Crime Denied: A Buck Taylor Novel - Book Review

Crime Denied: A Buck Taylor Novel

Author: Chuck Morgan
Genre: Fiction - Mystery - General
Publisher: Charles E Morgan
Date Published: February 2, 2020
ISBN-10: 1733796088
ISBN-13: 9781733796095


GoodReads Rating:
4.16

Book Review of :  Crime Denied: A Buck Taylor Novel



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 Crime Denied. A Buck Taylor Novel by Chuck Morgan tells the story of a twisted female serial killer, Alicia Hawkins, who has followed in her Grandfather's bloody footsteps. Colorado Bureau of Investigations agent Buck Taylor becomes involved with trying to solve several murders and murder attempts. One of the murder attempts was on a close friend of his.

A malevolent, psychotic mind preoccupied with sadistic malice, perhaps inherited from her Grandfather, has turned Alicia, a college student, into a murderer.  The first chapter requires a strong stomach as Alicia is introduced by factual details of her most recent kill; the murder of a young woman, and soon thereafter, her first killing of a man. She loved to slice her victims with scalpels and had a goal of administering one thousand cuts before they could succumb to her depravity.

With mayhem on her depraved mind, Alicia has returned to her family home in Aspen, Colorado, to fulfill a promise made to her Grandfather and fulfill her bizarre bid for infamy.  He had killed sixteen, but one victim escaped his carnage, and Alicia swore she would find and kill the one who got away. She was also interested in surpassing his record of murders. In fact, she had a victim in mind who would be her number 17 kill. He was an associate who would never expect that she would turn on him.

As a child, Alicia appeared as a normal child. Her discovery of a box of gruesome mementos exposing her Grandfather's sick legacy seems to have set off generational psychopathic tendencies.  Unlike most serial killers, Alicia has purposely left her DNA on her victims so she can take full credit for the murder.

Buck Taylor is a senior agent with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, a widower with grown children and grandkids. He is a likable character with the demeanor of a country boy whose brain takes in minuscule data and makes uncanny connections to solve crimes. Taylor is not only a talented investigator but also a man with a moral compass that motivates him to do right even with those under suspicion of crimes. Buck Taylor is Alicia’s arch adversary, and she is intent on harming him in multiple ways. She has a score to settle with him.

A series of home invasions adds another layer of mystery and crime to the increasingly complicated story. A dysfunctional family that actually works well together in their business of breaking into homes, theft of valuable property, and extremely expensive cars have hit the Aspen area.  The use of updated electronic technology and by hacking into security systems and digital assistants such as Alexa allows the family team to strategize their criminal plans. When a theft goes wrong, and a man is murdered, Buck Taylor becomes involved in the case. 

To complicate the plot, even more, a local homeless man and friend of Buck's called PIS is attacked and left for dead. This mysterious man's secret prior life is told as a back story that adds depth to the novel.

Graphic descriptions of murders and gripping details of human monsters will keep the reader up all night checking that the doors are locked, the drapes closed, and the security alarm armed. Crime Denied, the fifth Buck Taylor novel, reads as a stand-alone and will send the reader in search of earlier titles.

Chuck Morgan's crime novels take you on a path brimming with unforeseen twists and turns as a bold, dedicated investigator, Buck Taylor, works to unfold daunting and dangerous crimes. I love the way Morgan jumps in, full reigns, describing the mayhem that immediately draws you into his chilling storyline. Crime Denied is a mind-blowing crime story that will have you praying for the victims and hoping that Taylor's skills will prevail over Alicia Hawkins's quest for revenge.


Reviewed by: Carole W

About Chuck Morgan


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Chuck Morgan attended Seton Hall University and Regis College and spent thirty-five years as a construction project manager. He is an avid outdoorsman, an Eagle Scout and a licensed private pilot. He enjoys camping, hiking, mountain biking and fly-fishing. He is the author of the Crime series, featuring Colorado Bureau of Investigation agent Buck Taylor. The series includes Crime Interrupted, Crime Delayed, Crime Unsolved and Crime Exposed. He is also the author of Her Name Was Jane, a memoir about his late wife�s nine-year battle with breast cancer. He has three children, three grandchildren and one dog. He resides in Lone Tree, Colorado.





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