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Sonora Blair #1
Flashpoint
A New York Times Notable Book: Cincinnati homicide detective Sonora Blair hunts a serial killer who's playing with fire in Shamus Award—winning author Lynn Hightower's chilling thriller.
A single mother of two children and a police specialist with the Cincinnati Homicide Division, Sonora Blair is still awake in the middle of the night when the call comes in. Mark Daniels has been found in Mount Airy Forest handcuffed to the steering wheel of his car, doused with accelerant, and set on fire. As the hideously burned college student lies dying in the ER, he describes his killer: blond, female, and a total stranger. But Mark may not have been the intended victim.
Evidence points to a sexual fixation on his older brother, Keaton, a teacher currently separated from his wife. Then the murderer—who has been dubbed "Flash" by the media—calls Sonora one night, taunting and mocking her. As the investigation heats up, the harassment continues. The female psychopath knows intimate details about Sonora's family and her past. As the criminal's monstrous plan becomes chillingly apparent, Sonora must risk everything to corner a cunning killer.
A single mother of two children and a police specialist with the Cincinnati Homicide Division, Sonora Blair is still awake in the middle of the night when the call comes in. Mark Daniels has been found in Mount Airy Forest handcuffed to the steering wheel of his car, doused with accelerant, and set on fire. As the hideously burned college student lies dying in the ER, he describes his killer: blond, female, and a total stranger. But Mark may not have been the intended victim.
Evidence points to a sexual fixation on his older brother, Keaton, a teacher currently separated from his wife. Then the murderer—who has been dubbed "Flash" by the media—calls Sonora one night, taunting and mocking her. As the investigation heats up, the harassment continues. The female psychopath knows intimate details about Sonora's family and her past. As the criminal's monstrous plan becomes chillingly apparent, Sonora must risk everything to corner a cunning killer.
448 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
21 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
About the author
Lynn Hightower
43 books85 followersLynn Hightower grew up in Kentucky, and graduated from the University of Kentucky, where she studied creative writing with Wendell Berry and earned a degree in Journalism. She also teaches novel writing in the Writer’s Program at UCLA. Survival jobs include writing television commercials, catering waitress, and bartender for one day.
Her books have been included in the New York Times List of Notable Books, the London Times Bestseller List, and the W.H. Smith Fresh Talent Awards. She has received the Shamus Award, and been nominated for the Kentucky Literary Award, the Kentucky Librarians First Choice Award, and the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Hightower’s books have been published in numerous foreign countries, including Great Britain, Australia, Japan, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Israel and The Netherlands.
Hightower spends ridiculous amounts of time curled up reading, but also enjoys small sports cars and tame horses. She is married to The Frenchman, writes full time, shares an office with her Belgian Shepherd, Leo the Lion, plays bad but fierce tennis, loves to dance and is learning to Tango.
Hightower enjoys canoeing and is witty after two glasses of wine. She has studied French and Italian, but is only fluent in Southern.
Hightower is a Kentucky native, and lives in a small Victorian cottage with a writing parlor.
Her books have been included in the New York Times List of Notable Books, the London Times Bestseller List, and the W.H. Smith Fresh Talent Awards. She has received the Shamus Award, and been nominated for the Kentucky Literary Award, the Kentucky Librarians First Choice Award, and the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Hightower’s books have been published in numerous foreign countries, including Great Britain, Australia, Japan, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Israel and The Netherlands.
Hightower spends ridiculous amounts of time curled up reading, but also enjoys small sports cars and tame horses. She is married to The Frenchman, writes full time, shares an office with her Belgian Shepherd, Leo the Lion, plays bad but fierce tennis, loves to dance and is learning to Tango.
Hightower enjoys canoeing and is witty after two glasses of wine. She has studied French and Italian, but is only fluent in Southern.
Hightower is a Kentucky native, and lives in a small Victorian cottage with a writing parlor.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 25, 2015
The plot of this book sounded intriguing, but honestly, at first I was even more interested in the setting. Having grown up in southwestern Ohio a little more than an hour's drive north of Cincinnati, I have fond memories of the Queen City. Most came from many visits to the wonderful Cincinnati Zoo and Coney Island amusement park rather than in the city's downtown, although later in life I recall going back to conduct a seminar for nursing home administrators at the College of Mount Saint Joseph. And I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for the Cincinnati Reds.
Happily, though, I never bumped heads with the city's Homicide Division where police specialist Sonora Blair does her thing. In this, the first of a series of four books with Blair as the main attraction, the single mother of two gets a call that sends her to Mount Airy Forest to investigate the gruesome murder of a college student. He was, it seems, handcuffed to the steering wheel of his car, liberally sprinkled with gasoline and (yuck!) set on fire while alive. The victim, Mark Daniels, manages to utter a few clues at the hospital before taking his final breath, but it's nowhere near enough to bring about an arrest.
After meeting Mark's brother, Keaton (a hunky elementary school teacher; oh golly, wonder where that will lead), more clues emerge that suggest the killer - believed to be female - might have tagged the wrong brother. Worse, she's still out there, and it soon becomes apparent that she's now set her sights on Keaton and Sonora; both begin getting troubling messages and phone calls that suggest they, and their loved ones, could be in real danger.
The action starts at the beginning and doesn't stop till the end, making it hard to put down. Sandwiched in between are details of Sonora's life, some of which are not all that pleasant. Somehow, the killer seems to have obtained some of those details, giving her a bit of a psychological advantage. I'd have to say the conclusion wasn't quite as satisfying as I'd hoped it would be, but it works (and obviously Sonora lives to see another book, so in that regard, all's well no matter how it ends).
I'll also note that when I requested and received this book from NetGalley at no cost in exchange for a review, I didn't realize it was first published about 20 years ago and apparently is being released in 2015 in ebook-only format. That said, I didn't notice anything here that seemed out of date. It's certainly good enough that I won't hesitate to try the others in the series (according to the description, the books can be read in any order, but I'm pretty much a stickler for first things first so I'm glad I started where I did ).
Happily, though, I never bumped heads with the city's Homicide Division where police specialist Sonora Blair does her thing. In this, the first of a series of four books with Blair as the main attraction, the single mother of two gets a call that sends her to Mount Airy Forest to investigate the gruesome murder of a college student. He was, it seems, handcuffed to the steering wheel of his car, liberally sprinkled with gasoline and (yuck!) set on fire while alive. The victim, Mark Daniels, manages to utter a few clues at the hospital before taking his final breath, but it's nowhere near enough to bring about an arrest.
After meeting Mark's brother, Keaton (a hunky elementary school teacher; oh golly, wonder where that will lead), more clues emerge that suggest the killer - believed to be female - might have tagged the wrong brother. Worse, she's still out there, and it soon becomes apparent that she's now set her sights on Keaton and Sonora; both begin getting troubling messages and phone calls that suggest they, and their loved ones, could be in real danger.
The action starts at the beginning and doesn't stop till the end, making it hard to put down. Sandwiched in between are details of Sonora's life, some of which are not all that pleasant. Somehow, the killer seems to have obtained some of those details, giving her a bit of a psychological advantage. I'd have to say the conclusion wasn't quite as satisfying as I'd hoped it would be, but it works (and obviously Sonora lives to see another book, so in that regard, all's well no matter how it ends).
I'll also note that when I requested and received this book from NetGalley at no cost in exchange for a review, I didn't realize it was first published about 20 years ago and apparently is being released in 2015 in ebook-only format. That said, I didn't notice anything here that seemed out of date. It's certainly good enough that I won't hesitate to try the others in the series (according to the description, the books can be read in any order, but I'm pretty much a stickler for first things first so I'm glad I started where I did ).
October 12, 2015
She's a single mom with two children and an ulcer. She also carries a badge and gun, as she is a homicide detective. She is Sonora Blair.
The victim is a young man who has evidently been abducted, shot, handcuffed to the steering wheel of his car, doused with gasoline and burned to death. The killer is a woman ... and she's done this before.
Once Sonora and her team start investigating, she becomes a target. And the killer really gets serious when she thinks the brother of the young man she killed is interested in Sonora. Fearing for her family, Sonora is in a race to find out who and why.
Terrific mystery with just a touch of romance. Tightly woven plot. Believable characters. No clues to the who and the why. Very well written.
This is one series that I am definitely going to be following!
4.5 Stars
My thanks to the author / NetGalley / Open Road Integrated Media who furnished a digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
The victim is a young man who has evidently been abducted, shot, handcuffed to the steering wheel of his car, doused with gasoline and burned to death. The killer is a woman ... and she's done this before.
