Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Shadow of Death - Romantic Suspense Review

Goodreads:  Shadow of Death (Amy Larson and Hunter Forrest FBI #3) by Heather Graham

Rating:  Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  You can cut off the head of the snake, but another will emerge.

When two hikers go missing within a series of daunting caves outside of Denver, Colorado, FDLE special agent Amy Larson and her partner, FBI special agent Hunter Forrest, have good reason to suspect foul play. The pair of hikers are only the latest to vanish after a rash of disappearances that’s left local law enforcement stumped. But in searching the dank caverns near the Arkansas River, the agents aren’t prepared for the horror they uncover: a muddy pit littered with corpses. Covered in bite marks. Made by human teeth.

When a tiny toy horse is found on the scene, Amy and Hunter recognize the calling card. They’ll have to move quickly before the already sizable body count can grow. Their investigation soon draws them down the rabbit hole of a dangerous cult with a sinister mandate—one that involves human sacrifices. Anything to further their twisted cause. But when more people go missing, it becomes clear the cult’s reach extends beyond state lines, leading Amy and Hunter deep into the Florida Everglades to set a perilous trap, one that stands to risk everything they hold dear, including their lives.

Genre: Mystery - Romantic Suspense

Why I Picked This Book:  I really liked the first book and liked the second book in this series so of course I had to pick up the third book.

My Impression:  While I have loved Graham's Krewe of Hunter's series I tend to not enjoy her books that focus on the same couple for multiple books so I had some reservations before picking this one up.  I also had thoroughly enjoyed the first book but had only kind of liked the second book.   

This book hit somewhere in between.  While it wasn't quite as fast paced as the first book it didn't have the 2nd book syndrome of a whole lot of setup with very little payoff.  The book starts off with Amy and Hunter on vacation when the 3rd horseman makes an appearance starting with the disappearance of a businesswoman in Colorado.  As the mystery unravels it becomes more and more difficult to determine just who is good and who is bad and I really enjoyed being along for the ride.

This is definitely part of a series and unlike Graham's Krewe of Hunters books it really does need to be read in order.  I really like seeing Amy and Hunter getting a bit more settled in their relationship.  They trust each other's instincts and work well together.  Hearing regularly how gorgeous Amy is gets a bit old and it is a bit dialogue heavy but overall this was an entertaining and creepy read. 

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Definitely!  I almost always enjoy this author's books and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next with these characters.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy romantic suspense this is a good series though I recommend starting with the first book.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

4 comments:

  1. I'm glad this one was better than the second one. And I do like me some romantic suspense. I might have to give these books a try. :D

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds good. I haven't read this author in a long time.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would like to try Heather Graham and I think I noted this series when you started reading it. I must look for the first one in the library.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have been wondering about this series. I prefer her Krewe of Hunters books, too, but have enjoyed some of her other series (though not as much.) Good review!

    ReplyDelete