This Weeks New Releases

And the TBR pile continues to grow. Many a good book is coming out this week. I've added six to my list and I have no doubt more will be added before the week is out.

This sounds intense and different from my usual reads. The friends to lovers trope is one of my favorites but this, this has it's own twist. I have not read anything from Kendall Ryan, so we'll see if she can convince me of the set-up. I hope she can.

Wednesday
Kendall Ryan
Contemporary Romance

Hard-core fucking.

It’s not what I really want, but it’s all he has to offer. He’s filled with turmoil and heartache and regrets, but for two hours every Wednesday all he feels is me. How much I desire him, how desperate he makes me, how much I’d like things to be different between us. Real.

He used to be my best friend back before he got married. And now? Now, he’s a young widower. It would be wrong on so many levels to expect something more from him, so I give him what he needs. Dark, delicious fucking.

But I know I can’t keep this up. I’ve already given him my body, my soul. I want him to have my heart. It might drive him away forever, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take.

Wednesday is an angsty romp told from dual points of view. If you’re in the mood for something quick and dirty, you’ve found it. Proceed at your own risk.

Oh, yes! This has been a wild ride. The movie based on the first book was a little of a disappointment. No surprise it wasn't as good as the book. But I have been looking forward to this third and final installment ever since reading the last book.

The Last Star
Rick Yancey
Young Adult/Dystopian
The Fifth Wave/Book 3

We’re here, then we’re gone, and that was true before they came. That’s always been true. The Others didn’t invent death; they just perfected it. Gave death a face to put back in our face, because they knew that was the only way to crush us. It won’t end on any continent or ocean, no mountain or plain, jungle or desert. It will end where it began, where it had been from the beginning, on the battlefield of the last beating human heart.

Master storyteller Rick Yancey invokes triumph, loss, and unrelenting action as the fate of the planet is decided in the conclusion to this epic series.

Recently finished listening to the audio book of Built, the first book in Jay Crownover's newest series and no surprise, enjoyed the heck out of it. It's a spin-off of her Marked Men series which I would definitely recommend. Happy I didn't have to wait long for this next book. The hero and heroine both first appear in the Marked Men series, and I've been wondering about them ever since.

Charged 
Jay Crownover
Contemporary Romance
Saints of Denver/Book 2

Avett Walker and Quaid Jackson’s worlds have no reason to collide. Ever. Quaid is a high powered criminal attorney as slick as he is handsome. Avett is a pink-haired troublemaker with a bad attitude and a history of picking the wrong men.

When Avett lands in a sea of hot water because of one terrible mistake, the only person who can get her out of it is the insanely sexy lawyer. The last thing on earth she wants to do is rely on the no-nonsense attorney who thinks of her as nothing more than a nuisance. He literally has her fate in his hands. Yet there is something about him that makes her want to convince him to loosen his tie and have a little fun…with her.

Quaid never takes on clients like the impulsive young woman with a Technicolor dye job. She could stand to learn a hard lesson or two, but something about her guileless hazel eyes intrigues him. Still, he’s determined to keep their relationship strictly business. But doing so is becoming more impossible with each day he spends with her.

As they work side-by-side, they’ll have to figure out a way to get along and keep their hands off each other—because the chemistry between them is beyond charged.

After reading Sawyer Bennett's Cold Fury Hockey series, I knew I had to read more from this author. Her newest, a trilogy, begins with Sugar Daddy. I'm cautious about reading this too soon since it ends on a cliffhanger with the hero/heroines story continuing in the second book, which also ends on a cliffhanger. I might just wait until the final book of the trilogy comes out and read the three back to back like one long romance.

Sugar Daddy
Sawyer Bennett
Contemporary Romance
Sugar Bowl Trilogy/Book 1

Sela Halstead lost her innocence in a way that no sixteen-year-old should ever have to endure. She’s spent years trying to forget that night even while wondering about the identities of the monsters who brutalized her—until a telltale tattoo flashes across Sela’s TV screen. The incriminating ink belongs to Jonathon Townsend, the millionaire founder of The Sugar Bowl, a website that matches rich older men with impressionable young women. Obsessed with revenge, Sela infiltrates Townsend’s world, only to come face-to-face with a tantalizing complication: Beckett North, his charismatic business partner.

