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Jeff Menapace
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Side Effects Kindle Edition

by Jeff Menapace (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 1,056 ratings
Warning: Side effects may include the ability to catch a killer.

FBI Agent Maggie Allen had a gift for catching serial killers. Now, following the death of her husband and son, she can barely get out of bed.

Desperate, Maggie agrees to take part in a drug trial—a last-ditch effort to find something that might help her cope.

The drug helps.

It also carries a number of side effects, not the least of them being a bizarre heightening of her senses—just the kind of thing her old partner could use to track down a killer who is proving impossible to catch.


What readers are saying about Jeff Menapace and Side Effects:

★★★★★ "A great crime novel...I'm a huge Tami Hoag fan, and if you like her, you'll like this!"

★★★★★ "Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys action, police procedurals, serial killer stories or psychological drama. It is a winner in all categories."

★★★★★ "Psychopharmacology meets psycho killer in a prescription for a thriller... I highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever watched ID TV or has experienced the quiet, horrific-fascination of any story of a serial killer."

★★★★★ "Fingers crossed for more Maggie and Morris, please. This crime fighting duo provides great fun and entertainment and I will be back for round two if Jeff Menapace is so inclined."

★★★★★ "Great characters. Smart and sometimes humorous dialogue. A well-written suspenseful novel. Very interested in reading more about Maggie and Morris."

★★★★★ "A different kind of crime novel, very interesting characters and back storyline. I look for more from Maggie and Morris."

★★★★★ "I enjoyed the characters and especially Maggie's inner thoughts. That gave her a lot of depth and believability. She and Morris were a good team."

★★★★★ "A page turner! There’s twists and turns through the story that keep you guessing and not wanting to put the book down. I can’t wait to see if there will be a sequel to this."


I hope you enjoy Side Effects, my friends. This series is ideal for fans of Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner, Jeffery Deaver, John Sandford, L.T. Vargus, Tim McBain, Dot Hutchison, James Patterson, Mary Burton, Anne Frasier, Rachel Caine, Christopher Greyson, David Baldacci, Leslie Wolfe, Lisa Regan, Mike Omer, Kendra Elliot, Willow Rose, and many more. Happy Reading!
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  1. Print length
    254 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    March 4, 2016
  5. File size
    2.7 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Side Effects is another fine suspense thriller from Jeff Menapace...FBI agents Morris and Allen are certainly worthy of a second story, if not a series." - J. Chambers, Amazon Hall of Fame, Top 10 Reviewer

"I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys action, police procedurals, serial killer stories or psychological drama. It is a winner in all categories." - Amazon Five-Star Review
"Another page turner you won't want to put down...I am so glad to see this author start another series we can fall in love with. Can't wait for the next one!" - Amazon Five-Star Review "Fantastic Read!! I loved Agents Maggie and Morris and even Dr.Cole! I felt I could relate to Maggie and what she has been through. I really felt empathy for this character." - Amazon Five-Star Review

About the Author

Jeff Menapace is the bestselling author of the Wildlife series, the Bad Games series, Warped, Cling, Side Effects, and Numb. The Bad Games series has been optioned for feature film.  

The 2011 winner of the Red Adept Reviews Indie Award for Horror, Jeff lives in Pennsylvania with his wife Kelly and their cats Sammy and Bear.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01CLOBL1E
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mind Mess Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 4, 2016
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 2nd
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.7 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 254 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 1,056 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Jeff Menapace

Jeff Menapace

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A native of the Philadelphia area, Jeff has published multiple works in both fiction and non-fiction. In 2011 he was the recipient of the Red Adept Reviews Indie Award for Horror.

Jeff's debut novel BAD GAMES was a #1 bestseller that spawned four acclaimed sequels, and now the series has been optioned for feature film.

Free time for Jeff is spent watching horror movies, The Three Stooges, and mixed martial arts. He loves steak and more steak, thinks the original 1974 Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the greatest movie ever, wants to pet a lion some day, and hates spiders.

He currently lives in Pennsylvania with his wife Kelly and their cats Sammy, Bear, and Baby Girl.

Follow Jeff on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Goodreads, Instagram, BookBub, and Amazon:

https://www.facebook.com/JeffMenapace.writer

http://twitter.com/JeffMenapace

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmenapace

https://www.goodreads.com/jeffmenapace

https://www.instagram.com/jeffmenapace

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jeff-menapace

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004R09M0S

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
1,056 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a well-written page turner with a well-thought-out storyline that includes a surprising twist at the end. They appreciate the relatable characters, and one review notes the complex heroine. While many customers find the book entertaining, opinions about its entertainment value are mixed.

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62 customers mention "Readability"59 positive3 negative

Customers find the book well-written and engaging, with one customer noting it's a quick read that packs a punch.

"...I highly recommend this book as a great novel for anyone who has ever watched ID TV or has experienced the quiet, horrific-fascination of any story..." Read more

"...seemed to get a little slow in parts for me but all in all it was a good read" Read more

"...You'll never be disappointed reading his books. Great job!" Read more

"...This story is really a three as it is readable, but because Menapace wrote it, I upped it to a four." Read more

39 customers mention "Story quality"36 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, describing it as a riveting thriller with a well-thought-out plot and a surprising twist at the end.

"...The dramatic culmination of the story developed quickly and unexpectedly in a way that made you feel like you were plummeting into the finale of..." Read more

"Not as electrifying as the Caleb books, it’s good step into a new segment and new characters. I’d recommend it." Read more

"...This story r y takes you through a serial killer's journey from start to finish, never boring and always moving forward...." Read more

"It is an interesting book - I enjoyed it. It is not one of the books I want to save and read again though...." Read more

19 customers mention "Character development"19 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, finding them relatable and starting great, with one customer noting the complex heroine and another mentioning the sympathetic portrayal without being maudlin.

