From the bestselling author of Pretty Girls Dancing comes a shattering serial-killer thriller about revenge, deliverance, and survival.
Cady Maddix survived a brutal upbringing—emotionally scarred but hardened—with a will for self-preservation. Hunting fugitives has given her life purpose and control. But when the Deputy US Marshal returns home to care for her Alzheimer’s-stricken mother, a new case stirs old memories.
Child killer Samuel Aldeen has broken out of a nearby facility for the criminally insane, and the authorities believe he was aided by accomplices, both inside and out. Enlisted to track him down, Cady follows an unexpected lead. Her name is Eryn Pullman, a young woman recently released from a neighboring psychiatric facility, a mentally fragile survivor of childhood abuse, and Aldeen’s next designated victim.
To save Eryn’s life, Cady must work fast to uncover the unimaginable link between predator and prey—even as it pulls her into the cold dark places of her own past.
To start off with, I loved the character of Eryn Pullman, the young woman who is the designated next victim of the serial killer. Her character is brought to life through Then/Now alternating chapters. Convicted and sentenced to a psychiatric institute for the criminally insane as a child, she is now learning to cope in an adult world. The use of the flashbacks alternating with the present day show the struggles she faces becoming an independently functioning adult, and allude to the abuse that shattered her young life, and are a perfect vehicle for the development of the story line. Her character is written well and sympathetically.
On to Cady Maddix, the Deputy US Marshal at the core of the story. Strong but not harsh, she is a heroine I can get behind (well, if heroine is the right word). Her past has given her empathy for victims and a goal in life: to be the best at what she does. Drawn into the case of an escaped serial killer, she is stunned to discover the possible connection with the recently released Eryn. I really love that she is not a cardboard cutout stereotype of a female cop. She is portrayed as a real person, with flaws. Stubborn, caring, and determined.
This not a romantic suspense novel, but I can see where Ms. Brant has left breadcrumbs that could lead to a relationship later in the series between Cady and the male lead, Sheriff Ryder Talbot, who has been investigating threats against Eryn after her release.
All in all I gave this one a solid 4.5, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. This book is currently available as a Kindle Unlimited selection.
Grab the book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074P2X9NX/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
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