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Stella Knox#1
Killer Smile
If looks can kill, a smile can be deadly.
Special Agent Stella Knox became an FBI agent to find the dirty cops responsible for her father’s murder and make them pay. But fresh out of Quantico, her first case has her seeking justice for a different victim—three of them, in fact.
The bodies of three teenage boys have turned up in a sleepy town outside of Nashville, TN. There’re no fingerprints, no DNA, and very little to connect the murders, except for a smiley face drawn in blood near two of the bodies. But why only two? The case makes zero sense, and the questions outnumber the answers.
Are the crimes related? Could it be the work of one calculating serial killer, or are they looking for three separate assailants?
One thing Stella knows for sure: someone is threatening the teenagers of small-town Cherry Farms, and they aren’t finished. As she and the team race against the clock to stop the nightmare that has descended upon this rural community, Stella has one more question...who will be next?
Special Agent Stella Knox became an FBI agent to find the dirty cops responsible for her father’s murder and make them pay. But fresh out of Quantico, her first case has her seeking justice for a different victim—three of them, in fact.
The bodies of three teenage boys have turned up in a sleepy town outside of Nashville, TN. There’re no fingerprints, no DNA, and very little to connect the murders, except for a smiley face drawn in blood near two of the bodies. But why only two? The case makes zero sense, and the questions outnumber the answers.
Are the crimes related? Could it be the work of one calculating serial killer, or are they looking for three separate assailants?
One thing Stella knows for sure: someone is threatening the teenagers of small-town Cherry Farms, and they aren’t finished. As she and the team race against the clock to stop the nightmare that has descended upon this rural community, Stella has one more question...who will be next?
259 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2022
About the author
Mary Stone
187books1,719followersTo download my FREE BOOK, click here:https://authormarystone.com/free-book...
Nestled in the tranquil Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee, Mary Stone has transformed her peaceful home, once bustling with her sons, into a creative haven. As her family grew, so did her writing career, evolving from childhood fears to a deep understanding of real-life villains. Her stories, centered around strong, unconventional heroines, weave themes of courage and intrigue.
Mary's journey from a solitary writer to establishing her own publishing house marks a significant evolution, showcasing her commitment to the literary world. Through her writing and publishing endeavors, she continues to captivate and inspire, honoring her lifelong fascination with the mysterious and the courageous.
Nestled in the tranquil Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee, Mary Stone has transformed her peaceful home, once bustling with her sons, into a creative haven. As her family grew, so did her writing career, evolving from childhood fears to a deep understanding of real-life villains. Her stories, centered around strong, unconventional heroines, weave themes of courage and intrigue.
Mary's journey from a solitary writer to establishing her own publishing house marks a significant evolution, showcasing her commitment to the literary world. Through her writing and publishing endeavors, she continues to captivate and inspire, honoring her lifelong fascination with the mysterious and the courageous.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
May 25, 2022
Uhhh… was this a young adult book or…? The bro talk was awful, the number of eye rolls the characters did made me want to punch the agents. The overly aggressive talk about the “perfect” town and rich people etc. Not to mention, DID is definitely overused lately in fiction but in this case, not even properly researched. And what the hell did the smiley faces have to do with anything? It wasn’t even mentioned or resolved at the end
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2022
Run Don’t Stop to Help
WARNING: You may want to have something handy that will calm your nerves while reading this book. I had to take a break during one part of the book. I personally have a hard time when children (under 18) are murdered. It is hard enough when adults are murdered.
Killer Smile is the start of a new series by Mary Stone and Stacy O’Hare. The lead character in this book is FBI Special Agent Stella Knox. She joined the FBI hoping it will help her to find her father’s killers. Stacy is fresh back from Quantico when she is assigned her first case. Young boys are being killed and it appears there may be three killers.
Stacy along with Agent Hagen work to solve this case which has them questioning whether more than one person killed the boys. It also appears that Stacy and Hagen are looking for answers in the deaths of loved ones. There are plenty of twists, turns and surprises in the book so you will not get bored while reading.
