The Killing Game: A Novel (Eve Duncan Book 2)

The Killing Game is an awesome thriller. Eve Duncan's child, Bonnie, was murdered 10 years ago by a serial killer. The killer refused to reveal the location of Bonnie's body before he was executed. Now some bones have been uncovered, one of which may be Bonnie. Eve wants to use her skills in facial reconstruction to find out if this could be her girl.
In the meantime, a serial killer has set his sights on Eve. Bored and unable to experience emotion, he has set himself a game playing with Eve's emotions by leaving her little pieces of bones and making creepy phone calls. He wants to drive Eve practically out of her mind with grief about Bonnie before he finally kills her.
While trying to find this killer, and discover if these new bones belong to Bonnie, Eve also has man problems. Her old friend, Joe, is a cop who got rich through inheritance. He loves her and wants her for himself. Meanwhile, Logan, a rich computer tycoon, also wants her. Eve doesn't know what she wants. I found this part of the story a little much for my tastes. Being torn between two nice, kind, good-looking, rich men is a problem that all women should have. : )
The Killing Game is well written, fast paced, and full of suspense. I was actually surprised at the end when I learned who the killer was. This is a book well worth it's time and price.

I initially liked the story line and the characters, but found myself getting a little disgusted with the book as I became more involved in the story. The author could have tried to make the situations the characters found themselves in a little more believable.
For example, serial killer has killed 9 people and is calling Eve on her digital phone; supposedly they can't trace the calls nor does anyone even bother to attempt to record the calls between her and the killer. After the character Eve has long dialogues with the killer, then gives her emotional outbursts to those around her, she finally tells everyone an abbreviated version of what the call was about. (yeah-right - i think the FBI would find a way to record the call from her cell phone).
Another portion in the book - the house in the middle of nowhere that Eve is staying at is being watched by the FBI, the killer is still able to leave a package at her front door step. (how was this accomplished? by becoming a ghost and moving in thin air???)
Finally, in the middle of all of this is Eve talking to her dead daughter Bonnie who clearly tells her the bones aren't hers. Bonnie tells her shes a ghost, but when Eve wakes up it must have been a dream. .
This books wants you to assume too many illogical movements and attitudes of the key players.

The thing about the plot is that it is excellent. And I can't say Ms. Johansen doesn't do a great job with it. But for me, the characters have to be credible and believable and if I am to have some identification with them, they have to feel as I would or at least, convince me to feel as they do.
Joe Quinn and John Logan seem to act like neanderthals around Eve. Acting like High School jocks in the football locker room at half time might even make more sense.
The woman Eve, a forensic facial reconstructionist, has had her daughter murdered, halucinates, is either having a breakdown or should be on meds, is about to put herself in the cross hairs of the insane serial killer Dom, and her two "best friends" are doing the testosterone tango. Tedious. Boring. Stupid. I can't believe caring men would act that way. And Eve is no better. The most dialogue the reader gets is the dialogue she has with herself and then, the lengthy conversations she has with her daughter.
I know Ms. Johansen is highly regarded and I am willing to assume these are my failings. It's just that everytime I started to like Logan and Quinn, they started behaving like cartoon figures. Sorry. 3 Stars. Larry Scantlebury

