The Highway (Cody Hody #1 / Cassie Dewell #1)

The Highway by C.J. Box is a novel of suspense that will haunt you. It is both the second book in the Cody Hoyt series and the first in the Cassie Dewell series – two police detectives in Helena, Montana. An experienced investigator who has been known to break the rules and a new investigator just starting out.

Teens Danielle and Gracie Sullivan are driving to their father’s house for Thanksgiving. But when Gracie (the younger and more responsible sister) falls asleep, Danielle turns north toward Helena to see Justin Hoyt. They met the previous summer when they were all on an adventure in Yellowstone that was a bit too interesting. Justin’s dad, Cody, ultimately saved the girls from a serial killer. Danielle and Justin have been dating, long-distance, since then. Danielle knows Justin wants to break up but is sure in person she can convince him not to.

 When the young women stop texting Justin, he gets worried and calls his dad to look for them. The main highway was blocked after an accident and he told them to go through the corner of Yellowstone. He knows there is no cell service for part of it, but too much time has passed. Hoyt is in no condition to help out, but will do anything for his son, or for Gracie. With the help of his new partner, Cassie Dewell, he starts making phone calls.

In the course of her research, Dewell finds a patter of young women disappearing in the area. The FBI has put together a task for on a possible long-haul trucker / serial killer who operates in the area.

Box has written a story that will keep readers on edge until the last page. If you like suspense with a bit of creepy this is the book for you.

Box, C.J. (2013). The Highway. NY: Minotaur Books.

The 7th Woman (Paris Homicide Mystery #1)

The 7th Woman by Frederique Molay is the first book in her Paris Homicide Mystery series - set in Paris around the Chief of Police Nico Sirsky.

Nico Sirsky is the head of the Paris Criminal Investigation Division, the famous Brigade Criminelle, tasked with catching the worst criminals in Paris. Working with teams of detectives and the medical examiner, Nico will have to find a serial killer.

When the first body appears, they don't know it is a serial killer, so they start looking at the family and friends of the victim. When the second woman if found, a note tells them that there will be seven bodies in seven days.

Molay's novel gives readers a look inside detective work in France - which is much different from the process here in the US. Her detective is competent and surrounded by helpful coworkers. Her killer is sadistic and likes to play games with the police. If you are a fan of France or mysteries, read it.

Molay, Frederique. (2012). The 7th Woman. New York: Le French Book.

The Search

The Search is the latest book by Nora Roberts. It is a romantic suspense that will appeal to dog lovers.

Fiona Bristow lives on Orcas Island, part of the San Juan islands off of the coast of Washington. She lives with her three Labrador retrievers and trains dogs for a living.

She has lived on Orcas for almost eight years, ever since she escaped from a serial killer and he killed her fiancee for revenge. She went to Orcas to stay with her step mother and fell in love with the island.

Now her life is as she wants it. She has peace and quiet and her dogs for company. Until Simon Doyle brings his new puppy to be trained.

Aptly named, Jaws, is eating everything he can get his little, sharp teeth on and Simon is at his wits end. He just moved to Orcas and his mother got him a dog for company. Not only did he not want a dog, but Jaws is disrupting his work as a woodworker. Simon is less than thrilled to find out that dog training is actually dog and human training and that he cannot just drop the dog off until he is fixed.

As Simon, Jaws and Fiona get to know each other, a copycat killer is restarting the killings that the man Fiona escaped began. Now old feeling and fears are being brought up that she thought she had dealt with before. And it appears that the new killer will correct the mistake the first one made by letting Fiona get away.

Capturing the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the love and energy of many dogs, Roberts has created a novel that readers of the genre will love.

Roberts, Nora. (2010). The Search. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Burn Factor

Burn Factor by Kyle Mills is an FBI thriller with a twist.

Quinn Barry works for the FBI, but she is not an agent. She hopes to someday be an agent but currently works in computer programming. When creating a new search engine within the CODIS system - a system that collects forensic data from unsolved crimes all over the country - she discovers five previously unconnected murders.

After being transferred to another office for not being able to work out the "bug" that found the cases, Quinn goes over the code to see what the difference is between the original and her new code. She finds a sequence of DNA within the original code that system is told to ignore.

When she orders the case files to prove to herself that the cases are not real but a test that was never removed, she is shocked to find the brutal murder of 5 women.

Unfortunately, as soon as she orders the case files she can no longer be left to discover the truth. Someone is after her. No knowing who to trust she may put her faith in the hands of the wrong helper.

Mills is a master of the suspense novel. Burn Factor is one of his stand-alone novels, but does mention he series hero - Mark Beamon.

Mills, Kyle. (2001). Burn Factor. New York: HarperCollins.

Hot Pursuit (Troubleshooters #15)

Hot Pursuit is the 15th book in Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooters series of romantic suspense novels.

Alyssa Locke takes a small team of Troubleshooters to New York City to help out a friend - a simple assignment in self-defense training. What she doesn't realize is that she is being lured to NYC by a serial killer she chased for years in the FBI.

Maria Bonivita is a newly elected Assemblywoman. Her two best friends helped get her elected - one of them, Jenn LeMay, is now her Chief of Staff. When she starts getting threatening letters, Maria thinks it is part of the job. But Jenn thinks there might be more to it.

The serial killer sent the note - along with the surprise waiting in Jenn's desk drawer. It is all part of the plot to finally get close enough to Alyssa to control her. But what killer stands a chance against Alyssa, especially backed up by Troubleshooters' ex-Navy SEALS?

Brockmann is one of the top romantic suspense writers. She is great because her books are really thrillers with a romantic sub-plot. She has created a team of Navy SEALs and FBI agents that can solve any mystery and look great doing it, but they are not over the top. I would recommend her books to any suspense readers.

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2009). Hot Pursuit. New York: Ballantine Books.

Into the Storm (Troubleshooters #10)

Into the Storm, a Troubleshooters novel, by Suzanne Brockmann is a military adventure and a serial killer thriller rolled into one.

The Troubleshooters Inc. security experts are going up against the boss' old Navy SEAL team in a training exercise. The first round will be in the desert. The SEALS will be tasked to rescue a hostage from the Troubleshooters.

When all goes well, the second exercise has the players switched around, mixing SEALS with TS Inc, to try their skill in the woods of Maine - in the middle of winter.

But something goes terribly wrong when the woman playing the hostage - the only member of the teams not trained to survive outdoor or defend herself - goes missing.

Her footsteps are followed to the road where she was picked up by a car. But with a serial killer on the loose it is a race against the clock to find her before it is too late.

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2006). Into the Storm. New York: Ballantine Books.