A solid start to a new series featuring FBI Special Agent Nicole (Nikki) Hunt. The story is fast, a bit repetitive with the slow reveal of the backstory, but an entertaining read. I look forward to continuing installments as I anticipate some changes in Nikki's professional and personal life subsequent to the conclusion of this one.
It's bitterly cold in Stillwell, Minnesota, when Nikki Hunt returns to her hometown to investigate the discovery of two murdered teenage girls found frozen in the snow. The 15-year-olds had disappeared without a trace two months earlier and local police were unable to find them, hence the call to the FBI. Liaising with Sergeant Kent Miller out of the sheriff's office, Nikki and her team quickly discount the bodies as the work of a serial killer they are hunting known as the Frost Killer. The two dead girls are Kaylee Thomas and Madison Malone, high school freshmen, and the team quickly gets busy with interviews and investigation. Nikki is somewhat distracted, however, because of her past association with the town -- her parents were murdered in the family home over 20 years prior -- and Nikki, a 16-year-old schoolgirl, had discovered the bodies and testified against the only suspect, Mark Todd. Now it seems that new evidence has come to light indicating that Mark may not have been the killer after all. With those protests in the background, Nikki has to face the fact that there may have been a miscarriage of justice all while trying to catch the villain responsible for the current deaths. In addition, Nikki has to deal with her old high school boyfriend, John Banks, another person she had left behind when she escaped Stillwell those many years ago. NO SPOILERS.
Although I found this quite predictable and easily guessed how everything would turn out quite quickly, I did enjoy the writing and the story line. I was quite glad that the arc related to Nikki's parents was completed so that she can deal with a completely fresh situation in the next book as I do not like when that sort of thing drags on. Nikki is divorced with a young daughter and her personal life will likely be examined a bit more as well as what I guess will be a focus on her hunt for The Frost Killer. I'm looking forward to it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.
This is the first in a new series featuring this protagonist and I will read in order.
Genre - police procedural, crime thriller, female FBI agent
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