February 11, 2021

This series features one of the most unique pairings in all of the crime/mystery books that I read, and I think that it is one that enhances the investigations they undertake.

I know that sounds convoluted, but instead of two detectives, or two people with similar backgrounds, Lexi and Dan have very different perspectives. This allows them to come at an investigation from a holistic point of view, which in turn enables them to each see things that the other might have missed.

This is the third book in the series, and their roles are clearly defined. At least, they are to each other.

However, when the investigation of the case at hand (this time around it’s a child killer, so possible trigger there) hits potentially close to home for one of them, the other is forced to evaluate how much information to share regarding the investigation.

Yeah, yeah…it’s vague. But y’all should be used to my “no spoilers if I can help it” mantra.

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This issue causes a tangle in the overall investigation because Dan and Lexi aren’t able to share information as freely with each other as in the past. Now, of course, this doesn’t last long, because they do have to get the bad guy.

I like how the author also allows us to get into the mind of the killer. It doesn’t exactly evoke sympathy, but it does shine light on motive. This gives the reader a leg up on the investigators which in turn makes for active reading (which I appreciate).

There are also multiple layers to the investigation which (again) keeps it true to life. One never knows what might pop up over the course of interviews as the depths of the case are revealed.

I also appreciate how the characters are fallible. Dan gets reamed a couple of times by his superiors and Lexi has self-doubts (as well as being judged by others for her choices).

Even Lucy is forced to make a choice that some might find unethical. But that’s the questions posed throughout – is it okay to break rules if it means stopping evil?

The answer should be yes. Fortunately for these characters, it is.

Author Bio:

Chris Merritt is a British author whose crime thrillers combine psychology, suspense, and characters you care about.

All his novels are set in London, where he lives. He began writing fiction in 2014, after previous careers as a diplomat, based in Iraq and Jerusalem, and later as a psychologist working with victims and perpetrators of crime. He specialised in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which sparked his interest in telling stories about how people cope when faced with extreme adversity.

Now he spends most of his time writing novels and drinking coffee while *thinking* about writing novels. When he’s not writing, he loves climbing and playing basketball.

This book started with a gruesome scene, but it immediately set the stage for the rest of the book.

The author astutely gives the reader a bit of insight into the perpetrator’s frame of mind as they constantly refer to catching “her” attention.

It quickly becomes clear that the “her” in question is the protagonist of this new series, Agent Nadine Finch.

Or is it someone close to Nadine? Hmmmm…..

As you can see from blurbs (and even the cover) Nadine has an interesting background. She’s the daughter of a notorious serial killer. She’s also a forensic psychologist.

Side note: it is sometimes said in police circles that those who have a sketchy background or family history can go one of two ways – they can follow the bad or become the polar opposite and fight against the bad.

In that regard, Nadine was interesting to me because she obviously was deeply affected by her mother’s actions and chose a profession that would not only help catch other people but might also help her understand her mother’s motives.

Great choice to make a complex character.

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I liked how everything seemed natural in the book. I’ve mentioned in other reviews that the first in a series can either be tedious with backstory or natural in the introductions. This falls firmly in the latter category.

I also appreciated how the author made certain characters just murky enough that it was plausible to follow Nadine’s suspicions, regardless of if they were correct or not.

News flash: investigators do often have thoughts and intuitions that may not be entirely correct. Good investigators follow each one to see if they’re right or not. This is what Nadine does, even when it hits close to home.

The plot itself was certainly action packed and had me engrossed from beginning to end. I’d say that I would be worried that the author would be able to sustain the breakneck pace of this book through others, but I would certainly be in for reading them to find out.

I liked the characters, I liked the relationships that were formed, and I liked the twistiness of the plot. I think there is a lot to work with going forward and I can’t wait to see where the next investigation takes Nadine and her co-workers.

Last side note: we just moved to Florida, so it was personally neat to read about places that are nearby…not that I’d want to experience what happened in them, but to recognize locations gave it an extra kick for me.

Author Bio:
Publishers Weekly bestselling author Jenna Kernan is a two-time RITA nominee and winner of the Book Buyers’ Best award. Prior to signing with Bookouture, she published over thirty novels including her popular APACHE PROTECTOR series, and is a member of numerous writing groups, including International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Florida Mystery Writers and Novelists, Inc. and frequently attends conferences on police procedure at the Writers Police Academy and MurderCon. Jenna currently lives on Florida’s Gulf Coast with her husband. A natural redhead, she has recently increased her sunblock to SPF 50.