Full Mortality by Sasscer Hill

Full Mortality Reviews

• 
  Angela

  I can't express how much I loved this book! I grabbed the reins of this read and had the ride of my life until the finish line. Instantly I fell in love with the characters, especially Nikki Latrelle, the girl who came from a life of hard knocks but is determined to rise above her past to do what she loves well, that being a horse jockey. Nikki has a personality that makes you love and respect her, even as a reader. She may be in a male dominant sport, but that doesn't keep her from doing it because she loves it and wants nothing more than to be a jockey and take care of horses. Her attitude is also one to find amusing and humorous. Nikki is a fun girl with friends, but being from a rough past she has an attitude and personality tough as nails. She may not make friends super easy, but those she holds dear she would do anything for. Lorna Doone is another fascinating character, that's for sure. She may have a name that instantly makes you think of a sweet cookie, but don't let that fool you, she is a wild one with a hard to tame attitude. There are many more characters, but those two just had to be my favorites. Not only was I grabbed by the characters and how well they were developed, but the plot was amazing to me. There were many things going on in the plot for mysteries, but at no time was I confused. I loved the diet cocktail that was killing jockeys mystery and the underlying mystery of the questionable bourbon that held more mystery than alcohol. Then there was the mystery of Bobby himself, who just seems to mysterious to possibly be a good guy. It started off with a bang and the twists and turns of it didn't end until the very end of the book. I was constantly on edge waiting to read on and turn the pages to see what would happen next and what Nikki would have to face next. Also, all the horses and the settings for the story were great to read. I have a love for horses and I just loved reading about them along with the mystery plot. I could just picture all the beautiful horses that were described in this book along with the wonderful settings. I could see the story happen in my head as I read it, it was like watching a movie in my head, it was so clear. This book was very well written and I just loved every word and page of it. I will definitely be reading on in this series. This was a true work of art by a wonderful and very talented author. Sasscer Hill really won first place with this book in my eyes. Keep up the great work Hill! For sure one of my new favorite authors!
  
  5/5 Stars!!!
  
  Received free for honest review
• 
  Kaye

  I loved this book and I love this series. Nikki Latrelle is a struggling jockey at Laurel race track in Maryland. She's also assistant trainer for Jim Ravinsky. Jim offers her the opportunity to go to Colonial Downs in Virginia for a special meet with several Virginia-bred horses and Nikki's filly Hellish, where she would be the assistant trainer, exercise rider, and jockey. She takes her friend Lorna with her and Ramon to be the groom. Prior to shipping out, an apprentice jockey, Paco Martinez, dies following a race, possibly from some sort of drug ingestion, possibly to make weight. At his funeral she is contacted by Jay Cormack, a member of the Virginia Racing Commission, who was asking for her help with the "jockey problem". When she arrives in Virginia everything that could go wrong does. She acquires two new horses from a very difficult owner, Amarilla Chaquette, Lorna starts dating bad-boy Bobby Duvayne, they're staying in a cottage with secrets, and there are strange noises and strange people coming out of the woods behind the barn. When another jockey drops dead from ingesting a "super weight loss cocktail", things start happening quickly. Lorna suddenly disappears and it's up to Nikki to find her, the hidden meth lab, and discover the old family secrets. I love this series, the people are so realistic, I feel like I know them.
  
  Merged review:
  
  I loved this book. She described the backside of a racetrack perfectly. I know those people. The mystery was well written. The main character was engaging. This book was recently nominated for an Agatha Award. Personally, I think it deserves it.
• 
  M.J. Payne

  Sasscer Hill has written an exciting, well written mystery set in the thoroughbred race horse world with a plot that moves as fast as a graded stakes winner. This well researched mystery has a buffet of quirky characters who interact in amusing and sometimes frightening ways. “Full Mortality” has the unmistakable touch of a race horse insider with much hands on expertise dealing with race horses of all temperaments. Sasscer Hill’s love of horses threads through this mystery in a way that touches the reader’s heart. She looks straightforwardly at the seamy side of racing as well as depicting trainers, owners, and others in the race industry who are devoted to horses they love and to making the sport safe and thrilling. Her know-how furnishes a satisfying and creative ending to the antics of our hero Nikki Latrelle in a fun, sexy ending to the book. This could be a juicy role for a woman in the world of the male jockey and I can see it in a movie that would interest all. Oh, and you’ll love “Hellish”, the filly Nikki loves.
• 
  Kait Carson

  
  
  Fantastic read. This book kept me up all night. The action is as fast as the Kentucky Derby. Highly recommend this book.
  
