Crash & Burn (Tessa Leoni)
Release Date: February 3, 2015
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Setting: New Hampshire
Hardcover: 400 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0525954569
E-Book ASIN: B00L9AXW7S
The #1 New York Times bestselling author’s latest stand-alone thriller, with a cameo by her fan-favorite character, Boston Detective D.D. Warren.
My name is Nicky Frank. Except, most likely, it isn’t.
Nicole Frank shouldn’t have been able to survive the car accident, much less crawl up the steep ravine. Not in the dark, not in the rain, not with her injuries. But one thought allows her to defy the odds and flag down help: Vero.
I’m looking for a little girl. I have to save her. Except, most likely, she doesn’t exist.
Sergeant Wyatt Foster is frustrated when even the search dogs can’t find any trace of the mysterious missing child. Until Nicky’s husband, Thomas, arrives with a host of shattering revelations: Nicole Frank suffers from a rare brain injury and the police shouldn’t trust anything she says.
My husband claims he’ll do anything to save me. Except, most likely, he can’t.
Who is Nicky Frank, and what happened the night her car sailed off the road? Was it a random accident or something more sinister given the woman’s lack of family and no close friends? The deeper Wyatt digs, the more concerned he becomes. Because it turns out, in the past few months, Nicky has suffered from more than one close accident. . . . In fact, it would appear someone very much wants her dead.
This is my life. Except, most likely, it’s not. Now watch me crash and burn.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
The story starts out with a terrible car wreck…Vero wants to fly… and from there the story twists and turns and dives and twists some more. It gets terribly dark in places and has the reader thinking “Where can this author be taking us?”
Nicky Frank has had a life beyond imagination and has forgotten more than she remembers. She has had 2 recent events that cause concussions before the car accident and now her entire past is coming back to her is bits and pieces.
Sergeant Wyatt Foster doesn’t know what to believe. Nicky and her husband Thomas do not have much of a traceable past, no friends, no family. Is Thomas abusing his wife? Are her memories real or make believe? Could they be tied to other crimes? And if it happened, where did it happen? Why would someone want to kill Nicky Frank? He has very little physical evidence to work with and someone keeps trying to block the very slim trail it leads to.
Lisa Gardner is best selling author for a very good reason. Her stories are so dynamic that once you start reading you can’t stop. This is definitely a book that will cause a book hangover. Just when you think you have figured out what is happening or find a good stopping point Gardner twists the story inside out and you have to keep reading and reading and reading and then you reach the end and all you can say is WOW! I didn’t see that coming!
This story has been publicized as a stand alone with with a cameo by her fan-favorite character, Boston Detective D.D. Warren, but it seems to be the third book featuring Tessa Leoni with appearances by D.D. Warren. It also appears Tessa was introduced in books in the D.D. Warren series. I have read a few of Gardner’s FBI Profiler series and I grabbed this one because she was an author I truly enjoyed. Now I want to go back and read them all. Checking online these two series are very intertwined and some are listed as stand alones like this one so it does get pretty confusing.
I am usually a stickler for reading series books in order but I have to tell you this book does read excellently as a stand alone as advertized and If you like a really good psychological thriller you should add Cash & Burn to your list.

About The Author
New York Times #1 bestselling crime novelist Lisa Gardner began her career in food service, but after catching her hair on fire numerous times, she took the hint and focused on writing instead. A self-described research junkie, she has parlayed her interest in police procedure, cutting edge forensics and twisted plots into a streak of thirteen bestselling suspense novels, including her most recent release, Catch Me.
Readers are invited to get in on the fun by entering the annual “Kill a Friend, Maim a Mate” Sweepstakes, where they can nominate the person of their choice to die in Lisa’s latest novel. Every year, one Lucky Stiff is selected for Literary Immortality. It’s cheaper than therapy, and you get a great book besides. For more details, simply visit Lisa’s website.
Lisa lives in New England with her family, as well as two highly spoiled dogs and one extremely neurotic three-legged cat.
~From Amazon
Find out more on her webpage here.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I enjoy her DD Warren series. Must look for this one.
Sounds like a thrilling story. I believe I’ve read some of her books, but can’t remember which one, perhaps I need to start reading this series. Like you, I prefer to start at the beginning.
Ann
One of my favourite authors, I have all of her books except this one. I cannot wait to get it.
Lisa is definately one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read Crash and Burn
Great review! Thank you.
Thanks for the good review Lori. The only book I’ve read of Gardners is The Survivor’s Club which I thought was excellent! Once my cozy tbr shelf is exhausted I’ll have to read more of her books.
i have read of couple of lisa gardner’s, this book sounds very gripping. not a cozy mystery for sure.