"The Setup" is Book One in author Carol Ericson's romantic suspense "A Kyra and Jake Investigation Series". Detective Jake McAllister is assigned to lead a special task force investigating a serial killer wreaking deadly havoc in Los Angeles. The killings are eerily similar to the murders perpetrated twenty years earlier by a sadistic fiend known as "The Player", who was never caught. Jake is not pleased when therapist Kyra Chase is assigned to the task force as a liaison between the families of the victims and the ongoing investigation. He had been burned by a previous encounter with a victim's advocate, and he was wary of going through the same experience again. Kyra has her own very personal reasons for wanting to find the killer--reasons that go back twenty years. Sparks--both personal and professional--fly between Jake and Kyra from the very beginning, but they must work together and combine their skills and determination to catch a ruthless killer. Author Carol Ericson is a skilled romantic suspense writer, and she has set this chilling mystery in her hometown of Los Angeles, so she knows the turf well. "The Setup" is a taut thriller--a great beginning to a new series. Where one mystery ends, another begins.

Book Copy Gratis Author ( )

Good start to the new series. As the opener in a four-book set, this story is more mystery than romance, but it works well. A serial killer is loose in LA, and Jake is assigned as head of the task force investigating it. One of the task force members is Kyra, a psychologist specializing in victim advocacy. Jake doesn't like VAs after one used what she learned from him to get a criminal a lighter sentence. He doesn't like Kyra being there, but he'll deal with it.

Kyra isn't too happy about working with Jake, but she'll do anything to be on this task force. The killer exhibits all the traits of a copycat killer, aping the moves of the twenty-year-old cold case of The Player. Kyra has a personal interest in this case because her mother was one of the original killer's victims, not that she's told anyone about it.

Neither Kyra nor Jake trusts the other at the beginning of the book. They danced around, each trying to protect themselves, until discovering that they make a pretty good team. There are a couple of rough spots as secrets come out, most notably when Jake connects Kyra to her mother and an issue with her foster brother. Jake's growing protectiveness for Kyra surprises him, while Kyra discovers unexpected depths to Jake. I enjoyed seeing them learn to trust each other and the slow easing of the tension between them. There were only faint hints of interest until the end and Jake's relief at arriving in time to save Kyra. The epilogue was sweet with their moment in the sunset and the hope for more.

The suspense of the story was great. The prologue opened with the killer and his point of view, giving a glimpse of the disturbed mind the task force had to deal with. The amount of legwork and detail the task force had to handle fascinated me as they attempted to make connections between the killer and his victims. I liked how Jake involved the detective from the original case and the twist connected to Kyra. Kyra's work with the families and friends of the victims had a significant impact on the investigation. Several unexpected turns kept me guessing until the end. The final confrontation had me on the edge of my seat until it was over. And just when you think it's safe, a shocking phone call shows it isn't.

Though Jake and Kyra are the main focus, I also enjoyed the secondary characters. The retired detective from the original case, Quinn, was an interesting man. It was easy to see that the unsolved case of The Player still haunted him and made him willing to help Jake with the current case. I loved his connection with Kyra and the obvious affection they had for each other. I hope we'll see more of him in the other books. I also liked Jake's partner, Billy. He's quite a character with his fancy suits and big personality. He's also quite a ladies' man, which is a little disturbing because he's married, though separated (again). I had to laugh over his interactions with both Jake and Kyra regarding her friend (and reporter) Megan.

#netgalley ( )