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Author: Iris Johansen | Website


Published Works & Book Reviews

Close Your Eyes

The New York Times bestselling duo is back in a suspenseful novel about a once-blind woman with a talent for tracking serial killers  The FBI doesn’t usually consult with music therapists to solve their cases. But Kendra Michael’s astonishing powers of observation and analysis have made her a favorite of law enforcement agencies all across the country. Blind for the first twenty years of her life, she cares little for investigative work but can’t deny her unique skill, or the results she’s been able to facilitate. Kendra learned at an early age to become hyper-aware of her surroundings, perfecting the art of picking up the most subtle audio, olfactory, and tactile cues in the world around her. Like a secret weapon, she is in high demand.

Former FBI agent Adam Kyle, known as The Puppetmaster, has weapons of his own. He’s a notorious master manipulator, skillfully handling criminals and colleagues alike to get the results he wants. Now he needs Kendra’s special brand of help, but she’s not interested until Kyle reveals that Agent Robert Stedler—Kendra’s ex—is missing and may have run directly into the path of a serial killer. What began as a heinous murder investigation escalates into something even larger and more frightening: a multi-million dollar conspiracy to hide a secret that’s worth killing for, again and again and again.


What Doesn't Kill You

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes an explosive new thriller featuring Catherine Ling from Chasing The Night.

Catherine Ling was abandoned on the streets of Hong Kong at age four.  Schooled in the art of survival, she traded in the only commodity she had: information.  As a teenager, she came under the tutelage of a mysterious man known only as Hu Chang—a skilled assassin and master poisoner.  As a young woman, she was recruited by the CIA and now, she is known as one of their most effective operatives.  Having lived life in the shadows, Catherine is aware of the wobbly moral compass of her existence and even more aware of just how expendable she is to those she deals with. When her old friend Hu Chang creates something so deadly, and completely untraceable, the chase is on to be the first to get it.  With rogue operative John Gallo also on the hunt, Catherine finds herself pitted against a group so villainous and a man so evil that she may not survive the quest to protect those she cares about.  Iris Johansen is at her page-turning best in this novel that takes you from the corridors of Langley to the alleyways of Hong Kong, and the darkest places of the human soul.

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Apr 10, 2012
Genre(s): Suspense, Adventure / Action, Thriller
Catherine Ling grew up on the streets of Hong Kong. Her mother was a prostitute and she overdosed when Catherine was five years old, leaving her alone. Catherine vowed to never become like her mother. Catherine learned to listen to what went on around her and she traded in information. When Catherine gets word that a local gang is going to rob a local storekeeper, she races there to warn him hoping he wil

Bonnie

The truth has eluded her for years. . . . Now is she ready to face it?

When Eve Duncan gave birth to her daughter, she experienced a love she never knew existed. Nothing would stand in the way of giving Bonnie a wonderful life---until the unthinkable happened and the seven-year-old vanished into thin air. Eve found herself in the throes of a nightmare from which there was no escape. But a new Eve emerged: a woman who would use her remarkable talent as a forensic sculptor to help others find closure in the face of tragedy. Now with the help of her beloved Joe Quinn and CIA agent Catherine Ling, Eve has come closer than ever to the truth. But the deeper she digs, the more she realizes that Bonnie's father is a key player in solving this monstrous puzzle. And that Bonnie's disappearance was not as random as everyone had always believed . . .

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Jan 18, 2012
Genre(s): Suspense, Mystery
Having and keeping Bonnie was the best thing that Eve Duncan ever did. She is the reason Eve worked so hard at school, the reason that Eve's mother cleaned up her act. Seven years later the worst thing that could happen to a family did. Bonnie disappeared without a trace. One minute she was there and the next she was gone. Eve is now a world famous Forensic Sculptor. She mainly works with the skulls of

Quinn

Former Navy SEAL turned cop, Joe Quinn has seen the face of evil and knows how dark the shadows of the soul can turn. But when he met Eve Duncan a decade ago, he never expected to fall in love with a woman whose torment was matched only by her dual desires to bring her missing daughter home and reveal the truth of her disappearance, no matter how devastating it may be. Eve’s fateful first love, John Gallo, seems to hold the key to the mystery of young Bonnie’s fate. With Joe’s life hanging in the balance at the hands of Gallo, justice may never be served — unless CIA agent Catherine Ling, who owes her child’s life to Eve and Joe, can outsmart Gallo at his own game. Emotionally charged with one shock after another, readers discover for the first time how Joe and Eve met and fell in love against a backdrop of haunting tragedy, gaining new insight into the characters they’ve known and become invested in for more than a decade. Soon to follow: the mind-blowing conclusion to Iris Johansen’s trilogy: Bonnie.

