AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK // REVIEW BY IZZY ASTUTO
For the tenth book in the established Detective Katie Scott series, author Jennifer Chase does an excellent job at making this installment seem new and fresh. Paired with the author’s extensive research, this book was an intriguing thriller from start to finish.
Katie Scott’s latest mystery is kickstarted by the disappearance of her fiance, Chad, which leaves her in a strung out and vulnerable state. While his case has mostly gone cold, the body of one Gina Hartfield is discovered, missing its eyes. As Katie begins investigating this murderer, not only does she find resemblances to the crimes of a serial killer long locked away, she also realizes the crime is more personal than it originally seemed.
Meeting Katie for the first time in this book was particularly interesting, as her emotional state is in tatters. Not only does she have to worry about this mysterious killer, who always seems to be one step ahead, but she is constantly reminded of her missing fiance. I truly felt for Katie, feeling connected to her more than I may have otherwise.
One of my personal favorite parts of the book was the killer. The second half of the book is entirely focused on Katie’s struggle to uncover just who this person is, and it seems like the mystery will never end. I was on the edge of my seat while reading, really feeling Katie’s distress everytime she was once again outsmarted.
Katie would have never been able to discover the killer’s identity if not for her loyal dog, Cisco, which is where most of Chase’s personal interests seem to lie. The book actually begins with a detailed foreward from a US Navy Veteran, describing how Navy Military Working Dogs are typically trained. Not only did this give me some very interesting context that I would not have had otherwise, but it solidified Chase’s own studies when writing these books.
It's always nice to see authors putting in the time and effort for their books, showing their true passion for the content they’re exploring. I’m a research nerd myself, so seeing that from Chase gave me a deeper respect for her.
After ten books in this series, I can’t help but wonder where Chase will go next in her writing. By the end of this installment, Chad is still missing, and Katie’s mental and physical health only seems to be spiraling deeper and deeper.
However, I believe that Chase has proven herself as having a great grasp on this world, and this book’s cliffhanger has only made me hungry for more of it. I would definitely recommend this to any prior Detective Katie Scott fans, and if you haven’t delved into this series before, take this as your push to start!
4/5
Her Dying Kiss | By Jennifer Chase | 344 pp. | Bookouture | Paperback £9.99