Early morning, Monday, August 29, 2005
Amaia came awake slowly and listened carefully. She made out rhythmic breathing. Johnson and Charbou were sound asleep despite the roar of the storm and the constant ringing of telephones in the command center next door, which was only slightly muted by the walls. She assumed Dupree and Bull were still busy somewhere else in the fire station. Checking her watch, she found it was almost five in the morning. Dawn would arrive soon, though as yet the covered window admitted no light.
From the cot she could see some of the crime scene photos they’d sorted spread out across the conference table. Disorder, destruction, and chaos ruled each scene. Her impressions were jumbled. She was absolutely certain crucial clues were to be found at the crime scenes, and she hadn’t been able to get them out of her head. The answer lay in the killer’s staging, again and again, a desired outcome. Was it some sort of macabre therapy in which he took out his bitterness upon others? Or were these just rehearsals for an upcoming final act? If so, what was he waiting for, what permission did he need before murdering his entire family a second time? How many more times would he be driven to rehearse his final solution?
Usually a thriller is entertaining, and fine to pass the time. This thriller is so wonderfully written—the descriptions of the settings and characters are as compelling as the plot.
Official synopsis:
From New Jersey to Oklahoma to Texas, the Composer’s victims are entire families annihilated in the chaos of natural disasters, their bodies posed with chilling purpose amid the ruins. Dupree and Amaia follow his trail to New Orleans. The clock is ticking. It’s the eve of the worst hurricane in the city’s history. But a troubling call from Amaia’s aunt back home awakens in Amaia the ghosts from her childhood and sends her down a path as dark as that of the coming storm.
While Amaia is visiting the Quantico FBI Academy with other international inspectors and detectives, she’s especially looking forward to a seminar led by FBI agent Dupree. Imagine her shock and that of her mentor when Dupree seems to be singling her out during his presentation. He’s already recognized her as a "needle in a haystack" like him—a detective with nearly supernatural instincts.
Amaia goes overnight from a trainee to an integral part of the hunt for a serial killer. With the beautiful and tragic backdrop of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, what she thinks is just the hunt for the serial killer is also assisting Dupree with chasing monsters from his own past.
Usually thrillers are built heavily on the unexpected twists in their plot. This book was also poetic and inspiring in its descriptions of the historic city of New Orleans, the magic that lives there, and the tragedy brought so suddenly by Hurricane Katrina. I’d rate this book a high 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to those who like contemporary stories, thrillers, and drama with some old-school voodoo history.
{click here to purchase—currently FREE for Kindle Unlimited!}
Becki Bayley believes in ghosts, magic, and the power of caffeine. Find more about what she’s reading and where by following her Instagram posts as PoshBecki.
GIVEAWAY:
One of my lucky readers will win a hardcover copy of The North Face of the Heart!
Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Tuesday, June 8th, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be notified via email the next day, and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.
U.S. residents only, please.
Good luck!
The North Face of the Heart, by Dolores Redondo
0 comments:
Post a Comment