Once Sonora and her team start investigating, she becomes a target. And the killer really gets serious when she thinks the brother of the young man she killed is interested in Sonora. Fearing for her family, Sonora is in a race to find out who and why.
Terrific mystery with just a touch of romance. Tightly woven plot. Believable characters. No clues to the who and the why. Very well written.
This is one series that I am definitely going to be following!
4.5 Stars
My thanks to the author / NetGalley / Open Road Integrated Media who furnished a digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
January 23, 2023
I first picked up this paperback from a used bookstore many years ago, and wanted to re-read it again. I remember it being really good...and it is! Smartly written, with characters you care about.
November 7, 2015
“Anybody talk to a doctor?”
“Guy came out of emergency and talked to the brother.”
“Hear what he said?”
“Just that they were very concerned with Mark’s condition, and were doing all they could.”
“Shit. Mark won’t make it then. They’re already hanging the crepe.”
Sonora Blair is one of the most kick-ass female detectives to hit the shelves in a very long time. Lucky me, I read it free, thanks to Net Galley and Open Road Integrated Media. The original publication date was 1995, and so the initial publishers must have dropped the ball big-time when it came to promotion, because I know this is the kind of story that resonates with large numbers of people, especially women. And I am glad to see it being resold by Open Road, because they know how to do the job right.
So back to Sonora. No wait, let’s go back to Hightower first. What a total bad-ass when it comes to setting! I loved seeing her enter the home where her children were asleep, and the explosion of naked Barbie doll parts in her daughter’s room. I loved the moment when her elderly dog had an accident in the living room, and she was so distracted by the hundred other things, personal and professional, all colliding at once, that it was not even the first thing she took care of once she found it.
So we have two interesting threads here. One is the problem. A killer out there has murdered a man by handcuffing him to the steering wheel of a vehicle and setting fire to it…and him. It’s grisly business, but Hightower doesn’t overwork the detail to where it triggers my “ick” button; in other words, although it’s terrible, it is never so terrible that I just don’t want to read it anymore. And the problem just becomes thornier and trickier the longer she works on it. Clues drop here and there, and the stakes go up.
The other thread is Blair’s personal life, and the problems she faces in dealing with home and work. It sounds like a tired old song when I put it that way, but like any really skillful writing, it sounds brand new when the author rubs her own brand of English on it and sends it spinning.
After having read several hundred mystery, crime fiction, police procedural, and thriller novels—okay, if I had starting keeping track sooner, I know it would be well over a thousand—there are a handful of devices that are so frequently used that my eyes auto-roll when I see them utilized. I was watching for them. But Blair never gets tossed into the trunk of anybody’s car; she never gets the phone call saying the killer has her kids; there is never a moment when we realize she has been framed for the killing herself, and has to solve it to save her own butt. I’m not saying a great writer can’t get away with any of those; there are some Grand Masters out there that have done it and before my eyes could make the full roll, they were glued back to the page. But once someone reaches into that worn, soiled bag of tricks, it becomes a lot harder to engage me, and I was delighted that Blair never went there.
Her facility with setting is consistently brilliant throughout the book.
One tiny odd bit: for the first chapter or two, I was convinced that Blair was African-American. When she turned up blonde later, I had to mentally reinvent her. It didn’t take long though, because I was riveted and had to get back to the story.
For fans of outstanding detective fiction, this is a must-read. Order it now for yourself, or as a gift for someone you know will love it.
“Guy came out of emergency and talked to the brother.”
“Hear what he said?”
“Just that they were very concerned with Mark’s condition, and were doing all they could.”
“Shit. Mark won’t make it then. They’re already hanging the crepe.”
Sonora Blair is one of the most kick-ass female detectives to hit the shelves in a very long time. Lucky me, I read it free, thanks to Net Galley and Open Road Integrated Media. The original publication date was 1995, and so the initial publishers must have dropped the ball big-time when it came to promotion, because I know this is the kind of story that resonates with large numbers of people, especially women. And I am glad to see it being resold by Open Road, because they know how to do the job right.
So back to Sonora. No wait, let’s go back to Hightower first. What a total bad-ass when it comes to setting! I loved seeing her enter the home where her children were asleep, and the explosion of naked Barbie doll parts in her daughter’s room. I loved the moment when her elderly dog had an accident in the living room, and she was so distracted by the hundred other things, personal and professional, all colliding at once, that it was not even the first thing she took care of once she found it.
So we have two interesting threads here. One is the problem. A killer out there has murdered a man by handcuffing him to the steering wheel of a vehicle and setting fire to it…and him. It’s grisly business, but Hightower doesn’t overwork the detail to where it triggers my “ick” button; in other words, although it’s terrible, it is never so terrible that I just don’t want to read it anymore. And the problem just becomes thornier and trickier the longer she works on it. Clues drop here and there, and the stakes go up.
The other thread is Blair’s personal life, and the problems she faces in dealing with home and work. It sounds like a tired old song when I put it that way, but like any really skillful writing, it sounds brand new when the author rubs her own brand of English on it and sends it spinning.
After having read several hundred mystery, crime fiction, police procedural, and thriller novels—okay, if I had starting keeping track sooner, I know it would be well over a thousand—there are a handful of devices that are so frequently used that my eyes auto-roll when I see them utilized. I was watching for them. But Blair never gets tossed into the trunk of anybody’s car; she never gets the phone call saying the killer has her kids; there is never a moment when we realize she has been framed for the killing herself, and has to solve it to save her own butt. I’m not saying a great writer can’t get away with any of those; there are some Grand Masters out there that have done it and before my eyes could make the full roll, they were glued back to the page. But once someone reaches into that worn, soiled bag of tricks, it becomes a lot harder to engage me, and I was delighted that Blair never went there.
Her facility with setting is consistently brilliant throughout the book.
One tiny odd bit: for the first chapter or two, I was convinced that Blair was African-American. When she turned up blonde later, I had to mentally reinvent her. It didn’t take long though, because I was riveted and had to get back to the story.
For fans of outstanding detective fiction, this is a must-read. Order it now for yourself, or as a gift for someone you know will love it.
January 12, 2016
Amidst the gruesome details of a homicide case we see the human side of policing
Sonora Blair is a homicide detective with the Cincinnati Police Department. When she is called to a crime scene in Mount Airy Forest, she is not really prepared for the gruesome scenario with which she is faced. The victim, Mark Daniels, was pulled clear by officers attending the scene and taken to hospital. He apparently had been handcuffed to the steering wheel of the car and then doused with gasoline and set alight. When he subsequently dies in hospital, the case is confirmed as homicide.
Before Daniels dies, Sonora is able to question him briefly and elicits enough information to identify the perpetrator as a small white female with blonde hair. In addition to this information, a woman’s heeled footprint is also found at the crime scene.
So starts an investigation that will stretch Sonora’s investigative powers to the full. Not only that, she will also find herself pulled professionally, personally and emotionally.
I must say that I really liked the clear and concise writing style of Lynn Hightower. The whole story flowed well and the plot moved with pace. The characters were well-defined and there were some touching moments which brought a good deal of humanity to the roles of the police dealing with the case.
Sonora and her partner Sam Delarosa work well together and have empathy towards the victims with whom they work. The fact that they each have personal family problems only adds to their attraction as agents of the law.
All in all I would recommend this as a good and absorbing read.
Sméagol
Breakaway Reviewers were given a copy of the book to review
Sonora Blair is a homicide detective with the Cincinnati Police Department. When she is called to a crime scene in Mount Airy Forest, she is not really prepared for the gruesome scenario with which she is faced. The victim, Mark Daniels, was pulled clear by officers attending the scene and taken to hospital. He apparently had been handcuffed to the steering wheel of the car and then doused with gasoline and set alight. When he subsequently dies in hospital, the case is confirmed as homicide.
Before Daniels dies, Sonora is able to question him briefly and elicits enough information to identify the perpetrator as a small white female with blonde hair. In addition to this information, a woman’s heeled footprint is also found at the crime scene.
So starts an investigation that will stretch Sonora’s investigative powers to the full. Not only that, she will also find herself pulled professionally, personally and emotionally.
I must say that I really liked the clear and concise writing style of Lynn Hightower. The whole story flowed well and the plot moved with pace. The characters were well-defined and there were some touching moments which brought a good deal of humanity to the roles of the police dealing with the case.
Sonora and her partner Sam Delarosa work well together and have empathy towards the victims with whom they work. The fact that they each have personal family problems only adds to their attraction as agents of the law.
All in all I would recommend this as a good and absorbing read.
Sméagol
Breakaway Reviewers were given a copy of the book to review
November 29, 2011
It was ok.
