Cause to Kill (An Avery Black Mystery—Book 1)
Homicide Detective Avery Black has been through hell. Once a top criminal defense attorney, she fell from grace when she managed to get a brilliant Harvard professor off—only to watch him kill again. She lost her husband and her daughter, and her life fell apart around her.
Trying to redeem herself, Avery has turned to the other side of the law. Working her way up the ranks, she has reached Homicide Detective, to the scorn of her fellow officers, who still remember what she did, and who will always hate her.
Yet even they cannot deny Avery’s brilliant mind, and when a disturbing serial killer strikes fear into the heart of Boston, killing girls from elite colleges, it is Avery that they turn to. It is Avery’s chance to prove herself, to finally find the redemption she craves. And yet, as she is soon to find out, Avery has come up against a killer as brilliant and daring as she.
In this game of psychological cat and mouse, women are dying with mysterious clues, and the stakes could not be higher. A frantic race against time leads Avery through a series of shocking and unexpected twists—culminating in climax that even Avery could not imagine.
A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, CAUSE TO KILL marks the debut of a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.
About Author
Blake Pierce is the USA Today bestselling author of the several mystery series with women detectives. The first book of every series is available as a free download on Amazon!
An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Blake loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.blakepierceauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.
Let’s meet the key characters.
Characters in “Cause to Kill” by Blake Pierce
- Avery Black – A homicide detective with the Boston PD who was previously a defense attorney. She has a complicated past and is trying to prove herself in her new role.
- Officer Dan Ramirez – Avery’s partner in the homicide department who is initially skeptical of her. But he’s a charmer and so charming.
- Officer Finley – Avery’s partner when Ramirez gets slashed with a knife and hospitalized. Finley is lazy-ass but Avery makes it work in her favour. He was pretty heroic at one point, as well.
- Chief O’Malley – The police chief who is critical of Avery but also supportive.
- Captain Dylan – Avery’s supervisor at the Boston Police Department who is often hostile toward Avery.
- Howard Randall – A serial killer that Avery helped put away in the past, and she keeps going back to him for clues about the current case.
- Officer Henley – One officer who seems to have a thing for Avery, flirts with her.
- Rose – Avery’s teenage daughter with whom she has a strained relationship.
- James – Avery’s ex-husband who split from Avery because… it’s complicated. I don’t want to spoil it for you. Read the book.
Non-Spoiler Recap
“Cause to Kill” introduces us to Avery Black, a former high-powered defense attorney who has switched sides to become a homicide detective with the Boston Police Department. Still haunted by her past and struggling to find acceptance among her colleagues, Avery gets assigned to a disturbing case when bodies start appearing around Boston with strange ritualistic elements.
As Avery works to track down a meticulous serial killer, she must also confront her own demons and complicated history. The case challenges her both professionally and personally, forcing her to use her unique background and perspective to think differently than traditional detectives.
The novel combines police procedural elements with psychological thriller aspects, exploring themes of redemption, justice, and the thin line between right and wrong. The story is set against the backdrop of Boston, and takes readers through a tense investigation as Avery races to catch the killer before more victims are claimed.
Review
Since I read it immediately after “The Next Girl”, some comparison is inevitable. Unlike the former, each interview and every visit to the crime scene took the story forward. It also shed light on who Avery Black is as a person and her interpersonal skills with other cops. She is driven. She is fierce and she doesn’t hesitate from asserting her authority when the time comes.
Apart from solving the case, she also manages to mend her relationship with her daughter, which Gina Harte of “The Next Girl” failed to do. Avery also got three fans: Howard Randall who confessed that he loves Avery Black, her immediate supervisor Dylan who pretends to hate Avery, and Avery’s partner Dan Ramirez. There was also Officer Henley at the time of the second murder.
So much happened and yet the reader isn’t overwhelmed. At the end, the psyche of the psycho serial killer was also explained which wasn’t the case with Gina. It was just: “yeah, he did terrible things.”
I couldn’t help but draw parallels to earlier Blake Pierce works I’ve read (only two: The Perfect Wife and A Murder in Paris). The first book I ever read The Perfect Wife also had several visits to the prison and interviewing criminals.
We also learn about Avery’s past as a lawyer, her abusive mother and her father’s murder. Overall, I am happy with this book and I may even consider reading the next book in the series.
What I Loved About “Cause to Kill”
- Fast-paced plot – The story moves quickly with no unnecessary filler, making it a true page-turner
- Complex protagonist – Avery Black’s background as a former defense attorney turned detective creates interesting moral conflicts
- Realistic police dynamics – The tension between Avery and her colleagues feels authentic and adds depth to the workplace scenes
- Well-developed villain – The killer’s psychology and motivations are thoroughly explored rather than simply making them a generic “bad guy”
- Personal growth – Watching Avery work through her complicated relationship with her daughter while solving the case adds emotional weight
Areas for Improvement
- I can’t think of anything at the moment, honestly.
Few lines I highlighted:
Nobody really knows you, but everyone seems to have an opinion: idiot, genius, has-been, up-and-comer, murderer, savior. I wanted to sort out fact from fiction.”
Avery began to wonder if he was slightly special.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Missed a page break, just like me. I feel so good for some reason. I’m not the only one who misses that.
Final Thoughts
“Cause to Kill” stands out as a solid introduction to the Avery Black series. Blake Pierce has created a detective with a genuinely unique background and perspective that sets her apart from the typical police procedural protagonist. The book balances the murder investigation with personal drama effectively, never letting one overshadow the other. While it’s not without flaws, the strengths far outweigh the weaknesses, making this a worthwhile read for thriller and mystery fans.
The combination of a flawed but determined protagonist, fast-paced plotting, and psychological depth makes for an engaging reading experience that’s hard to put down.
And that, I think, is the mark of a good series opener.
Rating: 4.5/5
Have you read “Cause to Kill” or any other Blake Pierce novels? What did you think of Avery Black as a protagonist? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Stay tuned for more book reviews.
Until next time, happy reading!
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Shabana Mukhtar