Hostile Intent

Danger Never Sleeps #4

by Lynette Eason

Ava Jackson entered the military shortly after high school, but her mother's illness has forced her to request an early discharge. She already lost her father while deployed, and there's no way she's going to let her mother die alone. But after a visit to the nursing facility where her mother lives, Ava is attacked walking back to her car. Fortunately, FBI Special Agent Caden Denning arrives in time to help fight off her attacker.

Caden reveals to Ava that she may hold the key to the murders of three families, and he needs her help before anyone else is harmed. The hits show a pattern, and clearly the killer has an agenda. But if Caden and Ava can't discover what it is, Ava may be next on the hit list.

Bestselling author Lynette Eason concludes her latest suspense-filled series with a bang as secrets are revealed and the guilty are brought to justice.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Suspense, Romance, Mystery, Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Christian

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 3, 2021

About the author

Lynette Eason grew up in Greenville, SC. She graduated from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, and then obtained her masters in education from Converse College. Author of twenty inspirational romantic suspense books, she is also a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). In 1996, Lynette married "the boy next door" and now she and her husband and their two children make their home in Simpsonville, South Carolina."

Series:
. Amazon Adventure
. High Stakes
. Women of Justice

Reviews

[Cara Putman · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a read! This book was a race from page one and a great wrap up yet stood alone so well. Ava is connected to a serial killer somehow. And the race is on to figure out why and thwart the man’s plan. Laced with secrets and international intrigue, it has the trademark pacing and rich conflict (both external and internal I’ve come to love and expect from this author.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hostile Intent starts off with a bang and keeps it up to the end. A man is killing families in a serial killer fashion and it is obvious that he has a list to complete. When a family is killed in Greenville, South Carolina, FBI Special Agents Caden Denning and his partner Zane Pierce recognize a friend in a photo found in the attic. How does Ava Jackson know the family? Ava has left the Navy and is between jobs. The journey begins to find Ava's connection to the killer and the families. It all seems to tie in with her father, who is in the photo as well. His background is a close kept secret, one not even Ava's mother nor brother know about. It soon becomes apparent that Ava is in danger so Caden stays close to keep her safe as they work to unravel the puzzle. Her father died eight months ago. Or did he? This is an intense action packed story with danger, mystery, sickness of hate and revenge, threaded with faith and unspoken feelings of admiration/maybe love. This one is a mystery that goes back to years past but is tied to present day. Friends from previous books in the series make appearances and there are some new updates and announcements. A great read not to be missed by lovers of suspense with a little romance and faith.
I received a complimentary ARC from Revell Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

[Susan Snodgrass · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Today the watching ended and the killing started.'

Talk about a compelling first line! Totally pulled me in and kept me enthralled all the way to the ending.

'You don't know what you're doing. The fine line you're walking. The people you may be putting in danger.'

Lynette Eason knows her way around a suspense story and this one is heart-pounding suspense to the thrilling ending. Eason has contrived a plot that was fascinating with many twists and turns that kept my heart in my throat many times. This one is bound to satisfy any suspense fan. Well done!

My thanks to Revell Books for a copy of this via Net Galley. The opinion in this review is completely my own.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This edge-of-your-seat novel was the best of the whole series! Ava and Caden grew up together, but when her life suddenly crumbles, he realizes with a shock that there’s an entire side to her that he never dreamed of. She’s a scrappy fighter able to take care of herself except against the ruthless killer who’s executing entire families and who’s ready to gun for her next. Caden certainly never dreamed that her travel-writer father was secretly CIA. But the father crossed the wrong Russian operative and that man’s out for blood now!

I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough on this story and loved watching the suspense play out. I’ll definitely be rereading it in the future.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required. Review is based on a final copy.

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best of the series!

So much to love about this suspense novel:
- Childhood friends reconnecting
- Hidden career of main character Ava's father
- Hidden skills of Ava! Wow! She's tough beneath the exterior.
- Lots of action
- All plausible

This was a hit of a novel for me. I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

My gratitude to publisher Revell for a NetGalley copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.

This book started off with the potential to become my new favorite Eason book. The action was fast-paced and came often, which made for a great suspense formula. The characters were intriguing, which added richness to the story being told. The settings were very well used, which increased the depth of the tale. Overall, this was a fantastic series finale, capping off one of the best series Mrs. Eason has produced to date.

