Serial Date [NOOK Book]

Leine Basso has issues. First she got messed up by her former

Leine Basso has issues. First she got messed up by her former boss who messed up her life, lied to her, and told her daughter lies about her which has resulted in her daughter not speaking to her for years. Just as she thinks she has a chance to make up with her daughter, things got worse.

Detective Jensen has his life planned out, but Leine Basso throws a monkey wrench in the works, and he’s not sure he knows it. Santiago Jensen is dark, brooding, and gorgeous.

This book is great. The suspense is fabulous. The killer is a twist I didn’t see coming. Granted I’m really bad at these things, but I was so far off it wasn’t even funny. I give these books 4 out of 5 clouds.

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

LOVED this book. Suspenseful and pretty freaking funny.

LOVED this book. Suspenseful and pretty freaking funny.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Serial Date was a surprisingly entertaining read filled with wit

Serial Date was a surprisingly entertaining read filled with witty writing and dark humor.

In an unexpected turn of fate, former assassin Leine Basso is offered a job working security in Los Angeles at a gigantic hit reality show called Serial Date–where beautiful young women get to date ex-cons posing as serial killers. Though L.A.brings her bad memories, Leine can’t just ignore $2,000 a week, especially when she needs the money.

Already there’s been one murder: one of the young women on the show was brutally mutilated and hidden in the prop closet, and it seems the killer will strike again. But is the killer one of the ex-cons or is he an outsider? Santiago Jensen, the handsome detective in charge of the case, isn’t so sure, even though all evidence seems to point out to one of the ‘bachelors.’

Soon, the police find a letter supposedly written by the killer, a letter that reveals a very focused agenda. Then, Leine’s daughter is kidnapped by someone claiming to be the killer. Leine hasn’t seen her in years because, unfortunately, her daughter doesn’t want her in her life–a fact that tortures Leine every day of her existence.

In order to find her daughter, Leine must use her skills as an assassin and come to terms with her own identity, something that secretly terrifies her. Soon, a grim picture emerges: is the killer someone from her past set on revenge?

I thoroughly enjoyed Serial Date. The author has a distinct style that is witty, smart, and darkly humorous. The prose is sharp and gritty. I love satires and this one was no exception. I especially enjoyed all the subtle, indirect criticism of television and reality shows. I kept chuckling as I read.

The story is told in multiple points of view separated by chapters, so there’s no distracting head switching. The pace is pretty quick with a fair share of exciting twists and turns. To add more flavor, Santiago and Leine provide a sprinkle of romance.

I have to admit, though, that the fact that Leine was a former assassin bothered me a lot in the beginning, even though the author stresses the fact that she killed criminals. I kept wondering if I was going to forgive her for that. Surprisingly, I did. Leine comes out as a very human character who is deeply sorry about her past and who wants to reconcile with her beloved daughter. This emotional subplot about her and her daughter really brought the story to a higher level for me.

Another thing I need to point out, just for those sensitive readers out there, is that there’s a lot of foul language.

In short, I highly recommend Serial Date to those who enjoy murder mysteries with a touch of satire.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great Suspense!

DV Berkom writes a fast-paced suspenseful thriller. Leine Basso is hired security for a TV reality series gone wrong. As the contestants are murdered left and right, Leine realizes she has a connection with the killer and she must find him before he kills her own daughter. Great characterization, pacing, multi-layered sub-plots that will leave you intrigued. This story is a page-turner! 5 Stars!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Reality show nightmare

When I first saw the premise for "Serial Date," I thought--could that happpen? A few minutes of channel surfing on my television, touching on the current reality shows, and knowing their popularity had me thinking--maybe.

"Serial Date," has a creepy killer, Azazel, who thinks his 'cause' just. To say his reaction to the show is extreme is an understatement. What makes DV Berkom's killer especially sinister is his game playing and cunning. He has an agenda for enforcing his beliefs.

He also has a vendetta against Leinie Basso, the protagonist. The way he executes step one of his vendetta is to kidnap her daughter. Leinie was once an accomplished assassin and had started a new life, away from danger and death. Azazel's taking of her daughter drags Leinie back to the world of her old profession.

To add another complication to the mix, the detective Leinie's been involved with, Santiago Jensen, begins to suspect something is wrong. Leinie refuses to tell him her situation, which makes Jensen more determined to find out the problem.

"Serial Date," is fast paced with an interesting cast of characters. I could imagine Ms. Berkom developing a series out of Leinie and Jensen.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Oh, yes, the dreaded ¿reality¿ show. How real are they? At least

Oh, yes, the dreaded “reality” show. How real are they? At least in the case of the fictional Serial Date, not as real as the producers would like you to think. The male “serial killer” contestants are ex-cons, not the murderers the audience is led to believe, nor is all the action on the show as unscripted and spontaneous as they want you to believe. When a female contestant is killed, the producers have a potential public relations nightmare on their hands.




The premise of this book is a great foundation for a thriller and could be done many different ways. What I most liked about the approach Berkom took is the main character Leine’s relationship with her daughter, and how this drove the story. Early on, it is apparent that Leine has a past that haunts her and has affected the relationship with her adult daughter, but the specifics of this are a bit of a mystery. As the details fill in and tie back to the main story, I found I was drawn that much deeper into the story as Leine’s plight made me care what happened even more, and made for an engrossing read.




**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **