ARC Review: Criminal Intentions: The Man With The Glass Eye by Cole McCade

From The Blurb:

ABOUT THIS EPISODE 

Multiple execution-style murders hint at a mob hit, but when Malcolm and Seong-Jae follow the clues the last thing they expect is a host of very familiar--and very dead--faces. They say dead men tell no tales, but if Malcolm and Seong-Jae can't even trust the words of the living, they'll never catch a hit man dead set on burying every trace of an underworld secret...along with a few more bodies. 

But it's not just the cold bodies on their minds, when a little undercover work sends them to a nightclub once owned by none other than Marion Garvey. Forced to play at being lovers, neither man can ignore the distraction of the very warm body in his arms. To Malcolm, Seong-Jae remains as aloof as ever...but what's really smoldering under that icy mask? 

ABOUT THE SERIES 

Baltimore homicide detective Malcolm Khalaji has his own way of doing things: quiet, methodical, logical, effective, not always particularly legal. He’s used to working alone—and the last thing he needs is a new partner ten years his junior.

Especially one like Seong-Jae Yoon. 

Icy. Willful. Detached. Stubborn. Seong-Jae is all that and more, impossible to work with and headstrong enough to get them both killed…if they don’t kill each other first. Foxlike and sullen, Seong-Jae’s disdainful beauty conceals a smoldering and ferocious temper, and as he and Malcolm clash the sparks between them build until neither can tell the difference between loathing and desire. 

But as bodies pile up at their feet a string of strange, seemingly unrelated murders takes a bizarre turn, leading them deeper and deeper into Baltimore’s criminal underworld. Every death carries a dangerous message, another in a trail of breadcrumbs that can only end in blood. 

Malcolm and Seong-Jae must combine their wits against an unseen killer and trace the unsettling murders to their source. Together, they’ll descend the darkest pathways of a twisted mind—and discover just how deep the rabbit hole goes. And if they can’t learn to trust each other? Neither will make it out alive.


Karen's rating:

There use to be this show called...

'Cliffhangers' and trust me it was very aptly named because each week you were left with a 'cliffhanger' figuratively and on at least a couple of occasions as I recall literally as well.

What does this have to do with anything...well, 'Criminal Intentions' is like an updated version of that show and ironically it's something that I'm really liking. Ok, maybe not so much with each story ending  on a cliffhanger but no...I cannot tell a lie for now I'm actually ok with that as well. I know that we'll get an ending at some point and while we're left with a cliffhanger, we're also left with a completed episode for the individual story lines that with each one show us more of the bigger picture that's going to form....one tiny clue at a time as we watch Malcolm and Seong-Jae's relationship progress...yes, it's glacial slow but there are big plans for this series given that the author has 5 seasons of 13 episode per season roughly mapped out...there's time lots of time to let these things play out organically.

So while I'm as anxious as the next person to see this relationship unfold this one's walking a tightrope because if things happen to fast well...it's all down hill from there but on the other hand if things happen to slow...will people loose interest? It's a balancing act...one that I'm looking forward to seeing play out.

As with the previous stories the sexy times between our two very hot MCs is minimal but have no fear it's going to happen and given the glimpses that we got this time...there was this dance in a club and then there was the a scene in a hospital room...anyways, it was enough to assure that things will be hot...smokin' freakin' hot an so worth the wait.


While each book (episode) is a self contained story. It's a story that also connects to the previous stories and I'm sure to stories we've yet to read. We're given clues and glimpses into a story that starts in the past but won't be complete until sometime in the future.

As well as Malcolm and Seong-Jae, I've developed a very definite interest in one of the secondary characters named Sade because there's seriously something mysterious going on where they're concerned and I really, really like them so here's hoping we find out more about Sade and what's happening in their world.

I have to admit this is the hardest part of this series for me as a reviewer because I am so freakin' crazy about this series and just blown away with the authors talent as a writer and if I do nothing else with my reviews but convey how much I'm enjoying this series and maybe bring it to the attention of a few other mystery lovers...well, then I'm ok with that but I really want to do that without spoiling this for anyone else without letting any spoilers out because I have the sneak suspicion that the things that bring this story together aren't going to be just the big things. As I've been reading I come across little things things that may not seem to be of any real consequence but somehow they stick in my brain and I can't help but wonder...is this important? do I need to remember this? will it really matter? is this some kind of clue?

"The Man with the Glass Eye" doesn't even come close to solving the bigger mystery in this series as a matter of fact if anything it leaves me with even more questions but you can't find the answers until you have all the questions, can you?

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An ARC of 'Criminal Intentions: The Man with the Glass Eye' was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

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