Joanna Schaffhausen's critically acclaimed Detective Annalisa Vega series is back with book three and it's a page-turner!
Chicago Detective Annalisa Vega reports to the scene of a suspicious death of a private investigator when the victim's phone rings. Annalisa answers the phone and is surprised to hear her brother on the other end of the line. He had hired the dead PI to figure out who is stalking his college-aged daughter. As her case tangles with her personal life, Annalisa must solve the suspicious death and try to ensure her niece's safety.
This kept me on my toes, and I loved every minute of it! Suspenseful and twisty, the stakes were high, and my suspicions kept shifting. The characters are so well-drawn, and I especially love Annalisa. I am always invested in both her professional and personal storylines and some of the dilemmas she faces because of how the two intertwine. And with multiple cases to solve, a niece to protect, and complicated situations with her family and her partner/ex-husband, she definitely has her hands full. Still, the author manages to weave everything together, with elements of psychological thriller and mystery, while keeping the pacing quick and the tension on. Schaffhausen is now on my auto-buy list, and I cannot wait to see where she takes this series! Even though this is book three in the series, it works as a stand-alone, and I highly recommend it to fans of procedurals and grittier mysteries!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for my gifted ARC!
My steep was Carnelian from Club Magic Hour. A caffeine-free rooibos, green rooibos, honeybush, and herb blend with apricot and amaretto flavors. Fantastic--both hot and iced!
www.clubmagichour.com
PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:
For Chicago police detective Annalisa Vega, Sam Tran's death presents an ominous puzzle. The ex-cop turned PI is found hanging from a cemetery tree with a message across his chest that suggests someone holds a murderous grudge against the police. Annalisa suspects the real answer lies in one of Tran's open cases. She believes he stumbled on a dark secret during his investigations and someone killed him to keep him quiet. Her own family harbors plenty of secrets, something Annalisa is reminded of when her brother turns out to be one of Sam's last clients.
Vinny Vega hired Tran to find a dangerous stalker on his daughter's college campus. Now Sam is dead and the stalker remains at large, with Annalisa's niece Quinn firmly in his sights.
To protect Quinn, Annalisa begins tracing Sam's steps back through his open cases, which include not only the campus stalker but also a brutal double homicide from twenty years ago. Did Sam finally find the killer? Did he uncover the stalker's identity? Annalisa must figure out which secret got Sam killed, and fast, or someone else will die. Every move she makes brings her closer to the truth of Sam's death, and closer to a murderer who will stop at nothing to remain free.
#crimefiction #mysterybooks #joannaschaffhausen #annalisavega #deadandgonebook #bookreviewswithteapairings #readthisandsteep
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