Free book (Kobo, nook, Kindle) - The 7th Victim [Thriller]

[ATDrake]

ETA: Well, 5 years later, this has now been picked up by a different publisher who is also offering it free.

The 7th Victim by Alan Jacobson (SYKM) is the 1st in his Karen Vail series of crime thrillers starring the eponymous FBI profiler, this installment setting up with her profiling unit, free courtesy of publisher Open Road Media, who are reprinting it from its 2008 Vanguard edition which was previously offered free.

This is apparently part of a US Thanksgiving holiday long weekend promo. We've previously gotten further books in the series free, as per discussion downthread, but if you happened to miss those, the rest of them are now couponable as Open Road reprints.

Currently free @ B&N, Amazon & Kobo & iTunes (none available to Canadians, now that ORM has become rather stingy about letting us even get the discount deals, much less the freebies), and Google Play (available to Canadians).

Description
Karen Vail is no ordinary FBI agent. She’s a profiler, brought to life by national bestselling author Alan Jacobson’s seven years of unprecedented access to the FBI’s vaunted profiling unit. The Karen Vail Series has been raved about by reviewers, readers, law enforcement officers of all stripes, real FBI profilers . . . even one of the legendary founding fathers of the Behavioral Analysis Unit.

And it all started with The 7th Victim. With a dry sense of humor and a closet full of skeletons, Karen Vail leads the Dead Eyes Task Force in its search for a serial killer who is not only murdering young women but who has an intimate knowledge of their cases—and their plan for catching him.

When the task force is unable to decipher a string of cryptic clues left behind at the crime scenes, Vail leans on a controversial profile she has drawn up—which leads her to believe that the seventh victim holds the key to finding the killer. But there’s no way she could be prepared for what she discovers as the story builds to a powerful ending no reader will see coming.

Blockbuster author Nelson DeMille described FBI profiler Karen Vail as “tough, smart, funny, [and] very believable,” and literary icon Michael Connelly called her “my kind of hero.” Named one of the top five books of the year by Library Journal, The 7th Victim gets the critically acclaimed, bestselling Karen Vail Series off to a groundbreaking start.

The 7th Victim, by Alan Jacobson, is a free thriller from Vanguard, available to Canadians and probably others in the Kobo store.

It has no description there, so I cribbed the one from Amazon. Both the customer and editorial reviews don't seem so thrilled about it there, but it mentions that this has been optioned for a Hollywood film, so maybe that's why the freebie now, to boost the buzz. Anyway, free is free, so thanks, Vanguard!

Product Description
The Dead Eyes Killer lurks in the backyard of the famed FBI Profiling Unit. His brutal murders, unlike any others previously seen, confound the local task force, despite the gifted profiling skills of Special Agent Karen Vail. But along with Vails insight and expertise comes considerable personal and professional baggage. On leave pending a review of her assault on her abusive ex-husband, Vail must battle forces determined to bring her down, as she fights to find Dead Eyes before he murders more young women. But the seventh victim is the key to all that stirs this killer...the key that will unlock secrets perhaps too painful for Vail to bear. These are secrets that threaten to destroy her, secrets that will bring down her storied and promising career. For Karen Vail, the truth rests at the heart of a lie. And uncovering it could get her killed...With material meticulously researched during seven years of study with the Bureau's vaunted profiling unit, Alan Jacobson brings refreshing realism and unprecedented accuracy to his pages, as he takes readers behind the scenes of the FBI Academy, where he worked with the actual profilers who have studied and interviewed twenty years' worth of serial killers.

Incidentally, the Dorchester 20 (set of free mostly romance, but also some thriller and horror novels) are still all free at Kobo, so if you haven't already picked them up and have any interest, don't forget to get them while they last.

Though I'm not really into genre romance, I've already read The Accidental Demon Slayer and Trouble in Mudbug out of the lot, and found they were fairly enjoyable mostly-comedies with the paranormal, sleuthing, and especially romance elements more on the side. Mildly recommended for people who'd enjoy more general funny reads.

