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.
