Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner

The D. D. Warren series was selected by one of my Goodreads groups to read as a series. I’ll be posting my reviews of each book every month as we work through the series.

Detective Sergeant D. D. Warren is called in to the type crime scene all law enforcement agents dread…the murder of children. An entire family was brutally killed and there aren’t any clues leading to why, other than the father being suspected of attempted murder-suicide. When another similar murder happens days later, D. D. and her team know it can’t be a coincidence even though they struggle to find a connection. Meanwhile, pediatric trauma nurse Danielle Burton is facing the 25th anniversary of the night that changed her life forever. And Victoria Oliver is determined to care for her troubled son, even though her decision not to institutionalize him has cost her immeasurably.

The cases were tough on so many levels as when children are involved. I didn’t know how Danielle and Victoria we’re eventually going to connect with D. D.’s case but knew they would. All three of these situations were highly interesting on their own and combined they made for fascinating reading and listening. One added bonus was insight through Danielle of the commitment of nurses like her who provide quality care to highly disturbed children. What I learned was eye opening and made me grateful for these professionals who do much more than warehouse these kids. It was worth this aspect of the story alone to get this education.

D. D. Warren was front and center, clearly the main focus this time. And, her investigative skills improved significantly, most probably because of the influence of Alex Wilson, a former detective now a professor who is shadowing her partner to sharpen his skills. He offered her thought provoking challenges to suppositions, keeping her from falling through the normal rabbit holes of honing in on one suspect and making the evidence fit. She still has a way to go but I saw clear signs of progress. I’m really enjoying this series on audio and the use of three narrators for the three points of view worked so well. All provided great performances, which made a strong story even more compelling.

Book Info

• Release Date: July 13, 2010
  
• Series: Detective D. D. Warren #4
• Narrators: Kirsten Potter, Rebecca Lowman & Ann Marie Lee
• Audio Length: 13 hours, 23 minutes
• Publisher: Random House Audio

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