This was a new author for me, and the 4th novel of the Natalie Lockhart series, but the premise of the book sounded good, so I thought I would give it a try – and I am very glad I did!
It’s a chilly March day in Burning Lake, NY and Detective Natalie Lockhart is visiting fellow Detective Luke Pittman in the ICU of the local hospital – where he remains in a coma after being assaulted and thrown down a ravine by a fellow cop in the prior novel. (Side note: the book is certainly satisfying as a stand-alone and explanations of prior events brings the reader somewhat up to speed, but I think I’ll be reading the earlier releases as well for the full story.) The news from the ICU is good. Luke’s coma scores are improving – even if they are used incorrectly here (I laughed a little and a GCS of 15 while he is still unconscious – hopefully that’s fixed before publication -11 or 12 is more appropriate) – and doctors are optimistic that he’ll recover. As his girlfriend arrives, Natalie steps away to give them privacy, she shortly receives the call – a body has been found at a local Halloween warehouse – and she heads to the scene.
Upon Natalie’s arrival, the first responders give her a quick rundown – the victim is a 64 year old employee of the store, and was found dead by a co-worker. The scene clearly indicates murder, so Natalie quickly gets to work. After finishing up at the crime scene, she heads to the victim’s home, where she quickly discovers more questions than answers – insect pinning boards, a bin of journals – and apparently, the lair of a (former) serial killer. The forensic team is called in to assist.
As Natalie and her crew work the scene, she gets a call that Luke has awakened (now THIS is a GCS score of 15) and he is asking for her. A quick visit reveals him to be alert, mentally intact, and amazingly he is able to be discharged and be back at his desk at the PD in a couple of days. As Natalie brings him up to speed on all she’s discovered, her thoughts turn to her best friend Bella – she disappeared on their high school graduation night, never to be seen again. Could she have been a victim of this killer? Who are the Shadow Girls described in the kill journals Natalie found? Who killed Veronica, the Wiccan Priestess (a carryover from the prior book in the series)? Are these separate incidents – or are they all tied together somehow? Natalie is also second-guessing her ongoing relationship with Hunter, her over-zealous and perhaps obsessed boyfriend, who perhaps has secrets of his own…
Lots to unpack in this novel – it was a good, fast-paced read, with plenty of action and suspense, a satisfying ending – and it appears lots of answers to storylines left dangling in prior novels. So, I am hoping that this series continues, as I enjoyed the premise and the characters. If the author heads in a different direction going forward, I will for sure give her another try!
I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books in exchange for an objective review. Do you love to read?? Visit netgalley.com and start reviewing books today!!
Tropical Delusions...... 