The Killing Game, by Iris Johansen, ...is an example of "pulp fiction" at its best. "Pulp" is to fiction what "junk" is to food: just because we eat it up, does not mean it has meaningful substance; on the other hand, the fact that we DO "eat it up" is proof that it holds some value to us. Like potato chips, I couldn't put the bag..., er, the book, down until I had finished every page.
I find the artistic aspects of Eve Duncan's character fascinating and endearing, her intellectual achievements admirable but implausibly convenient, and her emotional fortitude and discipline admirable yet terribly dysfunctional. The science/art of recreating the face of a dead person based on standard measurments of their barren skull inspires a virtually mystical fascination for me and serves Eve almost as well as magical powers serve magicians of fantasy novels. Very clever, Ms Johansen.
At the same time, Eve Duncan is the star of a typical "female-fantasy" scenario: she is incomparably the BEST in her profession, she is surrounded by men who adore her and cannot live without her--- who chivalrously throw their coats (or their money) across the mudpuddles of her life to protect her precious, but not-so-dainty, feet... at the same time NONE of these men is worthy of her devotion... Because she is psychotically obsessed with her child who was killed..., er, how many years ago was it? Searching for the child's bones ON PRINCIPLE after so many years would be admirable. But Eve Duncan is emotionally obsessed. In fact, she has so many repressed emotions, she will either just explode some day or spend 9,000 years unwinding in psychotherapy.
Also, while Eve is obsessed with the dead child, she has no concern or remembrance at all for the father of the child. This problem is common in many real-life relationships: after a baby is born (if not before), a man is treated like a sperm-donor and a money-well rather than as a human being. At this point, I can't remember if he was ever mentioned at all... But her relationship with Joe Quinn DOES have the potential to "ground" Eve's emotions, and provide some good "earthy" sexuality in the future, if she will stop treating him (and other men) like "the smelly but occasionally useful dishrag".
The ending was PERFECTLY surprising (although it shouldn't have been) AND satisfying, though it could have been expanded another 50-100 pages, but I had the impression that the author ended it abruptly because she was tired of following the "pulp" formula.
It's not "classic" literature, but it's everything you could ask for from a book of potato chips..., uh, er, a bag of pages... It was entertaining, engrossing, and I can't wait to read her newest novel, "The Search", which is inspired by the characters Sarah and Monty (Ya gotta luv Monty!) in The Killing Game.

The Killing Game by Iris Johansen was so much better than the first book in the Eve Duncan series, The Face of Deception. Eve was not as annoying in this book. The book was suspenseful, and I had a difficult time putting the book down. I like how the relationship between Eve and Joe Quinn has progressed in this book. It was nice to see Eve's nurturing side with little Jane MacGuire, In the first book, there was no depth to Eve, just plastic and continuous whining. So glad I gave the second book a chance. A great fast-paced read with lots of suspense and some romance!

Every avid reader loves to make this discovery...meet Eve Duncan, a forensic sculptor who recreates faces of the dead and missing, a heroine you'll love. In this tale, she comes face to face with the monster who she believes killed her little girl.
In the tradition of James Patterson and Tami Hoag, Mrs. Johansen does a great job of creating a fast-paced novel full of characters that the reader cannot help but love. There's Joe, the handsome ex-Navy seal who adores Eve (come on, here's man who got married because he felt that Eve "needed more friends); Sarah and Monty--the dog and handler search & rescue team that are nothing short of psychic in their understanding of one another, and the fiery Jane, who is reminds the reader of an older, more street-savvy version of Eve's own little girl.
The story is packed with twists and turns; just when you think that you've got it all figured out, it goes in another direction.
Move over Tami and James....make room for Iris Johansen!

"The Killing Game" by Iris Johansen is the sort of non-thriller, non-mystery a romance novelist would write. The secondary Cinderella story line was annoying and stopped just short of bodice-ripping. Not one, but TWO Prince Charmings (one born rich, the other a self-made rich entrepreneur) harbor deep feelings towards the stalwart, formerly-poor-but-dragging-herself-up-from-gutter heroine - and golly, she doesn't really seem to be aware of the reality of the situation, and the true depth of their feelings. Spare me.
Most of the "action", plot, and story line come via conversations between the heroine, Eve, and the people with whom she comes into contact; it is quite dialogue-heavy with very little narrative (descriptive passages of things, places, events, etc). I expect a good, if not great, story line, by an author with strong descriptive powers, to keep me turning those pages with baited breath. It was notably absent in this book which I found to be a tedious, humorless, and poorly plotted sequel to a prior novel. I haven't read the prior installment, and, after finishing this book, won't buy and read it. This book was a waste of my time and money.

