Author: Jennifer Harlow
Publisher: Random House Publishing
Publication Date: October 2016
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN
Description: Dr. Iris Ballard’s glory days are behind her, so when Luke Hudson, her former FBI partner and onetime lover, asks for help constructing a psychological profile of an elusive serial killer who murders single mothers and dumps their bodies in the woods, Iris turns him away. She just wants to be left alone with her infomercials, her German Shepherd, and her vodka. That is, until she gets a peek at the case files.
The media has dubbed him “the Woodsman.” But after Iris learns the sickening details held back from the press, and as she sets foot onto the scene of his latest crime, she assembles a portrait of a more complicated, enigmatic, meticulous man. Control is his motivation. He thrives on it. Soon he even tries to manipulate the investigation by contacting Iris, hoping to rattle the woman he considers an intellectual equal.
The game is on. Iris thinks she has a read on her target, enough to push his buttons, to make him lose control. But when the Woodsman gains the upper hand, Iris faces the most painful reckoning of all—with her own violent past.
My Thoughts: Beautiful Maids All in a Row by new to me author Jennifer Harlow introduces the reader to Iris Ballard, a former FBI profiler who now lives in self-isolation after her husband was murdered by a serial killer she helped arrest and who nearly killed her as well. The reader is also introduced to Iris’s former partner, Luke Hudson, who has contacted Iris to ask her for her assistance with another serial killer, The Woodsman.
This story moves at a pretty brisk pace while still allowing the reader to keep up with the details. I really liked Iris and felt equal parts empathy and admiration for this character and everything she has gone through. Her humanity is displayed very clearly for the reader to get an excellent idea of the anguish Iris has endured and the fallout she still lives with. Honestly, it was quite inspiring that she could get out of bed and form coherent sentences after witnessing her husband’s murder and her near death from the encounter. Iris is certainly not a fragile flower. She has a lot of thorns and isn’t afraid to speak her mind regardless of protocol or politics.
Luke is her mirror opposite. He is a by the book FBI agent. He and Iris have a lot of unresolved issues and she doesn’t react well when he shows up in her life again. I really enjoyed the chemistry he and Iris share and hope this continues into the next books.
This story is tightly woven with a lot of suspense and anticipation. Iris is very talented at her ability to profile her suspect. The villain in this story adds another dimension to the story as well. I found it very interesting that Iris shows no fear in her encounters with him which makes the reader wonder if Iris is deliberately provoking him because she, herself, has a death wish. This behavior by Iris heightens the tension sending the reader to the edge of their seat. At any rate, reckless or not, Iris’s behavior comes across as realistic and believable for the situations she is in.
My Final Verdict: This is the first book in a series and as of the writing of this review, there are only two books published, the last one in November 2017. I am unable to determine if this series will continue beyond the second book but I hope so. This story does a very good job of exploring what living with trauma looks like and how one woman can fight her demons and get past it to stop a maniacal killer. Readers who like their stories tense, where good wins over evil are in for a treat with this story.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Beautiful Maids All in a Row from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
No comments:
Post a Comment