Thank you to Michael Connelly, Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book in return for an honest review.

Jack is back!

This novel gripped me in the opening pages. I am a fan of Michael Connelly books and recall The Poet (also featuring Jack) as one of my favourite can’t put it down books.

This latest catch up with Jack didn’t disappoint. The plot was intriguing. Some chapters were told from a different perspective which I always enjoy - more of these would have added to the intrigue and I would have liked more science background.

I think this novel would showcase well on the big screen. This was a really great read although I feel there was something it lacked - may be some some plot lines could have been explored further including more headaches for Jack! The ending felt quite cut and dried to me. I would have liked a different outcome paving the way for Part 2.

Ever sent your DNA to a testing company hoping to find out there is a bit of Viking in your heritage? You are not just giving them a piece of you though, you are giving them your whole self. That is the premise behind the latest thriller from Michael Connelly. A killer called The Shrike uses the flaws in security around the DNA testing industry to target victims and it will take Jack McEvoy and Rachel Walling to try and close the net around the killer. Gripping and entertaining thriller from one of the masters of the craft. Recommended.

Michael Connelly is my favourite author and I couldn't wait to start this book. I have always loved the Harry Bosch series of books but strangely enough my favourite Connelly novel is 'The Poet' which featured Jack McEvoy so I was keen to read another one with him as the lead. Jack McEvoy is a senior investigative reporter who has an history of tackling killers, so when he is questioned by Police concerning the murder of one of his ex dates his interest is piqued. McEvoy is considered a suspect and he wants to clear his name and uncover the real truth behind the killing.
Michael Connelly is a master of his trade and his writing is superb, great characters, well planned plots and in depth knowledge of the subject. This is another exciting read that once again I found impossible to put down. This book can easily be read as a stand alone but would suggest you read many more by this author.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Orion Publishing Group for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Another gripping read from Michael Connolly - and very unnerving too.

Had me questioning the explosion in DNA testing websites...

Michael Connelly is one of the top writers of our time and by fair my favourite author. His Bosch series is loved, in print and audiobook, not to forget the Amazon Prime TV series.

So, a lot to live up too and Mr Connelly hits the target soundly. Great storyline, pace, villain and action, this book has it all. I must admit Mr Connelly did sound different in this book, it’s not Bosh but he proved he can change direction and produce a very different book in an exciting and creative way. I liked almost all the characters, they were fully formed and very well developed as the story unfolded.

There will clearly be a second book and I can’t wait! Thank you Mr Connelly for a ripper!

Thank you very much to @netgalley , @orionbooks and @michaelconnellybooks for sending me this ARC copy!
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This book was my first ever Michael Connelly and I certainly wasn’t disappointed! Fair Warning is a fast-paced crime novel following a reporter, Jack McEvoy, in his attempts to catch a serial killer after he discovers a link between a heritage genetics website and an unusual cause of death.
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Thanks to his background in reporting, Connelly takes you through the process of investigate journalism and shed new light on the ways both the police and reporters follow up on case leads. The plot of the novel was wholly gripping throughout and made me never want to put the book down! The real life situation surrounding the regulation of genetics testing in the US was something that I found super interesting and totally shocking! For me, this book totally brought a new perspective to the genre and I can’t wait to pick up another of Connelly’s works.
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The only reason I chose to give this book less than 5 stars was due to the ending. The author chose to intersperse the narrative with news articles, which although provided an interesting change to the form of the novel, were rather long considering they didn’t further the narrative in any way and only discussed details already known to the reader.
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I would highly recommend this book to anyone searching for a crime novel - if you’re new to the genre or an old timer! ☺️

A fast paced and gripping story that kept me on the edge till the end.
It's the first one I read in this series and won't surely be the last.
Mr Connelly is a master storytelling and always creates excellent books you cannot put down.
The story is well plotted, the characters are interesting and well thought, the mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
I can't wait to read the next instalment in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

MAN OH MAN CONNELLY DOES IT AGAIN

Feels like a privilege at this point to be in the era that Connelly releases such high quality crime fiction novels. Jack McEvoy returns in this edge of the seat thriller in 'Fair Warning' and how glad I was to see McEvoy return.

We see the return of Journalist Jack McEvoy in the 3rd installment of his series after his last outing in The Scarecrow in 2009. Also, Rachel Walling returns alongside McEvoy which to me was unexpected but a high quality surprise nonetheless. McEvoy is out of the crime game, and now works the consumer protection beat in the 'Fair Warning' journalist website - looking out for consumers with the task of exposing company practices in certain industries etc.

McEvoy is thrust in to an investigation when LAPD come knocking on his door asking questions about an acquaintance he met at a bar a year ago. Tina Portero, has been murdered and the LAPD are keen to ask some questions of Jack. McEvoy admits to spending an evening with the deceased a year ago - and proclaims his innocence. Annoyed at being confronted by the LAPD, he starts to dig into the investigation himself, and begins irritating the victim's closest friend Lisa Hill and the two LAPD detectives Mattson & Sakai who warn him to stay clear of the investigation.