  Merged review:
  
  WOW. The characters are so real I wanted to text them, and the plot and subplot are so tightly woven througout the story that it's a pleasure to read. It doesn't matter if you've ever placed a $2 bet or seen a horse run, this book puts it on the nose. The high-stakes world of racing provides the backdrop for the story, but the story is universal, no racing knowledge required. An excellent read, a beautifully written book. I was shocked to discover this was a 'first' book. I'm looking forward to the next in the series!
  
• 
  L.R. Trovillion

  Sasscer Hill knows her horse racing venue well, and I agree with the book jacket claiming she's "America's answer to Dick Francis." She's written a complicated mystery involving murder of both the horse and human kind, but more than that, she's created memorable, believable characters which populate the backstretch. The hero, a struggling jockey named Nikki Latrelle, is a fresh take on the old investigator theme. She's tough, but vulnerable, as she wrestles with rouge horses as well as deceitful trainers, owners, and lovers. Hill has captured the look, smell, and atmosphere of the racing world so well, at times I was so afraid for the horses in the story, but still had to keep turning the pages to find out what happens. Her prose and dialogue is short, terse, and snappy. It gallops across the page like a winning Stakes horse.
• 
  Linda

  I rarely find myself sucked into reading all the books in a series, but I can’t seem to stop myself from downloading the next story in the Nikki Latrelle mysteries series. Nikki is a tough little cookie making it as female jockey in an even tougher racing world. I have stayed away from the track because I know that many of the horses are pushed beyond healthy limits to win. Sasscer Hill has the inside track on the behind the scenes realities of how the horses are treated and the hardships of the sport of kings. The plots in the series are unique and compelling. I love a good twisty turner and Nikki manages to get herself mixed up in murders that are not her fault. This series has become a guilty pleasure.
• 
  Kathi Defranc

  Awesome book,anyone who likes horses or horseracing will really enjoy this story. Great descriptions of the backstretch and the little world behind the scenes at a racetrack,with a little mystery mixed in. Totally enjoyed this book myself,now for the next in the series! :)
• 
  Elizabeth

  It is the horse racing time of year, what better to do that read a racing story. Nikki Latrelle is a jockey who finds herself at the scene of two separate instances of horse murder. She has a habit of going to the racetrack when she has insomnia and this has landed her in hot water with her livelihood jeopardized because naturally wrong place wrong time to often leads to suspicion. I enjoyed the story immensely
• 
  Robert

  A good mystery in the tradition of Dick Francis. More in depth review to come.
• 
  Kassandra Lamb

  A great mystery set in the world of horse-racing. The first book in a series. I highly recommend all of them. Nikki Latrell is a flawed but likeable character with a lot of spunk.
• 
  Melissa

  **This book was received as a free Advanced Reader's copy**
  
  Racing From Death is the second in a series by Sasscer Hill. But I'm happy to say that even though I read this one first, instead of starting with the first book, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. It was quick paced but interesting and since I like horses, it kind of fit that area of my enjoyment too.
  
  Nikki Latrelle has been assigned by her boss to manage the training and racing of some of the stable's mounts in Virginia. A jockey herself she knows what this entails but is still nervous. Especially when strange things start happening at the track and she can't control her riding assistant Lorna's actions even though Lorna is making increasingly bad choices. Because of Nikki's natural curiosity she stumbles on some things she shouldn't and falling off during a race is no longer the only danger she has to face in Virginia.
  
