Tag: Crime Thriller

A chilling prologue is only a brief introduction to the tense action that follows in this crime thriller.

I’ll start by saying I don’t know if I agree with the “crime” part of the identification. While crimes were committed (and some pretty heinous ones) I would say that is more thriller.

Anyway, Stephanie Miller has moved her daughter to a secluded island in Washington to try to get a fresh start. Right from the beginning, it is obvious that there is going to be conflict surrounding her job.

She’s a climate scientist. And we all know what a touchy subject that can be. Shortly, horrible things about her appear on the internet, her daughter is taunted at school, and her life is pretty much destroyed.

Does it actually have to do with her job? A government contract? Is it politics in general? And what (if anything) does it have to do with the prologue?

Let’s just say there is a lot going on.

I found the sections involving the internet/cyber aspects to be especially interesting. It’s pretty well-known how prevalent troll farms are, but there was good detail here that illustrated how morally bankrupt some people can be.

I did find the climate aspect to be a bit off-putting as there were a few times where it felt preachy. And of course, the evil right is once again painted as “science deniers” which was annoying, because it’s such a lopsided perspective.

But I guess you have to have bad guys somewhere.

It takes a while for the author to get around to the connection between the prologue and the rest of the story, and at times it seemed to wander a bit far afield. I wish some passages had been a bit tighter.

There were also some good red herrings and a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming so those were a nice surprise.

I think it was a good read – I just wish it had been more focused and less preachy in places. But it was still a page-turner and the things I didn’t enjoy might not bother other readers.

Author Bio:

L.A. Larkin is a crime-thriller author, published by Bookouture. Her latest novel, Widow’s Island, is now available for pre-order and is described as “an absolutely nail-biting crime thriller with a heart-pounding twist.”
She is also the author of Prey, Devour, Thirst, and The Genesis Flaw and she writes a funny dog detective mysteries under the pseudonym of Louisa Bennet.

One of many kick-ass heroines on the pages these days, Nikki Hunt manages to stand out. I thought the first book (The Girls in the Snow) was a good introduction and was happy to see the same commitment to character in this second book.

I thought the introduction of how the bodies were found was unique and chilling (literally – given the location and time of year). Once identifications were made though…that’s when the story really took off.

I liked how the author wove a couple of narratives together to form the bigger picture. I thought that kept it true to investigative form.

I also find Nikki to be a reliable and likeable heroine. She’s tough when she needs to be, but the cases she takes in this one (missing children) allows her to show her vulnerable side as well.

That’s not to say that she can’t kick a little ass when she needs to.

She doesn’t take things at face value all of the time, but she isn’t overly suspicious either. She’s just smart and tries to look for connections.

The ones she finds in this book are largely unexpected. No spoilers, but I totally didn’t see the end coming. The author did a great job of relaying plot points to keep the reader engaged without giving away huge hints that made it too easy to figure out.

I will say that there might need to be a trigger warning for some readers, as some of the actions of the perpetrator are disturbing. But (again) the author does a very good job of showing the evil side of people without getting salacious or overdoing it.

I like Nikki. She’s tenacious, and she knows her stuff. This is definitely a series I will continue to follow.

Author Bio:

Stacy Green is the author of the Lucy Kendall thriller series and the Delta Crossroads mystery trilogy. ALL GOOD DEEDS (Lucy Kendall #1) won a bronze medal for mystery and thriller at the 2015 IPPY Awards. TIN GOD (Delta Crossroads #1) was runner-up for best mystery/thriller at the 2013 Kindle Book Awards. Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay-at-home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled fur babies.