8 bodies down.
8 more lives at stake.
Investigator Carrie Kintz is new blood with the Alaska Bureau of Investigation in Anchorage. But with a serial killer on the loose, there's no easing into the job. It's sink or swim. The only clues to help law enforcement stop this madman are the taunts he drops into crossword puzzles across the country--always in the same 8 DOWN position.
Carrie is desperate to prove her worth to the force and the community by catching the killer. But when she discovers signs that these deaths are just the tip of the iceberg in a frighteningly elaborate cyberattack, it's time to admit she needs help.
Calling in security specialist Scott Patteson for his expertise seems like the right move--until Carrie realizes that he may be a dangerous distraction for her heart. With her faith fading in the face of horror and uncertainty and her career in danger of ending, this is no time for flirtation.
But with a killer who is determined to prove that he's smarter than everyone else, it may be impossible to fight both the madman and their feelings for each other . . .
My review:
I will never look at a Crossword puzzle the same after reading this book. Yikes.
I have read everything this author has ever written, and always enjoy her books, but this one outshines all the rest. Seriously. What an amazing and diabolical plot. (I honestly had the thought while reading this that they should study her brain 😀).
I did enjoy the first book in this series, but this one seemed more intense, more fast paced, and the actions of the bad guy even more devious and evil.
The plot revolved around Crossword puzzles with the clues to murders being in the 8 down column - clever idea. The clues were scattered throughout the book, and I did figure out some of them. I admit I didn't spend a lot of time on them because I wanted to see what happened next.
Another thought I had while reading this book: "I need to get rid of everything electronic and live off the grid." I won't though...modern technology is too convenient and we are too dependent on it. But man......I won't give any spoilers, but the things in this book that were hacked to kill people - and I assume can be hacked in real life - scary stuff. And the author's son-in-law works in cyber security for the military, so she has a good source for this stuff.
I liked the main characters, Carrie and Scott....though I wanted to smack her a few times. I have said this author obviously does a lot of research, and it showed in this book on the cyber stuff, and the workings of the FBI and ABI. Everything made sense, and I found myself impressed.
The romance in this book was definitely in the background of the story, but our hero and heroine still got some romantic times in.
This was an amazing suspenseful novel that delves into modern technology, and shows not just how wonderful it can be, but also how dangerous it can be in the hands of evil men. It wasn't easy to set the book aside when I needed to, and I couldn't wait to get back to it. This may be the best book Woodhouse has written.
About the author:
Kimberley Woodhouse is the best-selling author of more than thirty books and novellas, including A Deep Divide, Bridge of Gold, and The Mayflower Bride, as well as the coauthor of the Heart of Alaska series with Tracie Peterson. Kimberley’s writing has earned a Carol Award, the Christian Market Novel of the Year, the Holt Medallion, and many others. A proud former resident of Alaska, she now makes her home in the Pennsylvania Poconos. Visit her at kimberleywoodhouse.com.
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