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Jul 5, 2011
Genre(s): Suspense
Ex-navy SEAL now FBI agent, Joe Quinn was given a missing child case that would change his life forever. That missing child case was Bonnie Duncan, a six year old who was taken from the park. Bonnie's mother, Eve, was not what Joe expected. She is strong and determined to help find her daughter. From the first moment Joe wants to protect Eve. So he lets her help him with the case. But the more they work

Eve

The #1 bestselling author delivers the first in a trilogy that will begin to answer questions that have haunted her legion of fans for over a decade, in her newest novel of breathtaking suspense

Eve Duncan’s mission in life is to bring closure to the families who have experienced the agony of a missing child. As a forensic sculptor, she is able to piece together bones, create a face, and bring an identity to a child who would have otherwise gone unidentified…maybe forever. Eve is brilliant, and driven, and tormented--because her own daughter, Bonnie, was taken from her years ago. And Eve has never discovered what happened to her. But now a name from the past resurfaces, thanks to CIA agent Catherine Ling who knows all too well what it’s like to lose a child.

After teaming up with Agent Ling to find her missing son, Eve and Catherine share a bond forged by their mutual pain. Now, Catherine challenges Eve with a name: John Gallo. A man from Eve’s past. A man, seemingly raised from the dead, whose whereabouts are unknown. Could Gallo be the missing piece to the puzzle that has haunted Eve for years? Why was he in Atlanta just before Bonnie’s disappearance? With a brilliant narrative that goes back to Eve Duncan’s early life, exploring her history and motivations like no other novel before, Eve reveals long-guarded secrets and is guaranteed to leave Johansen fans panting for more—soon to come in Quinn (October 2011).

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Apr 12, 2011
Genre(s): Suspense
Eve Duncan is sixteen years old, going to high school, working part-time at a diner, and making plans to go to college. She has had to take care not only of herself but of her mother also. Her mother is a drug addict. Eve is determined live her life in a different way than she was raised. She wants more from life. Then she meets John Gallo. John is in town spending time with his uncle before he leaves f

Chasing the Night

A CIA agent’s two-year-old child was stolen in the night as a brutal act of vengeance. Now, eight years later, this torment is something Catherine Ling awakens to every day. Her friends, family, and colleagues tell her to let go, move on, accept that her son is never coming back. But she can’t. Catherine needs to find someone as driven and obsessed as she is to help her— and that person is Eve Duncan. She knows that Eve shares her nightmare, since closure is also something that eludes Eve after the disappearance of her daughter Bonnie. Now, Eve must take her talents as a forensic sculptor to another level, using age progression as a way to unite Catherine with her child. As Eve gets drawn deeper into Catherine’s horror, she must face looming demons of her own.

Bonnie’s killer is still out there. And a new killer is taunting Eve and Catherine at every turn. Is Catherine’s son alive, or not? These two women endure the worst fear any mother can imagine in Iris Johansen’s latest thrill ride, a gut-wrenching journey into the darkest places of the soul.

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Dec 31, 2010
Genre(s): Suspense, Adventure / Action
Eve Duncan is a forensic sculptor. But now she is called upon to do an age progression to help a mother unite with her lost son. Catherine Ling is an agent with the CIA and so was her husband. They were tasked with bringing down a high ranking criminal who was involved with the Russian Mob. Nine years ago when Catherine found out she was pregnant she quit the CIA and settled in the States. The man they to

Shadow Zone

Deep below the deceptively beautiful waters of the Atlantic Ocean, guarded by hundreds of dolphins, lie the astonishing remains of a mysterious lost city much like the legendary Atlantis.