A few things bugged me enough to drop a star. The predictability level was pretty high for me. I figured out all but two major plot points long before the reveals. I still enjoyed said plot points, but I would have had increased enjoyment had I been shocked or surprised by more than two of them. There were a couple of plot holes that didn’t mesh well for me. Since Ava had been trained on puzzles of all sorts throughout her childhood and was described as a computer genius who was able to hack a facial recognition software program at age fifteen, it was unrealistic that it would take her and a bunch of friends a couple of weeks to finish a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle. From my own experience, and I am not a genius by any stretch of the imagination, a 1,000 piece puzzle is doable in 1-2 days. I have no clue why it took Ava and company so long except that the timing had to be just so for the plot to work, which, of course, felt very contrived. As for the hacker skills, why did she give up on discovering a certain password after only two or three failed attempts? Why didn’t she put her skills to good use? She had time to do that if she had time to work on a puzzle. That whole thread did not work for me at all. Another thing that failed to impress me was that a certain somebody completely ignored the fact that he could have figured out one of his marks had children via birth, school, and military records, which wouldn’t have been difficult for him to discover since he was “meticulous” about research. It would have been super easy for him to have found out about the children, but that paper trail was completely omitted from the story.

All that being said, I definitely was riveted by this story. I kept flying through the chapters because they were written so well (other than the aforementioned holes). I especially enjoyed the scenes featuring a drone, a cane, and a yacht. The antagonist was truly creepy and evil. I was grateful he didn’t have me in his crosshairs! I liked that the torture he did was mostly off-screen and only hinted at. My imagination drew up enough images to creep me out. I certainly did not need on-screen graphic violence that would only serve to be crass and grant nightmares to the reader. The author definitely knew when and how to create the vibe without pushing past the limit.

The mirror scene reminded me of Jurassic Park. That was pretty epic.

Daria Nevsky was back! Oh, how she was highlighted! I can hardly wait for the novella Ryker and she will be getting, according to Lynette Eason’s latest newsletter. I cannot tell you how stoked I am for that. She’s one of my favorite Eason characters of all time, as is Ryker, and I am super excited that they’re pairing up.

Trigger: suicide

Content: suicide, replacement expletives, alcohol, unwed pregnancy mentioned

[Kristina Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Characters: Ava had to be my favorite character in this book. Her backstory gave her a lot of depth and added some good conflict to the story. She also handled herself better than a lot of characters in suspense books ... no going back to the villain's headquarters alone to retrieve her purse or anything like that. :) Caden struck me as the average guy you often find in romantic suspense novels. That's not to say he was a bad character by any means ... I just felt like I'd met him in books a few times before.

Language: Clean.

Moral: Umm ... reviewer fail! I can't remember the moral. That's what I get for reading too late last night. :) Anyway, both characters were Christians, and they prayed in this novel.

Plot: This was an intense plot! I liked all the action and high stakes. The villain did have scenes from his perspective, and I didn't love how he was portrayed as kind of a victim. That dude was a complete creep who had plans to torture and kill Ava. Obviously, that didn't happen, but sensitive readers will want to be aware that it's discussed.

Romance: Clean. A few kisses. I did mentally roll my eyes when Ava and Caden got all sappy right after they dealt with the villain. I felt like they needed another scene to calm down after all the action or something.

Writing: I really enjoyed Lynette's style of writing. She let me "see" everything I needed to, and her writing conveyed the suspense well.

Overall: Hostile Intent was an action-packed read, and I'd recommend it to those who like Christian fiction and romantic suspense.

[Dana Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action galore!! Hostile Intent is the fourth book in The Danger Never Sleeps series. This is my favorite one. It starts out with a bang and never stops until the end. I loved the characters and storyline was incredible. If you want a nail biting suspense with some romance, then I recommend this book. Even though it's in a series, it can be read as a stand alone. In fact, I hope she does a spinoff of this book and start a new series with Ava and Caden. That would be awesome!
*I was given a copy of this book by Revell Publishers and this is my honest opinion.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa --- super intense and gritty. This last Danger Never Sleeps novel is definitely on the edgy side. Eason doesn't go overboard, but there's enough of a suggestion of certain things that sent my active imagination into overdrive. And the murders are heartbreaking!

