Fatal Secrets (FBI Trilogy, #2) in 2-3-4 Challenge

Mar 15, 2020 Jonetta rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: group-read, nc-br-digital-library, 2020-in-2020, romantic-suspense, 2020-audiobook-challenge, 5000-2020, audiobook, 2020-beat-the-backlist-challenge, 2020-library-love

Sonia Knight is a senior agent with ICE and her team is in the middle of a sting to take down the kingpin of a major human trafficking empire. She’s almost thwarted when FBI Assistant Director Dean Hooper shows up with a warrant to search the property. After a brief but volatile discussion, they agree to work together as they’re after the same guy even if for separate purposes. As a joint team, they discover and uncover a much larger network.

As with most of the books in these trilogies, this be ...more

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Mar 21, 2020 Robin rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020, romantic-suspense

ICE Agent Sonia Knight is working a stakeout on Xavier Jones, a man suspected of human trafficking, when the FBI shows up. Not wanting to lose all of the work they've put into the case against Jones, Sonia agrees to work with Assistant FBI Director Dean Hooper to take Jones down. As they work the investigation, Dean and Sonia find a group of Chinese Girls have been smuggled into the country and are scheduled to be sold to several buyers in the next few days. Xavier Jones is just the tip of the i ...more

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Mar 20, 2020 Melissa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

ICE and FBI operations collide during an ICE stakeout and ICE senior agent Sonia Knight is furious. She now has to team up with FBI agent Dean Hooper who is investigating the same individual for money-laundering.

Although this was a good story, the topic was a rough one. Human trafficking is never an easy topic to discuss. The author does a nice job detailing the abductions and torture the girls endure without going over the top. What Sonia went through as a child is truly gut-wrenching and I ca ...more

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Aug 06, 2022 Lauren rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobooks, human-trafficking, fbi-agents, romantic-suspense

Fatal Secrets
3 Stars

ICE agent Sonia Knight survived a human trafficking ring as a child and has dedicated her life to stopping these heinous predators from trading in innocent lives. Unfortunately, her latest case hits a snag when a crucial stakeout is interrupted by the FBI serving a search warrant. Assistant Director Dean Hooper is just as determined to put a stop to Xavier Jones's money laundering activities and agrees to join forces with Sonia and her team. However, a new player arrives on t Fatal Secrets
3 Stars

ICE agent Sonia Knight survived a human trafficking ring as a child and has dedicated her life to stopping these heinous predators from trading in innocent lives. Unfortunately, her latest case hits a snag when a crucial stakeout is interrupted by the FBI serving a search warrant. Assistant Director Dean Hooper is just as determined to put a stop to Xavier Jones's money laundering activities and agrees to join forces with Sonia and her team. However, a new player arrives on the scene placing the agents and their case in even more jeopardy. Can they stop them before it's too late for their victims?

Series note: While this is book #2 in the FBI Trilogy it is unrelated to book #1. Nevertheless, it does introduce the Rogan brothers who appear in the Lucy Kincaid series, and it becomes clear at the end that Dean's brother is Will Hooper from Killing Fear in the Prison Break series.

Human trafficking plots literally make my skin crawl. While the horrors of the trade are expertly conveyed, Brennan does, thankfully, spare the reader most of the egregious descriptions. Unlike the fast-paced action of the serial killer plot in Sudden Death, the investigation here is slower, and many of the details concerning the financial crimes and connections in the middle cause the narrative to lose momentum. Nevertheless, the action ratchets up toward the end and the resolution is satisfying. The twist regarding the villain's identity is also excellent.

In terms of the romance, it is clear that this is not Brennan's strength. While Sonia and Dean have a stronger emotional bond than Megan and Jack in the previous installment, there is still a distinct lack of chemistry between them. Moreover, Dean's character is not as well developed as Sonia's, and he comes across as a boring number cruncher rather than a sexy Fed.

In sum, the subject matter is disturbing, and kudos to Brennan for taking the risk of mixing it in with the romance even though it doesn't really work. For those interested in a truly gripping RS with this trope, I highly recommend Pamela Clare's Hard Evidence. ...more

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Mar 19, 2020 Anita rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, romantic-supense, kindle-libby-city

This was not my favorite Allison Brennan book. In fact, I didn't like it much at all. But, then again, I am so not a fan of the human trafficking trope and this book didn't give me a reason to change my mind. When you add the lack luster romance and predictable plot twists, well, enough said.

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Apr 07, 2020 Charlene rated it really liked it

Shelves: friends-tbr-lists, health, mystery, follow-this-series, forensic, south-america, immigrant, adult-themes, law-enforcement, crime

Human trafficking is a tough but real problem worldwide. This book tackles it head on and doesn't pull many punches.

I liked the lead characters and the working relationship between ICE and the FBI, as well as local police in trying to track down smuggled girls and the criminals responsible for their dire circumstances. I will read the next volume in the series as a group read on goodreads. ...more

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