While mapping the ancient underwater metropolis of Marinth, marine architect Hannah Bryson makes a shocking discovery: She may have finally uncovered the truth about the once-glorious city’s mysterious demise. Marinth’s sudden disappearance has confounded scientists for years, but now, with the revelation of a key artifact, Hannah realizes that the long-buried city’s explosive secret could have dire consequences for the modern-day world.
But she isn’t the only one who realizes it. The artifact is hijacked, and Hannah stands alone between a power-hungry enemy and widespread destruction. Willing to form whatever alliance is necessary to regain control of this potentially world-changing weapon, Hannah joins forces with Nicholas Kirov, a loose cannon from her past who is now her best hope for survival. Together they will race to unravel Marinth’s last great secret in order to prevent a catastrophe of global proportions. And before the lethal game is over, Hannah will realize that nothing and no one is what she expected, not even the dolphins, who know so much more than anyone could imagine.

Shadow Zone is fast-paced and cutting edge. Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen have raised the bar again in this blood-pumping thrill ride.

 

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Oct 12, 2010
Genre(s): Suspense
Hannah Bryson is a marine architect. In order to get funding to explore the ancient underwater city of Marinth, Hannah agrees to develop mini subs for Aqua Corp. No one knows what happened to the people of Marinth or how it came to be at the bottom of the sea. While testing one of the subs, Hannah discovers a key artifact that may explain what happened to the ancient city and her people. When the artifact is

Eight Days to Live

Number-one New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen delivers a thriller that will chill you to the core: Eve Duncan’s adopted daughter Jane has been targeted by a mysterious cult who has decided that she has only eight days to live.

Eve Duncan and her adopted daughter, Jane Macguire, are pitted against the members of a secretive cult who have targeted Jane and have decided that she will be their ultimate sacrifice. In eight days they will come for her. In eight days, what Jane fears the most will become a reality. In eight days, she will die. It all begins with a painting that Jane, an artist, displays in her Parisian gallery. The painting is called “Guilt” and Jane has no idea how or why she painted the portrait of the chilling face. But the members of a cult that dates back to the time of Christ believe that Jane’s blasphemy means she must die. But first, she will lead them to an ancient treasure whose value is beyond price. This elusive treasure, and Jane’s death, are all that they need for their power to come to ultimate fruition. With Eve’s help, can Jane escape before the clock stops ticking?

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Jun 23, 2010
Genre(s): Suspense
Jane MacGuire is Eve's adopted daughter. She has grown up to become an artist. When Jane was a teenager she started having strange dreams about a man for the past. She has no idea who he is or even if he is real. The dreams keep happening every night. She feels compelled to paint a portrait of this man. After she is finished painting the portrait she names it "GUILT". Jane's friend, Celine, in Paris

Notorious

In #1 New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen’s gripping novel of romantic suspense, a man’s lust for revenge turns into an obsession with his brother’s wife.

Beautiful actress Mallory Thane endured the harsh, unforgiving glare of publicity during the trial in which she stood accused of murdering her husband. But even the acquittal that set her free couldn’t ease the heartache of her ordeal. Desperate to get back her life, her career, and her sanity, she accepts a new movie deal on an island paradise–only to realize that she has walked into a trap.

Her captor is power player Sabin Wyatt, a dark, enigmatic man who still holds Mallory responsible for his brother Ben’s death. But at the root of his scheme is his obsessive need to possess the woman who haunts his dreams, no matter what truth she’s hiding.

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Mar 1, 2010
Genre(s): Romantic Suspense, Suspense
Actress Mallory Thane has been accused of murdering her husband.  After she is found not guilty, she is ready to leave New York behind and start a new life elsewhere.  Then out of the blue she is offered a staring role in a film that takes place overseas.  She gladly accepts.  What she doesn't know is the offer came form a movie studio owned by her brother-in-law and he plans on keepi

Blood Game

First comes darkness, then comes fear
 

Eve Duncan is back! Blockbuster New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen’s latest thriller brings Eve closer to discovering her daughter’s killer…and into a web of danger from which she may not be able to escape… Eve Duncan returns in a thriller that pits her against the most evil mind she has ever encountered: a ruthless killer who taunts her with his every move…and who has a special affinity for blood. When a Georgia senator’s daughter is found murdered, and her body drained of blood, Eve Duncan is drawn into the web of Kevin Jelak—a serial murderer who is on Eve’s short list of killers who might know something about her missing daughter Bonnie. When a goblet of blood is found in Eve’s refrigerator, she knows the taunting is over…and the games have begun. As Eve and Jelak engage in a dance of death, Eve must call upon those she loves and trusts the most…even if it means bringing them into the game as well.

