled to the floor with a samarai sword. Sam Kovak draws
Meanwhile, Nikki ('Tinks') Liska is assigned a 25-year-old case involving the murder of a police officer. Tinks, Sam's former partner, had requested a transfer to the newly established cold case squad in hopes of achieving a 9 to 5 work life that will allow her to spend more time with her high school aged sons.
Tami Hoag has skillfully delivered a reading experience that exposes the reader to the "bitter season" promised in the title. While an artistic accomplishment, the emphasis provides a grim setting that detracted slightly from my reading pleasure.
Aside from Tinks, Sam, and their associates, almost all of the characters are depicted as unhappy and unlikeable. Most are psychologically troubled, a situation Sam Kovak nicely summarizes: "The Families I've seen … makes being divorced twice seem not so bad." All have suffered psychological and physical abuse and with the exception of Evi none seem to have a positive thought.
Even our stalwart guardians of the law are troubled. Tinks Liska is still harrased by the presence of her ex-husband and anxious about her ability to provide a happy, healthy childhood for her children. Initially Sam is depicted as beaten down by the rigors of police work and the constant exposure to the seamy underbelly of society. This mood is leavened slightly by Taylor, who is young, virulent and untouched by the grim realities of life, and by Lieutenant Mascherino, a thoughtful, unflappable and supportive mother figure.
Certainly the weather is grim as Hoag reminds us repeatedly. "Nikki went back out into the miserable drizzle, … hunching her shoulders against the raw cold."
"Filth weather, Nikki muttered." I lived in the Twin Cities for a number of years across two occasions and this depiction is not consistent with my experience. (I know, this is fiction, but it is not necessary to toss verisimilitude out the window.) Minnesota residents may complain about the weather but they do not find a need to remind themselves that it is "miserable," "raw," or 'filthy" every time they go out the door.
I also found it to be somewhat irritating that early in the book the focus kept switching back and forth between the two cases. Just as I became engrossed in the details of one case the focus switched to the other case. Looked at from another perspective, however, my reaction makes it clear that both cases are intriguing.
Despite those troublesome aspects, this is one of Hoag most interesting novels. It is both an entertaining police procedural and a captivating mystery. I'll bet you will find the resolution of the two cases as surprising as I did.
An expert in East Asian culture and his wife are found brutally murdered in their Minneapolis home. His skull was shattered by nunchucks; she was eviscerated and then impaled to the floor with a samarai sword. Sam Kovak draws
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the case and with his new partner, Michael Taylor, begins the investigation. Meanwhile, Nikki ('Tinks') Liska is assigned a 25-year-old case involving the murder of a police officer. Tinks, Sam's former partner, had requested a transfer to the newly established cold case squad in hopes of achieving a 9 to 5 work life that will allow her to spend more time with her high school aged sons.
Tami Hoag has skillfully delivered a reading experience that exposes the reader to the "bitter season" promised in the title. While an artistic accomplishment, the emphasis provides a grim setting that detracted slightly from my reading pleasure.
Aside from Tinks, Sam, and their associates, almost all of the characters are depicted as unhappy and unlikeable. Most are psychologically troubled, a situation Sam Kovak nicely summarizes: "The Families I've seen … makes being divorced twice seem not so bad." All have suffered psychological and physical abuse and with the exception of Evi none seem to have a positive thought.
Even our stalwart guardians of the law are troubled. Tinks Liska is still harrased by the presence of her ex-husband and anxious about her ability to provide a happy, healthy childhood for her children. Initially Sam is depicted as beaten down by the rigors of police work and the constant exposure to the seamy underbelly of society. This mood is leavened slightly by Taylor, who is young, virulent and untouched by the grim realities of life, and by Lieutenant Mascherino, a thoughtful, unflappable and supportive mother figure.
Certainly the weather is grim as Hoag reminds us repeatedly. "Nikki went back out into the miserable drizzle, … hunching her shoulders against the raw cold."
"Filth weather, Nikki muttered." I lived in the Twin Cities for a number of years across two occasions and this depiction is not consistent with my experience. (I know, this is fiction, but it is not necessary to toss verisimilitude out the window.) Minnesota residents may complain about the weather but they do not find a need to remind themselves that it is "miserable," "raw," or 'filthy" every time they go out the door.
I also found it to be somewhat irritating that early in the book the focus kept switching back and forth between the two cases. Just as I became engrossed in the details of one case the focus switched to the other case. Looked at from another perspective, however, my reaction makes it clear that both cases are intriguing.
Despite those troublesome aspects, this is one of Hoag most interesting novels. It is both an entertaining police procedural and a captivating mystery. I'll bet you will find the resolution of the two cases as surprising as I did.
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LibraryThing member phyllis.shepherd
I don't often read mysteries, but Tami Hoag's seem to catch my interest right from the start and don't let go until the satisfying ending. This one was particularly well done, with overlapping cases and intriguing characters adding to the suspense.