A little predictable in places, a little 'horror-ish' with no actual horror, a little 'thriller-ish' with not too much thrill. The main character had an ulcer that was constantly present until it went away.
Do you find that confusing? so did I.
The killer is well developed; actually, the development of the killer is the high point of the novel. There is a teaser which is never followed up suggesting that the killer has a condition in which numbers assume an actual reality. I think this is a real condition associated with... is it autism? Or one of the social dysfunctions? I can’t remember and this book did not intrigue me enough to go looking.
A little predictable in places, a little 'horror-ish' with no actual horror, a little 'thriller-ish' with not too much thrill. The main character had an ulcer that was constantly present until it went away.
Do you find that confusing? so did I.
The killer is well developed; actually, the development of the killer is the high point of the novel. There is a teaser which is never followed up suggesting that the killer has a condition in which numbers assume an actual reality. I think this is a real condition associated with... is it autism? Or one of the social dysfunctions? I can’t remember and this book did not intrigue me enough to go looking.
October 3, 2015
Wow! Very compelling read. Characters nicely developed. "Baddy" was very evil but not shallow. Lead detective and partner added comic element in just right amount. Will definitely pursue next in series.
June 28, 2017
I really liked the plot line, however there where some major errors that ruined the book for me. The most glaring of these boo boos counld have been fixed with a map printed any time after 1850 c.e. The river flowing between Cincinnati, OH and Covington KY is the OHIO RIVER, not the Kentucky. Also, Lawrenceburg is in Indiana not between Cincinnati and Lexington, KY.
I would have given this another star except for these whooping great mistakes.
I would have given this another star except for these whooping great mistakes.
April 1, 2020
The detective is a police officer (specialist) who is a single mother raising two children, with the help of family members—I liked that part. She and her partner, who is having problems of his own, are tracking a serial killer—a woman—who burns her victims. A very good police procedural—with enough of the detective’s outside concerns thrown in, though the body count, including Sonora’s own family members, was/became alarmingly high
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2025
A very good and interesting story extremely well told.
Sonora Blair and her partner have a very difficult time finding the killer and arresting her. It was a hard story to stop reading until it was complete
Sonora Blair and her partner have a very difficult time finding the killer and arresting her. It was a hard story to stop reading until it was complete
November 16, 2016
I am not a superfan of crime, because I think to much crime is to average. Like this novel. Not very exiting.
April 2, 2018
Enjoyed the plot and characters but overall the book was not very captivating
May 7, 2020
creepy
October 29, 2025
Tight story
Right from the beginning and all the way to the end I was held by the characters and the story.
Right from the beginning and all the way to the end I was held by the characters and the story.
January 21, 2016
Open Road Integrated Media and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Police Specialist Sonora Blair is called to a scene in the middle of the night, only to find something of a nightmare. A 22 year old college student, Mark Daniels, was handcuffed to the steering wheel of his brother's car and purposefully set on fire. Before his untimely death, Mark indicates that a blonde woman was responsible for his demise. The seemingly well planned and executed crime does not appear to be the work of a first time killer, leaving the police in a scramble against the odds to bring the killer to justice before anyone else gets hurt.
Flashpoint is a well paced novel with a good plot. I like the main character Detective Sonora Blair, as her mental toughness and intelligence are coupled with empathy for the victims and their families. The only problem that I had with this book had to do with Sonora's single parenting of her two children. She has a network of helpers in place, but she also leaves her kids alone in the home while a serial killer is on the loose. As Sonora is likely a target, being that she is one of the faces of the investigation, it would seem that she would be more careful with her loved ones. The quick ending to this book does not leave much room for any meaningful resolution. It is also not really a mystery, but is more a thriller because you know the perpetrator early on and are just waiting for the reasons why. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers and do not mind that the element of surprise is largely absent from the pages of Flashpoint.
Police Specialist Sonora Blair is called to a scene in the middle of the night, only to find something of a nightmare. A 22 year old college student, Mark Daniels, was handcuffed to the steering wheel of his brother's car and purposefully set on fire. Before his untimely death, Mark indicates that a blonde woman was responsible for his demise. The seemingly well planned and executed crime does not appear to be the work of a first time killer, leaving the police in a scramble against the odds to bring the killer to justice before anyone else gets hurt.