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Dec 1, 2009
Genre(s): Romantic Suspense
Ever since Eve Duncan's daughter, Bonnie, was killed by a serial killer she has worked hard to become the best forensic pathologist.  All she wants is bring her Bonnie home.  Now she spends her time trying to find out who killed her and where he buried her body.  Eve takes a lot of cases the involve children as she hopes that by bringing other lost children home she will come closer to bring he

Deadlock

Emily Hudson is an archeologist who travels the world in search of priceless artifacts from war-torn countries and other hot spots.    Her best friend and partner, Joel Levy, is always at her side—until one day, her entire crew is massacred and Joel and Emily are held captive. Victims of one of the most ruthless and evil human beings on earth.  For two weeks they try to survive, until Emily is the unwitting instrument in Joel’s demise. 

John Garrett has worked for the CIA, MI6, and whoever else needed his services.  Now, the CIA comes calling with a desperate mission for him: save Emily Hudson.  But their may be more to this job than they let him know.  And soon, his connection to Emily has him questioning everything he thought to be true.  Emily has vengeance on her mind.  Will Garrett aid her in getting revenge?  Can Emily help him get to the truth behind a bigger conspiracy?  Or will they both die trying…With lightning-fast pacing, plot twists and shocking betrayals, Iris Johansen is at the top of her game in this latest thriller

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Mar 4, 2009
Genre(s): Romantic Suspense
Emily Hudson and Joey Levy work for the United Nation. They go to hot spots and war zones all over the world. They go to museums to catalog, verify and move the contents so that they will not be destroyed or stolen. While coming back from one such location, Emily and Joey are stopped and attacked by men, who they think are bandits. Turns out the man in charge, Staunton, was hired by someon

The Treasure

An ex-harem slave...

A reformed assassin...

A race to find the most powerful religious artifact of all time...


New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen returns with her first historical romance in a decade, a new novel of passion and exotic adventure that leads two unlikely and unforgettable treasure hunters on a perilous journey—and into the heart of one of the most captivating mysteries of all time.

Lady Selene Ware had been nothing more than a harem slave when Kadar Ben Arnaud—a man once trained in the black arts of death and seduction—helped her escape to the safety of her native Scotland. But even a world away she still wasn’t safe from the sheikh who claimed her as his stolen property—and who now forced both her and Kadar to return with a chance to win their freedom. There is, of course, a catch. First they must find the legendary religious relic that men of power have searched for from King Arthur’s time to the present.

For Selene and the ex-assassin, it is a dangerous odyssey that begins in erotic captivity and leads to an encounter with the mysterious and reclusive Tarik, who now possesses the treasure. But the truth is far more explosive, the stakes far more deadly, and the closer they come to discovering the secret, the closer they will come to losing each other—and their lives. For even as Selene grasps the key to this age-old mystery, Kadar may have to step over the fine line separating the dark path from the light to save her.

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Nov 3, 2008
Genre(s): Historical Romance
Lady Selene Ware has been in love with Kandar Ben Arnaud ever since he took her from the man who owned her. But Kandar has always resisted her because he though she was too young. Kandar was trained to be an assassin. He is willing to give up the dark path and walk on the path of light for Selene. But when the Old Man of The Mountain call upon him to pay back a debit, he knew he would have

Touch The Horizon

#1 New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen combines romance and adventure in this exotic tale of finding the love of your life—in the last place you’d ever look.

She was stranded in a deadly sandstorm when he rode to her rescue like a desert prince on his black stallion. On a lark Billie Callahan had come to the Middle East to play a minor film role in a desert epic. Suddenly she found herself starring in a real-life romantic adventure. Cowboy, hero, friend of sheikhs and princes, David Bradford spoke like a poet in the drawl of his native Texas. What was this mysterious, eccentric, and irresistibly seductive man doing in Sedikhan, and what did he want with an ordinary woman like Billie? Her curiosity piqued, Billie followed David to the lavish pleasure fortress he called home, with its armed guards and adoring staff. He warned her that the pleasure he offered her would last forever. What he didn’t know was that Billie only believed in now.

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Oct 23, 2008
Genre(s): Contemporary
Billie Callahan is in the Middle East to play a minor role in a movie.  While on her way to Zalandan, her jeep breaks down.  When she walks up a small hill to see how far she is from town,  she sees a man on a horse riding toward her.   A sudden sandstorm blows in and the strange man on horseback saves Billie.  David Bradford is from Texas but he has lived in the Casbah for 

Lion's Bride

Woven with searing sensuality, here is the unforgettable story of a woman who is carried away by a powerful Lord to a secret stronghold, where she becomes his prisoner, his tormentor...and his lover.