Love the high-octane vibe that kept me racing through the pages. The danger never sleeps and neither did I! I had to marathon read my way to the end.

Love that Ava and Caden have an existing friendship. They are part of a large group of friends who have conveniently been pairing off during the course of the series. :-) That's given Caden ideas about Ava, but she's averse to complicating her life with romance. Understandable, since she's been dealing with a lot and it's only going to get a whole lot worse as a lethal killer with a creepy agenda continues his relentless hunt. And Ava is now in his crosshairs. Eeeeeeppppp!!!

Grab a comfort bear, some of your finest, soothing chocolate and you might want to have a blood pressure monitor on hand for the duration of this read!

[Paula Shreckhise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read a Lynette Eason book that I have not loved. This fourth book in the series Danger Never Sleeps reminds me of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy with its cast of characters from FBI, CIA and other agencies. It is another thrilling story with cameos of characters from previous books. I like that this group of friends is there for each other when one needs support, be it physical, spiritual or emotional.
This was a wild ride for Ava and Caden, childhood friends who are becoming closer as they track a killer. The story was fast-paced with lots of action and many questions to be answered, along with interesting information about puzzles, hacking, and what makes a criminal tick. Ava and Caden try their best to thwart the person who is after Ava and seek to outwit him before he succeeds in kidnapping her. But other emergencies get in the way and the killer will not let up!
Fantastic ending to a terrific series that cements Ms. Eason as an all time favorite author.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Revell through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes as you quickly page turn for answers, and shaking your head, why? While many times holding my breath as the horrible, evil deeds are revealed.

We are reunited with past characters, but this is really a read alone, but happy to say hello, and catch up. This is Ava and Caden's time, and poor Ava's mother is not doing well, and Ava's dad has recently been declared deceased. So much personal pain, but things get worse, but why? Answers are forthcoming, murders of three families, all including children, horrible.

If you enjoy suspense at its finest, Lynette Eason does not disappoint!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Laura (kroosreadsandreviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 4th book in the Danger Never Sleeps Series. I did not read the 3 previous books in the series but was captured by the story. Ava has been through so much in her life and she is still such a strong woman. I really enjoyed the characters of Ava and Caden. The author keeps you enthralled in the story and eager to find out what happens.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

[Joleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense in parts making it rough to fall asleep. Suspense with substance moved this book along at a fast pace. Loved the slow moving trust Ava is developing, even though....
Nearly all the main characters knew the Lord,
I’m going to is review in the mornig, falling asleep.

********************************************

Finally awake.

North Carolina, present day

Main characters:
Ava Jackson, 32-year-old, ex-Navy, taking care of her Alzheimer’s-patient mom and helping her brother through college
Caden Denning, FBI agent, Ava’s childhood friend
Nathan Jackson, Ava's 25-year-old brother, med student.
Nicolai, crazy man bent on revenge
Sarah Denning, Ava’s childhood friend and Caden’s sister.
Asher and Brooke, married friends of Caden and Ava's
Heather and Travis, engaged couple, also childhood friends. Travis owns a security business
Gavin, one of Caden's best friends, engaged to Caden's sister, Sarah
John Sparks, old, dear friend of Ava's father

As I was saying: I began reading this at bedtime and quickly realized that was not a good idea. It was clear to me it would keep me up, and I couldn’t possibly sleep after reading the first chapter.

One of the definitions in Webster’s dictionary of a roller-coaster is "..behavior, events, or experiences characterized by sudden and extreme changes. Truthfully, this book seems to fit.

This was about separate but linked murders, it’s about many people unwittingly connected, about missing photos from murdered families' homes, about an FBI agent trying to solve the murders, and a young woman embroiled in it all.

Murders, attempted murders, perfectly timed rescues, attacks, escapes, and kidnappings. The amount of police and agents in this book is staggering, but none of which I find fault with, because it works so well throughout the story.

I don’t want to give details because spoiling the book for any reader should be a crime itself. So good.