"...as the Caleb books, it’s good step into a new segment and new characters. I’d recommend it." Read more

"...A man is killing men The characters are well developed - the story is entertaining" Read more

"...The characters are great and the storyline is compelling. A huge improvement!" Read more

"...I really felt an empathy for this character. I loved the plot twists and little surprises in the book. The story was a real page turner...." Read more

12 customers mention "Entertainment value"6 positive6 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the entertainment value of the book, with some finding it entertaining and never feeling bored, while others describe it as boring.

"...y takes you through a serial killer's journey from start to finish, never boring and always moving forward...." Read more

"Not as electrifying as the Caleb books, it’s good step into a new segment and new characters. I’d recommend it." Read more

"...Side Effects is an entertaining read that will have reader's attention to the very end." Read more

"...I read absolutely everything he writes. However, I felt a bit underwhelmed with this story...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Daniel J Hagee
    5.0 out of 5 stars Psychopharmacology meets Psycho Killer in a Prescription for a Thriller
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    When I saw the new Jeff Menapace novel Side Effects came out I could not have been more excited after reading the story line. Serial Killer books, documentaries and TV shows are one of my favorite flavors of the Murder Mystery genre. The concept of an investigator jeopardizing her own life like Maggie Allen does by taking an experimental pharmaceutical that is potentially fatal, but has a side effect of sharpening all her senses of observation in order to catch a killer, ads a "Faustian" twist to an already life and death pursuit. The Killer's sociopathic compulsion to identify then exploit his victim's most base fear in how he kills them is evil incarnate and leaves you waiting in a sick, rubbernecking the fatal car accident, way for him to strike next. The dramatic culmination of the story developed quickly and unexpectedly in a way that made you feel like you were plummeting into the finale of the story yourself. I highly recommend this book as a great novel for anyone who has ever watched ID TV or has experienced the quiet, horrific-fascination of any story of a Serial Killer.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Oo
    4.0 out of 5 stars Step into something new…
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Not as electrifying as the Caleb books, it’s good step into a new segment and new characters. I’d recommend it.
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  • Paw Hays
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This was not one of my favorites but it was okay. It seemed to get a little slow in parts for me but all in all it was a good read
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  • Robin L. Wright
    5.0 out of 5 stars New and exciting!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Jeff decided to write in an entirely different genre this time. I'm quite pleased with his initial foray into the mystery/thriller world. Especially pleasing is his way of conveying conversations exactly how people talk. This story r y takes you through a serial killer's journey from start to finish, never boring and always moving forward. While the mysterious drug touted in the description of the book is never really revealed or clarified, it seems to play a part in one FBI agent's ability to solve crimes. I never really connected the drug to the story though, so it could have been left out without taking anything away from the story. Jeff Menapace never fails to produce winners. Highly recommend this book and his Bad Games trilogy. You'll never be disappointed reading his books. Great job!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Mylene
    4.0 out of 5 stars Menapace rocks... but Mags and Tim were a little lacking
    Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I love Menapace. I read absolutely everything he writes. However, I felt a bit underwhelmed with this story. I think it was a mixture of the kills being too similar and vague. What I mean by that, is that Menapace did not take you back in time to really explore each of the kills. For that reason, you were not as invested in Jody, nor his victims. I also did not understand the whole thing with the drug giving Mags enhanced psychic abilities. It was a great idea... but I didn’t feel that it translated well in the story. This story is really a three as it is readable, but because Menapace wrote it, I upped it to a four.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A new series!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this novel . It is not as gory as some of his other stories, but I can forgive him because it was easy to get caught up in the hunt. I will definitely be reading the entire series.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • lindaluane
    4.0 out of 5 stars medical side effects
    Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    It is an interesting book - I enjoyed it. It is not one of the books I want to save and read again though. An FBI agent on leave has suffered a loss of a child and then her husband and is on leave. She takes a medication that somehow heightens her senses and she is able to "sense" clues about a case. Her partner calls he in to work on a serial murder case. A man is killing men
    The characters are well developed - the story is entertaining
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Katherine A Kucera
    5.0 out of 5 stars what an improvement!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I’ve read quite a few of this author’s books and all were quite disturbing to the point of disgust. I didn’t even provide a rating or review because of how unpalatable they were. When this one popped up in my suggested books, it sounded like a drastic departure from the senselessly gory books that Mr Menapace had previously written. I hope that he continues on this genre for his future endeavors. The characters are great and the storyline is compelling. A huge improvement!
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Audster
    3.0 out of 5 stars Bien mais...
    Reviewed in France on July 29, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Grande fan des ouvrages précedents du même auteur, je dois avouer que celui-ci m'a un petit peu décue; On rentre très vite dans l'histoire, on tourne les pages très vite mais je suis un peu restée sur ma faim
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  • Annette Johnston
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Australia on May 6, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Really enjoyed this novel. A really good read.
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  • Tena
    5.0 out of 5 stars Kept me reading late into the night. Hoping the next in the series are just as entertaining.
    Reviewed in Canada on April 1, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Kept me reading late into the night. Was very well written and very entertaining. Hoping the next books in the series are just as good.
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  • pebbles
    5.0 out of 5 stars i loved the characters and the story line and it really ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I'm a massive Jeff Menapace fan so was excited about this book. It's totally different to his other books and veers away from the disturbing gory side into the hunt them down police side. At first i found it messy to get into, probably because it wasn't what I expected from Jeff Menapace, but I was soon hooked. i loved the characters and the story line and it really kept my attention. Another really good book from a great author.
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  • David
    5.0 out of 5 stars Jeff is a writers writer
    Reviewed in Canada on May 30, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    The man can do no wrong. If you don't read this book then you don't like character driven books that keep you reading long after the lights go out
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