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Sep 24, 2008
Genre(s): Historical Romance
Thea joined a caravan that was going to Damascus. She wanted to be a freewoman and open her own silkhouse. Once she gets setup she wants to send for her little sister. After a few days at the end of the caravan, they are attacked. Thea was able to get away. While she is roaming in the desert after the attack, she sees several strange horsemen heading her way. With no place to hid

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Sep 4, 2008
Genre(s): Romantic Suspense
Devon Brady has spent the last few years running from her ex-husband, but no matter where she goes or what she does he always finds her. Every time she tries to date, he sets her date up. She gets tired of running and settles down to become a veterinarian and opens her own clinic. While out of the country on a search and rescue mission with her own dog, a stranger shows up with his dog that has

The Golden Valkyrie

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen comes a classic tale of opposites attracting—and finding love in the most unexpected places.

When P.I. Honey Winston is hired to steal incriminating letters from visiting dignitary Prince Rubinoff, she’s prepared for a dangerous mission that could end her career. But when she blows her cover, she finds that the amused prince is everything the media have made him out to be: part Adonis, part playboy—and irresistibly charismatic. The problem is, the feeling is mutual. Intrigued, the prince is determined to keep his gorgeous young trespasser by his side as long as possible.

For he’s never met anyone quite as daring, or breathtaking, as Honey. With the tables turned, Prince Rubinoff has Honey appointed his personal bodyguard. The official reason is an assassination plot. The truth is far more dangerous….

About the Author


Iris Johansen is the New York Times bestselling author of Killer Dreams, On the Run, Countdown, Firestorm, Fatal Tide, Dead Aim, No One to Trust and more. She lives near Atlanta, Georgia.
 

Reviewer: Robin
Review: Sep 3, 2008
Genre(s): Erotic Romance
When Honey Winston left the police force to become a P.I., she never dreamed that one of her cases would end up changing her life. Honey is hired to steal love letters from the hotel room of Prince Lance Rubinoof, also known as Lusty Lance to the press due to his many affairs. But when Honey's cover is blown and the Prince and his friend, Alex, find her in the motel room Honey finds out that there a

Reviewer: Robin
Review: May 8, 2008
Genre(s): Romantic Suspense
Hannah Bryson is hired by the Maritime Museum to get an old Russian nuclear-powered submarine ready for tourists tours. And to also do a second schematic of the submarine and to supervise the modificatons that will make it safe for tourists. Hannah is a mathematical and mechanical whiz with a photographic memory. She had also designed a submersible for the Titanic expedition. Kirov ivanov is keeping a wa

Quicksand

Returning from Johansen's New York Times bestselling thriller, Stalemate, forensic sculptor Eve Duncan is still reeling from the disappearance of her daughter, Bonnie. Deciding to take matters into her own hands, she enlists the clairvoyant skills of Dr. Megan Blair to help find her. No strangers to looking for clues where there seem to be none, the two women use their highly specialized talents to hunt down Bonnie's elusive kidnapper and return her to her mother's arms. But is Bonnie still alive? Will the two women find her in time? Iris Johansen strikes again with this non-stop, action packed thriller, keeping readers turning pages well into the night.

Reviewer: Cindy_
Review: May 2, 2008
Genre(s): Romantic Suspense
This is the twelfth book in Iris Johansen's Eve Duncan series and this is also the sequel to Pandora's Box. Back cover. forensic sculptor Eve Duncan is still obsessed with the disappearance of her daughter , Bonnie. How can she find closure when no remains were ever found, and worse, when a killer, Henry Kistle, taunts her with promises of information that will lead her to Bonnie. Ms. Johansen takes

Reviewer: Deidre
Review: Sep 21, 2007
Genre(s): Romantic Suspense
Megan Blair is a skilled doctor who is very empathetic. One night, one the way home from work she is nearly run of the road by someone in a truck, at that point her life changes as she begins to learn the horrible secrets from her past. As a person from her past returns, that she faintly recognizes, her memories seem to return to her as well. Megan listens to a bizarre story of murder and hatred and realiz

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