The tech mastermind behind The Sugar Bowl, Beck always gets what he wants, in business and in bed. And yet, for a man who’s done every dirty thing imaginable, there’s something about the naïve, fresh-faced Sela that sparks his hottest fantasies. Because with her, it’s not just about sex. Beck opens up to her in ways he never has with other girls. So why does he get the feeling that she’s hiding something? In a world of pleasure and power, the shocking truth could turn them against each other—or bind them forever.

Laura Griffin's Tracers series has provided hours of suspenseful reading along with romantic high jinx. Can't believe this is already book ten in the series. I might be a book or two behind but still plan to get this one.

Deep Dark
Laura Griffin
Romantic Suspense
Tracers Series/Book 10

The moment detective Reed Novak steps onto the crime scene, he knows the case is going to rock his world. A beautiful young woman murdered at home. No sign of forced entry. No motive. She’s obviously not the killer’s first victim, and Reed’s instincts tell him she won’t be his last. Reed’s first clue comes via a mysterious text that links to a dating profile, but even more intriguing than the clue is the person who sent it.

As a white-hat hacker in the Delphi Center’s cyber investigation unit, Laney Knox sneaks into some of the deepest, darkest corners of the Internet looking for predators. Laney would prefer to stay away from Austin PD’s most recent murder case, but she can’t ignore the chilling similarities between that crime and her own brutal attack years ago. Laney offers to help the sexy lead detective, but he wants more from her than just a promising tip—Reed wants her trust. Laney resists, but as their relationship deepens she’s tempted to reveal the closely guarded secrets that could make her a key witness…or the killer’s next victim.

A debut author with an intriguing premise. I'm curious as to the relationship between the twins. If there is possibly something darker going on than one twin protecting the other.

Please Don't Tell
Laura Tims
Young Adult/Suspense

Joy killed Adam Gordon—at least, that’s what she thinks. The night of the party is hazy at best. But she knows what Adam did to her twin sister, Grace, and she knows he had to pay for it.

What Joy doesn’t expect is that someone else saw what happened. And one night a note is shoved through her open window, threatening Joy that all will be revealed. Now the anonymous blackmailer starts using Joy to expose the secrets of their placid hometown. And as the demands escalate, Joy must somehow uncover the blackmailer’s identity before Joy is forced to make a terrible choice.

In this darkly compelling narrative, debut author Laura Tims explores the complicated relationship between two sisters, and what one will do for the other. It’s a story that will keep readers turning pages and questioning their own sense of right and wrong.

Review: Twisted

Twisted
Laura Griffin
Romantic Suspense
Tracers Series/Book 5
Pocket/April 17, 2012

Motive, opportunity, and no alibi—it seems close to a slam-dunk. But while rookie detective Allison Doyle’s department has ID’d a suspect in a young woman’s vicious murder, she is uneasy. Then legendary FBI profiler Mark Wolfe shows up with a startling theory: if he’s right, the real murderer is an elusive psychopath just days away from another kill.

Using Allison’s contacts at the Delphi Center crime lab, Wolfe is finally in striking distance of the monster he’s pursued for ten years. Except that as they work together, Wolfe finds the ambitious, stubborn woman a tempting distraction. And with this brutal predator, every thread of evidence can make the difference between being the hunter . . . and the prey.

If you haven't started this series, start it Now.  Griffin continues to get better and better, expanding her characters and plots while making them believable.  Not only do we get well developed characters, the police procedural aspects and the DNA analysis are well written.  This is one romantic suspense series, heavy on the suspense, that you do not want to miss!

Allison Doyle is a good cop but doesn't always get the respect her male counterparts get.  She knows some of the men think she got the promotion to detective because of her sex and not her abilities.  She doesn't let it get to her, instead working her ass off to be the best and solve the cases.  Allison isn't intimidated by the guys and boy did I like that about her.  She's learning to trust her instincts and those instincts are telling her that something isn't right about a recent murder and her boss might just be looking in the wrong direction for the murderer.

