Five years ago, a teenage girl vanished. After a thorough police investigation, the case went cold. Her parents spent the next few years hiring private investigators to search for their daughter, but they've had no luck until now.
When Alexis Parker, the newest detective at Cross Security, starts poking around, the cold case suddenly turns hot. Even though it's been five years, some secrets were meant to stay buried, and the men that buried them will do anything to make sure no one discovers why. Now Alex has to determine if this is an isolated incident or if something far more sinister is at play.
G.K. Parks has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History. After spending some time in law school, G.K. changed paths and earned a Master of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Now, that education is being put to use, creating a fictional world based upon years of study and research.
My books: All of my books can be read as standalone novels, but for those who like to know the proper order, I've included it below.
The Alexis Parker Prequel series: 1) Assignment Zero 2) Agent Prerogative 3) The Final Chapter **note all three are combined in the full-length novel Outcomes and Perspective**
The Alexis Parker series: 1) Likely Suspects 2) The Warhol Incident 3) Mimicry of Banshees 4) Suspicion of Murder 5) Racing Through Darkness 6) Camels and Corpses 7) Lack of Jurisdiction 8) Dying for a Fix 9) Intended Target 10) Muffled Echoes 11) Crisis of Conscience 12) Misplaced Trust 13) Whitewashed Lies 14) On Tilt 15) Purview of Flashbulbs 16) The Long Game 17) Burning Embers 18) Thick Fog 19) Warning Signs 20) Past Crimes 21) Sinister Secret 22) Zero Sum 23) Buried Alive 24) Trouble Brewing
Alex never disappoints! I get so involved in the action and trying to solve the case and hate to put the book aside for real life. I figured out one key piece but was shocked by one of the twists in Alex' adventure. I love the friends that stick with Alex, even when she's totally obsessed. There wasn't enough of Martin interacting with Alex in this story for me as he is definitely one of my favorite guys in fiction. My mind is constantly yelling "Don't do it Alex!" but she never listens (thank goodness!).
Alex is hired on for a month long trial at Cross Security. She’s tasked with finding a missing girl, but, as usual, stumbles upon a whole lot more trouble.
She ends up being targeted by the Seven Rooks, a gang that’s in an area where the missing girl had texted from. There are many layers and many players, including the local free clinic, the girl’s school, and even her strange father.
The evil ones are not only involved in drugs, they take people and use them as organ or blood donors.
This time, Martin is alongside her, she doesn’t keep secrets, and doesn’t try to protect him for his own good.
I knew where the missing girl was, had a couple of people figured out for the murderers, but kept vacillating. It all tied together well in the end.
Free at last. Alexis has resigned from the OIO, had a brief holiday with Martin at his Spanish holiday home & was now back for an interview set up by a headhunter. All a bit of a rush, but her perspective employer wanted to interview her asap. Lucien Cross was head of a private investigation firm and she had just been interviewed by him & been offered a job in a 30 day trial. Talk about trial by fire, she had a month to find a missing schoolgirl who has disappeared 5 years ago and no one has found attracts of. The police, other investigators & her parents had all drawn a blank - that includes other Cross staff who had been given the task & drawn a blank. She had her own office with decent furniture, space, but no window - still a lot better than OIO cubbyholes. On her desk were the relevant folders awaiting her attention. Alexis read the files and her notes three up a few lines she could follow. Her gut instincts soon proved reliable, after she was beaten up & told to back off. Jessica, the missing girl, had a ten year plan to become a paediatrician, before her vanishing act. She joined a club at school which helped out at hospitals & clinics, but the club finished at 5pm and she never got home until ten. Alexis located her phone calls during the missing time to a free clinic in a gang controlled area, when she went there no one admitted knowing her. Eventually information comes her way confirming that Jessica did work at the clinic, but no one knew where she had gone. So they said, but Alexis knew when she was being lied to and arranged for a PD raid on the gang's headquarters. Still no info relating to her case, but various incidents, which frequently ended with physical injuries, confirmed she was getting close. Being kidnapped , drugged and nearly drowned, not to mention a discussion relating to the value of her internal organs on the black market confirm her suspicions as to who was involved. Expecting the girl to be long dead, she is told by one gang member, that she was alive, so is unsure of what is true. One condition of accepting the job, trial or not, was that she had complete autonomy over her case. The deeper she got, the more involved Cross became and she appreciated the info he provided, she resented his interference as she saw it. Martin provides charity backgrounds, as it appeared that major player in the pharmaceutical market, was finding free clinics, but whereas they should have been deep in the red , their income was exceptional. Cross backs her play, now they just have to get someone to talk. Surprisingly it is a waitress at a diner Alex frequents whilst following the missing girl's mother, who provides the answer to the case, although she initially denied the facts Alex puts before her. Alex signs a contract with Cross, her trial is over - hopefully.
Alex is fearless as ever starting a new job at Cross Security. Alex being the stubborn person she puts herself in danger again and again. Finding a missing teenage girl after 5 yrs is her case. She stops at nothing, torture, getting cut, beat up, harassed by some of the people she knows. It's all in a day's work. One day Martin may give up on her taking so many chances with her life. I like when she helps Jules in the case of his murdered wife. Bastion's nickname for her, 'Love', makes me smile. I'm not sure if Thompson really dislikes her or not. I thought his line 'the officers here already know this and half of them have half a brain'. It's not a quote but it's funny.
G.K.Parks books are always such a good read. I can hardly wait for the next book I am going to look for another set of her series. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.
I barely set this book down. Read it in 2 days and still maintained my regular work. I love how Parks incorporates characters from other series so you want to read those books as well.
Brash female protagonist meets 5 year old missing young woman case. Her success is contingent upon being hired by a prestgious private investigator firm. I sometime had trouble distinguishing between minor characters. Decent series- I may have to try a few other titles.
OMG I loved this book. The suspense and the intrigue is great. I could not put this book down. I can't wait for the next book. I highly recommend this book. Really worth reading.
As of this review, there are 27 books in the series. I love this series. I have read all of them once, and I am going back and reading each one again. The characters are great, and the suspense is stellar. Exciting storylines! I highly recommend this series.