🪶🔪🚓 “Her Darkest Secret” (Strange Crimes Unit – South Division #1) (2022) 🚓🔪🪶– Book Review
MY REVIEW
Publisher: Love Inspired Trade (June 28, 2022)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1335530029
ISBN-13: 978-133553002
⬅️ Click Photo for Purchase Information
“When a cold-case serial killer returns, FBI special agent Fiona Kelly has one last chance to stop him before he claims the prize he’s always wanted—her.
The sight of a goose feather at a murder scene modeled after a children’s poem is enough to make FBI special agent Fiona Kelly's blood turn to ice. Almost two decades ago, a feather was left with her sister's body—and with every subsequent victim of the Nursery Rhyme Killer. Now he's back. Only this time, his latest gruesome murder is a message to the only one who ever got away: Fiona.
Finding “Rhyme” is an obsession that's fueled Fiona's career—and destroyed her marriage to fellow FBI agent Asa Kodiak. Now Fiona and Asa have to put their past tensions aside and work together one last time. But Rhyme is watching, and catching this killer may force Fiona to reveal her biggest, darkest secret…the one only he knows.”
Even though I am on the launch team, I ended up purchasing this book because:
#1 – I don’t do eBooks (which was only what was offered)
#2 – This sounded like such a great read
#3 – I had a gift card
That said …
While part of the Love Inspired line – this is the “trade” version. It has elements of the line (faith themes, clean language, no intimate scenes), but it tends to be a bit edgier – at least this one is. It is a longer read as well. It is not, per the author, Love Inspired Suspense (LIS).
While I have the author’s other LIS books (The Security Specialists series, Cold Case Investigators series, and two of her new Quantico Profilers series) – this is the FIRST book I’ve read.
But, given the difference between the two – I can’t say the “tone” is the same. Though, I will admit, I prefer the LIS ones overall.
That isn’t to say this is a bad book – it wasn’t. The creepy cover really set the stage for a thrilling, fast-paced, dark, sinister, and heart-stopping story. It had elements of a TV show I liked from 1996-2000 which is what drew me to the story in the first place. Even the cover had the vibe.
The characters were interesting:
🚓 Fiona
🚓 Asa
🪶 “Rhyme”/NRK (Nursery Rhyme Killer)
🚓 Violet (newest member of Asa’s team, profiling and victimology)
🚓 Tiberius (Ty) (member of Asa’s team)
🚓 Amanda (Memphis Homicide Detective)
📝 Cami (Asa’s administrative assistant)
This will have some “trigger” warnings given the content: serial killer, survivor guilt, Ted Bundy mention, pregnant teacher (by inappropriate relationship with student), hate crime by parents on son (son is suspected by father of being gay).
And, it includes a unique POV as well – the killer’s, in addition to Fiona and Asa’s. It is an interesting format which does work well and gives insight into story.
Right off the prologue gave me MAJOR Profiler vibes, and by the end page of the prologue, I was hearing its creepy theme. The show featured FBI agents working for the VCTF (Violent Crimes Task Force). Violet and Fiona reminded me “slightly” of the profilers Sam Waters and Rachel Burke – there was no real physical, but more or less symbolic.
Moving on from there …
This begins as Fiona is speaking to a college group of kids who have probably gotten their ideas from Criminal Minds or CSI. I did enjoy CSI: Miami and CSI: NY, so I can relate there.
I love her remark about what lands on the Strange Crimes Unit – “a special kind of cuckoo”. She has a personal experience though – she escaped a serial killer, only her sister and two friends didn’t. They were not the only one – there has been more, sporadically, no “rhyme” or reason – pardon the pun.
The Nursery Rhyme Killer, NRK or Rhyme, gets his name from posing his victims according to nursery rhymes. There is a message there – though trying to figure it out is part of what the SCU is for.
A recent homicide leads Fiona back to Memphis when “Rhyme” strikes again. It isn’t a homecoming she wants – she will have to face the man who got sidelined for a serial killer.
At first, the victims have no connection and lead seemingly squeaky-clean lives, too clean and far too perfect. Like in the pilot of Profiler – law enforcement has to get to know the victim to find the connection and killer. I had to admit Detective (Atlanta Homicide) John Grant’s “It’s a little late for that” retort was a bit amusing when FBI agent Bailey Malone suggested the idea.