Mark Wolfe is an older hero, forty-three.  I liked that he had some years on him, nicely seasoned but not too old to have a huge age-gap between the hero and heroine.  He has a lot of experience but those experiences are getting to him.  Mark has no real home, instead living out of hotels, eating at restaurants and spending a lot of time in airports.   He's well known and well respected which puts him in high demand.  Add in the demands he makes of himself and you've got a guy with not much life outside of work.  Mark is a quiet alpha, the type that sits back and watches until it's time to take down his target.  He is such an interesting character - easily one of my favorite heroes of the series. 

Allison and Mark clash a bit at first.  They both think there's more to the recent murder than the  ex-boyfriend as the suspect but Mark is talking serial killer and Allison isn't even officially on the case.  Plus, Mark prefers to work alone.  They have some obstacles to overcome, not the least of which is Allison's idiot boss.  One of the things that made me enjoy the heck out this suspenseful romance was how Allison and Mark's relationship went from professional to personal.  Allison has respect for Mark's experience and what he can teach her.  Mark learns to respect Allison's tenacity and her raw instincts which continue to develop with her experiences.  Even when they venture into intimacy, they keep developing their professional relationship right alongside their romantic one.

The romance is there but it is muted, with the main focus on the mystery and suspense.  But what is there is very passionate, with Allison and Mark trying to keep their focus on the murder case while going through this fierce need for each other.  Mark thinks he too old, too jaded for Allison's far less jaded outlook but Allison is persistent in not only her search for the real killer but in her need to get even closer to Mark.

The suspense is so well done!  Griffin keeps the reader on edge, giving plenty of details of the murders and getting into the killers mind through Mark's profiling.  It's a scary place and one that Mark has been to, many times over.  I loved following Mark and Allison through their discovering evidence and putting the pieces together.  The brilliant minds at the Delphi Center also contributed their cutting-edge resources in helping Allison and Mark with the case.  I find the details of the DNA and the computer sleuthing absorbing without going over my head.  Seeing past and hopefully future heroes and heroines adds to the overall cohesiveness of the series.  There is enough back story given that this could be read as a stand alone but to get a greater enjoyment, I would recommend reading the series from the beginning.

Twisted is a highly addictive, fast paced romantic suspense.   Allison and Mark are two dynamic characters with very different experiences who kept this reader wanting more!

Rating:  A

Tracers Series ~ 

Untraceable
Unspeakable
Unforgivable
Snapped
Unstoppable (novella in the Deadly Promises anthology)
Twisted
Scorched (October 30, 2012)

Review: Snapped

Snapped
Laura Griffin
Romantic Suspense
Tracers/Book 4
Pocket/September 1, 2011

From Goodreads ~

On a sweltering summer afternoon, Sophie Barrett walks into a nightmare. A sniper has opened fire on a college campus. When the carnage is over, three people—plus the shooter—are dead and dozens more are injured. Sophie escapes virtually unscathed. Yet as details emerge from the investigation, she becomes convinced that this wasn’t the random, senseless act it appeared to be. No one wants to believe her—not the cops, not her colleagues at the Delphi Center crime lab, and definitely not Jonah Macon, the homicide detective who’s already saved her life once.

Jonah has all kinds of reasons for hoping Sophie is mistaken. Involving himself with a key witness could derail an already messy investigation, not to mention jeopardize his career. But Sophie is as determined and fearless as she is sexy. If he can’t resist her, he can at least swear to protect her. Because if Sophie is right, she’s made herself the target of a killer without a conscience. And the real terror is only just beginning. . .

I knew after reading Unforgivable (Book 3) that I would love Sophia and Jonah's story. And hey, I was so right! I did not want to put this one down. It was such a thrill ride with Sophie and Jonah right along with me.

Sophie may not have a bunch of degrees like many of her colleagues, but as the receptionist and the face of the acclaimed Delphi Center she is smart and resourceful. Sophie is a heroine I knew I would connect with. She's written with flaws and strengths that we can all relate to. She comes from a family of doctors and feels like her intelligence is in questions because she didn't graduate from an Ivy League school. But she is very intelligent and has street smarts that help her out of more than one tough situation. She's not perfect but she is funny with a nice slice of attitude to go with that humor.

Jonah Macon is a big guy - 6'4 with plenty of muscles to go with the height. But I never felt like he was this lumbering neanderthal who used his size rather than his brain. He's smart but like so many men, doesn't understand woman well. One woman in particular confuses him - Sophie Barrett. Jonah has know Sophie for months, ever since she was kidnapped and Jonah was the Detective to find her. There's some sexual tension between them but Jonah is giving Sophie her space, which is very cool. But now she's throwing him some mixed signals and confusing him even more. His confusion made him even more attractive.

Sophie and Jonah together really clicked for me. I could see how they could become a couple beyond the physical attraction. There's plenty of chemistry going on but it goes past that and into a more intellectual connection. There is respect and mutual admiration for their abilities regarding their professions. The sexual tension only adds to the overall attraction they have for each other. Definitely a couple you can cheer for.

The gunman, his motivations and the theories surrounding him are well written with Griffin building the crime investigation in and around the romance. The suspense is kept tight, with a good balance of police procedure and action. The investigation didn't simply pause to add in some romance but worked right along side Sophie and Jonah's developing love story.

The Tracer series continues to entertain with appealing characters and absorbing story lines. Spring can't get her fast enough, bringing with it Ms. Griffin's next release.

Rating: A

Books in this series ~

Untraceable
Unspeakable
Unforgivable
Snapped
Twisted (Spring 2012)

Review: Unforgivable

Unforgivable
Laura Griffin
Romantic Suspense
Tracers/Book 3
Pocket/December 1, 2010

From the back cover ~

TRACING KILLERS IS MIA VOSS’S BUSINESS. AND HER WORK JUST GOT PERSONAL.

At first, Mia Voss thinks it’s just bad luck when her already lousy day ends with a carjacking, but what seems like a random incident is followed by another sinister episode. A DNA expert, Mia has made it her mission to put away vicious criminals. Suddenly, she’s become the target of one. And the only way to protect the people she loves most is to deliberately destroy her reputation and risk letting a killer walk free.

Once, Mia trusted Detective Ric Santos, but that was before Ric let his turbulent past ruin his chances with Mia, the sexiest, most intriguing woman he’s ever met. But he can tell when she’s lying—and when she’s scared. The key to catching a sadistic madman lies within a long-buried cold case that has haunted Mia for years. Only she can uncover the truth, but first, Ric will have to get her to entrust him with her secrets . . . and her life.

With the third book in this series, two previous secondary characters take center stage. I was happy to see both Mia and Ric again. I was curious because in the previous book, Unspeakable, there was a hint of a romance brewing between these two but I didn't feel any sexual tension. Attraction, yes, but both are such workaholics that neither gave the impression they had time for romance. So I wanted to see how Griffin would pull that off.

Mia Voss is brilliant in her chosen field and spends much of her time at her lab at the Delphi Center. She career driven but a part of her still holds the dream of marrying and having a family. I liked her but I didn't find her easy to connect with. I did find the DNA knowledge fascinating and as I got to know Mia, mainly through her work, I began to get her and understand what drove her.

Ric Santos is not the settling down kind of guy. Been there, done that. He's of the belief that cops make bad husbands. And that a cops life is too hard on a marriage. Which is why he backed off from Mia months ago when things started getting serious. Now they're working together and Ric's feeling for Mia are growing stronger than ever. It's kind of funny how scared Ric is of commitment. I get why, he had a messy divorce and has sworn off serious relationships. But it's like he's got the devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other. Devil telling him to stay far away from Mia. The angel telling him to stay close and protect her not just because he's a cop but because he cares for her. A lot. This guy is so conflicted when it comes to Mia.