I gave this book three stars, because I figure it's about a "c" which would make it average. While the plot kept me interested, I did figure out who the killer was early on.
Johansen's main character, Eve Duncan, is described by other characters in both books as independent. Yet, she is easily manipulated by the men in her life, doing pretty much whatever they tell her to do after arguing with them about it. She is also an easy target for mind games, which make her an easy victim for not only the villians she faces but also for her suitors, Logan and Joe. This is a major contradiction.
As far as the forensic aspects of the book, I'd sooner recommend Kathy Reichs Temperance Brennan series, or Beverly Connor's series about character Lindsay Chamberlain. Johansen does explain the process of reconstruction on a skull, but it seems to be word for word the same in The Killing Game and in her previous story about Eve.

This was my first Johansen book. There were more things I liked about it than disliked. However, you can tell it was written by a romance author. If the romance and tug-of-war between the lead character and her boyfriends was edited out you would have an even better story. At first, it wasn't such a bother, but after a few chapters it becomes more and more a part of the story and bogs things down. One finds oneself skimming over the romantic/dramatic soppy parts hoping to find more mystery.
Yet, I still enjoyed it. Stayed up all night to finish it. The characters were fun, beleivable, and a few were endearing. I enjoyed the ghost scenes with Bonnie because they were direct, to the point, and not too long. They were emotional, yet didn't seem silly like the romance parts.And, of course, my favorite character was the dog Monty. I would like to read more about Eve and her mystery solving career without the romance.

This was my first Iris Johansen, and I am hooked! The day I finished this book I ran to the local store and picked up three more copies, and I've read them all already. This is literally a book that you can't put down. Each chapter is a cliffhanger in its own right, and you want to keep reading just to find out what happens next. There are definitely parts of this where I was quite breathless, hoping that one of the characters (all of who are likeable and real) would survive whatever predicament they were in. At one point, I thought I had figured out who the killer was, and my suspicions were almost confirmed, but then a plot twist I didn't even see coming changed everything, and made this book an even more thrilling mystery. I can't wait to read even more of her books!

Johansen weaves a good murder mystery. Her character Eve Duncan, forensic sculptor is faced with a traumatic experience realizing her latest job may be her own murdered daughter.
The serial killer, knowing Eve well, makes it a game as Eve and her close friend, Joe, start investigating the skeletons of nine victims in GA. Eve starts receiving phone calls from the murderer tormenting her about her dead daughter. Then he threatens the life of a foster girl who looks like her daughter if Eve doesn't do as he tells her. Quite a thriller that takes place from GA to AZ, packed full of action.

A mad serial killer with a "score" of hundreds of brutal killings, mostly children, has taken the life of Bonnie, the daughter of forensic sculptor, Eve Duncan, and is now taunting her with messages and phone calls, threatening to kill another little girl who resembles Bonnie to a great degree. In a search for the bodies of the victims, Sarah Patrick uses her exceptionally clever sniffer dog, Monty, to locate the bodies and comes under great danger herself from this deranged madman. This is a very exciting, if disturbing read, with many insights into the warped mind of a monster who is totally without conscience or human feelings and made me horrified that such creatures probably DO exist in this world.

Unfortunately, we must begin with the problems: Iris Johanson is, quite simply, a very poor writer. Her dialogue is as wooden as it comes, with all the realism and passion of a middle school play. Her characters are but slightly better. In "The Killing Game," our hero is an ex-Navy SEAL, ex-FBI agent turned Atlanta cop named Joe Quinn. He's stoic and brave and likely missed his calling in comic books. Our heroine, Eve, lost her daughter to a serial killer. She's tortured, and having difficulty learning to love again. Yet she is also strong and witty and brave. Together they must go outside the law, of course, to hunt down a serial killer who's more omniscient than God. You've seen this package before. OK, thousands of times before. But if you can get beyond the first few pages, "The Killing Game" becomes good, escapist fun. Police never found the body of Eve's child. She's spent the last decade wishing for a proper burial. Now the killer has called. Eve is his next target. In their crusade to hunt the bad guy down, Joe and Eve race from Atlanta to Phoenix, turning up fresh kills and buried bodies. If Johanson failed to paint credible heroes, she has at least created a respectable serial killer. This is no easy accomplishment, since madman killers have become one of the most dominant elements of fiction. Dom, however, is wily and menacing, incredibly smart and very twisted. He may not win the Serial Killer of the Year Award, but he'll at least keep you up late reading. "The Killing Game" isn't polished fiction. Yet it does go down easily after a hard week of work, when you'd prefer to leave your critical thinking skills on the dresser.

