SOLVED. Suspense/Thriller - As a child a girl narrowly missed being a victim of serial killer, grew up to be policewoman. As rookie cop responds to house alarm where she has to try to save herself and teen daughter of family. SPOILER ALERT! [s]

[Heather]

Suspense/Thriller - As a child the main character narrowly missed being a victim of serial killer. However, her best (or close) friend was killed (I seem to remember that she was strangled with her own red skipping rope but not sure if this is accruate). Main character was the one who found body. Main character grew up to be policewoman. As a rookie cop, her and her partner respond to a house alarm. As they enter the house, her partner is shot and she is taken captive. Inside the house a family, including a teenage daughter, is being held by a group of armed men. Police woman gets free and has to try to save the daughter/family while being pursued by the men. As time goes on, she realizes that the boss bad guy is the same one that killed her friend as a child. At the end of the book, she has a gun but no bullets and she uses an arrowhead (I think...not sure if I am remembering correctly) as a bullet in the gun to kill the last bad guy.

[Marie]

That arrowhead bullet thing sounds ridiculous but, aside from that, the plot - and even the red skipping rope - sound really familiar. I'll see what I can dig up.

[Heather]

Thank you! I have been looking for this for over a year now and it is driving me crazy!

Remembered a few more details...In the beginning of the book the main character is with her friend as children. A man comes up to them/drives over and convinces the friend to get in the car, however main character refuses. Friend was found in field with tall grass, a field where they often played. So main character saw the face of the killer which was distinguishable by a scar or marking of some sort making him identifiable to the main character years later.

[Heather]

I believe the family house is on or near a lake. The main character at one point gets to a boat and tries to get to the other side as there is a park and a pay phone there. Bad guys get there first and make the phone inoperable. While on the boat the main character is shot in the leg.

[Heather]

I hope I am not getting several books mixed up...but pretty sure all of these details are accurate...

I believe that it turns out that the husband of the family that was taken hostage actually arranged it as a ploy to kill off his wife. However, he doesn't want his daughter (whose name I think starts with an A) hurt. However, when she sees the face of some of the bad guys, her life is also threatened.

[Kris]

Spoiler alert added to the topic header.

[Kris]

Heather, does the policewoman (rookie cop) have a romantic interest that features in the story?

Are serial murders occurring in the present day - or did they happen only during her childhood? Are the victims very young girls/boys and teenagers?

Location - U.S./country, region, small town/big city?

[CLM]

Some similarities to the Lisa Gardner books. When did you read these?

[Heather]

There are no romantic interests in the book, it is just the mc versus the bad guys.

The serial killer targeted young girls and I believe there hadn't been any new victims in quite some time.

The book takes place in a smaller town in the US.

I am not sure how old the book was but it was maybe about 10 years old now...just a guess.

This was a stand a lone book I believe and not part of a series. If part of a series it would probably be book 1 as there were no others out at the time that I read it.

Not a Lisa Gardner book unfortunately although I do really like her books!

[Heather]

Mortal Pursuit

Found It! Finally! Thanks for the help!