FBI Agent Nina Guerrera and her eclectic teammates, Breck, Kent & Wade, have arrived in Phoenix, Arizona, to investigate the disappearance of several female coeds from the local tech college, the Arizona Institute of Technology – all seemingly disappearing from the campus without a trace. With them is teenaged prodigy Bianca, a former, runaway foster child that Nina rescued from the streets of Virginia years earlier. Bianca has expressed an interest in completing her master’s work at AIT and has plans to meet with the nanotech researcher on site for a tour.
As Nina and her team meet with the local campus officers, they learn that five women are missing, and interestingly, no footage is available from campus cameras – they seem to have been tampered with – corrupted images are all that remain for the timeframes the girls are believed to have gone missing. Victimology indicates similar appearances to the missing girls, and no bodies, ransom notes or communications have been discovered. As the meeting concludes, they receive a call that another student has gone missing.
As the investigation kicks into high gear, a chance find in the desert has Nina and her team staring in horror at the mummified remains of several of the missing victims, each clutching a black feather – but what does the feather signify? Why, mummification? Is the remaining victim still alive? As Nina and her team explore the significance of their findings, computer guru Breck is working her magic to restore footage from campus cameras…and what they find is stunning…
As the investigation heads in a different direction, the killer, in desperation, takes another girl…but this time the victim is Bianca… As Nina and her team frantically search for the killer, Bianca is just as determined to thwart her captor…but can she survive long enough for the team to find her??
This was my first novel with Nina Guerrera and her team, and I couldn’t put it down! I was partially drawn to the story because Nina and one of my childhood friends share the same first/last name, so I felt it was an omen. I was hooked a page or two in, read late into the night and was overjoyed at its end to learn that this is just one of a series! While easily read and enjoyed as a standalone, Nina’s references to her past in areas of the novel have me anxious to start the series from the start – so more to add to my must read list!
A great book – you won’t be disappointed!
I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley & Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an objective review. Do you love to read?? Visit netgalley.com and start reviewing books today!!
Tropical Delusions...... 