This definitely ranks as one of the best suspense novels I've read in some time. The plot was fast-paced, yet well explained. It was easy to relate to and understand the characters. The variety in the characters was nice too. My favorites were the dynamic Jane MacGuire and the sensitive search and rescue dog Monty. The emotional charge found at many levels: parental, romantic, friendly, in this novel was incredible. Something I have rarely encountered in a mystery. Eve Duncan has a personal stake in this game. She is in a race to discover who really killed her daughter, and to prevent the killer from striking again. The ending is a real surprise. This book kept me enthralled from the beginning until I finished the last word. Enjoy!

I was looking forward to reading the Killing Game, I believe it would tie the loose ends of Face of Deception. Eve is a woman that women love to hate, you just want to shake her. She's crazy, I can't image losing a child in the matter that she did, but as I read the book I kept on thinking this woman really needs a therapist. She a user, and can't see pass her obsession to bring her child's bones home. She doesn't care about anyone, and uses the excuse that she went thru a lot to cover her selfishness... The dialogue in this book is unbelievable... It is also unrealistic, the hero waits for the woman for 10 years, and is still waiting, WOW! The one good thing about this book is that it's a fast-pace book, a good read while on a plane.
I used to like Iris Johansen, but since she wrote Ugly Ducking her books have pretty much the same premise. I feel that I'm reading the same story over and over with each of her books. Just the characters change a bit...

Wow super intense. . lots happens in this book as a serial killer draws her into his web. But Eve is strong, and as she plays the killers deadly game in an attempt to discover his true identity, she also uncovers some startling truths about herself.

Wow! I was more intrigued with every page! Kudos to Ms. Johansen on yet another masterpiece! The pain and sorrow that comes through the character Eve Duncan from the loss of her daughter and never being able to find her remains was almost unbearable until I remembered the fact that "they are not real people". Her struggle with her emotions with her old and dear friend Joe Quinn is fabulous. I've been rooting for these 2 for a while and could feel their sizzle leap off the page. Finally! Her connections with the character's is amazing! I'm counting the days until "The Search" is in the mail!

This must be one of the most maniacal serial killers in books today. Iris Johansen made me feel as though I was there with her, feeling the pain of the characters and wanting to protect them as much as the writer wanted to. Being an author myself, I appreciate this type of writing. I'm working on several books, and one of them happens to be about a serial killer, but whereas Ms. Johansen's killer killed for the pleasure of it, mine has justification in what they do. I would highly recommend The Killing Game to anyone who enjoys a thorough technical novel about murder and the inner mind of a killer.

I really enjoyed "The Face of Deception." Sorry to say that I can't endorse this sequel as heartily (at all, for that matter). The main female character (Eve) doesn't seem to have emotionally changed one iota in the year since we left her in the first book. She also seems to have become whiny and a user of men to boot.
I felt that little time and/or effort was put into character development or even scenic description, and the book was sloppily plotted from a technology standpoint...caller ID or *69, anyone! In the real world, the authorities would've scooped Dom up like a roach ten minutes after he made his second phone call to Eve.
This book read like it was written in a rush - the curse of authors who, once they attain a certain level of market success, must produce new 'product' quickly to keep their readers happy. I'm glad I borrowed this product from the library so I can return it.
Take your time, Iris. We'll wait! :-)

This has to be the most unbelievable premise for a book. What a waste of energy. Who could possibly believe Eve's involvement in this farce without the benefit of the sanction of the authorities. Secondly, who would allow her to conduct her own personal investigation with her closeness to the killer in relationship to her daughter's death. Also, no one is ever monitoring the calls on the digital. Eve simply reiterates what is said when she feels "up to it." Give me a break. This heroine is no heroine. Boring at best.

I really love these Eve Duncan books. It's understandable why Eve has had such a tough time hooking up with Joe. Her daughter was murdered after all. She's a way cool character. She's smart and strong (I really hate it when a heroine is whiny, don't you?). This is a really good suspense novel and I'll buy the next one the minute it come's out. Because I couldn't put it down, I read it in half a day so it's kind of expensive at only around 350 pp. Keep it up Iris!