LibraryThing member Darcia
In this new Kovac and Liska novel, the two detectives split up, with Liska working a cold case and Kovac remaining in homicide. This, for me, had its pros and cons. Let's start with the good stuff.
First, Tami Hoag is unquestionably a great writer. Her characters always draw me right into the story,
Because I so easily connect to the characters, I also connect to their emotions. I felt the story as much as, if not more than, I read it.
Each of the two cases makes for a separate plot throughout much of the book, with lots of twists along the way. While I was thoroughly fascinated by both, this was also the problem area for me personally. Because the two main characters are working separate and distinct cases, we have a lot going on and, at times, it feels like two different books. We meet many characters, several with narration parts, who only appear briefly during the first half of the book in particular. The back-and-forth shifting of cases and the random appearances of unknown characters splits the focus and, for me, takes a little something away from the connection to the stories and the characters.
At about the halfway point, the puzzle pieces start to fit together, and by the last third I couldn't put this one down.
*I received an advanced ebook copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
First, Tami Hoag is unquestionably a great writer. Her characters always draw me right into the story,
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and this book excels in that respect. The people we meet are well developed, interesting, compelling, and complex. The dialogue is realistic and unique to each character, so that we get a sense of who they are just by their various conversations. Because I so easily connect to the characters, I also connect to their emotions. I felt the story as much as, if not more than, I read it.
Each of the two cases makes for a separate plot throughout much of the book, with lots of twists along the way. While I was thoroughly fascinated by both, this was also the problem area for me personally. Because the two main characters are working separate and distinct cases, we have a lot going on and, at times, it feels like two different books. We meet many characters, several with narration parts, who only appear briefly during the first half of the book in particular. The back-and-forth shifting of cases and the random appearances of unknown characters splits the focus and, for me, takes a little something away from the connection to the stories and the characters.
At about the halfway point, the puzzle pieces start to fit together, and by the last third I couldn't put this one down.
*I received an advanced ebook copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
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LibraryThing member ewhatley
Liska and Kovac, characters we've seen in previous Hoag books, are investigating two intersecting cases, 25 years apart in this psychological thriller. A bit of a slow start but it only takes a few chapters to become immersed in this police procedural. Surprise ending.
LibraryThing member AliceAnna
Actually, about 3-1/2 stars because the plot was a bit too convoluted and unrealistic, but I just love Kovac and Liska. Terrific characters!
LibraryThing member juju2cat
My first Liska and Kouvac book and I enjoyed it a lot. There was a bit too much violence for me but I liked the friendship between the two detectives. I'll certainly be reading more of this series.
LibraryThing member jepeters333
A murder from the past. A murder from the present. And a life that was never meant to be... As the dreary, bitter weather of late fall descends on Minneapolis, Detective Nikki Liska is restless. After moving to the cold case squad in order to spend more time with her sons, she misses the rush of
Sam is having an even harder time adjusting to Nikki's absence, saddled with a green new partner younger than pieces of Sam's wardrobe. Sam is distracted from his troubles by an especially brutal double homicide: a middle-aged husband and wife bludgeoned and hacked to death in their home with a ceremonial Japanese samurai sword. Nikki's case, the unsolved murder of a family man, community leader, and decorated sex crimes detective for the Minneapolis PD, is less of a distraction: Twenty years later, there is little hope for finding the killer who got away.
On the other end of the spectrum, Minneapolis resident Evi Burke has a life she only dreamed of as a kid in and out of foster homes: a beautiful home, a family, people who love her, a fulfilling job. Little does she know that a danger from her past is stalking her perfect present. A danger powerful enough to pull in both Kovac and Liska and destroy the perfect life she was never meant to have.
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pulling an all-nighter, the sense of urgency of hunting a murderer on the loose. Most of all she misses her old partner, Sam Kovac. Sam is having an even harder time adjusting to Nikki's absence, saddled with a green new partner younger than pieces of Sam's wardrobe. Sam is distracted from his troubles by an especially brutal double homicide: a middle-aged husband and wife bludgeoned and hacked to death in their home with a ceremonial Japanese samurai sword. Nikki's case, the unsolved murder of a family man, community leader, and decorated sex crimes detective for the Minneapolis PD, is less of a distraction: Twenty years later, there is little hope for finding the killer who got away.
On the other end of the spectrum, Minneapolis resident Evi Burke has a life she only dreamed of as a kid in and out of foster homes: a beautiful home, a family, people who love her, a fulfilling job. Little does she know that a danger from her past is stalking her perfect present. A danger powerful enough to pull in both Kovac and Liska and destroy the perfect life she was never meant to have.
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LibraryThing member kbranfield
4.5 stars.