Mia and Ric together are not a perfect couple by any means. At the beginning, I didn't get the sense they were right for each other. This relationship took a lot of hard work before I believed in it. And I think that's what made it much more valuable rather than a relationship based solely on physical attraction. Griffin made me believe that Mia and Ric really did care for each other.

The suspense is intense at times with Mia literally coming under fire, threatened and fearing for her loved ones. This woman is stressed out. Then she has to deal with her feelings for Ric, when she still doesn't know why he stopped seeing her months ago. Ric is kept busy trying to figure out who is trying to hurt Mia and why while wrestling with his feelings for her. There were a lot of tense scenes with little down time. It kept the pace moving and me guessing who was behind the plot. I will say Mia made some questionable decisions. This intelligent woman didn't always display that intelligence outside the lab. And Ric's stubbornness about sharing any part of himself with Mia and his anti-relationship stance got old. But in the end love conquered all.

Unforgivable has a good mix of both suspense and romance. The focus on DNA investigating makes for interesting reading if you like that type of stuff. The next book is Snapped, coming out August 30. It will feature two more secondary characters who had some interaction in Unforgivable. I like what I've seen of both characters and have hopes that this heroine will shake things up, keeping the hero on his toes.

Rating: B+

Books in this series ~

Untraceable
Unspeakable
Unforgivable
Snapped (August 30, 2011)

Review: Unspeakable

Unspeakable
Laura Griffin
Romantic Suspense
Tracers/Book 2
Pocket/June 29, 2010

From the author's website ~

ELAINA MCCORD WANTS TO FIND A KILLER.

BUT HE’S ALREADY FOUND HER.

Elaina McCord’s dream of being an FBI profiler is in danger with her first case—investigating a string of murders near a Texas beach resort. The victims, all young women, were drugged and brutally murdered, their bodies abandoned in desolate marshland. Elaina’s hunch—met with disbelief by local police—is that these are only the latest offerings from a serial killer who has been perfecting his art for years, growing bolder and more cunning with each strike.

True-crime writer Troy Stockton has a reputation as an irresistible playboy who gets his story at any cost. He’s the last person Elaina should trust, let alone be attracted to. But right now Troy, along with the elite team of forensics experts known as the Tracers, are her only allies in a case that’s turning dangerously personal. A killer is reaching out to Elaina, taunting her, letting her know how ruthless he is and how close he’s getting. Now it’s not just her career that’s in danger—it’s her life. . . .

The second book in the Tracer series focuses on the murders of young women in and around the popular beach community of Lito Island, Texas. Griffin does a good job describing the area, the beaches, the marshes, the rivers and the night life. You get a feel not only for the region but also for the social climate. Lots of young, college age people out to party and have a good time. The local police are not prepared for what could be a serial killer. In comes the FBI.

Elaina McCord didn't choose to be an FBI profiler, in a way, it choose her. Her father is a well known profiler who Elaina has been trying to please for most of her life. When she was sent to the Brownsville, Texas office instead of her first choice of Washington, DC, she sucked it up and did her job. She not a complainer and I liked that about her. But there is a difference between complaining and standing up for yourself. The problem I did have was she didn't stick up for herself. She feels like she's not part of the investigation team, and she has good reason to feel this. She's the only woman on the team and both the local police chief and the FBI agent in charge don't take her seriously. But Elaina keeps herself separate from them and that was part of the problem. She was more likely to go off and work by herself than to join the team efforts. I think she worked with Troy more than she did with her team.

Troy Stockton is a famous author and a local of Lito Island. His home is there and he has a personal interest in the murders that are currently happening. He wrote a book years ago about a convicted murder but now it looks like some of his facts may be wrong. He's not attracted to Elaina at first, he's more interested in using her to get information. But he soon falls in lust and can't keep away from her. Troy is rich, famous and sexy as hell. Elaina doesn't come across as his type and it took a while before I could figure out why he wanted her when she made it clear she didn't want to get involved with him. She's attractive but Troy could have his pick of women if all he wants is something casual which is the impression that's given. I didn't really feeling a connection to this couple. It was more a mutual using of each other to find the killer with the sex as a way to relieve the stress. No much in the way of romance.