The ending leaves you wanting more so hopefully the second book will be out soon. I am looking forward to this new series.
WARNING: You may want to have something handy that will calm your nerves while reading this book. I had to take a break during one part of the book. I personally have a hard time when children (under 18) are murdered. It is hard enough when adults are murdered.
Killer Smile is the start of a new series by Mary Stone and Stacy O’Hare. The lead character in this book is FBI Special Agent Stella Knox. She joined the FBI hoping it will help her to find her father’s killers. Stacy is fresh back from Quantico when she is assigned her first case. Young boys are being killed and it appears there may be three killers.
Stacy along with Agent Hagen work to solve this case which has them questioning whether more than one person killed the boys. It also appears that Stacy and Hagen are looking for answers in the deaths of loved ones. There are plenty of twists, turns and surprises in the book so you will not get bored while reading.
The ending leaves you wanting more so hopefully the second book will be out soon. I am looking forward to this new series.
April 5, 2022
The FBI is called into help a small-town sheriff that has a murderer in his town. This killer is targeting teen-age boys, but why? They hardly have anything in common. It is looking like there is more than one killer from the way the boys are killed. But is there a connection somehow? This is Stella Knox's first big case, is she up to the task? She needs to be in the FBI for her own personal reasons, but she isn't the only one with a hidden agenda on the team. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. Looking forward to the next installment.
April 1, 2023
Sick book but that's Mary Stone 🙈
She's a great author though. The book flowed seamlessly. I really liked the main character, Stella. I liked Hagen too. All the characters were great. The plot, the twist. I liked it. This was a very good mystery. I can't wait to read more
She's a great author though. The book flowed seamlessly. I really liked the main character, Stella. I liked Hagen too. All the characters were great. The plot, the twist. I liked it. This was a very good mystery. I can't wait to read more
June 2, 2022
It’s hard to believe this got an average rating of almost 4.5 stars. While it was entertaining here and there, I felt like every other line was a cheesy cliche, the conversations weren’t realistic at all and I guessed the ending easily about 1/3 through the book even though the FBI agents were still scratching their heads and missing things that were overly obvious. I could forgive the lack of a twist if there was an interesting back story/sub plot, but the only one that existed was barely expanded on and, again, way way overly cliche. All that aside, I know it could be much worse so I went with 2 stars. Wouldn’t recommend unless you just have time to kill.
December 20, 2022
It was an average read, a bit clichéd. I never really felt I was getting to know any of the characters well. The plot was pretty interesting, although not extraordinary. The book was well-edited technically; I don't remember seeing even one typo or grammatical error.
May 24, 2022
The writing is terrible, surprised there are two authors credited to this book.
July 14, 2024
2.75 ⭐️
July 8, 2024
If you love the show, “Criminal Minds,” you will love this book. It’s a series, and I’m hoping the author goes deeper into character development in the rest of the series.
October 8, 2022
Action packed story with well developed characters and great descriptions. Parts of this book had my hair standing on end. I have already downloaded book 2 in the series.
March 23, 2023
I don’t have a good feel for the characters yet and the story seemed rushed.
February 20, 2024
Okay this was SO GOOD!!! A literal criminal minds episode in a book. The only reason I gave it 4 stars was because I didn’t love the writing and first and it took me a while to get used to - sometimes it was difficult to realize who was narrating the chapters. Other than that, 10/10!!
December 22, 2022
4.5 stars rounded down. Available on kindle unlimited. This is a short and enjoyable mystery. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series!
April 17, 2023
Stella Knox starts her new career as an FBI Agent and her first case is a tough one!
April 19, 2023
What goes on behind closed doors?
Killer Smile is a tale of mystery and intrigue taking place in a small town where everyone knows everyone. Or do they?
One, two, three teenage boys show up murdered and dumped around town. Who dumped these boys whom were just starting to pave a path for themselves? No real clues. Let’s call in the FBI for help. Stella Knox who has a whole history of her own and is a new agent is sent in with a team of agents.