Tami Hoag's latest release, The Bitter Season is a mesmerizing, fast-paced murder mystery. Although the fifth installment in the Kovac and Liska series, it can be read as a standalone.
Nikki Liska's new assignment in the recently formed cold case squad is off to a rather inauspicious
Meanwhile, Liska's old partner, Sam Kovac, is training yet another newbie and he is pleasantly surprised to discover that Michael Taylor shows promise as a homicide detective. Their first case together is the high profile, gruesome murder of unpopular college professor Lucien Chamberlain and his wealthy wife, Sondra. The couple were brutally murdered in their home with weapons from Lucien's antique samurai collection. As Kovac and Taylor begin their investigation, they discover Lucien was one of four vying for a coveted position at the university. During interviews with the couple's children, Charles and Diana, they learn the family was anything but close and their relationship was strained by Lucien's narcissism and Sondra's alcoholism. Diana is bipolar and has been in and out of trouble over the years while also battling addiction at various times. Charles is the family peacemaker and he appears to be unaffected by the family's long standing dysfunction.
While Nikki has no regrets about transferring to the cold case squad, she does miss working with Kovac. A fleeting longing to be in the middle of the Chamberlain investigation quickly vanishes as she begins to feel like she is making progress in the Duffy case. Realizing a few people were overlooked in the initial investigation, she tracks down Duffy's daughter, Jennifer, and his former foster daughter, Evi Burke. While the women are reluctant to revisit the long ago murder, Nikki feels she onto something but she is frustrated by their reticence to fully open up to her. She is also stunned to learn that a person of interest in her case might also be linked to Sam's double homicide.
With two perplexing murders to solve, a stellar cast of characters and stunning plot twists, The Bitter Season is an incredibly complex and riveting police procedural. This cleverly written mystery has plenty of unexpected twists and turns that keep the story moving at a brisk pace. Tami Hoag brilliantly keeps the killer's identity carefully concealed until the novel's action-packed and jaw dropping conclusion. An outstanding addition to the Kovac and Liska series that old and new fans are going to love.
Tami Hoag's latest release, The Bitter Season is a mesmerizing, fast-paced murder mystery. Although the fifth installment in the Kovac and Liska series, it can be read as a standalone.
Nikki Liska's new assignment in the recently formed cold case squad is off to a rather inauspicious
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beginning when she locks horns with an antagonistic co-worker over the unsolved homicide of a fellow detective. Ted Duffy, a sex crimes detective, was gunned down in his backyard twenty-five years earlier and despite numerous attempts to find his killer, the investigations never yielded any leads. Hoping a fresh set of eyes will revitalize the stalled investigation, Homicide Lieutenant Joan Mascherino assigns Nikki to the case (much to Liska's dismay). Despite her reservations, Nikki immediately jumps into her investigation and begins re-interviewing the victim's family and neighbors who, much to her surprise, are not exactly thrilled the case is being re-opened yet again.Meanwhile, Liska's old partner, Sam Kovac, is training yet another newbie and he is pleasantly surprised to discover that Michael Taylor shows promise as a homicide detective. Their first case together is the high profile, gruesome murder of unpopular college professor Lucien Chamberlain and his wealthy wife, Sondra. The couple were brutally murdered in their home with weapons from Lucien's antique samurai collection. As Kovac and Taylor begin their investigation, they discover Lucien was one of four vying for a coveted position at the university. During interviews with the couple's children, Charles and Diana, they learn the family was anything but close and their relationship was strained by Lucien's narcissism and Sondra's alcoholism. Diana is bipolar and has been in and out of trouble over the years while also battling addiction at various times. Charles is the family peacemaker and he appears to be unaffected by the family's long standing dysfunction.
While Nikki has no regrets about transferring to the cold case squad, she does miss working with Kovac. A fleeting longing to be in the middle of the Chamberlain investigation quickly vanishes as she begins to feel like she is making progress in the Duffy case. Realizing a few people were overlooked in the initial investigation, she tracks down Duffy's daughter, Jennifer, and his former foster daughter, Evi Burke. While the women are reluctant to revisit the long ago murder, Nikki feels she onto something but she is frustrated by their reticence to fully open up to her. She is also stunned to learn that a person of interest in her case might also be linked to Sam's double homicide.
With two perplexing murders to solve, a stellar cast of characters and stunning plot twists, The Bitter Season is an incredibly complex and riveting police procedural. This cleverly written mystery has plenty of unexpected twists and turns that keep the story moving at a brisk pace. Tami Hoag brilliantly keeps the killer's identity carefully concealed until the novel's action-packed and jaw dropping conclusion. An outstanding addition to the Kovac and Liska series that old and new fans are going to love.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2016-01
DDC/MDS
| 813.54 |
ISBN
9780525954552
Other editions
The Bitter Season (Kovac and Liska) by Tami Hoag (Hardcover)