by Steven James

A Mystery/Thriller, 2010 by Revell, 524 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

The love triangle made me roll my eyes and I’m normally not bothered by those. I guess this one just emphasizes that someone loses in a love triangle and that felt awful. Also, it’s not entirely resolved which means we’ll have to deal with it again in the next book.
Damsel in distress. This is one of my least favorite tropes so when it’s even hinted at (or summarized from a previous book in a series) I get annoyed. This had multiple.
There’s a lot of characters. Some of the names that come up are people you don’t recall at the moment, which can be confusing. I should’ve kept a notebook or something.

Fast moving. There’s a lot going on and you pop between the events quickly but it works to keep the pace and doesn’t seem confusing.
The police investigation is satisfying. There’s errors and missing information, which feels more accurate than stories where things are perfect from the drop. You find yourself unable to resist trying to beat Bowers to the solution, which is fun! Plus, the solution felt plausible.
Tessa is probably my favorite character. I love her ambition and her critical thinking. I like that we seem to be getting a little more of her in each book. It’s a trend I hope continues.

Fans of detective novels with puzzles, really bad and terrifying criminals, and multiple layers to the crimes will like the Bowers series. I’d start with book 1 (The Pawn) because some of the bad guys are referenced in future books and it would spoil the surprises to read them out of order.

Overall, a solid detective novel that satisfies the need for puzzle solving and clear good guys.