As young boys keep turning up, the agents are scratching their heads. The Sheriff who needs their help is absolutely sure it’s not a local and the townsfolk feel it’s gang related. One small problem, there’s no evidence of a gang.
How well do they all know each other? How small is a small town really?
This is a tale expertly crafted so you never are sure of the suspect(s). As the agents slowly unravel the mystery, you are there with them with your suspicions.
The motive behind these kills is unknown to the agents. When you find out, you realize that you never knew the true story that went on behind closed doors. Closed doors of a home nor closed doors of one’s mind. Everyone has a door they don’t like to open. What happens to those who leave it open?
Killer Smile is a tale of mystery and intrigue taking place in a small town where everyone knows everyone. Or do they?
One, two, three teenage boys show up murdered and dumped around town. Who dumped these boys whom were just starting to pave a path for themselves? No real clues. Let’s call in the FBI for help. Stella Knox who has a whole history of her own and is a new agent is sent in with a team of agents.
As young boys keep turning up, the agents are scratching their heads. The Sheriff who needs their help is absolutely sure it’s not a local and the townsfolk feel it’s gang related. One small problem, there’s no evidence of a gang.
How well do they all know each other? How small is a small town really?
This is a tale expertly crafted so you never are sure of the suspect(s). As the agents slowly unravel the mystery, you are there with them with your suspicions.
The motive behind these kills is unknown to the agents. When you find out, you realize that you never knew the true story that went on behind closed doors. Closed doors of a home nor closed doors of one’s mind. Everyone has a door they don’t like to open. What happens to those who leave it open?
December 24, 2023
I've had this book on my tbr shelf for MONTHS and I am so glad I finally decided to pick it up.
Stella is just the type of female MC I search for in books. Strong, driven, and independent. I found myself loving her inner dialogue (a nice change of pace from constantly rolling my eyes at some other female MC's 🥲) and loved, even more, how it's still obvious that she is the newbie in the group and is still learning her way.
Even though the series is focused around Stella Knox... I didn't mind how throughout the book the POVs changed between all of the agents. I feel as though this is an important factor seeing as this is a 10-book-long series. Like shows such as Criminal Minds, CSI, etc. you don't just get to know one agent... you get to know all. That is the type of vibe I got from this book AND I LOVE IT.
The only reason i rated this book 4 stars is because of the MAJOR plot hole. The smiles were such a huge deal in the beginning and then suddenly we never heard about them again??? And the book is titled "Killer Smile"... a little strange. But I can look past it I suppose.
I am so excited for the next book and the new case that is somehow weirder than Cecil... and finding out more about Stella and Hagen dad's... 👀👀👀👀
Stella is just the type of female MC I search for in books. Strong, driven, and independent. I found myself loving her inner dialogue (a nice change of pace from constantly rolling my eyes at some other female MC's 🥲) and loved, even more, how it's still obvious that she is the newbie in the group and is still learning her way.
Even though the series is focused around Stella Knox... I didn't mind how throughout the book the POVs changed between all of the agents. I feel as though this is an important factor seeing as this is a 10-book-long series. Like shows such as Criminal Minds, CSI, etc. you don't just get to know one agent... you get to know all. That is the type of vibe I got from this book AND I LOVE IT.
The only reason i rated this book 4 stars is because of the MAJOR plot hole. The smiles were such a huge deal in the beginning and then suddenly we never heard about them again??? And the book is titled "Killer Smile"... a little strange. But I can look past it I suppose.
I am so excited for the next book and the new case that is somehow weirder than Cecil... and finding out more about Stella and Hagen dad's... 👀👀👀👀
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2022
For a book that is purported to be a "suspenseful thriller", I found this novel to be anything but. In fact, through most of it, I was sadly, bored.
To begin with there are too many characters (especially when it comes to the FBI agents), and there really isn't a single thing that makes them stand out from one another. Not in the way they talk, not in the way they think, not even in the actions they take. It got to the point where I started forgetting who was who and interchanging them in my mind. Sadly, even when the point-of-view suddenly switched to that of the killer, I still wasn't intrigued or engaged.
