Title: Watch her Vanish (Rockwell and Decker #1)
Author: Ellery Kane
# of pages: 441
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Published by: Bookouture
Expected date of publication: 9th October 2020
The beam from the lighthouse slices through the dawn sky as she runs down the rocky stairway to the beach. She tries to take it all in—the waves crashing against the cliffs, the whip of salt grass in the wind—before finally dragging her eyes down to the innocent girl’s blonde hair, strewn across the bottom step like seaweed…
Returning home to Fog Harbor, California, to be closer to her little sister, Olivia Rockwell is struggling to adjust to life in a town so small she can hardly breathe. That is, until the sound of a scream leads her to the body of a local teacher in the shallows nearby. All the evidence points to Olivia’s most threatening criminal psychology patient, Drake, who is safely locked up behind bars…
Convinced of Drake’s innocence—and desperate to believe in the system that’s keeping her murderer father in prison and away from her sister—Olivia gets to work on her own suspect list. All her life she’s run towards trouble, but this time she’s treading on the toes of Detective Will Decker, whose past mistakes mean this case is his last chance to make amends.
Then a second woman’s body is discovered, strangled while out on an evening jog. The strip of blue material used to choke her implicates Drake once again, forcing Will to admit he needs Olivia’s special talent for understanding the minds of killers. It’s clear more innocent women will die if they don’t get one step ahead of the murders, and Olivia knows she will need her estranged father’s help to get close to Drake.
But when Olivia’s profile leads them to believe Drake could be masterminding murders from within the prison walls, a message written on a scrap of paper found in the latest victim’s car leads them to a terrifying realization: Olivia’s little sister will be next…
An addictive and unputdownable crime thriller that will keep you up all night. Perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot and Mary Burton.
My Review
Watch her vanish is a police procedural set in a high-security prison. Dr Olivia Rockwell is a prison psychologist. The day she discovers the body of her colleague, Bonnie Macmillan, everything changes in her life!
Det. William Decker has moved from San Francisco and has a past he prefers to keep under the rug.
Det. Decker and his partner JB started investigating the case of Bonnie Macmillan. She was missing for a few days before they found her dead. The case has received too much attention from the media and also from the residents of Fog Harbour. While both the detectives are untangling the case, they come across another body, Laura. She also worked in the same prison. It appears to be more than just coincidence!
Decker and Rockwell come together to resolve the case, and before more bodies show up.
The murder takes place in Crescent Bay prison. It is not a straightforward job to work in a prison. It puts pressure and; the job needs also need patience and are taxed, on the mind.
Olivia Rockwell is a Stanford graduate and has worked with the FBI. As the coroner, Chet describes her “she is a big deal”. Olivia has created a wall around to protect herself and her sister, Emily. She also works in the same prison. Olivia keeps her childhood and family history a secret. She is a strong woman and is cordial with her fellow employees. Yet, the readers will find her detached.
Det. Decker complemented Olivia. He does not have much company other than his orange tabby cat, Cy. After work, back at home, he talks and shares his thoughts with Cy.
The narrative is set in Fog Harbour city, a small town in California. It has the Crescent Bay prison
which houses the notorious criminals. Handling and being in such a job can be heavy on the psyche.
The author has done excellent research given most of the scenes are written in jail. The author did an admirable job while describing the prison, or people and their feelings. She abreast with the central theme of the book. The readers can enjoy it in her writing.
The ending of the book takes the reader by surprise. The book edged on a few usual cliches, but the author with subtlety avoided them. The pace is apt and becomes the edge of a thriller towards the ending.
Even though Olivia and Decker are portrayed as intelligent people, but, there were times the reader might see them making irrational decisions.
Overall, Watch her Vanish is a good police procedural and its ending suggests the reader will enjoy more of these books. Recommended for crime fiction fans.
About the Author:
Forensic psychologist by day, novelist by night, Ellery Kane has been writing–professionally and creatively–for as long as she can remember. Just like many of her main characters, Ellery loves to ask why, which is the reason she became a psychologist in the first place. Real life really is stranger than fiction, and Ellery’s writing is often inspired by her day job. Evaluating violent criminals and treating trauma victims, she has gained a unique perspective on the past and its indelible influence on the individual. And she’s heard her fair share of real life thrillers.
Ellery lives in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, a picturesque setting that provides the backdrop for many of her novels. If you don’t find Ellery interviewing murderers behind prison walls or pecking away at her latest novel, she is probably at the gym landing a solid jab-cross to a punching bag; riding bicycles with her special someone; or enjoying a movie the old-fashioned way–at the theater with popcorn and Milk Duds.
Ellery was previously selected as one of ten semifinalists in the MasterClass James Patterson Co-Author Competition, and she recently signed a three book deal with Bookouture for her new Rockwell and Decker mystery thriller series.
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