Shadow Fall by Laura Griffin – a Review

Shadow Fall
Tracers series – Book #9
by Laura Griffin
Release Date: September 22, 2015

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Description
Special Agent Tara Rushing arrives at a grisly murder scene and quickly discovers she’s got a serial killer on her hands. The killer is meticulous, making sure to wipe up even the smallest traces of evidence…but the Delphi Center experts are on the case.

The local sheriff has a suspect all picked out—ex-Marine and current security expert Liam Wolfe. Despite all her digging, Tara knows very little about Liam when she shows up at his sprawling Texas compound, which serves as headquarters for Wolfe Securities, and she’s surprised by her intense physical reaction to him.

As she and Liam grow closer, Tara finds herself depending on his skills and expertise to help her track a killer. But when another body turns up, Tara must decide if she can trust the man who’s quickly stealing her heart.


Review:

Shadow Fall by Laura Griffin in the 9^th book in her Tracers series. This is my first book reading Griffin, and it will not be my last. Even though this book was the 9^th in the series, it read perfectly as a standalone. Any important details regarding the Tracers are explained when needed. What are Tracers? This blurb from Griffin’s site explains it all

“AN ELITE GROUP OF FORENSIC EXPERTS WHO HELP HOMICIDE COPS AND COLD CASE DETECTIVES SOLVE THE MOST UNSOLVABLE CRIMES.”

In Shadow Fall, Tara Rushing, our heroine and an FBI agent, is just coming off a very difficult case, which mentally she has not fully recovered from. Much to her chagrin, she is sent on an immediate assignment in a small town in Texas. When Tara arrives, she finds the local police, especially the sheriff aren’t too happy to have her there. She knows she needs to be one step ahead of them, as they will not willingly be forthcoming with any evidence they find. Tara is also surprised to have a rookie agent assigned to help her, but in the long run she and M.J. learn to work together very well. When they arrive at the scene, they learn a woman was brutally murdered.

Liam Wolfe is our hero, who is a former marine having survived in Afghanistan, and now runs a top notch security firm, with former marines. Tara meets Liam early on, as the murder took place on his land; he was a friend of the victim, which makes him an early suspect. The sheriff would like nothing better than to put the blame on Liam; but Tara and M.J discover quickly that Liam has a valid alibi.

Almost immediately, Liam finds himself attracted to Tara and her to him. But both, due to their own circumstances, do their best to keep their feelings mute. With a second murder, the race is on to find this vicious killer, before another victim is found. Tara meets and begins to work with the people at the Delphi Center lab (Tracers), who have specialized experts in all fields related to DNA, bones, fragments, etc; and they will help Tara find whatever evidence they can pinpoint.

This was such an exciting, suspenseful and captivating storyline, as the case escalates to a serial killer, with murders of women, who upon further investigation are discovered from the past.   I was amazed at the writing and knowledge of Laura Griffin, as it was written so well; with each miniscule finding being deciphered by the Tracers, helping Tara to slowly move toward finding the killer. Both Tara and M.J. know Liam is innocent, but they fear one of his employees is the murderer. The danger escalates as they get closer to finding the killer, which will put both of their lives on the brink of death.

Tara and Liam’s relationship heats up, as their chemistry is off the wall. Despite both of their determination to not act on their lust, the dangers and threats that surround them will bring them to release their tension and act on their feelings. I loved Tara and Liam together, as they made a great and sizzling couple.   I admire Griffin’s ability to give us a nice slow romance, and keep it as part of the background, not taking anything away from this exciting and intense mystery.

I do not want to give spoilers, so I will just say that this was a wonderful exciting, suspenseful and tense story, with some wonderful characters, very interesting details of how this wonderful crime lab works, and a great couple, who blend together so well. Laura Griffin has written a page turner that I could not put down, and has won me over as a writer who deftly puts the pieces together, explaining to us every step of the way. Fantastic story, so well written and now I have to find time to go back to the beginning and read this series from the start.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher