This is the second of the series which is full of action and has two parallel plot lines going at once. The FBI’s PAR unit (Patterns and Recognition) is scrambling after a CI is murdered and they find links to a gun manufacturing and distribution ring that also has ties to a homegrown militia. Along the way, the team discovers that there is an active serial killer that has connections to their dead CI.
The PAR unit, comprised of brilliant neurotypical individuals with specific skills in puzzle solving, mathematics, etc., works alongside other agencies to infiltrate the gun gang. The case is quite convoluted and complicated by the discovery that a prolific serial killer who might have known their dead CI has been operating in the area and some of the victims have unusual modifications to their bodies. As they are scrambling to make their cases stick, there are many other deaths and the gun runner always seems two steps ahead. Is there a leak?
The members of the PAR unit include the lead investigator and analytical genius Gardner Camden, math prodigy Cassie Pardo, Joanne “Shooter” Harris, the weapons expert, and Richie Brancato, the rookie nepo hire. In addition, their old boss, Frank Roberts, comes back to help them.
The story is suspenseful with a high body count. There’s some attempt to humanize the team members who we don’t get to know much better as everything is focused on the cases. At times it seemed overly complicated. A lot of lucky happenstance and I saw a few of the twists coming a mile away. I did like concept of this team and how their eccentricities make them more of an asset than one would often expect. I did like it and will definitely read the next installment.
I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Will Damron, did an excellent job with his ability to transition between a variety of characters and make them sound unique and distinct. He even captures the awkwardness and social ineptness of the PAR team members and makes them sound authentic and believable. His performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.
This is the second in the series that should be read in order.
Genre and tags - thriller, FBI, murder, ghost guns, militia, serial killer, neurotypical agents
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