Skin Game by J.D. Allen

Skin Game Reviews

• 
  Paromjit

  This is the second in the JD Allen's Sin City Investigations series set in Las Vegas. I had heard a lot about the first book with its great reviews but which I have not read, but my interest was piqued and I picked up this. I have a strong suspicion that I would really have benefited greatly had I read the 1st book as so much here hinged on what happened there. PI Jim Beam's new life is a struggle as he gets used to his new identity after a traumatic and harrowing past that blew his life apart. He has run of the mill surveillance cases involving partners that might be cheating when who should enter his life but his ex-girlfriend, Erica Floyd, a woman who has shown precious little trust in him. Erica is searching for her missing sister. As you can probably imagine, Jim has serious misgivings about getting involved in Erica's plight but eventually agrees to help look for her sister, which is to trigger the return of his haunted past for him. Jim could hardly have forseen the dangers that he is to find himself in, such as the horrors of the heartwrenching world of human trafficking and powerful and ruthless mobsters. This is an entertaining and suspenseful thriller but I found my experience of it marred by failing to read the first novel, so suggest readers read that first. Many thanks to Midnight Ink for an ARC.
• 
  Mike

  Having not read the first of the Jim Bean series may have put me at a disadvantage, but I enjoyed this tale nonetheless. With a new identity, now a Private Investigator in Las Vegas, Jim’s ex asks him to find her sister. So, the adventure begins despite his anger with her, as the injuries and death toll mounts. With good characters, dynamic writing and illuminating description of Vegas, this is darkly haunting. A three-and-a-half-star rating. With thanks to NetGalley and the author for a preview copy for review purposes.
• 
  Cynthia Hamilton

  There’s a lot more to Jim Bean than is revealed in “19 Souls,” the first book in the Sin City Investigation Series. In “Skin Game,” we discover the cavalier PI is harboring a painful past, one that shattered his world and sent him clear across the country to live out an anonymous existence. His plan blot out the past from his mind worked until the past showed up on his own turf, breaking his heart all over again while turning the life he had carved out for himself upside-down.
  
  I was just as captivated by the second book as I was with the first. But Skin Game tackles a hideous reality that is all too real. I think the author handles the subject well, never playing down the human toll. It’s not a walk in the park by any means, but the action is so fast-paced and compelling, I couldn’t put it down.
  
  
  Merged review:
  
  There’s a lot more to Jim Bean than is revealed in “19 Souls,” the first book in the Sin City Investigation Series. In “Skin Game,” we discover the cavalier PI is harboring a painful past, one that shattered his world and sent him clear across the country to live out an anonymous existence. His plan blot out the past from his mind worked until the past showed up on his own turf, breaking his heart all over again while turning the life he had carved out for himself upside-down.
  
  I was just as captivated by the second book as I was with the first. But Skin Game tackles a hideous reality that is all too real. I think the author handles the subject well, never playing down the human toll. It’s not a walk in the park by any means, but the action is so fast-paced and compelling, I couldn’t put it down.
• 
  Jeri Berryhill

  Loved it
  
  Great story! Could not put it down! Can't wait for the next book in the series. Love the characters and the story line
• 
  K-BRC

  The skin game is hauntingly dark and twisted, but addictively fascinating. It’s a marvelous dangerous look at the underbelly of life. Definitely a 5-star read.
• 
  Heather

  I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A good Thriller/suspense that is a good weekend read.
• 
  Monique

  ⭐️ 3.5/4 stars ⭐️
• 
  Joan

  I like Jim Bean. You get to know more about him in each book.
  Interesting and intense stories from the sordid streets of Vegas.
• 
  R.J. Beam

  Author JD Allen dives into the Vegas underworld in her new novel Skin Game. A timely story dealing with human trafficking.
  
  Private Investigator Jim Beam is not living his ideal life. He works in Las Vegas mostly chasing cheating husbands and insurance scammers. He drinks too much, and he has a debt to a big-time Vegas crime lord.
  
  At one time in life, he had been on track to join the FBI. An accusation of a crime he did not commit derailed that. Even after all they had dropped the charges, it was too late. The FBI has passed him over for other new recruits and the love of his life has left him.
  
