Ellie Somers is living her dreams thousand miles above the earth. She works for the Alaska Coast Guard on the helicopter Rescue Squad. She loves playing the role of hero but still has a thrill streak in her. When one dangerous mission almost grounds her wings, she agrees to play by the rules. She does good for a while and then the thrill is aching inside of her. This time she isn't a hero but a grounded pilot. She becomes despondent and her reckless behavior has her in Las Vegas. Her friends believe she didn't nothing wrong and set out to clear her name and find in the lower 48. When they do, she is involved in a plan she cannot
escape from and this plan may cost her everything she believes in and the honor of her friends. Morgenroth had me spellbound with the details given to the rescue missions. But when Ellie is grounded and main setting is switch to Las Vegas it lost something. It does pick up momentum again but the way she tries to switch tactics between plots were choppy but in the end I still find this a good read.

This book had so many unexpected twists and turns that I practically read it in one sitting. I also loved the unique premise of a female helicopter rescue pilot. Very smart, with lots of action and a romantic element, too. I can't wait to read Kate Morgenroth's other book ("Kill Me First"). If it's anything like this one, she's got a loyal fan!

just finished this book and loved it - morgenroth is a rare, gifted storyteller... this is a page turner, crisply written, with a bunch of heart-stopping thrills, some great characters, and an astonishing plot twist at the end. i'm giving it to my wife next - the lead character is a woman punching her way thru a man's world... very cool summer read.

The premise of this book is very compelling...I can't think of any other very similar books out there. However, I just couldn't believe the characters here...it felt like the author didn't really know her own characters - and she created them - so how could the reader understand their thoughts and motivations. The Sarah Shepherd character was so all over the place - not only was she not at all believeable but she seemed like about 5 different people. In some novels that might be a strength, but here i think it was just poor writing. The book was also written for the lowest common demoninator reader...written like the reader had no attention span. The author obviously is creative and has great story ideas, but she'd be wise to spend some more time working on her execution before her next novel.

I stayed up until four in the morning to finish Kill Me First. Once I was hooked, I couldn't put it down.

But what I found even more rewarding than the non-stop action, was the fact that this book delivered on a deeper level. Kate Morgenroth's debut novel delves into human nature, and forces us to look both at ourselves and the society we have created. Although she paints a sometimes bleak picture of the violence which seems so central to our culture and the media which glorifies it, at the same time Morgenroth gives us hope in the form of the "heroine" Sarah Shepard.

While the story is a true page turner, the real power of this book lies just below the surface, in the messages Morgenroth whispers to us between the lines.

One of the most haunting characters I have ever come across in fiction: Merec, the philosophical killer for hire. Merec likes to add a dash of his own style to his contracts - a philosophical investigation. He tests his victims' morality and delivers a fatal judgement if they fail. I loved the irony of it, and the deeper questions the author asks about humanity in general.

The clipped writing style only serves to make the subject more chilling for being presented in such a matter-of-fact way. I can tell I loved the book because the characters have lingered with me, as have the questions Morgenroth has posed. I look forward to reading her next book!