One of the most gratifying parts, which you don’t often consider part of a murder mystery book, was the relationship to Christ that so many of the characters had. There were prayers for each other, scriptures, both old and New Testament referred to, and an acceptance that the reason God says no to prayers is that He has something better in mind for them.

Good book, well thought out, and one I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys a murder mystery. Might be a bit disturbing for a younger reader, though. Just a thought.

[Emma Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew. Give me a few seconds to calm my racing heart. I’ve got to say that, although this wasn’t my favourite in the series, it was definitely one of the most action-packed.

It was fun getting to see some of the characters from the previous books and getting to be reacquainted with them.

I liked the fact that Ava could definitely take care of herself, no questions asked. She wouldn’t appear to be, but she was a very strong character who I grew to love as the book progressed.

While this was a very good book, I couldn’t fully enjoy it due to some content that I mention below. It didn’t cross my personal boundaries, but I know some prefer not to read those kinds of details.

*Due to some elements of discussion such as torture, borderline gore, and a psychopath, I wouldn’t recommend this book to any under 16 or any that are sensitive to those topics.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best of this series and I've opted to round it up.

Ava Jackson, who requested an early discharge from the Navy to be with her mother who is dying of Alzheimer's, is nearly kidnapped. She is one of the would-be victims of a revenge serial killing--we see the killer's main agenda--but not why--very early on, so this is not a spoiler. Caden lets Ava know this, but it takes the two of them plus help from others in order to unravel this.

This book has all the necessary elements to a good suspense/thriller without being graphic and there are some unexpected twists. This is the best Christian thriller I have read, and I seldom give books 5 stars in any genre, especially when they are also shelved romance.

This book kept me up past my bedtime two nights in a row

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This final book in the Danger Never Sleeps series is high drama from start to finish. Ava has left the military to look after her mom who is in the last stages of dementia. Her childhood friend, Caden, is providing support for her as he also juggles his FBI assignments. Ava is also dealing with the death of her father whose secret job she has kept from everyone since she was 15. When she is attacked leaving the care facility and Caden comes to her rescue, it seems that her father's secrets, her knowledge, and the death of every member of 3 families who may have known her father all lead to her joining Caden to try and discover the connection and stop the killer.

Awesome suspense, a wonderful faith thread, and a growing romance all make for a 5 star read that made for a "couldn't put it down" conclusion to Danger Never Sleeps.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with all of the books in this series, this one certainly kept moving with lots of twists and turns. I wish the series wasn’t over but I know there’s another coming soon and I will definitely read that one as well. Lynette Eason is one of the best in suspense!

[Izzy Y · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 Star
This book was incredibly hard to read....the violence in this book was beyond what I was personally comfortable with.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Hostile Intent" is a Christian romantic suspense. This book is the fourth in a series, but it works as a standalone. Both Ava and Caden were competent and did a good job of thwarting the bad guy. The suspense came from Ava being a target as well as the need to solve the complex mystery of what was going on and who was killing people before more people died. The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Ava and Caden worked very well together and finally acknowledged an attraction that had existed for a long time. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting story.

I received a free ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Michaela Bush · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was pretty good! I have to say that I feel like a lot more could have been done with the plot that was initially set up, but it was fairly easy to see what was going to happen next in the book -- it was really clever, but not necessarily the explosive/blindsiding plot twist that I'm used to seeing from Eason's books. That being said, the storyline was still excellent, and the characters were very easy to get attached to and relate with. Ava and Caden have a wonderful chemistry that I haven't seen in awhile in romances, so that was refreshing -- and definitely fun to read! Overall, if you enjoyed the series, you'll definitely want to pick this book up. If you're new to the series, you'll be able to read this one as a standalone, but the story does have references to prior cases covered in the first three books. (And on that note, I loved how Eason tied up all the loose ends regarding the characters' relationships and budding family lives in this book!)

**I received a copy via the publisher in exchange for my honest review. Opinions are my own.

[Morgan's Endless Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this plot was different from the others in the series, I still really enjoyed it! Ava and Caden were a great couple, and the action was really heart-pounding.

[Rachel DeVaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely amazing and I was completely riveted from beginning to end! Clean Christian romantic suspense with lots of drama. Throughout the book there are mentions of killings from a serial killer and war killings, and nothing graphic but it can still be upsetting at times.