There is a developing secondary romance running throughout the book. It's between a homicide detective working a cold case and a woman who is an expert in DNA. They get pulled into the serial killer case because of a potential connection between the cold case and the latest murders. I didn't feel any sexual tension between these two, they found each other attractive but in a abstract way. They are both overworked and it felt like they didn't have time for much else. Their book is next in the series so I'm hoping for more in the way of tension between them.

The murder mystery was all over the place with Elaina and Troy spending a lot of time hunting down leads and clues. They try to connect the various killings, looking for a commonality between the victims. In doing this, there is even more separation of Elaina and the investigating team. I did like how the victims and the killer were connected and how the killer was able to get to the victims. It was creative and something that I had never heard of.

The suspense is the more dominate feature with the romance coming in a distant second. The end of the book left unanswered questions. The motivation of the killer was never fully explained. Why were the women murdered? Why did the killer fixate on Elaina? Why was she treated so harshly by some of the men in the investigation? I did find the scenes at the Delphi Center, a highly sophisticated forensics lab that Troy works with, interesting and look forward to reading more about it in the next book.

Rating: B-

Books in this series ~

Untraceable
Unspeakable
Unforgivable

Review: Whisper of Warning

Whisper of Warning
Laura Griffin
Romantic Suspense
Glass Sisters/Book 2
Pocket/April 1, 2009

From the back cover ~

WILL HE HELP PROVE HER INNOCENCE... OR LEAD A KILLER TO HER DOOR?

Courtney Glass has been in trouble all her life, but nothing tops being an up-close witness to a brutal murder. Until she’s accused of the crime.

Every scrap of evidence points to her guilt, and only Courtney knows what really happened. Now she must prove that she's not a murderer...but is one of the killer’s intended victims. As police investigators hammer her for answers, Courtney knowns she has two choices: run, or trust the brooding, sexy detective who's made it clear she's his prime suspect.

Will Hodges doesn't need Special Forces training to know that, despite Courtney's killer looks and razor-sharp tongue, her tough-girl act hides a vulnerable woman with a deadly secret. As the body count rises, Will realizes that a lethal enemy has Courtney in his crosshairs. The killer is waiting, watching her every move - and he won't stop until her fear has grown from a whisper to a scream...

I've been looking forward to this book ever since I read Thread of Fear, Courtney's older sister Fiona's story. Actually even before that when I read Untraceable in which the hero, Will Hodges, was a secondary character. Anyway, I've been wanting to read Courtney and Will's story and it certainly didn't disappoint!

We first got to know Courtney Glass in Thread of Fear, when she moves in with her sister Fiona because she's low on funds and her heat isn't working at her place. She crashes on her sister's couch and generally makes a nuisance of herself. Thankfully, Courtney now has her act together. She's back at her duplex, working as a stylist at a upscale salon and has sworn off men, at least for now. Then she finds herself in trouble, the "dead guy in her car" kind of trouble and her world shatters. There is a silver lining, Courtney meets Will Hodges, the detective assigned to the case. Courtney's stubborn streak flies high when Detective Hodges questions her. She's attracted to him but she's not trusting anyone at this point. Not when Will's boss is ready to arrest Courtney for murder.

Detective Will Hodges is a quiet man, former military, who is on his first homicide case. He's worked hard, making his way up the ranks, so he's not happy when Courtney Glass begins to interfere in the investigation. And he's certainly not happy when he begins to have feelings for her, knowing this could not only compromise the case but get him thrown off it. The author did an excellent job of showing how Will, this by the book cop, falls for a suspect and has to deal with this assault on his integrity as a police officer. It doesn't matter that he thinks she's innocent, it still goes against his beliefs to become romantically involved with a suspect. Will was a compelling and well written character. I wish more heroes were like him.

The murder mystery was complex with suspicion falling on more than one character. It was complex enough that I didn't know who did it until the end. I love when that happens! There was a lot of suspense throughout the story. Courtney's life was threatened, the police were after her - not just Will. Courtney herself provided some drama with her own investigation into the murder. All of this and still Griffin was able to keep the story balanced between the suspense and the romance.

