I loved this book! But to tell you why, exactly, would spoil it... so I'll tell a little about why else I like this series.

What I have loved about this series is that despite being oriented around dead bodies and a mystery, they don't read like the hundreds of crime thrillers and forensic mysteries out there. Harper Connelly is not a forensic expert and she knows it; she doesn't attempt to do the police and other experts jobs for them, in fact she bluntly refuses! This character with her unique gifts uses them the best way she knows how to help people find answers. Of course, they aren't always the answers they wanted to hear.

This particular book concentrates on a serial killing which is extremely brutal. This book seemed much more gritty and violent than the first two, which were based on family and small town discord. To tell the truth, it was a bit sickening at times and I am not easily sickened, but I think my discomfort was partly because I just hadn't expected the violence given the past books. And it matched the discomfort that Harper feels through most of the book.

And the spoiler? (view spoiler)[ Well, that just made me squee in fan-girlish delight when they finally got it together!! But then, I am a sucker for slow-burn relationships (see: Sookie and Eric waiting til book 4! I'm definitely Team Eric) I see that a lot of people found the relationship squicky, but I just didn't have that problem. For one thing, Harper's realisation that she loved him in the second book (it was obvious from the start given how she thought about his other women) primed me and made it obvious that something was going to have to happen. Secondly, Tolliver's behaviour made it obvious to me that he didn't really think of her as a sister and that all the emphasis he gave that relationship was out of his own fears, for her benefit and the benefit of the public... the silly pair were in love from the start but too scared of breaking the support network they needed to risk making it obvious. Gotta admit though, the graphic sex scenes were a surprise, but not entirely unwelcome. (hide spoiler)]

Now I'm torn. I desperately want to read more of Harper Connelly, but I also love, love, LOVE the Southern Vampire Mysteries... Can we clone Charlaine Harris?! ;)

eta: Just discovered that the fourth book is the final one apparently. Now I'm torn about reading it, knowing it will be the last. I am awful about this, it took me months to watch David Tennant's last episodes as the Doctor since I didn't want it to end...