McEvoy begins his background work and begins to uncover a DNA theme with Tina. Tina submitted her DNA to a company GT23 to trace long lost family. McEvoy explores this angle and this is where things begin to unravel for McEvoy and starts him down the path for finding out the truth behind Tina's death.

Thoroughly enjoyed Fair Warning, so much so I finished it in less than 36 hours. With Connelly, you know you're going to be pulled in to the story from the get go and I wasnt disappointed. I'll be waiting till it comes out in Mass Market Paperback to add to my ever growing Connelly collection at home.

Michael Connelly once again delivers a thoroughly well-written and enjoyable novel, with this latest outing of Jack McEvoy. Interestingly, this character is the one who Connelly himself regards as his most autobiographical character, having previously been a journalist on the crime beat.

This is a stand-alone book where the reader does not need to know any of McEvoy’s backstory; avid Connelly readers will have encountered Jack McEvoy before in ‘The Poet’ and ‘Scarecrow‘ plus some appearances in other books.

‘Fair Warning’ has a fast-paced plot; writing that is fluent and descriptive; and a well-constructed conclusion of all the themes by the end of the book. I had previously been interested in DNA/ancestry screening, but this novel has certainly made me rethink that!

A highly recommended read.

A fast pacing thriller that had me gripped from the start and was a difficult book to put down. A story of the misuse of DNA information which has worrying concerns about the so called anonymity and confidentiality clauses that we are all presented with. A serial killer is attacking women and killing them in in an unusual way Well recommended

Out of nowhere, a slow burner of a compelling storyline,; complicated and intriguingly crafted to introduce the reader to complex issues emerging from thIs century and era we live in. Scientific breakthroughs that we welcome with a confidence and freedom whilst not fully understanding the knock on effects for society on security and safety. A one night stand. A dead body. Our roving reporter dragged into a tenuous link between his past and present; a nose for the possibility of a serial killer at large targeting vulnerable women. As always this writer never fails to deliver with surprises and ingenuity that always delights the reader. Our modern author allows this 21st century hero of the story to rely on a fellow woman reporter and a female ex FBI agent to compliment his strengths, weaknesses and skill set to solve this mystery delivering results impossible for him acting in isolation. The conclusion is unhurried, unexpected and delivered with the aplomb expected from this expert at his craft. The misuse of supposedly private and watertight information applicable to large numbers of the population will strike fear and uncertainty into many of. what and who can we, the public, trust with our intimate details. A brilliant murder mystery that encourages questions unique to the innovations of scientific breakthroughs. Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this 5 star read enjoyable on several different levels.

Michael Connelly continues to delight his readers with this latest outing of Jack McEvoy, the journalist who Connelly himself regards as the most autobiographical character he has written about. Connelly fans will have encountered Jack McEvoy before in ‘The Poet’ and ‘Scarecrow‘ plus odd appearances in other books, but this book is a freestanding read that does not require any prior knowledge of McEvoy’s backstory.

Readers looking for an appearance by Bosch or Ballard will be disappointed but otherwise happily entertained by the usual Connelly ingredients: a fast-paced plot; a narrative that almost reads itself with writing that is fluent and descriptive; and a well-constructed drawing together of all the themes by the end of the book. It’s not Connelly’s fault that he has set the bar so high in the peerless Bosch novels, and there will be few Bosch fans who will see ‘Fair Warning’ in quite the same league. But for this reader, at least, this was a solid read and hard to put down. Against the Bosch yardstick it’s perhaps a 4.5 star read, but against other crime fiction it deserves 5.

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot (there are plenty of other reviews out there if that's what you are looking for), but simply note my views and observations.

I've long been a fan of Michael Connelly - his books are always compelling, well crafted, and keep you up at night (in an attempt to finish them!).

This novel - featuring his reporter character Jack McEvoy - is no exception. The plot, involving the darker side of the seemingly unregulated DNA business, is extremely well conceived; I hope it couldn't happen in real life, but you never know!

Connelly's own background as a reporter serves him well here - his obvious knowledge of how news channels of various flavours work together makes the characters (and the interplay between them) believable.

In a nutshell, this is another excellent page turner from the master. Go for it!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

Really enjoyable read, Connelly builds a world so effectively and creates a character like Jack McEvoy that is so resilient and yet everyday for us to root for and take pleasure in his endeavours.
One of my favourite novelists does it again,.

I'm a huge fan of Michael Connelly so I was very much looking forward to Fair Warning.
And it was absolutely worth the wait! I admit, I struggled to like Jack initially and I couldn't figure out why. But then it hit me, he's human. He can be selfish and he is flawed but that makes him more realistic and ultimately a better read.
I finished this really quickly which is always a good indication that I have been absorbed. Highly recommend.