In fact, I found myself skipping much of the second half of this novel just to see if I would be surprised by the ending. Spoiler alert - I was not. There was a lot that either didn't make sense to me, or was left unexplored. And while I understand that this was the first book in the series, nothing about it enticed me to continue on which is a shame. Stella might be the best FBI agent the (fictional) world has ever known, I just don't care enough to find out.
To begin with there are too many characters (especially when it comes to the FBI agents), and there really isn't a single thing that makes them stand out from one another. Not in the way they talk, not in the way they think, not even in the actions they take. It got to the point where I started forgetting who was who and interchanging them in my mind. Sadly, even when the point-of-view suddenly switched to that of the killer, I still wasn't intrigued or engaged.
In fact, I found myself skipping much of the second half of this novel just to see if I would be surprised by the ending. Spoiler alert - I was not. There was a lot that either didn't make sense to me, or was left unexplored. And while I understand that this was the first book in the series, nothing about it enticed me to continue on which is a shame. Stella might be the best FBI agent the (fictional) world has ever known, I just don't care enough to find out.
November 20, 2022
First book in a mystery series:
Special Agent Stella Knox became an FBI agent to find the dirty cops responsible for her father’s murder and make them pay. But fresh out of Quantico, her first case has her seeking justice for a different victim—three of them, in fact.
The bodies of three teenage boys have turned up in a sleepy town outside of Nashville, TN. There’re no fingerprints, no DNA, and very little to connect the murders, except for a smiley face drawn in blood near two of the bodies. But why only two? The case makes zero sense, and the questions outnumber the answers.
Are the crimes related? Could it be the work of one calculating serial killer, or are they looking for three separate assailants?
One thing Stella knows for sure: someone is threatening the teenagers of small-town Cherry Farms, and they aren’t finished. As she and the team race against the clock to stop the nightmare that has descended upon this rural community, Stella has one more question...who will be next? "
synopsis copied
Special Agent Stella Knox became an FBI agent to find the dirty cops responsible for her father’s murder and make them pay. But fresh out of Quantico, her first case has her seeking justice for a different victim—three of them, in fact.
The bodies of three teenage boys have turned up in a sleepy town outside of Nashville, TN. There’re no fingerprints, no DNA, and very little to connect the murders, except for a smiley face drawn in blood near two of the bodies. But why only two? The case makes zero sense, and the questions outnumber the answers.
Are the crimes related? Could it be the work of one calculating serial killer, or are they looking for three separate assailants?
One thing Stella knows for sure: someone is threatening the teenagers of small-town Cherry Farms, and they aren’t finished. As she and the team race against the clock to stop the nightmare that has descended upon this rural community, Stella has one more question...who will be next? "
synopsis copied
January 13, 2023
Stella investigates a string of killings of teenage boys in the Nashville area. It is her first case as an FBI agent. The book is like a cake overloaded with too many ingredients. There are way too many characters - cops and victims - for the reader to possibly keep up with unless they are taking notes. Fewer characters would have allowed for better character development. Sparks fly between Stella and a fellow cop (see, I've already forgotten his name), but they don't really go anywhere. Stella has a pet, but it's a goldfish. Sorry, but that's just lame. What cop drinks hot chocolate instead of black coffee? I wouldn't trust them. The sheriff is too much of a bumbling hick, even for Tennessee. Bonus points for a particularly twisted villain. A "different" kind of ending - one you will either love or hate - awaits the reader.
