This is a mystery thriller with multiple plots and storylines. With a single mom who was trying to help in a storm, to a detective working cold cases, and to a friend that stands in the way. This was a great read and appears to be a based on a true crime for the 90's. This is the first time reading this author. This is the second book in a series but it did not read like it was a second book. I will definitely be grabbing and reading the first book in the series as well as other books from this author. Great Book!

Hooker Avenue is a fast paced mystery thriller that's based on a true crime. It's a multilayered plot full of tension and conflict. There's a lot going on in this book, lots of layers and Jodé Millman does a wonderful job bringing it altogether. I found the characters to be fascinating, believable and compelling. The main character Ebony was really easy to like and root for! The one thing I really enjoyed is everything stayed in the realm of believable. The events that take place and the actions of the characters are all situations you can actually see happening. For me it adds to the thrill of the book. Overall it's a well written entertaining legal thriller! Happy reading everyone!
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In Hooker Avenue, author Jode Millman transports the reader to the tranquil Hudson Valley town of Poughkeepie, New York, for an intriguing story that will keep the reader guessing and turning the pages.

Jessie Martin is a disgraced attorney who is trying to get her career back on track after having her baby daughter Lily.

Detective Ebony Jones is intrigued by the near death of prostitute Lissie Sexton, which draws her and partner Detective Zander Pulaski into searching a series of missing women cold cases, looking for a pattern that will lead them to a serial killer.

Jessie and Ebony are estranged best friends, and when their intertwined connection to Lissie surfaces, they need to put their issues aside, and search for the serial killer before he can strike again.

Author Jode Millman weaves a fast-paced and suspenseful tale that follows attorney Jessie Martin and Detective Ebony Jones' investigation to search for a serial killer after discovering a pattern of cold cases involving missing women.

I loved reading this slow-building and action-packed story. I was kept intrigued by Jessie and Ebony's investigation, as well as the traumatic backstory into each of their pasts. The reader will be easily drawn into this multi-layered story with a richly descriptive plot that interweaves police procedure with the legal process, and a dangerous cat-n-mouse game that will keep them guessing as personal and professional dramas, past histories, a growing list of possible suspects, motives, and clues are uncovered.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I loved the richly vivid description of Poughkeepsie, that makes me want to take a roadtrip to the picturesque Hudson Valley region.

Hooker Avenue has enough drama, tension, action, dark secrets, intrigue, and unexpected twists and turns that will take the reader on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest book review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2022/06/hooker-avenue-by-jode-millman... ( )

Thank you to Library Thing and Level Best Books for an ARC of this crime novel, which was my first by the author. Although I had not read the first book in the series, and there were a lot of references to events that happened in the previous novel, I was able to follow the plot of this story and become engaged with the characters.
The third-person POV narrative alternates between Jessie Martin, a young mother/disgraced lawyer trying to rebuild her life and career; Hal Samuels, the district attorney and Jessie's love interest; and Ebony Jones, a police detective who used to be Jessie's best friend. A lot of the story focuses on the relationships; how trust is built and lost, how they learn to work together toward a common goal, despite differences in methods and communication decisions dictated by their various professions.
It's also a good mystery/police procedural, with some aspects of a legal thriller. The story opens when Jessie has to pull over during a heavy rainstorm and discovers a body of a woman in a storm drain. She calls for help and the woman, Lissie Sexton, a sex worker, is pulled out alive. She's been badly beaten, but, once she regains consciousness, refuses to talk to the police or identify her attacker. Lissie turns out to be a challenging witness, testing the wits of Jessie, Ebony, and Hal, pitting them against each other, but ultimately, she's instrumental in identifying and bringing to justice a serial killer responsible for the deaths of nine women in New York's Hudson Valley.
I can recommend this enjoyable, character-driven crime story. ( )

Disgraced lawyer Jessie Martin is driving through the rain when she is distracted by a shiny object. It’s a shiny jacket in a drainage ditch, and the woman wearing it is barely alive.Her childhood friend Ebony Jones is the officer on the case and wants to know how the woman ended up there. Jessie and Ebony want the attacker to pay, but Acting District Attorney Hal Samuels won’t prosecute until there’s more evidence. The victim, Lissie, is a prostitute who wants to get as far away as she can from law enforcement and her attacker, so it’s tougher to get evidence when she keeps disappearing. Add in Hal’s relationship and Lissie’s connection to the police chiefs further complicate matters. Throw Hal’s reelection campaign, stalking, some strange legal pairings, and cold cases in for good measure.

Wow. That’s a lot to pack into one story. It takes a skilled writer to pack so many moving pieces into the plot without it falling apart. Jode Millman manages to layer all of the pieces together in a compelling, satisfying way. At first, I felt like it was a stretch for so many characters connected to each other, but it allowed a familiarity between them that helped move the plot forward quicker. The characters were well-defined and developed reasonably as the book progressed. Seemingly random scenes were reasonably tied together as the story plowed to the finish. Most importantly, the strong finish made sense because of Millman’s sharp writing.

I enjoyed Hooker Avenue, and I will happily read more of Jode Millman’s books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Meryl Moss Medi Group for providing a review copy of the book. ( )