A tangled web of deception and duplicity where predators are shielded by respectability and no one is safe
Kate Medina had been working as a forensic psychologist and loving every minute until a violent attack left her shaken to the core. She’s retreated to her hometown where it’s safe, accepting a job where the prospect of violence is slim to none. As a high school psychologist, Kate tends to the emotional needs of the youth. It’s not the career she envisioned
Five years later, a student disappears, leaving the school in crisis. Roman Aguilar, the lead detective, reaches out to Kate for assistance. Kate’s position at the school and her training make her an ideal ally, but her complicated relationship with Roman puts them at odds.
When the girl’s body is found, changing the focus of the investigation to homicide, Kate finds herself in the middle of a situation she never anticipated. What started as her desire to help puts Kate directly in the crosshairs of an enemy who remains largely in shadow. As her past and present collide, Kate is dragged into the middle of a dangerous game where only one thing is clear—no one can be trusted.
Rivers deftly explores not only Kate’s relationship with Roman and the town’s underbelly, but also the relationship between Kate and her sister Tilly. Kate sees herself as the responsible sister for having returned and Tilly as irresponsible. The lifelike arguments that arise from these feelings hint at deeper reasons for Tilly’s rebellious behavior as a teenager and her determination to avoid returning to Alamogordo.
The arrest of a suspect in recent crimes and subsequent sentencing to life in prison in less than a month strains credulity, but the book’s other elements ring true. Kate’s experiences with being followed and sensing that someone is stalking her add suspense. Even as Kate gains clarity about her past and her future, some elements of the conclusion leave questions unanswered (what’s the relationship between Kate’s dad and the people running the sex trafficking ring?), setting up subjects for future installments to explore. This evenly paced, believable series opener will draw readers in and leave them eager for more.
Takeaway: The kickoff to the Legacy of Silence series combines suspense, deep relationships, and a compelling protagonist.
Great for fans of: Diane Chamberlain’s Big Lies in a Small Town, Heather Sunseri’s Truth Is in the Darkness.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
"In Complicit, Amy Rivers has woven threads of a local conspiracy, betrayal, and family secrets into a captivating thriller that you can't put down. Gripping!" -Margaret Mizushima, author of the award-winning Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries, including Hanging Falls
“Two sisters grown apart over the years, haunted by secrets they don’t want to share, are drawn together when young girls from their hometown start disappearing…and dying. Complicit is an excellent romantic mystery that reveals one small town’s ugly side.” - Pat Stoltey, author of Wishing Caswell Dead
