BOOK REVIEW - COLD PURSUIT (RYLAND & ST. CLAIR BOOK 1) BY NANCY MEHL

 

Does the imprisoned serial killer, who nearly killed former F.B.I. behavior analysts/current private investigators River Ryland and Tony St. Clair, have an accomplice on the loose to finish the job? And can these fledgling detectives discover what happened to a young man who vanished four years ago?

Cold Pursuit is the first of a new series by award winning novelist Nancy Mehl, introducing a pair of new protagonists. If you've read her latest series - Defenders of Justice, Kaely Quinn Profiler, and the Quantico Files - and enjoyed the edge of your seat suspense, then you'll enjoy this series as well.

Nancy Mehl is excellent in creating complex, struggling characters as well nail biting plots. Personally, the complexity and struggling of River Ryland made it hard for me to really like her at first. That changed as the story progressed. Now Tony St. Clair? I related to him basically from the start.

I'm looking forward to the next story. One unique thing about this novel: most of the time, Mehl wraps up the story, even though you know there's more development for her heroes and their relationships. This one has a bit of a cliff-hanger.

I highly recommend this novel, which I received from the publisher for my unbiased review.

BOOK REVIEW - TEXAS COLD CASE THREAT (QUANTICO PROFILERS, BOOK 1) BY JESSICA PATCH

After learning her profile sent an innocent man to prison several years earlier, should Chelsey Banks trust her abilities as a behavioral analyst for the FBI? Is the killer she caught choking a housekeeper the same person who is writing her taunting notes? Can she help her long-time friend Tack Holliday stop the villain dubbed "The Outlaw" before he or another serial killer adds her to his body-count?

Jessica Patch has written another excellent romantic suspense novel in "Texas Cold Case Threat," the first of her Quantico Profilers series.  As typical for her, she has great character studies with a mystery to solve and nail-biting plot twists along the way.

I highly recommend this psychological thriller.

BOOK REVIEW - HER DARKEST SECRET BY JESSICA PATCH

Will Fiona Kelley be able to finally catch the Nursery Rhyme Killer, the serial-killer who started his two decade spree by murdering Fiona's sister? Will she be able to work alongside her ex-husband, Asa Kodiak, who is known for his bear-like anger? And can she do it without revealing a secret only known to her ... and the Nursery Rhyme Killer?

I have read several of Jessica Patch's Love Inspired Suspense novels. This one is more of a Psychological Thriller, and is more of a full novel (this one is 335 pages, while her others were about 220 pages). This one is a little darker than her others, but it is still filled with great plot twists and deep characters, which is typical for Ms. Patch.

Those familiar with Harlequin's Love Inspired (like this one) and Love Inspired Suspense are aware these books have Christian themes organic to the story. This one goes deeper, showing both the lives of those Christ transforms as well as hypocrites who pretend their faith and acting just as bad as anyone else.

If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, this superb novel is one I'd recommend.