Valerie, still reeling from the last case, is sure she sees a pattern when a second victim is discovered.

But when everything she thinks she knows with this killer turns out to be wrong, she questions her own judgement. Is she losing her touch?

Or is her far more diabolical than she thought?

After a shocking twist, then answer may just come too late.

Here’s the thing. I’ve currently been faced with three flare ups from one of my conditions. The third flare up has been the most painful and as a result, my mental health and sleep have been affected. It’s put me in a bad mood, and not allowed for much of an outlet. I ended up picking up the kindle app to try reading, not knowing if I would get very far. So, with my current mood and pain levels, finishing this book has been the achievement of the day.

This is the second book in the Valerie Law series, and I’m pleased to say that it didn’t run into the scope of disappointing second books. The book is relatively short, like the first but still manages to pack quite the punch.

This time Valerie is hunting a serial killer who wants to be remembered and known. The killer P.O.V chapters show a character who has never made it to the winners stand. They carry much anger over perceived slights and missed opportunities. As a killer character, it made for compelling reading because their profile wasn’t immediately formed. E.g., the killer didn’t fit in a neat box. It gave the plot more scope and gave the character more movement.

Throughout the book the killer likens themselves to various other famous serial killers and I appreciated this notion. A lot of the time with crime books, their setting is in a fictional place and the idea of quoting real serial killers is never given consideration. Not, that I want to bring more fame to the murderers, but it does allow us as the reader, to get into the head of the killer quicker and easier.

Valerie’s character is still very much affected by the psychosis of her mother and sister. The idea that she may also have a breakdown and be admitted to a psychiatric hospital is something that weighs heavily on the character throughout the book. And this point of the character’s journey made me thankful for the character of Will because he is versed in psychology. With him among the pages, any notion of hiding her feelings or remaining in denial cannot be attained. Will can see through to Valarie too clearly for her to be able to pull the wool over his eyes.

It works well because as the reader, we get insight into Valerie’s character and the flaws she has but have the understanding that her flaws and issues won’t fester through the series but be dealt with accordingly.

Charlie was, in this book, as delightful as the first. He is a good buffer for both Valerie and Will, but he also has the ability to think for himself and come up with smart ideas and responses.

We don’t see much of Tom – Valerie’s boyfriend – in this book. I struggle to understand what he brings to the table, other than allowing Valarie to appear a well-rounded character. I don’t really see much chemistry between them or how their relationship works.

In the final couple of pages, Will and Valerie share a conversation – it’s not a cliffhanger – but it’s clear that Valarie needed to hear what Will had to say and I like that she is open to the opinions of others. The ending sets up the plot to go in a specific way, but I am uncertain as to whether I fully understand which way that is. There is certainly room for a lot of different plot avenues, so it will be interesting to see which one is picked.

I give this book: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