the setup…
Troubleshooters Executive Officer Alyssa Locke agrees to take what she believes is an easy assignment as a favor to her friend Savannah, one that will allow her to bring her son Ashton and fellow Troubleshooter operative and husband Sam Starrett along with her. But from the start the job of teaching self-defense techniques to a newly elected New York assemblywoman and her chief of staff becomes problematic. After a disastrous confrontation with a misogynist local detective, the team discovers something gruesome in the office that later leads to a dead body. Then another. Thankfully, her team includes a group of Navy SEALs who are moonlighting until their next op and she needs all of them to help with protection. Soon it becomes increasingly clear to Sam that maybe the assemblywoman isn’t the target…and the killer’s actual focus is on Alyssa.
the heart of the story…
We learn from an extremely chilling prologue that Alyssa is most definitely the target as it’s delivered from the killer’s point of view. Effective move on the author’s part as that weighed heavily throughout the story as I felt at any moment she would be taken. That just ramped up the tension to great heights and it never let up. Meanwhile, Dan Gillman from SEAL Team 16 is part of Alyssa’s team and, due to the stars being misaligned, so is Izzy Zanella, his nemesis. Handsome Dan though hooks up with Jennilyn (Jenn) LeMay, the assemblywoman’s chief of staff, a woman far different from his typical liaisons. I’m no fan of Dan (pun intended) so color me skeptical for most of that romance. Making the whole situation even more spine tingling is the knowledge that the killer is someone among them. I gave everybody a side eye.
the narration…
I’m loving the pairing of Lawlor and Raudman! She absolutely nails Jenn in this story and he does Izzy and Sam proud. This reread via audio makes this feel like it’s my first time.
the bottom line…
It’s been about ten years since I first read the story and I couldn’t remember the identity of the killer! I also came away with a completely different opinion of Dan Gillman’s investment in his romance with Jenn LeMay, thinking he showed up better this time. The tension really was palpable and I saw the boogeyman around every corner. I loved the narrators’ performances as they made this feel like a unique reading experience. And, I loved the Alyssa & Sam time with a taste of Jules & Robin. The girl power moments just iced the proverbial cake.
Book Info
- Release Date: July 28, 2009
- Series: Troubleshooters #15
- Narrators: Patrick Lawlor & Renée Raudman
- Audio Length: 13 hours, 26 minutes
- Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Listen to a Sample!
Blue Mood Café 
I wish I was doing this reread by audio of this series. It’s so awesome.
Anne – Books of My Heart
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