Whoa...... This one grabbed me on page one and it isn't going to let go soon! ( Because I want to know what Harry has to tell Van) The Taken Ones was written with such intensity I was fully immersed and carried right through to the end. The character building and setting descriptions were just enough to put you right there. Although the topic is disturbing I didn't find unnecessary graphic details. I would like to say I knew as soon as the guilty party was introduced I knew they were the one but that's not what happened here... I had 5 or 6 suspects, and while I wasn't shocked by whodunit I was fascinated by the way the investigation led to the arrest. The subplot was well woven in and was equally as interesting and I am looking forward to Book 2 and spending more time with the BCA Agents, delving deeper into their relationships and "office politics". And of course, seeing them solve more Cold Cases. I highly recommend this book for teens through elder¿.

It’s good, but I hate how so many authors have to make the female detectives so completely broken all the time. It’s like a woman cannot be a good cop unless she has had some kind of unspeakable trauma. And I am not sure I am on board with the the visions or the Dexter spin. It makes it all too easy somehow. This isn’t a review that sounds like I liked the book…I know. But it is very readable, no issues with editing. Characters are all fairly interesting. And I will read the next book.

Wow, just finished Jess Lourey's The Taken Ones. With no spoilers, I loved the way she weaved the villain into the story. It was so carefully crafted. I can't wait to read more of the Reed and Steinbeck series!

I liked this book. It was interesting and kept my interest throughout. I'd like to see a follow-up. If you like this kind of book this is certainly worth your time.

It took me a little longer than usual to really get in to this one, but wow, was it worth it. Dark, complex, explosive, and original. Can’t wait to see what’s next for agents reed and steinbeck!

Van Reed once worked homicide with a great cop that understood her and how to make her gift work. She was different, but that never bothered Bart, he just took what she gave him and worked the cases and they had the best clearance rate in the department. Then Bart died and they shunned her until Van left, dealing with her gift in an unhealthy way until she ended up at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension or BCA, cold case division. Van was handed a fifty year old case of abducted children she is now the lead on, and it’s hard to keep her gifts under wraps. Her forensic partner Harry Steinbeck is as different from Van as night from day, he’s so tidy and buttoned up and Van is sometimes a slob because that’s her version of control. You see, Van was once an abused child and has her own ghosts to deal with. This is an exciting five star read that was hard to put down and I can’t wait for the next book!

This was a well-written, compelling book, with real-seeming characters and a tense and exciting main plot. I hate everything, so this is high praise.

I was.beginning to think all of JL books that weren't her "Murder By Month" series were actually the same book with little variation. The stories were very similar, though well written. So I had this book in my library for awhile before I started reading it. It is definitely not the same.story that she has told before. There is a new heroine, Evangeline (Van) who is complex, likable, and very relatable, especially to those who have experienced trauma. Van has PTSD and is a very intelligent woman who.also is very intuitive. She has premonitions, lucid dreams. This isn't the main focus of her ability to solve cold cases, but its there, adding to her feeling of being different and separate from others. I didn't quite get what her job title is, just that she works with the PD in cold cases, and in this book, she is looking at a.case.where 2 girls were abducted 30 yrs earlier. The book has a side romance brewing, as well. There are interesting secondary and side characters that were interesting and believable as well. It says a lot about the author that she was able to develop these characters without making the story too long or bogged down. It was also left open for a sequel. Not sure how i.feel about that. Cliffhangers often make a story feel incomplete. But if there is a sequel, I will be one of the first in line to read it.