  Skin Game finds Jim having to help the ex who left him. He bumps into her as she is looking for her sister. The missing sister is a social worker trying to get women out of prostitution. Everyone assumes her disappearance is linked to a rumored sex trafficking ring. Unfortunately for Jim the crime lord he is beholden to allegedly has a hand this human trafficking.
  
  There is a tension running under the surface across the book. Jim does not want to work this case. He hates is ex for dumping him, for not believing he was innocent. At the same time, he wants to end this sex trafficking ring. The crime he was accused of was a rape, so saving these missing girls has a personal edge to it. Then add the issue of his debt to the person he might be busting.
  
  I like the way the author approached the topic of human trafficking. It has been in the headlines lately. Some authors might see the headlines and just craft some poorly conceived a plot to claim a “ripped from the headlines” story. As the plot to Skin Game unfolds the depth to which the author planned the criminal enterprise becomes apparent. The crime lord is not the only one running the trafficking ring, he has some business partners.
  
  Skin Game will release on February 8, 2019. I would suggest anyone looking for a modern mystery dealing with current topics to pick up a copy.
  
  A free review copy of the book was provided via NetGalley in exchange for this unbiased review.
• 
  SteVen Hendricks

  Book Review – Author J.D. Allen’s “Skin Game,” Book 2 in the Sin City Investigations series is no roll of the dice novel. Allen consistently maintains excellence in her writing and quality in her style of writing. She delivers another smart, fast-paced book that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. Skin Game is another intense rollercoaster case encompassing more danger and dodgy situations and a plate full of suspense. Several characters from Book 1 are back and they fit in well with the new storyline. Private Investigator Jim Bean has created a new identity in Las Vegas and is just trying to get by. He doesn't have a great life, but it's his and he’s not complaining until his ex-fiancée shows up looking for her missing sister. Despite serious reservations, Bean agrees to search for his ex’s sister and clues lead him to a human-trafficking ring and one of Vegas' most influential mobsters. Nothing’s ever ‘easy’ in Vegas. Allen lays out a good, rare combination of trepidation and richly drawn characters that kept me engaged and intrigued. I was fascinated by the plot line and committed to the story. Allen nailed her ‘sophomore’ effort in the series and found a fan in a usually dedicated action thriller reader. Good crime thriller, I highly recommend it.
• 
  Heath Henwood

  Skin Game
  
  By J. D. Allen
  
  1 star.
  
  Boring.
  
  After reading the first quarter of the book and not yet finding a hook or a reason to continue reading I gave up.
  
  This is the second book in the series, and fails dramatically to reach the same pace or interest as the first.
  
  Private investigator Jim Bean has worked hard to create his new identity in Vegas. He doesn't have a great life, but it's his. When his ex-fiancée Erica Floyd walks into one of his investigations looking for her missing sister, the tragic past he wanted to leave behind comes flooding back.
  
  Despite serious reservations, Jim agrees to search for Erica's sister. Clues lead him to a human trafficking ring and one of Vegas's most influential mobsters. Unless Jim can face the ghosts of his past, the anger of his present, and a new enemy out for his blood, four women will suffer a fate worse than death
  
  There are better things to do with my time then read this book.
  
  Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
  
  #SkinGame #NetGalley
  
  Reviewed by Heath Henwood
  
  www.books-reviewed.weebly.com
• 
  Denise

  This is the second installment in this series featuring Jim Bean, a down on his luck Las Vegas private investigator. He’s barely making ends meet investigating insurance fraud and cheating spouses when his former life rears it’s head. He’s working a ‘slip and fall’ insurance fraud case when he runs into his former girlfriend who’s come to town looking for her missing sister. He reluctantly gets involved in helping her and they are plunged into the brutality of sex trafficking.
  
  The characters are very well developed and the storyline, even though it’s brutal, holds your attention until it’s climactic conclusion. In the first book in the series we’re given only vague references to some event that caused Jim to change his name and move to Las Vegas. In this installment Jim’s backstory and his history with Erica are revealed and Jim is forced to deal with that history. These revelations give us a better understanding of how and why he became Jim Bean.
  
  
• 
  Joanne Chase

  P.I. Jim Bean works in Vegas, mostly surveillance of cheating husbands ... his life did not go quite as planned. He’s struggling financially, he drinks too much and he’s angry. While working a surveillance case, he runs into his ex-fiancé, Erica Floyd, who is in Vegas looking for her missing sister. Against his better judgement, he agrees to help her, and they find themselves involved with big time mobsters and human trafficking.
  
