by Joanna Schaffhausen
Book #3
ABOUT THE BOOK
For Chicago police detective Annalisa Vega, Sam Tran’s death presents an ominous puzzle. The ex-cop turned PI is found hanging from a cemetery tree with a message across his chest that suggests someone holds a murderous grudge against the police. Annalisa suspects the real answer lies in one of Tran’s open cases. She believes he stumbled on a dark secret during his investigations and someone killed him to keep him quiet. Her own family harbors plenty of secrets, something Annalisa is reminded of when her brother turns out to be one of Sam’s last clients.
Vinny Vega hired Tran to find a dangerous stalker on his daughter’s college campus. Now Sam is dead and the stalker remains at large, with Annalisa’s niece Quinn firmly in his sights.
To protect Quinn, Annalisa begins tracing Sam’s steps back through his open cases, which include not only the campus stalker but also a brutal double homicide from twenty years ago. Did Sam finally find the killer? Did he uncover the stalker’s identity? Annalisa must figure out which secret got Sam killed, and fast, or someone else will die. Every move she makes brings her closer to the truth of Sam’s death, and closer to a murderer who will stop at nothing to remain free.
- Rating: ☆☆☆
- Genre: Mystery / Police Procedural
- Length: 336 pages
- Publisher: Minotaur Books
- Release Date: August 8, 2023
I was anxious to read this after giving her previous book Last Seen Alive, a five-star rating. Sadly, in my case, this book didn’t catch my interest. There were several subplots, and the carelessness that the characters showed for their own safety didn’t endear me to them.
Though this book, like the last, works fine as a standalone, if you like the characters, I would recommend starting with the first book, since we’re not that far into the series. The writing is good, and for the most part, I do like the characters. Another reason to begin with the first book is the fact that Annalisa not only is dealing with various threads throughout the story but also personal family issues. I think it would help to know about her past relationships with her dad and ex-husband.
My Concerns
This book didn’t hold my interest like the last. The threads ran throughout, making it feel more complicated than it needed to be since threads are dropped and picked up later in the book. Not only do the subplots seem to interrupt the flow of the book, but they also cause it to feel longer than it needs to be.
Final Thoughts
Though this wasn’t my favorite book, I liked the characters and plan to continue with the series. If you like police procedurals with a woman as the MC, I highly recommend you take a look at this series.
My thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for a review ARC of this book.
You may like this story, maybe not. Bottom Line: 3-star books don’t have the wow effect I was looking for.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joanna Schaffhausen wields a mean scalpel, skills she developed in her years studying neuroscience. She has a doctorate in psychology, which reflects her long-standing interest in the brain―how it develops and the many ways it can go wrong. Previously, she worked as a scientific editor in the field of drug development. Prior to that, she was an editorial producer for ABC News, writing for programs such as World News Tonight, Good Morning America, and 20/20. She lives in the Boston area with her husband, daughter, and an obstreperous basset hound named Winston.
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