I’ve long been a fan of Dee Henderson’s books, so when this one became available for review, I jumped on it.
Let’s begin with the summary:
Dee Henderson Is Back!
Ann Silver is a cop's cop. As the Midwest Homicide Investigator, she is called in to help local law enforcement on the worst of cases, looking for answers to murder. Hers is one of the region's most trusted investigative positions.
Paul Falcon is the FBI's top murder cop in the Midwest. If the victim carried a federal badge or had a security clearance, odds are good Paul and his team see the case file or work the murder.
Their lives intersect when Ann arrives to pass a case off her desk and onto his. A car wreck and a suspicious death offer a lead on a hired shooter he is tracking. Paul isn't expecting to meet someone, the kind that goes on the personal side of the ledger, but Ann Silver has his attention.
The better he gets to know her, the more Paul realizes her job barely scratches the surface of who she is. She knows spies and soldiers and U.S. Marshals, and has written books about them. She is friends with the former Vice President. People with good reason to be cautious about who they let into their lives deeply trust her. Paul wonders just what secrets Ann is keeping, until she shows him the John Doe Killer case file, and he starts to realize just who this lady he is falling in love with really is...
And now, my review:
If I’m not mistaken, Dee wrote herself into this book. She mentioned the O’Malley series (which was so good) and spoke of her heroine as the one who penned the titles. And though it’s hard to tell how many of the other details also apply, it seems fitting that those do at least. And any time you’re reading along and discover (or suspect) elements of the writer’s life, it’s a fun experience for readers.
Dee has always excelled at including such detailed and believable elements to her investigations and police work. She plots well, in that regard. Same’s true in this novel—vintage Dee.
It’s been a long time since I’ve read her work, and I was reading the advance reader copy (unedited proof) for this review. But, the writing often presented in passive voice, with plenty of “telling” (as opposed to “showing"). Also her main characters tended to have the same voice, and we bounced between POVs a few times, which was jarring. I also felt the romance and plot didn’t move fast enough, which surprised me, considering romance was always so strong in her earlier novels. Again, these elements may have been changed in the final version.
I think her fans will enjoy this latest release. The years of anticipation has everyone excited. I'll be watching for her next release because I sincerely respect Dee and her writing. I just didn't love this particular story.
Have you read the story? Feel free to share your opinion in a comment.
Check out the trailer:
(print version) (e-book)
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