Max Carter is back! And I am delighted. Before She Wakes is the third book featuring FBI Agent Max Carter, following Tell Me Lies and Gone in Seconds. Carter heads up the Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Unit who are called after the disappearance of teenager Liv. We follow Max and his team as they race to find her..

I really like Max. He's a straight up guy, decent, fair, loves his family and is very dedicated to his job. But he's not without his demons, and has very personal reasons for doing the job he does. He also has a complicated relationship with his dad, Bill, which is further muddied when a Scotland Yard detective heads over to Seattle to join forces with one of Max's FBI colleagues to investigate Bill. You don't have to have read the previous two books to enjoy this one, as all relevant information is given, but as will all series, I feel you would probably have a richer reading experience if you have.

The main story is twisty and full on. James really knows how to pile on the tension as Carter's team but dead end after dead end with the odd red herring thrown in. Some of the characters we meet along the way are all kinds of shady, including Olivia's own absent no-good father, although it 's been so long since anyone's heard from him in so long they reckon he must be dead. And some are seriously sinister and creepy.

The tension doesn't let up and so many secrets are uncovered along the way, both in the case and in Max's personal life. Small ones, big ones, devastating ones. James masterfully weaves the two storylines together as we race to an exciting denouement and maybe a resolution of sorts for Max.

Well written, tense, gripping and action packed, Before She Wakes has everything I'm looking for in a crime thriller and I'm looking forward to the next offering from Ed James.

Before She Wakes by Ed James is the third book in the FBI Special Agent Max Carter who is a member of Seattle's Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Unit. Even though it is the third book it can be read as a standalone.
This story begins as it means to go on, with a prologue that culminates in a child being reported missing. Max is called in to investigate the fifteen year old Olivia's disappearance. Max starts to discover she was keeping secrets from her mother, a boyfriendand constantly speaking with her guidance counsellor for the previous weeks, what was so bad she couldn't tell her mum? A blood test Olivia's mum, Marissa had shows she had been drugged the night of Olivia's disappearance and her ex-husband is brought up as a possibility but he has gone missing also. It's Max's job to solve this before Olivia pays with her life.
As well as looking for Olivia there is also another issue for Max with his dad and what happened to Max as a child. He needs to be professional about that particular case as well as find Olivia. Will he manage to keep his calm and find her before it's too late?
Ed James always brings a story that hits home. He knows how to grab you straight away and keep you there until you know everything and have closed the book. His characters are skilfully created so you have a real person in your head. The tension in this book is fantastic! As the stories look like they are going to collide it had my heart in my mouth! I really enjoy an Ed James book and would always recommend them if you want a story that keeps you guessing too.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the book to take part in the books on tour today.

“Never forget”

Wow! I just couldn’t put this one down, or turn the pages fast enough, in my eagerness to discover the final outcome.

I wondered just how this book would play out, as there are so many US authors writing British centric crime thrillers, but seldom the other way around, especially when this particular author has already earned himself an excellent reputation with his several popular British Detective series. However, for me this was a totally seamless transition, with the narrative and dialogue sounding authentic and true, obviously the result of some dedicated and very thorough research.

I also came into the series with this, book #3, wondering just how much of a backstory I might have missed. I can definitely see that those of you who are confirmed ‘series readers’, may be happier being introduced to FBI Agent Max Carter from his inception, as like many such law enforcement officers, he does appear to come with an inordinate amount of emotional baggage. However for me, getting thrown into this case and having the backstory fed to me in small chunks at regular intervals, worked just fine and I in no way felt cheated or short-changed.

In fact, this was a well-constructed, multi-layered storyline, with two separate strands which became intrinsically linked and often overlapped, becoming tangled together on several occasions. However Max’s team needed to keep them separated as much as possible, and Max confined to working on just the original investigation, because as the initial missing child case progressed and the surprise second elements came into play, it became apparent that these new revelations would have influence over and consequences for, Max personally.

Any storyline which involves the abuse of children is always going to be intense and disturbing and this one did jump around a little, however that only reflected the fast changing dynamics of the case itself, making me realise just how difficult and demanding working these situations must really be, as each new piece of information means that decisions have to be made and the direction of investigation changed, at a split seconds notice. I was kept well and truly on my toes as an independent observer to the ever-evolving events. Taking all that into account, the powerful and confident writing, which was split into relatively short chapters, was kept fluid and the action was constantly fast-paced. Twists and turns which increased the dread and menace of a good outcome for this emotionally draining story, were thrown in to the mix with consummate ease, whilst sneaky red herrings heightened the tension and always had me second guessing my suspects, although I did manage to figure things out just a little ahead of the big reveal.

