4.5 Stars
A new romantic thriller series by one of my all-time favorite authors? Yes, please! Rebecca Zanetti is back again with another winner. This time, the series will follow Laurel Snow, a young FBI Special Agent. Laurel, a genius who graduated college as a teen, is socially awkward but passionate and competent. She is called back home after her uncle is named as a suspect in a murder investigation. Her specialty is hunting down serial killers, and what does she find when she comes back home to Washington state? A serial killer on the loose in her hometown.
This book is fun and fast-paced. Zanetti does a great job of introducing an exciting and eclectic cast of characters and setting the stage for a more extended series without weighing down the plot with too many details. The whodunnit murder case has lots of twists and red herrings that kept me guessing until the very end. As with all Zanetti books, there are many wild surprises for the reader, even outside the heart-pounding action scenes. Secrets, lies, romance, and murder in a small town… so fun!
I am really, really excited about the love interest in this series. These books will follow Laurel, so the romance was just in its beginning stages, but Huck Rivers, her Fish and Wildlife partner in WA, is the gruff mountain man with secrets you will fall for along with Laurel. He takes no bureaucracy bull but has a soft spot for a certain new-in-town fed.
As I mentioned, the supporting characters are equally as fun. Zanetti writes great alpha heroes, but her female characters shine! In this book, Laurel’s secretary and three girls along with Laurel’s mother stole the show. And we’re just getting started??
Selfishly, I did want a little more time on the romance, especially the signature Zanetti steam, but I can tell that’s coming! I also didn’t love a few morally grey characters; one, in particular, made me really uncomfortable. I think that was the point of her character, but it dampened my reading enjoyment. She skeeved me out!
Overall, I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series. I love romantic suspense, and this book hit all my “love” buttons! The winter setting is perfect for the season, too. Highly recommend.
**I received a free copy of this book in order to provide an honest review**
Romance Reader 