Zoe Bentley is working as a profiler for the FBIs Behavioral Analysis Unit - she's not an FBI agent, but she is a forensic psychologist which brings the skills they need. Her personality and qualifications make her a solid addition to the team, she puts in the long hours to unravel clues in cases that help develop suspect profiles. Her self-care skills are not quite as good as she tends to get obsessed with cases and forget to do simple things. Things like shop for food and shampoo and she has a tendency to hand in her weekly reports late which means her boss Unit Chief Mancuso is always chasing her for her paperwork.
When Zoe is assigned to the Highway Serial Killings Initiative it feels like a perfect match to her skill set - even if it means wading through details about a suspect group of 217 truckers. Zoe is happy to do the work and is more than a little annoyed when she is called to Chicago to support the newest member of their team, Special Agent Tatum Gray. Gray was sent to Chicago to provide support to the Chicago PD who have a strange series of murders in their city. He was supposed to just consult, but once he learns more about the case he calls in Zoe to provide more information and a better profile. When another victim is discovered, there is no denying they are dealing with a serial killer.
Despite encouragement to play nicely with the other children, Zoe focuses on the case and the facts rather than worrying about diplomacy or jurisdiction. As she digs deeper into the case she feels old memories stirring, memories from her childhood and a series of murders that happened in her home town. Zoe thinks the cases could be connected, but is worried about how her 'obsession' will be received by the Police and Agent Gray. There is a twisted killer preying on the women of Chicago and Zoe may be the only one who can stop him before he strikes again.
A killer's mind is the first book in a series and introduces us to forensic psychologist Zoe Bentley and her 'partner' Special Agent Tatum Gray. The case that forms the base for the start of their working partnership is more than a little twisted, with the right amount of gruesome horror without gory details for the sake of gory details. We learn a lot about both Zoe and Gray as the story unfolds, details that make them real and sidestep most of the cliches that everyone seems us these days. This is a well written and engrossing story that feels more genuine than a lot of crime/psychological thrillers and doesn't rely on the same old same old to get the story across. Best read in a single session if you can manage it - and look for the next book in the series - In the darkness.
If you like this book then try:
- Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
- The better sister by Alafair Burke
- The puppet show by M.W. Craven
- Every last fear by Alex Finlay
- Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
- When darkness calls by Mark Griffin
- Good me bad me by Ali Land
- Look what you made me do by Elaine Murphy
- The edge of normal by Carla Norton
- The coast to coast murders by James Patterson and J.D.Barker
- When you are mine by Michael Robotham
- A flicker in the dark by Stacy Willingham
Reviewed by Brilla
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