Ed has created an excellent mix of well developed and defined characters, all of which were emotionally complex and quite difficult to relate to. There were also those who operated in the rather ‘grey’ middle zone, where the lines between good and bad were intentionally rather blurred, making me unsure on which side of the divide they belonged, adding intrigue and texture to the storyline. Max has a genuine depth of feeling to his personality, obviously getting great fulfilment from the job he has chosen to do. He and his team appear to operate quite efficiently and with good synergy as a unit and I detected very little tension between them, even when his subordinates needed to carefully side-line him, both to protect him from his own personal memories and demons, and so as not to compromise the case which was at the very centre of the operation, that of returning a missing child.

This is certainly a series which would work well as a televised adaptation, with FBI Agent Max Carter, definitely a name to remember!

GREAT police procedural dealing with missing children, investigated by Max who had been abducted from his home country as a child,.paid for by his biological father. Well written, with likable characters & suspenseful story line. First time reading this author but will backtrack to catch up. Enjoyed totally & RECOMMEND. fully. Thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for this ARC in return for my honest review.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this clever and original story. There is the main plot, which focuses on the abduction of Marissa’s daughter, Olivia, and the subplot, which delves into FBI Special Agent Max Carter’s dark and fractured past.

I do enjoy the trope of a missing person or child in a book, and this definitely ensures this book is fast-paced and gripping. I was keen to know what had happened to Olivia, and despite keeping a close eye on the clues and having made my own judgements, I was unable to predict the ending.

FBI Special Agent Max Carter is a stand out character in this book. He is complex, brave and determined. As a result of his devastating back story and his ruthless and committed attitude to work, he quickly became someone I both liked and respected.

Overall, this has been a tense, mysterious and highly original procedural, which I would recommend to fans of crime thrillers and whodunnits.

Rating: 4

Series: Detective Max Carter #3

Would I recommend it ? Yes

Would I read more of this series? Yes , in fact after reading this one I want to read books 1 and 2 when I can get them .

Would I read more by this author ? Yes

First of I want to say a huge thank you to the publisher Bookouture , the author ,Ed James and to NetGalley for inviting me to join the blog tour for this book as well as letting me read and review it.First time I've read anything by this author or this series and after read it ,I can't wait to get my hands on the other 2 books to read, and yes I did read it out of order but I do that some times.

So here are my thoughts

love the character Max and his partner and their inter actions

love how the author touched up on the topic of Child Abduction and how he bright it to life and showed how hard the police worked on those cases.

loved how even though I haven't read the first 2 books I was still able to get lost in the story and was able to understand what was going on and got to see some of Max's back story as well.

And how it made Max seem more real as a person then anything else, how the story just seemed to come together and just flowed so that the past and the present mixed together with out you getting lost .

First, I want to thank Ed James, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

WOW!!! Ed James latest book Before She Wakes is a thrilling ride! This is one of Ed’s most fun books to write. I have to agree that it was equally fun to read!

Before She Wakes had a little of everything from child abduction, drugs, Leukemia, HIV patient, pedifilia, investigations, the dark web, etc!

Ed’s book was full of suspense, mystery, secrets, shocking revelations and incredible climatic twist at the end.

You think that you know who abducted Olivia but Ed throws you some major twists and turns to throw you off your game.

When Marissa Bukowski goes to check on her daughter one morning, she discovers that the teenager is not in bed. Frantic, especially seeing that her daughter Olivia's phone, laptop and clothing are there as if nothing is wrong, but at the same time there was a warning message left. What happened to Olivia?

Max Carter is an FBI agent that steps in to investigate Olivia's disappearance. Carter begins to see that a few things do not add up. Then there is something specific about Marissa that points Carter towards her estranged husband, but that does not help him draw any closer to answers. To make all matters worse, Carter discovers something about the family that just might point to the reason that Olivia is nowhere to be found. Not only is Carter with this case, but his own past comes into play.