  I liked Nikki. She was flawed, but strong as well. While I didn't agree with some of her actions in this book, they did seem realistic. She also seems to care deeply about the horses she's working with and that's always a positive quality. Lorna I didn't really like as much. For as much as Nikki sticks her neck out for her, she doesn't seem to appreciate it or even make an effort at becoming a better person. The bad guys, well it was easy to tell who they were, but they were menacing enough to make the plot interesting. And just to throw a little mystery in there, she has a groom who appears to be a little bit psychic.
  
  The books was fairly rushed and I would have liked it to slow down a little and develop the plot more. But even so it kept my attention and I was able to read it practically in one sitting. The mystery was decent, if easy to solve and there were a few elements that came as a surprise. The writing itself was detailed and the dialogue easy to follow. There were some almost sex scenes in the book that were just as detailed as everything else, so if you're expecting a G-rated mystery, this isn't it. I don't think it detracted from the story at all, but it did make you question the characters motives, which is a good thing.
  
  A good mystery, I would definitely read more by this author. And I'll probably have to go find the first book now to see how Nikki's story starts.
  
  Racing From Death
  Copyright 2012
  193 pages
  
  Review by M. Reynard 2013
  
  More of my reviews can be found at
  www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com
• 
  Ionia

  "Racing from Death" by Sasscer Hill is an intriguing mystery set in the highly esteemed world of horse racing. Nikki Latrelle is a strong character with an attitude and made reading this book a lot of fun. While I went into this book knowing little about horse racing in general, and although this is a fictional work, I felt more informed after reading it. The author does an exemplary job of writing a book based on what she feels passionate about, and it shows in the quality of her work. I loved that the author was able to connect with me as the reader not just through the main character, but in her witty dialogue and interesting secondary characters. This is a book that murder mystery lovers are sure to appreciate.
  
  One of the things that made this book unique and special, was how the author managed to transition from the main story line to a secondary story line while keeping me, as the reader, interested. You can see while reading this book that the author is leading toward a big finish for all of her characters, but it is too complex to figure out before you reach the end. When you finish this book, it leaves you wanting more. I would have to agree with Mike Battaglia, who said that this author's writing style is similar to that of Sue Grafton. She can write one seriously good mystery. This is a series I am excited about.
  
  I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. No other compensation was received, and my opinions are my own.
• 
  Kay

  If only the author had stuck to the racing mystery and left out some of the romance, this would have been a three-star book, in my opinion. Written very much in the Dick Francis vein, this mystery is set at Laurel Race Park in Maryland, a milieu I found very interesting. The main character is also quite appealing until she starts panting after not one but three guys, two of whom are clearly "bad actors," as they say around the stables. And then there's the compulsory makeover scene, where a friend takes her to Nordstroms and a high-priced hairdresser--shortly before stealing one of Nikki's boyfriends.
  
  Of course, Hill knows her market far better than I do, so perhaps all this love interest sells books, but I found it a bit lame--not what you want from a thoroughbred!
• 
  Steve O'Brien

  Nikki Latrelle has the opportunity of her young lifetime to ride in a stakes race on a horse with a big chance to win. Then the horse turns up dead and fingers start pointing toward Nikki. She is ruled off the racetrack and must uncover the scam or risk becoming another victim.
  
  Sasscer Hill has written an engaging, fast paced horseracing novel that will remind you why you loved Dick Francis so much. The characters are well crafted and the dialog is tight and real. Full Mortality takes you to the darker side of thoroughbred racing, where just staying in the game is a daily struggle. You will cheer for Nikki Latrelle.
  