Jack McEvoy is a journalist reporting for Fair Warning a real life news website which reports on consumer protection issues. Jack is interviewed by LAPD Detectives Mattson and Sakai over the murder of Tina Portrero who Jack had hooked up with once over a year ago. The manner of her murder is unusual, requires significant strength and partly because he is being treated as a person of interest and partly because of unjust treatment by the detectives, Jack decides to investigate too. He discovers the same MO in murders of women in different states. Further investigation reveals that all the women used a cheap DNA site, GT23 for profiling in order to search for lost family members. Jack also discovers that all the women had addictions of some kind. Jack and his colleagues investigation reveals a dangerous serial killer known as The Shrike. The story is told from several perspectives but principally Jacks.

I really enjoyed the elements that relate to the DNA research as it raises very relevant issues about the security of this data and where it may end up. There is little to no oversight by government agencies. The killer breaches security to search for a specific gene which leads him to his victims - genetic research is a burgeoning field and the author rightly draws attention to concerns over potential misuse. Another interesting area is the incel element (involuntary celibates) who use the dark web to spew their misogynistic filth - I’ve read a number of books lately that draw attention to this. Much of the plot is very intelligent, well researched and extremely interesting and there are sections that are exciting especially the finale. I like the characters and Jack in particular but they are all easy to imagine.

My only negative in what is an overwhelming good thriller is the slightly pedantic style at times. For instance, I’m not actually very bothered what route Jack takes through LA to get to his sources, I don’t know the city so it means little! This causes some unevenness in pace which takes away the focus from a very substantial and clever plot.

Overall, despite the above reservation I enjoyed this very much. It’s a good thriller with interesting characters, a solid plot and relevant theme which should appeal to fans.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Orion for the ARC.

I adore Jack McEvoy, I do believe he's my favourite of the Bosch world characters and The Poet remains my favourite Connelly novel to date although of course I adore them all.

Fair Warning was utterly perfect as a reading experience, cleverly crafted, beautifully written as ever and sent me spiralling back down into Jack's world where I spent a very happy if edgy few hours. 

A reconnection with Rachel, a return to the crime stories Jack is known for, police harassment, suspected in a murder, it's all going on for Jack in Fair Warning which hits the ground running and doesn't let up.

The central themes of genetics, government oversight, privacy and personal responsibility are beautifully embedded into the narrative creating a thought provoking and eye opening set of challenges to the readers thinking. All the while telling a riveting and intense story that you simply can't put down.

If Connelly isn't one of the best authors in the world right now I'll eat my hat. Don't worry it's a chocolate hat.

Highly recommended.

I have read other books by this great Author but this is my first featuring reporter , Jack McEvoy … what a treat !!

Jack is now working for a consumer website , Fair Warning , when he finds himself a suspect in the murder of Tina Protrero , a one night stand in the past .
The manner of Tina's death intrigues Jack and he sets out to investigate , he has skills to open doors that would be closed to the Police . What he discovers brings the world of DNA Ancestry sites and their security protocols to light ………… just who has access and to what illegal purpose can the results be utilised .
Running through the background is Jack's relationship with his daughter and the women in his life .

This is a tense, ingenious thriller with a great storyline and complex characters .
Having said this I do prefer the Bosch and Ballard series .

I was given an arc of this book by the Publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review .

Utterly brilliant return of Jack McEvoy and Rachel Walling in fast paced search for a serial killer targeting unsuspecting women through their DNA. Michael Connelly's writing and storytelling had me hooked from the first page to the surprise ending. I can't wait for his next book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy of Fair Warning, the third novel to feature Los Angeles reporter Jack McEvoy.

Jack is now working for a consumer website, Fair Warning, when he is interviewed by RHD detectives in relation to the murder of a woman, Tina Portrero, whom he had a one night stand with in the past. Her manner of death intrigues him So, despite being a suspect, he decides to investigate. What he discovers pushes him to investigate much further.

I enjoyed Fair Warning which is a tense, ingenious thriller with a modern slant. It is mostly told from Jack McEvoy’s point of view with contributions from other characters as required. This is good and bad. It adds to the mystery as the reader tries to work out where these characters fit in and what their motive is, but it is a bit distracting when the reader is wanting to concentrate on McEvoy’s narrative. Fortunately it all comes together and soon becomes an enthralling read.

As I said, the novel has a modern slant that involves the way DNA submitted to ancestry sites can be put to illegal use. Maybe not illegal as the novel also explores the lack of oversight of this industry, i.e. none. Much of the technical detail Involved is boring and longwinded, hence 4 and not 5 stars, but the conclusions drawn are downright scary, especially in this increasingly factionalised society. I think Mr Connelly deserves praise for conceiving a new angle on the serial killer genre and executing it well.

I didn’t overly take to this latest incarnation of Jack McEvoy, but he might always have been as selfish and impulsive as he is now as it’s so long since I read his previous outings. It’s a poor look for a man in his fifties. Fortunately he has a couple of smart, professional women around him to keep him right.

Fair Warning is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.