Summary
Former Marine Cas Mathews has one goal – catch the serial killer terrorizing the Rocky Mountain National Park. That’s until the sexy ranger Alta Johnson appears to collaborate on the case. Alta’s natural beauty catches his immediate attention, but the strength behind her fierce gaze is what holds him captive – demanding he learns more about her.
Alta Johnson is determined to escape the violent memories of her past. When several women go missing pieces of her past emerge in the abduction scenes and evidence making her wonder if her past and the killer are somehow connected. When the FBI arrives to offer assistance Alta finds her walls crumbling for the alpha, brooding agent, Cas Mathews. As the team zeros in, the serial killer shifts focus putting everyone in danger. Cas swore he would protect her but with the clues carefully hidden, can he figure it out before Alta disappears for good?
Excerpt
Christina Brown laid the worn paperback book on the stone picnic table with a contented sigh. With a smile, she scanned the picnic area from the spot she’d laid stake to hours ago to read in peace while her husband and sons hiked. She’d miss this place; the quiet it offered was vastly different than their home in Denver. Today was the last day of their seven-day vacation in the small town of Estes Park. For the past week, they’d hiked, explored town, and hiked some more in the gorgeous expanses of Rocky Mountain National Park.
“Um, pardon me,” a man’s voice said, interrupting her thoughts.
She bristled at the accompanying unwelcomed tap against her shoulder. With a scowl, she turned to tell the person to back off. But immediately her defenses softened at the unassuming man wringing his hands in front of his chest. A cautious glance around the area showed a few other families playing in the nearby stream and another packing up their truck, looking to head out. Unfortunately, her husband and boys were still nowhere to be seen. Having them nearby would be preferred, but even so, nothing immediately alarmed her about the man.
As a police officer’s wife, she was coached and coached, and coached some more, on how to be alert at all times. Her husband even taught her a few key defensive moves just to be safe. But the man in front of her now, hell, she could knock him out with a simple shove and knee to the groin.
“Sorry to startle you. It’s just that….” The meek man shifted his weight anxiously from one foot to the other and tucked his restless hands into the pockets of his worn jeans. “Right. Stupid me. I know better than to approach a woman like this. My late wife would kill me.” He cringed and looked to the heavens. “Sorry to bother you.”
Shoulders rounded in defeat, he swiveled around in a hasty retreat.
A pang of sympathy spread across Christina’s heart. “Wait.” He paused but kept his back to her. “What did you need?” she asked, engaging him even if all her husband’s past instructions told her not to. Christina felt sorry for the man. He looked outright defeated in life. “Sorry, you just took me off guard.”
His head dropped forward, his chin close to his chest as he said, “It’s my young daughter.”
Christina’s brows shot up in surprise as she shoved off the concrete picnic table to stand. “What’s wrong? Is she hurt, lost?”
He simply shrugged and pointed toward secluded restrooms on the other side of the picnic area. “That’s the thing. I don’t know. She’s been in the bathroom for a while, and I can’t get her to come out. It’s a women’s bathroom, and I feel awkward walking in.” He paused and bit his lip like he was debating telling her more. “My wife passed three months ago, and this is my first time doing this alone. I’m not sure on the protocol.”
A wave of relief washed over Christina at his explanation. She was a mother, after all; of course she’d step in to help this man and his daughter. Plus she knew the helpless feeling he currently had. How many times was she in the same predicament with her sons while she stood outside the men’s restroom, nervously praying they would return unharmed or not need her assistance when they were inside.
Review
(audiobook) I was expecting the usual ‘ex-military saves a girl and they fall in love’, but it was more than that. It was closer to a thriller. The suspense was gripping and there was enough twists and action that I was never bored. The little romantic drama was just a bonus.
It was quite gruesome though. Between Alta’s memory of rape and her subsequent paranoia, and the actual investigation–with its depiction of dead bodies–you have to be prepared for a gory and difficult read. Cas also suffers from PTSD and some of his past actions as a military are given a vivid visual. Mental health and violence are ever present in this book.
The investigation itself, with the hints, the conclusions, the suspects, etc. was riveting. The red herrings offered a couple of twists that kept the story interesting and surprising.
I couldn’t totally relate to the characters though. Alta was well defined, with a past, but also a present life, that made sense and made her human. Cas, on the other hand, besides the fact that he suffers from PTSD, was a bit two dimensional at times. But, even though he looked at first like your typical military alpha male, he had more nuances in the end, and I loved him in a relationship with Alta. The side characters were more fun, in my opinion.
Once again, there was an instant connection between Alta and Cas, and they basically fall in love without knowing much about each other. But there were a couple of scenes that were both cute and sexy, that gave more life to their relationship. I ended up loving them as a couple.
The narration was great, especially from the female narrator. All the nuances of every character were there. Tangible. Palpable. Several very emotional scenes were beautifully interpreted, and touched me.
An intense thriller with a touch of love.
Quickie
- Series: Protection #1 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #romantic suspense #ex-military #law enforcement #serial killer
- Triggers: PTSD, graphic depiction of murder and abuse, sexual assault, animal torture, stalking
- Main couple: Alta Johnson & Cas Mathews
- Hotness: 4/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + though often disturbing–definitely not for the faint of heart–the mystery was gripping
- – I wasn’t a fan of the psycho girlfriend
Stalker mode
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