Flashpoint is a well paced novel with a good plot. I like the main character Detective Sonora Blair, as her mental toughness and intelligence are coupled with empathy for the victims and their families. The only problem that I had with this book had to do with Sonora's single parenting of her two children. She has a network of helpers in place, but she also leaves her kids alone in the home while a serial killer is on the loose. As Sonora is likely a target, being that she is one of the faces of the investigation, it would seem that she would be more careful with her loved ones. The quick ending to this book does not leave much room for any meaningful resolution. It is also not really a mystery, but is more a thriller because you know the perpetrator early on and are just waiting for the reasons why. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers and do not mind that the element of surprise is largely absent from the pages of Flashpoint.
March 16, 2016
pooled ink Reviews:
3.5/5 stars
The action of the book was balanced well with the thought-processes, intellectual pieces, and the general day-to-day routines. Reading this book was like watching an extended un-cut episode of CSI or Law & Order. You were not only taken on a ride for the big stuff but for the small bits of everyday life in-between adding to the realism of this book. The detective mystery was thrilling and interesting compiling chains of evidence, clues, twists, threats, motives, and players. Flashpoint sets a brisk pace for the reader to keep up with because Sonora is like a bloodhound trapped on the scent and won’t be easily dissuaded from the hunt.
...If you’re into crime fiction or detective stories then give this one a whirl. Flashpoint is as high-paced and thrilling as any TV crime drama but with all the bonuses of being a book. Tantalizing, brusque, tender, and twisted this crime fiction will grab you by the gut and drag you through to the high-risk conclusion.
Read the full review at: https://pooledink.wordpress.com/2015/...
3.5/5 stars
The action of the book was balanced well with the thought-processes, intellectual pieces, and the general day-to-day routines. Reading this book was like watching an extended un-cut episode of CSI or Law & Order. You were not only taken on a ride for the big stuff but for the small bits of everyday life in-between adding to the realism of this book. The detective mystery was thrilling and interesting compiling chains of evidence, clues, twists, threats, motives, and players. Flashpoint sets a brisk pace for the reader to keep up with because Sonora is like a bloodhound trapped on the scent and won’t be easily dissuaded from the hunt.
...If you’re into crime fiction or detective stories then give this one a whirl. Flashpoint is as high-paced and thrilling as any TV crime drama but with all the bonuses of being a book. Tantalizing, brusque, tender, and twisted this crime fiction will grab you by the gut and drag you through to the high-risk conclusion.
Read the full review at: https://pooledink.wordpress.com/2015/...
October 28, 2015
The opening murder is gory, disturbing, and original–the darkest part, I’d say, of the novel. It doesn’t take long to start tracking the killer–this is less of a whodunit, focusing largely on finding and catching the killer before she can strike again. There’s plenty of mystery material, though, and quite a bit of suspense.
The characterizations are fairly complete; in particular Sonora’s fellow cops have plenty of personality. Even the ones that seem like stereotypes at first develop more dimension as they go. My only annoyance was the whole relationship between Sonora and the brother of the victim; it was so predictable in every respect (it didn’t help that I didn’t like the guy she was interested in). It seems like fictional female cops sleep with their partner and/or a witness ridiculously often.
I enjoyed Flashpoint. It isn’t stunning, but it’s a solidly good read, and I’d be curious to see a sequel.
NOTE: Book provided free for review by publisher
For a longer review including premise, visit my site: http://www.errantdreams.com/2015/10/r...
The characterizations are fairly complete; in particular Sonora’s fellow cops have plenty of personality. Even the ones that seem like stereotypes at first develop more dimension as they go. My only annoyance was the whole relationship between Sonora and the brother of the victim; it was so predictable in every respect (it didn’t help that I didn’t like the guy she was interested in). It seems like fictional female cops sleep with their partner and/or a witness ridiculously often.
I enjoyed Flashpoint. It isn’t stunning, but it’s a solidly good read, and I’d be curious to see a sequel.
NOTE: Book provided free for review by publisher
For a longer review including premise, visit my site: http://www.errantdreams.com/2015/10/r...
October 23, 2008
FLASHPOINT - VG
Hightower, Lynn S. - 2nd in Sonora Blair series
Sonora Blair, a Cincinnati homicide detective and single mother of two, is summoned in the middle of the night to the scene of a particularly gruesome murder. There, a naked, hideously burned young man is handcuffed to the wheel of his car. A deathbed interrogation reveals the perpetrator to be a woman, and Sonora soon learns that the murderess has a history of torching her victims. After a series of suspenseful developments, it soon becomes painfully evident that the killer is watching Sonora's every move and that the detective and those she loves are potential targets. To anticipate the next maneuver and to catch this twisted sociopath takes all of Sonora's tough police experience and nerve.