Even in death – victims have a LOT to say, and secrets are often revealed.
The first victim readers meet is a seemingly well-liked teacher. But, that is just on the surface. There is more to discover as Asa’s team learn.
The NRK cases are personal for Asa, it has ruined his marriage to Fiona, who he obviously still has feelings for, despite having a girlfriend – Amanda. It gets more personal when Fiona shows up. And, it gets awkward.
While she’d worked with the team before, there is seemingly no love lost between the members and her. It is Amanda who has called her in. After all, Fiona has more experience with NRK.
Rhyme is seemingly targeting those who harmed kids. Yet, some of the victims – including Fiona, her sister, and the other two girls – don’t seem to fit the profile. That means reinvestigating all the cases, including her own.
Despite their breakup, Asa is overprotective of Fiona, then again it goes back to his own experience with a serial killer that left his mom dead, and his sister in a state of chaos.
It isn’t long until Rhyme lets Fiona know he’s there.
And, as they learn about the victim, the SCU learns they may not be victims after all. Fiona and Asa also discover they still care about each other more than they should. It won’t matter if they don’t put an end to though.
Putting an end to it might end up putting an end to them.
But, the ending itself is more shocking than I could’ve imagined.
I was drawn to this because of that Profiler vibe. I had seem some Criminal Minds, but never got into the series.
There was a bit too much narrative and descriptions at times. But, for the most part, this was definitely a book that kept my attention. There were times I didn’t want to put it down. What I absolutely liked about this is part of the plot’s MAJOR spoiler, but it was interesting in that it definitely made sense. Certainly, it was a NEW idea for a serial killer suspect.
The shortish chapters were a bonus as well and kept me reading.
There was one character who didn’t have a clear “resolution”. As it would be considered a “spoiler”, all I will state is that I hope the author’s next book gives a bit more of a resolution for Amanda.
Since it is distributed by Love Inspired, there will be themes of the Christian faith in it. This does have quite a bit of those themes to contrast the dark tone. Where some readers might find it out of place, I found that it balanced the tone.
Violet Rainwater, introduced in this story, will be the focus of the next book, A Cry in the Dark. I’m eagerly awaiting that, as well as the next book of the Quantico Profilers series.
Fans of the author might enjoy this. Those who’ve watched Criminal Minds, Profiler, and CSI might also enjoy this as well.
RATING:
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html)
NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES:
Series: Strange Crimes Unit – South Division (Book #2)
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Trade (February 28, 2022)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 133566257X
ISBN-13: 978-133566257X
Click Photo for Purchase Information
“Deep in the Kentucky hills, three women have been found brutalized and murdered.
But the folks in Night Holler have their own ways and their own laws.
And they’re not talking…
Led to an isolated Appalachian Mountain town by a trail of disturbing murders, FBI special agent Violet Rainwater’s determined to catch a serial killer with a twisted agenda. With locals refusing to reveal their secrets, Violet’s only ally is Detective John Orlando. But even John has an ulterior motive—he’s convinced this case is connected to his wife’s murder.
As they dig deeper, Violet uncovers a link to her own unresolved past. For years she’s worked the cold case of her mother’s abduction, which had led to her birth. The need to look into the eyes of the sinful man who fathered her consumes Violet. Until she can, she’ll never have peace. Because she’s terrified she might be exactly like him.
In this chilling novel, when the present collides with Violet’s mysterious past and John’s tragic loss, they must unravel the warped, sinuous connections before the killer strikes again. But solving the case might not be nearly as terrifying as the possibility that Violet’s finally found her roots…”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jessica R. Patch is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author known for her dry wit, signatures twists, and complex characters. She loves reading true crime books, discussing cold cases over chips and salsa with her girlfriends, and hunting down serial killers in her romantic suspense novels and psychological thrillers.
Jessica loves to encourage and inspire people to forward living through her Patch of Hope devotions in her monthly email newsletter. You can join the Patched In community at her website: www.jessicarpatch.com.She can also be found on the following social media networks:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessicarpatch
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