Fatal Act by Leigh RussellMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Time taken to read - dipped in and out over 5 days
Publisher - No Exit Press
Pages - 319
Source - RealReaders
Blurb from Back cover
A glamorous young TV soap star dies in a car crash. Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel is baffled as the driver of the second vehicle miraculously survives - and vanishes. Another young actress is murdered and, once again, the killer mysteriously disappears. Geraldine unwittingly risks her sergeant's life in their struggle to track down a serial killer who leaves no clues.
My Review
Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel is on the case, a young actress has died in a car crash yet there is no sign of the other driver. Soon another up and coming star dies and the police realize they have a very crafty murderer to find and one who leaves no traces. In the search for a killer and trying to prevent any further deaths, Steel puts her sergeant at risk and maybe even herself before the case is through.
The opening chapter is brilliantly done, it pulls you into heart stopping scene of cat and mouse and the story goes from there. The killer leaves nothing at the scenes and the police are scrambling around trying to work out who is guilty and grill their suspect. The story then has a bit of a lull, then picks up, then lulls again until the last leg when it kicks up the pace. This was a bit of a let down considering how attention grabbing the opening chapter was however it kept me interested enough to read on.
The story focuses on the relationships within the unit, particularly between Steel and her sergeant Sam Haley. Haley is junior and in parts of the story this is abundantly clear, however she has a good relationship with Steel which drives some of her behavior. Also there were a few situations when I felt their actions and behavior didn't quite fit with the titles of sergeants.
There are lots of questions raised throughout the story but thankfully the author ties doesn't leave you hanging. Overall I liked it but felt some parts dragged and would have enjoyed it more if the pace kept up with how it started and ended. Overall a good 3/5, I have read this author before and would read her again. I think I may snap up the previous books I haven't read, get more of a picture of Steel and the relationship dynamics within the team. Thanks to RealReaders for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, available to buy from May 2014 from all good retailers.
What a creepy cover. This one sounds good!
ReplyDeleteThis kind of sounds as if it employs elements of an old type mystery.
ReplyDeleteAs for the behavior of some of the officers, I do find that in real life, often professionals as well as people in authority do not act the part. Perhaps this is the author trying to mirror the real world.