December 21, 2023
3 this one isn’t very hard to explain plot wise, but why i’m rating it as such without spoilers may be, so i’m going to have to. lets start with why i liked it. i liked the characters somewhat, and i understand that it was quite slow in the beginning to develop the readers liking towards them as it is a series, so i won’t dock points on that. and it also gave criminal minds with the whole fbi solving crimes which is definitely a plus in my book. And last, the point of view of the actual murderer gave insight as to why they were committing such acts upon teenage boys. but the ending was just so overused and didn’t go the way i wanted as selfish as that sounds. the usage of DID (Dissociative Identify Disorder) is such a cheat and i didn’t like how it was portrayed at the end. everything was just so easy for the good guys to win and the bad child to loose. yes he dissociated into a child alter right before the fbi got there. it just wasn’t worth the ending. also one thing i noticed was they mentioned a bloody smiley face and never brought it up again? that’s weird. i think its probably good getting into thrillers as its easy to follow, but not if you’ve read a bunch which frankly, i haven’t read a ton and was still a bit disappointed
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2024
I found myself questioning the investigation at multiple points. Why wouldn’t the town be on lockdown after the second murder? This book reads as if they just willingly let their kids continue to walk out the door knowing a murderer is on the loose. How do they not follow up on fencing leads and shoe imprints right away? How does it take only minutes to get results back on a shoe imprint analysis? And we lacked details on the villain, definitely an opportunity to understand why the murders just started recently… what triggered him all of a sudden? But the book kept my interest and left me curious about what happened with her father so I will end up reading the next one in the series and see if it will peak my interest further. I’m concerned we’ll only get nuggets about her father and I’ll be left with another head shaking investigation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2024
Killer Smileus the first book in the Stella Knox series. Stella is in her first week as an FBI agent in Nashville, Tennessee, after serving as a police officer for three years. One of the reasons she wanted to become an FBI agent is because she wants to find out more information about her father's death when she was a little girl.
Her first case is the investigation into three bodies of three teenage boys found in a sleepy town outside of Nashville, Tennessee. There are no fingerprints, no DNA, and very little to connect the murders, except for a smiley face drawn in blood near two of the bodies.
"Killer Smile" is the first in a twelve book series. There are several members of the FBI team so it was impossible to develop their characters very much. There's a small cliffhanger ending that encourages going to the next book of the series, but I'm not sure I care enough about the characters to continue.
Her first case is the investigation into three bodies of three teenage boys found in a sleepy town outside of Nashville, Tennessee. There are no fingerprints, no DNA, and very little to connect the murders, except for a smiley face drawn in blood near two of the bodies.
"Killer Smile" is the first in a twelve book series. There are several members of the FBI team so it was impossible to develop their characters very much. There's a small cliffhanger ending that encourages going to the next book of the series, but I'm not sure I care enough about the characters to continue.
June 3, 2024
Stella Knox is a newbie FBI agent who joined the agency in the hopes of finding leads to her father's killer. Her first case out of the academy involves a serial killer who abducts, tortures and murders teenage boys in a small Tennessee town. This is the first book in a series so we get to meet Stella's colleagues at the same time she does. They are a fairly typical bunch of characters for a police thriller. The complexity of this case results from different MO's and different footprints. The team doesn't know whether they are hunting one killer, two or three. While I was entertained by this novel, it lacks the depth and development of many like it. The writing is basic and the plot is somewhat predictable. I assume the authors will get better with time and experience.
September 18, 2024
3 1/2 stars
I thought this book was good. It leads into the next book of the series, so I’m thinking as the stories go on you get to know the characters in more detail.
Stella is a newly trained FBI agent who had joined the police force to discover who murdered her father, who was also a cop. Almost as soon as she enters the FBI, she is thrust into a case in small town Tennessee involving the kidnapping and murder of teenage boys. Stella is desperate to prove herself to her colleagues and help the small community.
There seems to be the possibility of a work romance with another FBI agent, who also lost his father to murder. I would read more books in this series of see how it progresses.
I thought this book was good. It leads into the next book of the series, so I’m thinking as the stories go on you get to know the characters in more detail.
Stella is a newly trained FBI agent who had joined the police force to discover who murdered her father, who was also a cop. Almost as soon as she enters the FBI, she is thrust into a case in small town Tennessee involving the kidnapping and murder of teenage boys. Stella is desperate to prove herself to her colleagues and help the small community.
There seems to be the possibility of a work romance with another FBI agent, who also lost his father to murder. I would read more books in this series of see how it progresses.
April 6, 2022
Received an ARC copy of Killer Smile by Mary Stone & Stacy O’Hare. My review is entirely my own opinion.
I absolutely loved this book.
