True to the genre, Flade fills this novel with dark turns and grim emotion, as Noah, a talented instructor for the next generation of FBI Academy cadets, tosses and turns at night over the eight female victims in his latest case—with a possible ninth waiting to be confirmed. He’s both anxious and excited to be back in Sadie’s life, divulging to her that while “you were working through tragedy and grief… I was bathing in it,” and the heat between the two is often shadowed by their intense emotional burdens. When Sadie’s brutally attacked in Maryland, and left alive with a message for the FBI, Noah’s fears reach a fever pitch. What follows is a shocking tangle of emotion, bureaucracy, and scattered clues, all seemingly leading the team in circles as they race to prevent further death.
Accessible characters and smart narration smooth the way for readers to immerse themselves in this intricately knotty world of law enforcement, victimology, and trauma recovery. The alternating viewpoints of the main characters offer in-depth windows into complicated psyches, though the Beltway Romeo feels oversimplified, lacking in depth and nuance. Familiar faces from previous stories in the series crop up as well, but Sadie and Noah take center stage. Readers will find plenty of psychological thrills here to satisfy.
Takeaway: Dark emotional ride into a serial killer’s chaos.
Comparable Titles: Sharon Sala’s Bloodlines, Patricia Potter’s Cold Target.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Serial murders draw Special Agent Noah Danes to the Philadelphia area from D.C. His work with the FBI had him in the area previously while working another homicide. He got to know Sadie Potter during that previous case, and now he runs into her again while working on the current Beltway Romeo murder investigation. There were sparks flying and chemistry galore between them four years ago, and even though they’d lost touch, there is still something brewing between them. While the murders continue, Noah knows there has to be connections somewhere but cannot come up with them. Sadie is now caught in the middle and he swore to protector her at all costs. However, he may be too late…
Ms. Flade has an amazing talent for spinning suspenseful criminal stories! Her knack for details paints vivid scenes, allowing readers to dive head-first into these books. The heroine, Sadie, is independent, strong-willed, and admirable. Noah is the classic hero who has his own tumultuous past. Their chemistry is off the charts sizzling; e-readers may double as fans! The criminal psychology is fascinating and addicting, leading to much suspense and spine-tingling perfection. This is book 5 in the series and stands alone, however, the supporting cast is from prior books in the series, and readers would likely appreciate their appearance more if the previous books have been read first. “Fade into the Night” will grab readers at the first page and not let up until the conclusion. This is a completely unputdownable hold-onto-your-hat book, that will take readers on a wild and crazy ride!
Viola Robbins
Fade Into the Night is available now everywhere ebooks are sold.
