Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Denver homicide cop and shooting survivor Beck Stryker lives to solve the case that left him with PTSD, chronic pain, and killed his co-investigator four months previous. Now his career hinges on his ability to work with the man who shut down his advances two years ago.

After last parting ways with Beck, psychiatrist-turned-FBI profiler Zach Littman never anticipated seeing the detective again. Being sent to Denver to work on a series of killings that have continued after the only suspect died is bad enough. Discovering the detective in charge is Beck leaves Zach gritting his teeth and girding his loins.

The last thing either of them needs is romantic entanglement with a fellow investigator, but danger is a powerful aphrodisiac. The case heats up, and friction between them ignites a fire neither can ignore, first at work and then in the bedroom. As they zero in on the plot behind the murders, the crosshairs zero in on Beck and Zach.

 

Book Review

This is my first book by this author, and if 'High Concept' is indicative of her writing style, then I will be reading more. I am fascinated by the psychology of why criminals, and particularly, serial killers, do what they do. The whys of it hold me in complete thrall. Don't get me wrong, I think it's horrific and ugly, but why people do something is the part that interests me. The whole nature versus nurture debate. So, the thought of reading a story with a homicide detective, an FBI profiler, and a killer, pushed all of my buttons.

Beck is a homicide detective who lost his partner in the line of fire four months ago. Beck was shot in the shoulder and had to have the bones all pinned together to give him something of a functioning appendage. He suffers from PTSD, nightmares, cold sweats, flashbacks, and guilt over Danny's death. He has not been cleared for active duty yet by his psychologist, mainly because he refuses to be partnered with anyone again, or his physical therapist. So, when his captain informs him he will be working with an FBI profiler on the home invasions, which coincidentally, Beck and Danny were working on, Beck is less than thrilled to have to babysit the feeb.

Zach is a forensic psychiatrist who has been with the Bureau for seven months, and returning to private practice is looking better and better. It's easy to become burnt out looking at the horrors people do to one another. He ended his last relationship but is trying to remain friends at the behest and insistence of his ex-lover. Heading off to Denver when he just finished a case in Omaha is not Zach's idea of fun. Especially when he finds out he'll be working with Beck. Two years prior, when Zach was in private practice, he spent two weeks consulting with Beck and Danny on a case. Beck made a pretty serious pass and Zach shut him down, due to being in a relationship. Zach can't wait to see how working with him is going to go over.

The mystery portion of this book was done fantastically well, with very little predictability. In fact, the way the author wove the different characters, plot lines, subterfuge, and overall crime performed, seemed almost more in tune with a murder mystery writer. I was thrilled! There's a prisoner with information whose new cell mate has ties to Zach's past. A high profile businessman with a bid for politics, a pretty nasty temper, and people in his pockets all around. Gave me shivers!

The romance between Zach and Beck was sizzling. They were so good together, not just sexually, but really compatible in so many ways that they simply meshed. It was so sweet to watch them fall in love with each other. It was way more than sweet to watch them sizzle together! Each brought baggage into this new relationship, but I really liked the way they dealt with any conflict. I especially enjoyed how they dealt with the huge miscommunication that almost ended them by not letting the other off the hook for mistakes and misperceptions.

I so enjoyed my first foray into a Whitley Gray novel. The writing was beautifully descriptive, the characters were solid, and the story line kept me entertained. I look forward to more books by this talented author.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Loose Id for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novel, 329 pages/103015 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	10-September-2013
Price	$7.99 ebook
Buy Link	http://www.loose-id.com/high-concept.html