• 
  Rita Scranton

  Wow, I would give this book more than 5 stars if I could. I had trouble putting it down. It kept me up way too late at night. I am looking forward to reading more in this series. It was a bit of a textbook into the inner circle of horse racing -- behind the scenes; but the kind of textbook you WANT to read.
• 
  Sue

  Interesting read. Bad guys weren't hard to peg, but a lot of very intriguing characters. Maybe we'll see some of them again.
• 
  Ellis Vidler

  Very exciting and well-paced mystery. I highly recommend it!
• 
  Julie Smith

  Great mystery set in the world of thoroughbred racing. Jockey Nikki Latrelle's a grat character.
• 
  Emily (Heinlen) Davis

  While the story wasn't overly exciting and didn't grab me, it was still a solid book. The writing was strong and the characters were well-fleshed out.
• 
  Claire Naden

  I have been wanting to read a Sasscer Hill book and finally made it to Full Mortality. Very good book. It kept me turning the pages and the way she resolved the mystery was excellent. My heart was pounding and I couldn't put it down. Enjoyed her character development and scene descriptions!
• 
  Clark

  Very good story about the horse racing world by an author that has done her research and knows the inside of that business. Those that like Dick Francis will like this.
• 
  Ruth Kevghas

  Home Stretch!
  
  I am so glad that I was recommended this book through Good Reads! I can't wait to read the next book!
• 
  Dan Miller

  Learn,and enjoy
  
  I really enjoyed this novel. Learn about horse racing and enjoy this exciting novel. The people in this story feel real and wish I could know them in person.
  
• 
  Mandy

  I received Racing from Death in return for an honest review from the publisher. Racing for Death is the second book in the Nikki Latrelle series my new favorite sleuth. This time Nikki is being sent by her boss Jim to Virginia for some upcoming races. She’s taking Hellish her filly in hopes of putting her in a race and seeing what she can do. With the help of Lorna her friend to help exercise the horse things should be easy for them. However the first night at the track they encounter a tall stranger coming out of the forest with a shovel.
  
  The girls meet Bobby the son of a rich barn owner who Loran is instantly smitten with but there is something about him Nikki doesn’t trust. When the pair learns that the cottage they are renting used to be the home of two teenage boys that had been murdered a year before and Bobby might have been involved. As if Nikki doesn't have enough to worry about with Lorna’s new boyfriend as well as the six horses already two more show up belonging to a rich woman who does things her own way. Will Nikki find out what happened to the boys? Will she find out why jockeys are dying?
  
  Another fantastic book in the Nikki Latrelle series. Nikki isn't your typical sleuth she’s not a detective or cop she’s just a jockey trying to make it in a man’s world. She’s joined by several charming characters each one bringing a little something to the story from Lorna to Mello the old stable hand. The story caught my attention right from the start, only letting go at the end. The books are well written creating a unique mystery while giving an interesting insight into the horserace world. Racing for Death is a captivating story that anyone with a love of horses will enjoy. The characters are engaging and the twist and turns will keep you guessing till the very end. Can’t wait for the next one.
  
  Merged review:
  
  I received Full Mortality in return for an honest review from the publisher. Nikki Latrelle has been working with race horses since she was thirteen years old. Right after her mother passed away in a fatal accident. She’s finally getting her big chance to prove herself as a jockey when she wakes up early and decides to head to the track to check on her horse for the race. Upon arrival at the stable she see’s someone run from Gildys stall and finds her dead. When she learns that the shady trainer in the barn next door is going to sell a filly to slaughter Nikki heads off after her intent on buying her before and she does.
  
  However fate is not on her side when she decides to check on her new horse and finds the body of a fellow jockey she’s had altercations with as well as another dead horse. The police are looking at her as a suspect next thing she knows she’s the prime suspect in a murder as well as the death of two horses. Nikki is suspended pending how the police case works out. When she arrives at a rundown track to stable her horse and look for work riding the race horses until the police can solve the case. Nikki starts piecing the case together herself as the cop continue to keep her as their prime suspect. Will Nikki solve the case or will it be too late?
  
  I’ve always loved books with horses so of course I couldn't pass up the chance to read a jockey series. Full Mortality incorporates the life of Nikki who’s not had the easiest live but knows what she loves and is willing to do what it takes to work with horses. She’s a fun character to connect with she’s smart, and really good at getting herself in a mess but unlike some she solves her own mystery. The story has a great cast of character from her fellow jockeys, the people she works with even the new friends she makes along the way they all enhance Nikki’s adventure. Plus it has horses what else can I say. I really enjoyed the fun mystery and the insight into Nikki’s world I look forward to checking out the rest of the series.