TRACE OF EVIL was a completely engrossing and intense procedural. Natalie is a rookie detective in her hometown, as her police officer father had raised her to be. Natalie has the wobbly desk that the more senior people don't want, and now she is inadvertently assigned to a major case. When she was driving another officer home after drinks at the bar, they find his pregnant wife murdered. Natalie chases down the leads and evidence.
At the same time, she was also given some cold cases, and something about them is giving her new avenues. When someone she knows disappears, they become even more important. Working both lines of investigation at the same time, this book is anything but boring.
I became quickly invested in these characters, within the first chapter, and I loved following these cases. There was never a dull moment, and I had plenty of guesses- but none close to the actual perpetrators. This is certainly a book that keeps the reader guessing with all kinds of twists and turns. When you get to the end, the clues start adding up, begging for another reread with the ending in sight (so you can catch all things you missed earlier).
The new angle to this series is in the town and Wicca culture. Not as famous as Salem, this town also hung some witches. The religion persists really strongly among young people, and it plays into the things they find and the way the cases go. I would definitely love to read more from Natalie and in this town setting.
There is also a light love interest for Natalie, and I assume this will be developed more in the future. While Natalie herself is fleshed out well and we get a great feel for her character, the primary focus of the book is on the cases, and I really enjoyed it.
Captivating and completely engrossing, TRACE OF EVIL is a delicious page turner that will keep you guessing all the way to the surprising end. Highly recommend for anyone who loves mysteries and/or procedurals.
Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.
At the same time, she was also given some cold cases, and something about them is giving her new avenues. When someone she knows disappears, they become even more important. Working both lines of investigation at the same time, this book is anything but boring.
I became quickly invested in these characters, within the first chapter, and I loved following these cases. There was never a dull moment, and I had plenty of guesses- but none close to the actual perpetrators. This is certainly a book that keeps the reader guessing with all kinds of twists and turns. When you get to the end, the clues start adding up, begging for another reread with the ending in sight (so you can catch all things you missed earlier).
The new angle to this series is in the town and Wicca culture. Not as famous as Salem, this town also hung some witches. The religion persists really strongly among young people, and it plays into the things they find and the way the cases go. I would definitely love to read more from Natalie and in this town setting.
There is also a light love interest for Natalie, and I assume this will be developed more in the future. While Natalie herself is fleshed out well and we get a great feel for her character, the primary focus of the book is on the cases, and I really enjoyed it.
Captivating and completely engrossing, TRACE OF EVIL is a delicious page turner that will keep you guessing all the way to the surprising end. Highly recommend for anyone who loves mysteries and/or procedurals.
Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.