This was a very good police procedural with a female homicide detective. I also like the setting of Cincinnati, which is different from the norm. It will be interesting to see where she goes with this series.
Hightower, Lynn S. - 2nd in Sonora Blair series
Sonora Blair, a Cincinnati homicide detective and single mother of two, is summoned in the middle of the night to the scene of a particularly gruesome murder. There, a naked, hideously burned young man is handcuffed to the wheel of his car. A deathbed interrogation reveals the perpetrator to be a woman, and Sonora soon learns that the murderess has a history of torching her victims. After a series of suspenseful developments, it soon becomes painfully evident that the killer is watching Sonora's every move and that the detective and those she loves are potential targets. To anticipate the next maneuver and to catch this twisted sociopath takes all of Sonora's tough police experience and nerve.
This was a very good police procedural with a female homicide detective. I also like the setting of Cincinnati, which is different from the norm. It will be interesting to see where she goes with this series.
October 25, 2015
No wonder this was a New York Times Notable Book.
A psychopathic killer has murdered a man – and no simple murder this.
She – yes, our nasty psychopath is a woman – has handcuffed her victim to the steering wheel of his car, doused him with gas, given him handcuff keys – the wrong ones – and set him on fire.
And this is not the first time she’s done this.
Cincinnati detective Sonora Blair is the lead, and soon she is getting phone calls from this psychopath - her kids seem to be targeted.
A fierce psychological struggle begins between a crafty and sharp psychopath who knows too much about Sonora Blair’s past, the brother of the savagely killed victim, and Sonora, trying to best a woman who is just too crazily smart to be caught.
Jump on this psychological thriller that will keep your light burning and have you calling in ‘sick’ to work so you can reach the last, incredible page!
A psychopathic killer has murdered a man – and no simple murder this.
She – yes, our nasty psychopath is a woman – has handcuffed her victim to the steering wheel of his car, doused him with gas, given him handcuff keys – the wrong ones – and set him on fire.
And this is not the first time she’s done this.
Cincinnati detective Sonora Blair is the lead, and soon she is getting phone calls from this psychopath - her kids seem to be targeted.
A fierce psychological struggle begins between a crafty and sharp psychopath who knows too much about Sonora Blair’s past, the brother of the savagely killed victim, and Sonora, trying to best a woman who is just too crazily smart to be caught.
Jump on this psychological thriller that will keep your light burning and have you calling in ‘sick’ to work so you can reach the last, incredible page!
November 14, 2017
This book has such great writing. I enjoyed following Sonora on her quest to find out what happened to Mark. Very good mystery with a different serial killer story line! Look forward to reading the next book in the series. Great page turning read!
Merged review:
This book has such great writing. I enjoyed following Sonara on her quest to find out what happened to Mark. Very good mystery. Look forward to reading the next in the series. Great page turning read!
Merged review:
This book has such great writing. I enjoyed following Sonara on her quest to find out what happened to Mark. Very good mystery. Look forward to reading the next in the series. Great page turning read!
September 15, 2016
Crime novel in which a female detective tracks down an arsonist who lures men out into cars with the promise of sex and then sets fire to them. Quite good in the female detective is actually human and has all the doubts etc associated with this. Also the arsonist is quite mad and the reasons for this slowly emerge through the novel. Not great writing but a reasonable crime novel.
March 8, 2009
Everything says that this is book 2 of the series when in actual fact it is no 1.
Enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading the rest.
Enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading the rest.
July 24, 2009
A very sick killer in this one!
June 29, 2015
This was a pretty great book! And I really enjoyed the mystery, it was really great!
September 28, 2011
Very straight forward thriller. I liked the main character and the female psycho. Would read more of these books, if I could get them.
January 25, 2013
Good job. Different plot. Considerable violence. Forbidden sex. Interesting characters.
Read for second time. Worth reading.
Read for second time. Worth reading.
April 5, 2017
A good start to a series. Set in Cincinnati, this series follows Sonora Blair, a homicide investigator for the Cincinnati police department. Not only is the main character a woman, but the perpetrator is also a woman serial killer. I think I'll read the next one.
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