While Carter searches for answers about Olivia, facts about his painful past begin to unravel, sharpening memories once lost. It is this very past that makes Carter so good at his job when it comes to locating missing children. This story has quite a bit of drama behind the possible reasons for what could have happened to Olivia, all while loose ends of his own life begin to come together.

This third book in the Detective Max Carter series brings quite a bit to the table. I have read the previous two books in the series, Tell Me Lies and Gone in Seconds had have come to have a lot of respect for Max and how he has become such a fine agent. I loved the intensity of this story and look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This is the first book I have read featuring FBI Special Agent Max Carter a man who specialises in child abductions and he’s a man who should know as his dad had him taken from his mother in the uk and took him too the states. After they split up. So there is this huge back story that this being book 3 I found was quite frustrating as it felt like I had missed such a big part of his story, so I would recommend that you read the first two before you start on this one, But after saying this, this is a good novel it has plenty of twists & turn as Max has to find an apparently kidnapped child who has disappeared from her bed whilst her mum was asleep. It can’t be her dad as he’s presumed dead. So who did it?.?

Before She Wakes is the third instalment in the FBI Special Agent Max Carter series, a member of Seattle's Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Unit. The book opens with a bang as it's right into an enthralling prologue in which 38-year-old single mother Marissa Davis is awakening in bed at 630 am feeling like that single glass of Merlot she consumed last night has seriously knocked her for six. She goes to 15-year-old daughter Olivia’s (aka Liv’s) bedroom but after getting no response she walks in to find an empty room complete with laptop; the mobile phone she usually had glued to her is sitting charging. Those things in themselves were a huge worry for Marissa. And then she notices it; an unsettling message written in red Sharpie on Liv’s cracked, as though punched, wall mirror: ’Never Forget’. Meanwhile, Max Carter is on another of his early morning walks with daughter Kirsty’s dog Deogie when he receives a call from the rostered duty agent Lori Alves. When Max was just a young boy his (degenerate) father, Bill, abducted him from England bringing him to the States - from London across the Atlantic to Seattle and away from his distraught mother. He also believes Bill played a role in his mother's death but at the time the police didn't pursue the matter any further. However, Lori informs him that Detective Inspector Chris King from the Metropolitan Police is travelling to the States to investigate Bill. He's nearly home, out of the increasingly heavy rain, and back in the warmth with wife Emma when his cell rings once more.

This time his boss and Special Agent in Charge, Karen Nguyen was on the line. She informs him Seattle PD have been in touch to report the apparent abduction of a child in Capitol Hill. Carter drives to the apartments and heads inside. After door to door enquiries reveal nothing and with a huge team still busy carrying out forensics of Liv’s home, Max goes to talk to Marissa. She tells him that last night her boyfriend, Gregg, came around for dinner, but is the kidnapper a stranger or someone she was already familiar with? What is the likelihood someone really slipped something into Marissa’s wine the evening before Liv’s disappearance to make it easier to achieve their goal? This is a compulsive, riveting and fast-paced read with lots of unexpected action and a twisty narrative that leaves you hanging on James’ every word. Slowly but surely some more of protagonist Max’s backstory is revealed and the dynamic with his wife, Emma, and Kirsty. His past and first-hand experience of abduction makes him the ideal candidate to scour the country for signs of missing kids; and this time to pay close attention to where Olivia may have been taken. Not only does he understand the psychology and varying motives behind abduction and the FBI procedures but he also has a firm grip on the emotional devastation it causes to close family and friends. If you enjoy drama-filled thrillers with a hefty dose of mystery and a tension so palpable you feel your heart thumping, this is an utterly gripping, enthralling and entertaining procedural. Highly recommended.

BEFORE SHE WAKES is the third police procedural novel in the Detective Max Carter Series, featuring Special Agent Max Carter, by bestselling author ED James. Having read and loved the previous books in the series, I was looking forward to following Detective Max Carter on his cases.

The books in the Detective Max Carter series include:
Tell Me Lies (Book 1)
Gone in Seconds (Book 2)
Before She Wakes (Book 3)

Marissa Bukowski is a single mother to her teenage daughter, Olivia. One morning, Marissa opens her eyes and focuses on the room around her. Everything is in place, yet something isn’t right. She walks towards her daughter’s room, calling her name, as she does every morning. But this morning is different. This morning there is no response, Marissa’s daughter has vanished.

Olivia’s phone is still charging at the wall and her clothes are still hanging in her closet. The mirror above her daughter’s desk is cracked and a message written in red ink reads ‘Never Forget’.