Courtney and Will - a case of opposites attract. Courtney is an outgoing girly-girl, into clothes and accessories. She's a hairstylist and loves to change her looks, which are far from conservative. Will is wearing his hair like he's still in the army. He tends to keep to himself, doing his job but he's not exactly the open book kind of guy. When these two meet is oil and water but there's that attraction that doesn't go away. The connection between them was built throughout the book. It didn't happen fast but the author allowed it to grow and allowed the reader to see where it would lead. We know they'll get together but it's the path that they take that made this such a believable romance. By the end, I believed in this couple and that doesn't always happen.

The book went rather quickly, keeping my attention divided between the murder mystery and the romance. Courtney and Will had a heck of a lot of obstacles to overcome before they could even think about a HEA. There were some minor points that left me questioning why Fiona, Courtney's sister, wasn't more concerned and involved in Courtney's problems. Her sister is a murder suspect and Fiona seemed too easily put off by Courtney's lies that everything was going to be okay. Courtney was almost too distrustful of everyone. The lies she told were understandable to a point, but I felt she should have trusted Will sooner than she did.

If you want a story with an interesting suspense plot and a hero and heroine who have to work for their well deserved HEA, then this is the book for you!

Rating: A-

Related Books ~

Thread of Fear

Review: Thread of Fear

Thread of Fear
Laura Griffin
Romantic Suspense
Glass Sisters/Book 1
Pocket/September 30, 2008

From the back cover ~

SHE SAYS THIS WILL BE HER LAST CASE. A KILLER PLANS TO MAKE SURE IT IS.

Forensic artist Fiona Glass is the best in the business—which is precisely why she’s quitting. Her skill at mining victims’ memories to re-create the faces of sadistic criminals has left her haunted and wary, and only Jack Bowman’s dogged persistence convinces her to help him. The rugged police chief is hunting a serial killer who’s targeting teenage girls. But what seems like a simple assignment is fraught with complications, including a searing attraction to Jack that’s tempting Fiona to let her guard down in potentially dangerous ways.

Jack never intended for Fiona to become so deeply involved in the case—or his life. And now that she’s right in the killer’s crosshairs, the only way to keep her safe is to unravel a small town’s darkest secrets, one terrifying thread at a time…

After reading Ms. Griffin's novel, Untraceable, I wanted to do some backtracking and read some of her previous novels before continuing with the Tracers series. I began with Thread of Fear because the hero of Untraceable is in it and I wanted to read Courtney's book Whisper of Warning but Thread of Fear is Courtney's sister Fiona's book and it comes first in the time line. My OCD wouldn't let me read Courtney's book without reading Fiona's first. Makes sense right? :)

I find the forensic artist to be a fascinating character. Whether they use a sketch book and pencils or a computer program, the ability to pull those hidden details out of the subconscious of the witness and bring it to life is a rare gift. Fiona has this gift - she's very good with traumatized children and women. The job has its rewards when the suspect is found or the missing person is recovered but it also takes its toll on Fiona. She has nightmares and has been threatened by the criminals she has helped arrest. She does have a day job, an art professor at the community college. She's trying to "retire" from being a forensic artist but because she is one of the best, she keeps getting pulled back into the work.

Jack Bowman is a small town police chief with a murder victim that is eerily similar to a case from years ago. The only difference is that victim lived. He's determined to find the murderer before it happens again. He's given Fiona's name by a mutual friend with the Austin PD and basically wears her down until she agrees to talk to his witness. Jack was a mix of small town police and big city cop. He had that way about him that made the locals trust him but he also had the experience of a big city cop that enabled him to look at the bigger picture.

Fiona is under a lot of stress and her sister Courtney only adds to it. Courtney moves into Fiona's loft apartment in Austin and sticks her nose into Fiona's business, namely the men in her life. Courtney acts like a trampy party girl but there's definitely something deeper going on with her. Even with her hectic life, Fiona still finds time to fit romancing in. Fiona and Jack were attracted to each other but they had the murder case to solve, Jack's major baggage concerning the case and Fiona constantly pulling away from Jack. Fiona needed to make up her mind about her work and then stick with her decision. She wants to concentrate on her art and not get involved with Jack but does just the opposite. Jack and Fiona were okay as a couple. I felt there was too much going on with the police work for them to really get to know each other and fall in love.