This was one of those books I read in one day with no interruptions because I was so involved in the characters and plot that I didn't want to stop. I liked reading about the other girls that were mentioned in previous books but each book can be read as a standalone. I enjoyed getting to know Caden and Ava and watching their friendship grow as events grew more intense and the plot thickened.

This book and this series is one that I will keep on my bookshelf to read again. I absolutely loved it! I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

[Kelly Hodgkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Hostile Intent” is book four in and the conclusion to, Lynette Eason’s Danger Never Sleeps series. I loved book one, two and three so was looking forward to this one. Action-packed thriller is what I expected, what caught me off guard was the brutality of it. The writing is, as always with this author, well done. It’s fast paced and the characters are easy to empathize and connect with.

However, the back cover write up gives the reader little warning that at the centre of this investigation will be the murder of whole families. It opens with three such incidents and then, a teenager who is the lone survivor of his family, becomes a narrator in the story. I skimmed the family murder scenes in the first few chapters hoping I could continue but when the child is given a voice of pain and suffering, I was nauseated by his trauma, though fictitious. At 25%, I chose to skip to the end, having read the balance of the series, I wanted to know how it all turned out. The conclusion was satisfying, and good triumphs.

I acknowledge it may be that I’ve changed since book three, the world has seen such trauma. I have found I’m less able to cope with it in my entertainment. This book may be just the thriller you’re looking for, but perhaps read the first 10% before choosing to purchase it to get a taste of the story. For me, it’s a 2 out of 5 on the enJOYment scale.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Revell through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[MJSH · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's another riveting suspense novel from Lynette Eason. Having read the other books in the series, I was expecting Caden and Ava to be thrown together and I really liked that though we knew of Caden from previous novels, we really got to know him in this one. Ava was mostly on the periphery previously so it was also nice to get to know her. As usual, the author sets out an intricate plot with carefully planted details that all come together in the end. The suspense is absolutely riveting even when we know the villain from the beginning since he has an active voice in the story. There are flashbacks to catch us up on Ava's childhood as well as a wonderful crossover secondary character from Vow of Justice (the author's Blue Justice series). Caden and Ava's romance is sweet and natural, especially since they grew up together. The villain's methodology in fulfilling his 'mission' made me a little uneasy but I get that this was to show how he came to be the villain that he is. It's a well-written conclusion to another great suspense series by the author.

I received the book from the publisher via NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are solely my own.

[Rosalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally had the chance to read this final book in the Danger Never Sleeps series.
What a story! Full of action and mystery, just as all of Lynette Eason's novels are, and she remains a favorite suspense author of mine.
This is Ava's story, and I found it quite intriguing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading more about her and getting to know more about her life and her family.
One thing that makes this book different than a lot of other suspense novels is that the villain is revealed to us early on. We know WHO dunit, just don't know WHY. And we are left with lots of questions, as well as the knowledge that our beloved main characters are in a whole lot more danger than they realize.
As Caden and Ava work to solve the mystery behind three terrible killing sprees, obviously the work of a serial killer, there is lots of action and adventure going on. I liked seeing them work together, and watch the progression of their relationship.
If you enjoy suspense, you won't want to miss this one! And...even though it is the fourth book in a series, I feel like it could be read as a stand-=alone novel, too.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best by far! Third book in the series is always the best in my opinion!
Fast action from beginning to end with awesome characters that sometimes makes you want to scream at them at the same time!
I love Eason' books because they're so exciting! Always keeping you on your toes so to speak.
I like this Bible verse " when I am afraid I will trust in you." In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust and will not be afraid."
I'm like wow! If a little kid like Nathan could trust so could we should be able to as adults but alas, it's not easy
I loved Ava and was very happy to see Zane! He's most definitely my favorite!
I love adventure and this one lived up to it's name!
Another favorite quote; "When you speak falsely because of an ignorance not of your making it is very different than having to tell a lie everyday of your life." Especially when you're a truthful person in general."
When I found out about Nicolai it brought me to mind the character of Nicolae in the Left Behind series! He'd do an amazing job if this book were to be made to a movie.
My thanks for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was NOT required to write a positive review.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t let the fact that this is a Christian romantic suspense novel fool you. It’s full of non-stop action; car chases, men with ski masks and guns, shoot outs, spy rings, Russian KGB, and murder. It’s mixed with just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing and because it’s a suspense novel, the tension escalates due to the reader knowing more than the protagonist.

