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Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1)
Ashes to Ashes - Kovac & Liska, Bk 1
Author: Tami Hoag
Some killers are born. Some are made. For him, the question is irrelevant.  The taste for murder has always been present, prowling the edge of his consciousness like a hungry wolf.  In a wooded Minneapolis park, he performs his profane ceremony.  He arranges the body to his satisfaction.  He pours the acce...  more »
Info icon
ISBN-13: 9780553106336
ISBN-10: 0553106333
Publication Date: 3/2/1999
Pages: 496
Rating:
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 116

3.8 stars, based on 116 ratings
Publisher: Bantam
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
A book about a serial killer that delves deep into his mental state. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time reading this, in awe that someone could write about such things, yet still wanting to read to the end, unable to determine how this story would end.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 330 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Enough already with the metaphors, similes and idioms. I get it. In this laborious story, Kate Conlon, a former FBI agent and currently a child advocate is brought in to help a young witness identify a man, the Cremator, whom she saw in a park late at night setting a body on fire. As this very long story goes, it gets quite twisted as to who are the good guys, who are the bad guys and which characters are brought in to confuse the story even more. When the third victim of the Cremator is identified as the damaged daughter of a billionaire the big guns are called in, in the form of Special Agent John Quinn, who just happened to be the ex-lover of Kate. One more twist. And of course, now Kates life is in danger. The only thing that kept me reading was that I couldn't figure out who the Cremator was; too many major and minor characters were thrown at you in hopes that something would stick and lead you down the wrong path and yet again you would be bouncing back and forth with possibilities.I dont think I will be reading this author again since about one-third of this book could have been removed and the story would have flowed much better and as an experienced author, for me, she just couldnt keep up the momentum
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 193 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
TAMI HOAG has got to be one of the best writers out there. This one was exceptional. You wondered who the villian was and though I came close the end was a bit of a suprise. A couple of them actualy.
THANKS TAMI.... Keep up the good work.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 60 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
A complicated, very intense and involving read. Hard to put down. Tami Hoag always provides suspenseful plot twists and this book is no exception. Take a deep breath....
sig avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 33 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Hoag has become one of my favorite story tellers.
Read All 107 Book Reviews of "Ashes to Ashes Kovac Liska Bk 1"

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liamsgramma avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 25 more book reviews
Another great read by Tami Hoag. A little more dark than some of the others. Some I find as just a good mystery, some the killer is just too creepy and sick. Great writing by a great mind. Love Tami Hoag.
tamtam1014 avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on
I loved this book! She is an excellent author!!!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 194 more book reviews
Another great book by Tami Hoag.
mindyislosingit avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 19 more book reviews
Tami Hoag is a great writer. I really like her books.
robinmy avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 2097 more book reviews
Two prostitutes have been murdered. Their bodies burnt. The media has dubbed the killer "The Creamator". But the murders do not hit the front page until another body is found and the daughter of Billionaire Peter Bondurant is believed to be the third vicitm. Detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska are working around the clock to solve this crime. A witness to the crime is unwilling to tell the police what she saw. Victim/Witness advocate Kate Conlan is on hand to help her through the ordeal. But Kate isn't happy when FBI Special Agent John Quinn is brought in to profile the killer. Kate and Quinn share a past that she doesn't want stirred up.

This is a good suspense story with lots of red herrings. I certainly didn't figure out who the killer was. I liked the pairing of Kate & Quinn, though I thought they could have talked over their problems much earlier in the book. Kovac and Liska are both very interesting characters that I want to read more about in the next book in the series. My rating: 4 Stars.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 35 more book reviews
I'm hooked, can't wait to read the next book in the series!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 35 more book reviews
I love this writer. I read anything she writes. Another great book!
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
Tami Hoag's new thriller sometimes is too much and you want to put the book down and pretend that much horror could never exist. But by now you are hooked on the characters and want to see justice. Like most Hoag's books, the twists and turns to justice is tricky and be prepared to be unprepared for the ending.

The book flap tells you the story line, but you are never quite prepared for the gritty characters or the slow trail to finding the killer. A solid read for those who like thrillers and mysteries combined.
AngelWings avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 160 more book reviews
This was a fairly good book.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
Abridged - strong story and well done abridgement.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 337 more book reviews
Good story. Great twist in the end! Abridged 4 tapes
sarah5775 avatar reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 386 more book reviews
This is my favorite book by Tami Hoag, whose books are always good. The story revolves around a murderer who burns his victims alive. A homeless teenager is a witness to one of these crimes, and former FBI agent Kate Conlan must protect the girl and get her to talk. A book that kept me guessing from beginning to the suspensefull end.
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 37 more book reviews
Kate Conlan is on the trail of the Cremator, and advocating for the teenage runaway who has seen his face as he lit a match over his third victim. Will her own demons lead to her own doom, or will her fate be of doom?
reviewed Ashes to Ashes (Kovac & Liska, Bk 1) on + 6 more book reviews
Fantastic

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