The Killing Game is the first Johansen novel I have ever read. It was a little rough getting started and throughout the book I would get confused as to who was talking and have to reread some sections just to get it straight. Because of this, it took me a good while to get through this book. That being said, I really got into it and enjoyed the mystery and suspense. I almost didn't want to finish the book as I looked forward to reading a chapter or two on the stair stepper. I would recommend this book to readers who have the time for and who enjoy leisure reading.

I absolutely love this character and have been hooked since the first book introducing her. I love the two male leads and the background of each character. I just started reading this novel and am almost half way through it already. I have brought it to work and am reading it at every spare opportunity. I don't want to put pressure on Ms. Johansen, but when's the next one.

Iris Johansen is a reliably entertaining author. This book is no exception. The plot dragged on after awhile, but the story was good enough for me to keep going regardless. And ultimately it was worth the effort.

Iris Johansen is a master at writing suspense! This book kept me guessing all the way through and I loved the twists. I'm glad the author chose to write another book with Eve Duncan as the main character because I was curious about what would happen to Eve after "The Face of Deception." I never would have predicted the end of this book. I highly recommend it.

A wonderful romantic thriller with believable characters and intriguing plot. Eve Duncan is still looking for her daughter's bones and finds out a lot about her feelings. A good book I would recommend for anyone who loves a good mystery.

I Picked this book up knowing nothing of Iris Johansen, I was in no way disappointed. This book is great with the twisting and turning plot that will keep you guessing clean up to the end. Eve is called on by her friend Joe Quinn to do a face sculpting of a skull that has been found a child skull, Eve prays that it might be her daughters Bonnie so she can finally put her to rest.Along the way the killer is haunting Eve.Joe and Eve discover many more bodies. The killer has Eve going on wild goose chases. With his eyes set on Jane a young girl whom he calls Bonnie, Eve will do everything to protect this child from a mad man, Even give her own life.
this is a great book. I would recommend this thriller to anyone. I could not stop reading this book, it is supensful and thrilling from the very first page.

I've just finished this phenomenon! It took 3 days. Very interesting and hard to stop reading once started. Breath-taking. Suspense. Enjoyable. Iris Johansen must be a genious. She makes the characters come to life. YOU, the reader, are trapped in her mysterious and exciting plot! BUT YOU MUST READ "THE FACE OF DECEPTION" BEFORE READING THIS! It introduces the main characters and you become more attached. I, myself, almost bought this book before reading THE FACE OF DECEPTION" but as I was about to purchase this book, the woman at the counter suggested I read "THE FACE OF DECEPTION" first. I did and I am very greatful she helped me. This is a must read! I am planning to buy "THE SEARCH" which I hear is a masterpiece. This one sure was!

I love mystery/ suspense /thriller but this story just dragged on and on. Maybe I should have read the previous books about Eve Duncan first to get a grasp of her background. I ended up only reading about a third of the book and stopped.

Like other reviewers, I too am tired of whiney Eve. She and Joe have the same argument over and over and over and over. Blah, blah, blah. The only thing that saved it and the reason it got 2 stars instead of 1 was the appearance of Sarah Patrick and her wonder dog, Monty. I'll read the reviews for the next one in the series and if it seems to be the same old story, I'll skip it.

This book was probably one of the most annoying books I have read in a long time. Although the plot was OK, I quickly tired of the fast paced dialogue between the heroine and the hero(s). It kept my attention, but barely. Every single detail fell conveniently into place and it seemed like all the problems of the characters' world were solved by an instant phone call. Very unbelieveable. It was a quick read, but that's because it was written like a play....all frivolous "Hallmark" dialogue, very little narration. The most annoying part of this book was that they kept referring to their cell phone as "the digital". Very annoying. Waste of 5 bucks.

I have been reading Johansen since she wote romances for Loveswept nd I have all her books. Read and loved Eye of Deception and ordered this book before it was released. Loved it and hope she writes more sequels. Read this book in one day.