Expected publication date July 1st 2020
Expect the unexpected in this gritty, tense, and page-turning mystery from New York Times bestselling author Mary Burton.
After multiple women go missing, Agent Melina Shepard of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation makes the impulsive decision to go undercover as a prostitute. While working the street, she narrowly avoids becoming a serial killer’s latest victim; as much as it pains her to admit, she needs backup.
Enter lone wolf FBI agent Jerrod Ramsey. Stonewalled by a lack of leads, he and Melina investigate a scene where a little girl has been found abandoned in a crashed vehicle. They open the trunk to reveal a horror show and quickly realize they’re dealing with two serial killers with very different MOs. The whole situation brings back memories for Melina—why does this particular case feel so connected to her painful past?
Before time runs out, Melina must catch not one but two serial killers, both ready to claim another victim—and both with their sights set on her.
Sometimes one needs a little more murder than romance in their reading material, and while in the throes of a global pandemic seemed a perfect time to pick this up finally. (Because let’s face it, right about now I’d like to murder a virus.) Fortunately I had this gem by Mary Burton waiting for me, though I will admit I haven’t read the previous books in the series (bad me!) so I will need to go back and do that. In the meantime this distracted me from real life chaos for a couple of days!
On the streets of Nashville, Agent Melina Shepard of the TBI has gone undercover without authorization to try and find 2 missing sex workers. She is working with her friend, an ordained minister who runs the halfway house the Mission and it is her girls that are missing. Melina is investigating when she is approached by a man in a white van who attempts to drug and kidnap her, but she fights back and is able to stab him and get away. Once the DNA on the knife is run, the TBI discovers the perp is a serial killer the FBI is investigating which brings Jerrod Ramsey to town to follow the trail of the so-called Key Killer.
Shortly after they start working together on that case, Melina is called to the scene of a car accident where a young girl was left abandoned in eerily similar circumstances to her own past. Adding to that shock, there is a jar of human fingers in the trunk of the car and suddenly Melina and Jerrod find themselves on the trails of two different murderers. They have to work together to piece together the clues and find the killers before there are more victims-including Melina herself.
Overall I enjoyed the read, and would recommend it to fans of mystery/thrillers; while there is a small bit of romance included, it is only a small portion of the storyline. However if you don’t mind some bloodshed especially in these trying times, this is the book for you!
Thank you to Montlake Romance and Netgalley for the chance to read this early!