FBI Special Agent Caden Denning and his partner, Zane Pierce, are part of a multi-state manhunt for a killer who’s left a string of bodies in his wake. Puzzling the investigating officers is the removal of family photos from each crime scene. Do the victims know each other? Do they know their killer?

Denning’s path intersects with his childhood friend, Ava Jackson, who is grieving the loss of her father while she was deployed and has been discharged early from the navy to care for her dying mother. Denning is convinced Ava is a target and believes she holds the key to why these military family murders are occurring.

I loved the varied pacing and the high stakes tension of a fight to survive scenario. My heart was pounding and I was flipping pages trying to make sense of buried secrets and trying to outsmart the killer. Eason’s twists surprised me I was unaware that this was the final book in a four-book series, Danger Never Sleeps, but can report that it can stand alone. A new author to me, I loved how Eason fills readers with hope despite the current world situation and the pervading evil, and gently shares a Christian message about reason, purpose and a "future filled with hope and love."

"It's funny how life can throw you a curve ball when you least expect it - or how God can change your perspective."

Publishes August 3, 2021.

I was gifted this book by Lynette Eason, Revell Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Morgan Giesbrecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favourite book of the series!

Ava was the girl I *got* the most in personality. A strange mix of steel & fragility. Her struggle with vulnerability & openness hit home, but Caden’s gentle pursuit of her was beautiful. Speaking of the man, Caden was a gem. I’ve been Team Caden since we first met him earlier in the series so getting his story had me stoked! He and Ava together are literally so cute.

I totally didn’t call the motive of the perpetrator, which was honestly horrific. Russian history, KGB defectors, and the like are something I’ve always been interested in, making that angle of the story particularly fascinating. There’s some mildly graphic torture, which made my stomach turn (I am weak about these things).

All in all, a finale worth waiting for!

[Kristen Parnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually stopped reading this book after meeting the gruesome, cold-hearted villain, but I’m glad I picked it up again. Eason keeps the intense details tasteful and weaves such a suspenseful story that once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down. Though Ava is told her dad is dead, her gut says he isn’t. But when she uses her training to find clues, she realizes that someone wants her dead—the same person who seems to be murdering families at random. I felt like I was immersed in Ava’s and Caden’s point of views, solving the puzzles with them. This one is a heart-pounding adventure!

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best romantic suspense books that I have ever read! From the very beginning, it was captivating, with a scene from a home that was as mesmerizing as it was devastatingly awful. The story of Ava Jackson meeting up with her childhood crush Caden Denning was fascinating, but the crux of the story was a serial killer who was wiping out entire families, including the young children. The motive behind these evil actions is the center of the story and what kept me reading at a rapid pace to find out. From the first murders until the breathtaking last scenes, this was a non-stop runaway train of a book. The details of the crime scenes are not graphic so they did not disturb me, but just the thought that entire families were wiped out instantly was enough to make me want to do who would do such a thing. The plot is wrapped up in international intrigue and Ava’s secretive father is involved in a great deal of what is happening, so she seems to be a focus of the killer, too. Caden is her self-appointed protector and a real hero just when she needs one. With her father declared dead, her mom dying and a killer on her trail, Ava decides to trust Caden with her life. The characters were realistic and well-rounded, the type of person I would want to meet and be friends with. I was enthralled by the work that the FBI analysts did, especially Daria, who was intuitive as to needs and how to find solutions when there seemed to be none. I enjoyed seeing the FBI portrayed as capable heroes as they should be. I especially enjoyed Ava’s intelligence in figuring out puzzles and clues left behind by her father as well as her grit and determination to seek the truth at all costs. There were definitely some unlikeable characters, but that is by design, because who can like a villain who kills families or anyone involved with him? I just loved this book from cover to cover and think that is is the best of the series although any of them can be read as a standalone. My favorite part of the book? It was a clean read! No expletives, steamy sex or graphic displays of violence. Kudos to the author for writing explosively good romantic suspense that appeals to readers who don’t want any of the distasteful elements in their books.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”