No Greater Hell

by Jerrie Alexander

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

The mistake I made when choosing to read this title was not reading the previous books in the series. My failure to do so greatly impacted my enjoyment of NO GREATER HELL. It is evident that the main characters have a history between them, which was explored in the previous installments. Although the author provided information that would allow readers to have an understanding of the events that took place prior to the writing of this novel, I still felt that I was missing something. Because of this, I was not able to connect with the characters on a deeper level.

My feelings on the story are somewhat mixed. I loved the suspense, but I was not fond of the romance. In regards to the romance, I found the actions of Jake and Holly annoying. It was evident to everyone that they cared for each other. However, Jake was willing to let Holly walk out of his life, simply because he was unable to forgive himself for something he had no control over. Then there was Holly constantly placing herself in a position to be rejected. Their yo-yo actions were on the verge of giving me a whiplash.

The villains in this story were nuttier than a fruit cake. The one that stood out most was Ivan Garza. He is a notorious hitman. He took responsibility for the care of his brother who was not in a good place mentally. To ensure that his brother is monitored, he hired some two-bit criminals to babysit him. However, that did not go too well and his brother was murdered. He blamed Holly for his brother's murder and was determined to exact revenge, even if it meant killing everyone who got in his way. If you were to examine his motive closely, you will recognize that his need to eliminate Holly was deep seated in his guilt over his failure to protect his brother. This only proves how crazy a person he was.

This aspect of the story had me on the edge of my seat. I was praying at every page turn that this madman would not succeed with his diabolical plan. I have to admit, though, he was smart and rather resourceful in his efforts to carry out his mission. Every move he made was well thought out and planned. I should warn you, though, if stories with violence are not your thing, then this book is not for you. The author's description of these scenes is detailed and leaves nothing to the imagination.

I was disappointed in the manner in which the story ended. After the tug and war that Jake and Holly had in regards to their feelings, I was expecting an emotional ending. Alas, that was not the case. It ended so abruptly that it had me asking myself ‘Where is the rest of the story?

Verdict: The story was okay and it would be best enjoyed if the previous books in the series are read prior to reading this installment. Recommended for fans of romantic suspense.