From beginning to end it grabbed my attention and it never stopped. The characters are strong & tenacious and constantly pushing forward for answers to some horrifying murders. Nothing was held back in the telling of each chapter. Looking forward to seeing what each new book brings. Can’t wait to see the characters grow with each coming book. I’m sure I will be equally enthralled with it too.
Thank you Mary Stone & Tracy O’Hare for the opportunity of reading this amazing story.
This review is entirely my own opinion.
I absolutely loved this book.
From beginning to end it grabbed my attention and it never stopped. The characters are strong & tenacious and constantly pushing forward for answers to some horrifying murders. Nothing was held back in the telling of each chapter. Looking forward to seeing what each new book brings. Can’t wait to see the characters grow with each coming book. I’m sure I will be equally enthralled with it too.
Thank you Mary Stone & Tracy O’Hare for the opportunity of reading this amazing story.
This review is entirely my own opinion.
April 16, 2022
This is an ARC and start of a new series from Mary Stone. Stella Knox is on her first assignment with the Nashville FBI Bureau. She has joined the FBI for the main reason it will help her find out who killed her father and his partner. Her first case is the strange murders of teen age boys in a small town close to Nashville. Is there one murderer or three and how are these murders connected. As Stella and her partner Hagen investigate, they learn more about each other and get clues on who the killer is. Also, these two may have more in common. Great start to a new series
May 16, 2022
It is interesting. A case that has the local sheriff and FBI team stumped and intrigued. Well written it shows the characters in great detail and introduces us to the team dynamics and individuals. I enjoyed the beginning friendships and the secrets they aren’t sure to share. Some team dynamics were a little harsh with the leaders view and the jokes made by one. The background purposes are interesting and wonder will they align up or will it cause people to go in different directions. Excited for the next story!
November 22, 2022
Strong 4 stars
I enjoyed this book. The main character of Stella is more like a real FBI agent then other books I've read featuring female FBI agents. So many authors make their main character of female FBI agents over the top, bordering on unbelievable. Stella is new and it is more of an ensemble than just about her. You learn about the other characters and they all work together to solve the crime. Much more realistic than one agent who seems to be the only one who can figure anything out. A refreshing change of pace. Will keep on reading this series.
I enjoyed this book. The main character of Stella is more like a real FBI agent then other books I've read featuring female FBI agents. So many authors make their main character of female FBI agents over the top, bordering on unbelievable. Stella is new and it is more of an ensemble than just about her. You learn about the other characters and they all work together to solve the crime. Much more realistic than one agent who seems to be the only one who can figure anything out. A refreshing change of pace. Will keep on reading this series.
December 9, 2022
Good writer - but created a cliffhanger
This is a new author to me, and she created intriguing characters within a unique story line. But I will not read a second book by any author who ends a book with a cliffhanger. This book is fairly short and it would have been better to interweave the two story lines instead of bringing one to a satisfying conclusion and telling us “to be continued” for the other. It feels like a cheap tease to get me to buy the subsequent book, and made this book my last by this author.
This is a new author to me, and she created intriguing characters within a unique story line. But I will not read a second book by any author who ends a book with a cliffhanger. This book is fairly short and it would have been better to interweave the two story lines instead of bringing one to a satisfying conclusion and telling us “to be continued” for the other. It feels like a cheap tease to get me to buy the subsequent book, and made this book my last by this author.
March 11, 2023
It was just ok and not just a Stella Knox mystery. She is a former police officer now a newbie with the FBI but an entire team is sent (6 people who get equal time in the story) to find a killer of teenage boys.
A pretty basic story and easy to guess the killer's issues halfway thru.
There are of course back stories for Stella (dead cop Dad, killer never found) & Haden whose Dad also died when he was a teenager. Neither is gone into with any depth which leads me to believe it's a tease to read future books.
A pretty basic story and easy to guess the killer's issues halfway thru.
There are of course back stories for Stella (dead cop Dad, killer never found) & Haden whose Dad also died when he was a teenager. Neither is gone into with any depth which leads me to believe it's a tease to read future books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews