by Steven James

A Mystery/Thriller, 2013 by Berkley, 499 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

As I’ve said before about many long-running detective series, the fact that it keeps coming back to family members or loved ones feels unbelievable. Suspend disbelief a little and you’ll be fine.
The religion is pushed on you a little less than in previous books, but it’s still there. If you’re bothered by spiritual talk, consider that a content warning.
This is starting to feel too similar to the previous books in the series: similar (or same) villains, same struggle with raising a teenager, same danger for your family, and same struggle with your own faith or right vs wrong. There’s ONE left in the series, so I’ll finish, but I’m hoping for a good ending.

The geospatial stuff is ALWAYS fascinating. Patrick’s approach, ignoring motive and instead focusing on WHERE, is original and brilliant. In this, the 6th book, it’s only deeper and more thought out.
The character is well written. Since the beginning he’s felt realistic and I like that. He’s not perfect and he does struggle with what’s right.
The ending, of course, ties up the mystery nicely while dangling that carrot of what could come next in the series finale.

Fans of the series, obviously.
If you like a detective story but want something a little different, this series may fit the bill. The geospatial stuff sets this apart and makes it unique.

While it’s still only going to appeal to the detective thriller niche, it’s exactly what I expected from this book.