Finally, in case any of the newer MR members didn't already know, Nook, Sony, and other ADE-DRM ePub-supporting readers can use the Kobo books, so this considerably enhances your freebie-getting options.

[koland]

Thanks. It is free in the US.

[Terisa de morgan]

And free in Spain too

[lene1949]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

And free in Spain too

And in Australia!

[ATDrake]

Now also free at B&N. US-only, of course. This is the 1st book in the series, the 3rd, Velocity, is a free pre-order in the Kindle store.

[SensualPoet]

These are tempting ... but the reviews seem to be either WOW or UGH! ... 5 stars, or 1 star .... hmmmmm.

[ATDrake]

Eh, free is free. Once you've secured a copy, you can always decide which set of reviewers has no taste and optionally, play "guess the sockpuppet", at your leisure.

[SensualPoet]

But, you raise an interesting point. Do we download something just because it is free ... or because we have a, say, 70-80% chance of actually consuming it? Here's a chance, thanks to your sleuthing, to obtain 2 out of 3 titles free and only "have" to buy one if we like it. I know it's just electrons, but I am struggling with "just because it's free ...".

[ATDrake]

Now also free for Kindle, as long as you're not Canadian.

[ATDrake]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

But, you raise an interesting point. Do we download something just because it is free ... or because we have a, say, 70-80% chance of actually consuming it?

Neither. Both. Probably somewhere in between.

I know that I've gone, read, and enjoyed some things I normally wouldn't have tried (those romantic comedy books I mentioned in the OP from the Dorchester freebie set) but gave a chance just because I'd gotten them free. If I hadn't downloaded because 70-80% of the time I'm a firm no-romo, I'd have missed out on some decently entertaining reads that cost me nothing more than my time and were certainly worth the bare few hours they took out of that.

The way I see things, these freebies are like a public library. Or maybe more like a rolling bookmobile whose selection changes on an irregular basis. Sure some of it won't be to my taste, but it costs me nothing to just add them to my account, it gives the publishers feedback that hey, people like free books! similar to how good circulation tells the municipal government that hey, people like taxpayer-subsidized public resources!.

And you never know, you might find some new author/genre/literary style/plot device you can therefore expand the limits of your enjoyable reading horizons with.

As I've found out, I still don't care for more typical romance-y romances, but screwball comedy variants have a surprising appeal. While it'll never be one of my reading mainstays, it's a pleasant change of pace.

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

Here's a chance, thanks to your sleuthing, to obtain 2 out of 3 titles free and only "have" to buy one if we like it.

I think where we must part ways on this is on the seeming assumption that we'd actually go and buy the "missing" 2nd book.

Personally, I feel absolutely no obligation to purchase. I have a library card and I'm not afraid to use it. Especially if it's merely to indulge my curiosity about a sequel for a book I mildly liked. But library circulation also goes towards which books/authors they'll add to their collection, so it's not like there isn't some benefit back for the promotion offerer.

That said, when I have really and truly enjoyed an author's works that I've gotten free, to the point where I want to read their other stuff and support them in some way, I do try to pay for some work of theirs that looks reasonably interesting and decently priced.

Case in point: a couple of months ago, Kensington offered two Sharyn McCrumb (of Bimbos of the Death Sun fame, which she has apparently been trying to live down), St. Dale (a very nice NASCAR/Canterbury Tales mash-up that's apparently taught in several US college literary courses, by the way) and Once Around the Track, both about US-style stock car racing, at the Kindle store.

I admit I downloaded them purely because I download all the freebies indiscriminately. But once I realized who the author was, I decided to try one of her books first and ended up reading them both.

Although I know nothing about and flat-out don't care about NASCAR, that being a sport we don't have up here in BC, I enjoyed both of McCrumb's NASCAR-related novels enough that I've made the decision to purchase a third one she's co-written with a NASCAR driver and offers DRM-free on Smashwords.

And while Faster Pastor isn't nearly as good as the other two, what with the lighter plot and all, and I've now read it via the library's hardback copy, I'm still getting it because I've been provided good entertainment at no cost to myself and would like to show appreciation back to those who gave it to me.

