Series:
Covert Cowboy Soldiers (Book 5)
They make the perfect team
Until a killer targets them both
Rancher Dunne Thompson spent his adult life trying to
atone for his serial killer grandfather. When his friend's mysterious twin,
Quinn Peterson, offers her help with his latest obsession -- tracking down a
copycat killer -- it's a non-starter. But Quinn's quick, unorthodox mind catches
patterns Dunne hasn't seen. As attraction and danger collide, the clues lead to
a suspect more surprising than Quinn herself…
Terrific book that I read in one sitting. This is the
first book in this series I have read, but there is enough backstory provided
that I didn't feel lost while reading it. I plan to read the earlier books and
get the details I've missed.
Quinn recently escaped her dangerous cult family after
decades of abuse and fear. She now lives on the Thompson ranch with her twin
sister, whose life she saved and is recovering from the injuries she received. Quinn
has trouble adjusting to "normal" life and uses biting wit and
sarcasm to hide her discomfort. She also has her share of pride and hides her
inability to read from everyone except her eleven-year-old niece, who is
teaching her. Quinn's life in the cult has taught her many skills, including
observing and recognizing patterns.
Dunne Thompson is one of the brothers whose ranch this
is. Former military, he is still recovering from an injury on his last mission.
He isn't as able to do ranch work as the others because of it, leaving him too
much time for his latest obsession. After spending years trying to atone for
his serial killer grandfather, Dunne is now trying to track down a copycat
killer. He's dismayed when Quinn finds his "murder board" and stunned
when she spots patterns neither he nor his brothers saw.
A keen observer of human nature, Quinn quickly realizes
that Dunne plans to go off on his own to stop the killer. I loved watching her
foil his attempt to leave her behind and make a case for going with him. It
doesn't take long for Quinn to prove her worth and for Dunne to accept her
help. It doesn't come easy for him, as he knows the danger and fears for her
safety.
From here to the end, the action is fast, furious, and creepy
to terrifying. I loved seeing the teamwork between Dunne and Quinn, balancing
each other's strengths and weaknesses. The twists and turns led to a development
I never saw coming. The final confrontation had me on the edge of my seat until
it was over.
The romance between Quinn and Dunne was pretty mild.
Quinn has noticed Dunne among all the brothers but doesn't recognize the
feelings he stirs in her at first. Dunne is surprised by his reaction to her
and tries to bury it. But the more he gets to know her, the more he sees the
vulnerability beneath the attitude, which speaks to his lonely heart. Despite
his recognition of her abilities, he is very protective of her. Neither expects
the attraction that flares between them, but Dunne is careful to keep it slow
and easy. I loved the ending and her surprise at being asked for something as
normal as a date.
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