Overall I liked the story. The mystery of the potential serial killer and learning about the work of forensic artists. I think the romance could have been stronger but I did like Courtney and still want to read her book so that's always a good thing.

Rating: B

Books in this series ~

Thread of Fear
Whisper of Warning

Review: Untraceable

Untraceable
Laura Griffin
Romantic Suspense
Tracers/Book 1
Pocket Star/November 2009

From the back cover ~

Be careful what you look for…you might find it.

Private investigator Alexandra Lovell uses computer skills and cunning to help clients drop off the radar and begin new lives in safety. Melanie Bess, desperate to escape her abusive husband, was one of those clients. But when Melanie vanishes for real, Alex fears the worst and sets out to discover what happened. Using every resource she can get her hands on—including an elite team of forensic scientists known as the Tracers, and a jaded, sexy detective who’s helped her before--Alex embarks on a mission to uncover the truth, one clue at a time.

Homicide cop Nathan Devereaux wants to believe that Alex’s hunch about Melanie’s murder is wrong, but his instincts—and their visceral attraction—won’t let him walk away. As a grim picture of what really happened begins to emerge, he realizes this investigation runs deeper than they ever imagined. And each step nearer the truth puts Alex in danger of being the next to disappear. . . .

This is the first book by Ms. Griffin I've read but it won't be the last. It is slated as the first in a series but there are characters from previous books/series that are secondary characters in Untraceable who were primary character previously. I wish I had known that before, then I would have started with the earlier books. It looks like I'll just have to go back a read a few off her back list before continuing with this series.

Untraceable grabbed my attention quickly, opening with a dramatic chase leaving me curious as to the fate of a character. It's the fate of that character that leads to Alex Lovell. She starts off as an intelligent woman who works in the predominately man's world of private investigation. Much of her work is for insurance fraud but she has created a reputation for helping women get out of abusive relationships. When someone starts asking about one of Alex's special clients, Alex does some digging and finds that something terrible must have happened to her. Alex fears the worst and enlists the help of Detective Nathan Devereaux. This is when Alex started getting on my nerves. She bugged the heck out of Nathan, expecting him to do "something" with no real evidence to go on. She would get upset with him when there really wasn't much else he could do. He did have his job to think about and had to be careful of not crossing the line. Alex had no problem crossing lines and expected Nathan to do the same. Not very realistic of her.

Nathan Devereaux is a damn fine detective and an all around decent guy. He's a bit gruff but in a likable way many women find attractive. I liked Nathan right off. He says what he thinks and doesn't put up with any crap. He and Alex have a bit of a past that is alluded to, I'm guessing this happened in a previous book. Anyway, they also have an attraction for each other but Alex is hesitant to act on it. She doesn't want to get involved with anyone but I was never quite sure why. The most I could figure out was because she didn't like staying in one place too long and a serious relationship would require her to stay. Nathan is tenacious, not giving up on Alex even when she uses him for his connections and sex. They did make a good couple once Alex go over her fear of commitment.

The group of very elite forensic scientists known as the Tracers play a part in helping Alex obtain evidence of the crime she thinks has taken place. They are an interesting group of characters who work in a high tech building full of expensive equipment and high security. I liked the exploration of the forensic side of the crime. There were details on how evidence it obtained and interpreted but it wasn't overwhelming and didn't feel like a lecture. I thought Griffin did a good job incorporating the science in with the story.

There are some pretty tense scenes along with a mystery to solve that wasn't a complete mystery. I did figure out what was going on fairly easily but didn't get all the connections until the end. Untraceable is more centered on the investigation and the action with the romance coming in second. It's a good, solid story with a heroine who could have had a few less annoying traits. I'll continue with this series once I do a little reading from Ms. Griffin's back list.

Rating: B