  This book deals with the ugly, evil side of humanity, a side most of us would rather not acknowledge exists. The story is dark and grim, without a ‘feel good’ ending, but definitely worth reading. The plot is intricate and well written and I strongly recommend it.
• 
  Grace Koshida

  Vegas PI Jim Bean is watching a man for a case when his ex-fiancee Erica Floyd walks on to the scene.
  Erica has traveled from Boston to find her missing social worker sister Chris. Jim reluctantly agrees to search for Chris. The trail leads to a series of other missing girls, a brutal international human trafficking ring, and a failed casino development in nearby Coyote Springs with links to Jim's nemesis, mobster Andrew Zant. This was a gritty read with plenty of action that put both Erica and Jim in danger as they try to save Chris and get some revenge for the brutalized girls.
  
  I received an eARC via Netgalley and Midnight Ink with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
• 
  K Huskić

  3.5 stars
  
  While I did like certain aspects of this story, I probably should have read book 1 first. There were several mentions of things from the first book, and I didn't realise this was book 2, at first.
  
  Jim is a P.I. who has had a rough few years. When his ex shows up in town looking for her missing sister, Jim can't help but get involved, despite his anger towards her. This turns into a bigger case than they originally thought, uncovering a trafficking ring, and resulting in many injuries and deaths.
  
  I did like the writing style, and Jim as a character, and I would definitely read more from this author. I may even go back at some stage and read the first book, to get the entire picture.
• 
  David Taylor

  PI Jim Bean is back in Skin Game, another story of the goings on in the underbelly of Sin City. Like the previous story 19 Souls, Bean has his issues, but in this story, there is enough background on him to understand the origin of his personal damage and faults. Skin Game is action-packed and involves not only Jim, but O, Ely, and Miller working in concert to solve the case of the missing girl. While I really enjoyed 19 Souls, Skin Game has hooked me on the Sin City Investigation series. I received an Advance Reader Copy and chose to provide this review.
• 
  Roger

  Skin Game (A Sin City Investigation Book 2)), my first read from author J.D. Allen. December seemed to be my month for new authors and January looks to continue the trend. I prefer mystery and thrillers & this didn't disappoint. I was gifted a free copy and I'm voluntarily reviewing it because every good books need reviews. I look forward to more from this author and in this series, since I've started it with book 2, I'll have to get 19 Souls (Sin City Investigations Book 1) next. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018)
• 
  Tim Mullen

  Wow! Private Investigator Jim Bean is back and so are the memories he tried to escape by fleeing to Las Vegas. This is a gripping, fabulously written thriller, with some very uncomfortable insights into people trafficking, prostitution and corruption that the tourist brochures don't mention. I genuinely had to force myself to take breaks from this book to do real life things, but it's a long time since I counted down the minutes until I could return to a book. Outstanding and a genuine "must read".
• 
  Cathy

  Skin Game by J.D. Allen, this is the 2nd book from this series and I do wish I would have read the 1st one however it is not necessary I think I would have understood Jim B. more.... not a bad book, good characters some you like some you don't. ...thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for allowing me to read this ARC book and give my opinion.
• 
  Cathy

  Skin Game by J.D. Allen, this is the 2nd book from this series and I do wish I would have read the 1st one however it is not necessary I think I would have understood Jim B. more.... not a bad book, good characters some you like some you don't. ...thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for allowing me to read this ARC book and give my opinion.
• 
  Jeri

  JD Allen has an interesting and dynamic style of writing. Definitely gets the reader involved in this tale of a down on his luck PI in Vegas. Missing showgirls coincide with his former fiancées search for her missing sister. Secondary characters remind you of Stephanie Plums’ peeps. Much better if you read the first book in this series first. Which I did. 😉
• 
  Erika

  Another book I just couldn't seem to get into, it was good I wish NetGalley showed if books were a sequel. I wouldn't have wanted to read this knowing it was a sequel since I didn't read the first book. There were parts that I didn't understand because of that. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book to read.
• 
  Laura

  Unfortunately, I could not finish this novel. I never read the other book in the series and feel as though that was a necessity in order to understand this one. I had a hard time following along as well as the fact that it skipped a lot. I give it 2 stars.