Mind you, I'll be waiting for Read an E-Book Week next year to see if the publisher offers a coupon discount, because it's 9.95, and also to see if they've fixed the worst of the godawful formatting or I'll have to do it myself.

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

I know it's just electrons, but I am struggling with "just because it's free ..."

Well, sometimes you just have to take a chance on these things. Maybe it works out, maybe it doesn't, and if indeed you do enjoy the 1st and 3rd books, then it'll feel pretty nice to get the 2nd for an amortized cost of $2.50 or so. And if you don't, then there's always the handy "delete" function.

The odds are with you. You may be out a bit of time spent finding out it's just as rubbish as the 1-stars claim, but if it doesn't work, at least you won't be out any money. And if it really is a 5-star book, your joy is thus increased. For free.

[SensualPoet]

Thanks, ATDrake, for such a thoughtful and thorough reply.

Like you, I don't feel "obligated" to buy a sequel to something I have obtained free. I simply meant if one enjoyed something -- I discovered Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley through a Kobo library download -- I'm more likely to include the author the next I am buying at Amazon or Kobo.

I'm not sure publisher's "take the hint" with free downloads ... but if it spikes the "for a fee" titles, they'll notice. At least, the marketer in me believes they will.

The other "meme" pressing up against my pant leg, however, is that ... hey! there's only so much time in the day and one's day's are numbered. Do I really need to "clutter" up my ereader with stuff I am unlikely to read? Seriously: I might get through 2000 more books before I croak. And that's at 60 books a year -- and leaving Buddenbrooks or War and Peace out of the mix!

[ATDrake]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

Like you, I don't feel "obligated" to buy a sequel to something I have obtained free. I simply meant if one enjoyed something -- I discovered Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley through a Kobo library download -- I'm more likely to include the author the next I am buying at Amazon or Kobo.

Well, that's how it's supposed to work, isn't it? If you find out you like an author, regardless of how you got to read their writing, you're more inclined to seek them out again however and wherever you can.

Last FW 50% off coupon sale (before the current one in the D, F & R forum), I picked up the first books in various series by Nick Pollotta and Lawrence Watt-Evans to try out. Read and enjoyed them; today went back for the lot in both. Same with the library. I try a new-to-me book that looks interesting; if it turns out to be good (or even just unintentionally entertaining*), I go look at the rest of what that author has on shelf next time I'm there.

While this doesn't necessarily translate to sales (at least not from you and me), it does make for an increase in goodwill and word-of-mouth and even potential paying readership. I'm always happy to recommend decent-quality authors I've enjoyed when people ask for specific story elements, and even happier when I can point people at free full-length "samples" of their writing.

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

The other "meme" pressing up against my pant leg, however, is that ... hey! there's only so much time in the day and one's day's are numbered. Do I really need to "clutter" up my ereader with stuff I am unlikely to read?

Absolutely not. Things you're completely opposed to: don't even bother with if you know it's not for you and you don't even want to peek out of morbid curiosity.

It's the stuff you might enjoy but have doubts about, or haven't tried that you might be receptive to, that is worth at least a quick addition and a skim through the first couple of pages which will let you determine whether it just plain leaves you flat and you can merrily delete away, or if it's got a spark of potential you might want to revisit when you're bored and want a change of pace.

* Why yes, I do have Ed Wood on DVD.

[Quake1028]

Got the two freebies. Thanks.

[Dr. Drib]

The Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/The-7th-Victim...5764621&sr=1-1




Don

[crich70]

I tend to download the free books both because they are free and because the subject matter catches my interest. Everybody likes to get something for free (though I imagine the reason authors set one of their books out for free is in the hopes that the reading public will want to read what else they've written and will pay to get a copy) but just being free won't get me to download a book if it doesn't catch my interest.

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

But, you raise an interesting point. Do we download something just because it is free ... or because we have a, say, 70-80% chance of actually consuming it? Here's a chance, thanks to your sleuthing, to obtain 2 out of 3 titles free and only "have" to buy one if we like it. I know it's just electrons, but I am struggling with "just because it's free ...".