We were briefly introduced to Detective Allison Doyle in the last book and I really really liked her character. I was so excited to see that she was getting her own book and romance and quickly! Laura Griffin has a large fan following, especially in the thriller genre! What I love so much about Griffin is that she writes a very balanced romantic suspense story. It’s not too much romance but has enough romance and heat that readers will be fully invested in not only the mystery but also the characters romances.
Griffin’s books are always fast reads. I have been reading them super fast, I am averaging a day, two at most, to read each novel. And each book comes in at around 400 pages so clearly I am devouring them at record speed! There are some books I have read that are lengthy like this (400+ pages) and I struggle to get through them quickly but that is NOT the case with any of Griffin’s books. I find them to be fast reads that hold your attention and grip you right from the beginning.
In this book we have a bit of a May December romance meaning there is an age difference between the two of the main characters. This was sort of a new approach in the series as the other characters have up until this point been about the same age. I thought it would be a fun match between them though since Allison seems more mature than some of her other colleagues. Plus the love interest, Mark, sounded very intriguing and I was super excited to read more about him.
Summary
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. (summary from Goodreads)
Review
As I have mentioned in my previous reviews of this series, one of the things I like best is the unexpected plots. Sometimes it might be a serial killer plot, while others it might be a terrorist plot or even a conspiracy. I love that it’s always a surprise and you never know what’s coming your way each time you open up a book in the series. In this book it features a serial killer that Mark Wolfe of the FBI has been tracking for a lengthy time. He shows up and meets Allison and they race the clock to try and catch a serial killer. This case has so many twists and turns and it will leave you guessing and questioning everything. I loved ‘shadowing’ Mark and Allison in this one and trying to work the pieces out. Criminal profiling is fascinating to me as well and this one did not disappoint!
I also thought the romance between Allison and Mark was well done. Mark is dealing with burn out and he’s older than Allison so he struggled a bit when it came to getting involved with her. I loved that Allison was BOLD. One of the things that stood out to me was that Allison asked HIM out on a date and I thought that showed so much confidence on her part and I loved her for it. It went really well with her character and I loved that for once we see a woman pursuing a man. She wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted and I think that a lot of readers will enjoy this part of the book. I know I sure did! Although I think there could have been more chemistry between them, I think their romance was more fitting that way. Allison was more practical and no nonsense and Mark was more reserved, it would have felt off if their romance was too sexy or ‘hot’. Griffin stays true to their characters for the romance.
This series is just so so so good. As I write this review, I am currently on the last book of this series and wondering what the heck I am going to do with my life when this series is over! I have no idea what I am going to read after this series—-but something tells me that I might pick up some of Griffin’s standalone books and likely the Wolfe Security series next! Griffin is such a talented writer and I cannot say enough great things about this series and all the other books I have read by her! If you are looking for a well written thriller you need to read ANY of her books! They are all fantastic!
Book Info and Rating
Format: 404 pages kindle edition
Published: April 17th 2012 by Pocket Star
Review copy provided by personal collection. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: romantic suspense, thriller, mystery
The Lit Bitch 