FBI special agent Max Carter is in charge of the FBI Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team based out of the FBI Seattle Field Office, and investigates child abduction cases. He understands the stress and anguish of being abducted, because Max himself was abducted as a child.

As FBI special agent Max Carter is called in to investigate, he delves into the lives of Marissa and her teenage daughter, and soon discovers that Olivia has been lying to her mother. Not only did she have a secret boyfriend, but she had also been talking to her guidance counsellor in the weeks before she disappeared. What was Olivia hiding?

When a blood test reveals that Marissa was drugged the night Olivia went missing, Carter turns his sights towards Marissa’s estranged husband, only to find that he too has vanished without trace. And when he uncovers a family secret that could put the teenager’s life in danger, it’s clear that time is running out for Marissa’s beloved daughter.

Max needs to discover the truth about Olivia’s family and find her before it’s too late.

Before She Wakes is a fast-paced action crime thriller and is sure to please from bestselling author Ed James.

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and Net Galley for my digital copy.

A bit of a strange book this one . It motored along with the 2 stories side by side but wasn’t tense enough really . I didn’t care too much for the characters and struggled to get to the end , which was a bit disappointing when I got there . It was ok but not the best I’ve read this year

Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via netgalley. I loved the second book in this series so I was very excited to see what happened next to Max carter. Even though this is the third book in the series you can read it as a standalone.

This book had me on the edge of my seat. I'm not a parent but I can only imagine the fear and the pain of waking up to find out your child is missing. This book did an excellent job of portraying the fear and the need for immediate action. Max and his team are running around Seattle all day following leads and it felt like they barely took a second to breathe let alone anything else. When a child is missing it really is a high priority clock ticking case. This was excellently portrayed throughout the book.

As well as looking for Olivia we also had the background case of Max's Dad and what happened to Max as a child. I thought this was really interesting and was torn between the two stories. I wanted to read both of them at once!

The case had a lot of suspects but not a lot of evidence. I had no idea that it would all play out as it did. Ed was very clever in unravelling everything.

This book was an addictive crime thriller and I can't wait to see what Ed brings us next.

Thrilling, tense, pacy - a stunning read from start to finish. The characters are expertly created, their motivations and actions very believable. I loved this book - brilliant writing, great plot that grabs you and doesn't let go until the last page. Just amazing.

A riveting novel filled with characters you never fully trust. With a interlocking storylines following FBI agent Max Carter's current child abduction case looking for 15 year old Olivia and an investigation into Carter's father who abducted him from England as a child- this book is sure to leave you guessing the entire time who has the most to hide and if Max's past is linked to his current case. Beware- once you get more than halfway through this book you will not want to put it down- so plan your sleep schedule accordingly.

Cracking bang up to date plot. Excellent character development on Carter's back story what more could you ask for? This series gets better and better.

Not altogether bad, just mediocre. I plodded through it with mild interest, curious to learn the ending, Decent enough writing, and a decent enough plot.

I did enjoy this book but I didn’t realise it was book 3 in a series. My fault for not checking properly! I have a thing for reading all books in order ......


Description
She opens her eyes and focuses on the room around her. Everything is in place, yet something isn’t right. She walks towards her daughter’s room, calling her name, as she does every morning. But this morning is different. This morning there is no response, Marissa’s daughter has vanished.

#edjames #beforeshewakes #netgalley
Publish Date - 29th January 2021

https://www.instagram.com/Bookstagramshaz

Marisa is the mother of teenager Olivia.
Marisa finds that her daughter has been kidnapped out of her room during the night. Police think that her father may have taken her. It is thought that her father is dead. The fact is Olivia has an aunt who is dying and needs a bone marrow transplant. Olivia happens to be the perfect donor. Olivia's mother has stated that her daughter cannot be used as a doner. And now she has disappeared.
I was given this book to read and review from the publisher via Netgalley.
The book was good, but a bit confusing to me. I did read.it and it did keep my attention because I wanted to see if all the ends get tied together at the end.

"Before She Wakes" is a fast read, but the plot does feel like it moves slowly - maybe because I missed the first 2 books in the series? It can be read as a standalone, but there are many references to Max's past and I felt like I was playing catch-up. It's a very well-written story (hence the fast read), and I enjoyed the characters, too.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.