Review: Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner
Right Behind You by Lisa GardnerMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Dutton Books
Book #7 of Quincy & Rainie (can be read as a standalone)
Publishes 1/31/17
Another fantastic read for #cjsreads2017! Stay tuned for all of our thoughts on release date.
It's been eight years since Sharlah, now 13, watched her brother, Telly, kill their father with a baseball bat - saving their lives, but then turning that bat on her, breaking her arm and inevitably leading to their placement in separate foster homes. Sharlah has spent 3 years foster living with FBI profilers, Quincy and Rainie and the adoption process has been started. Can Sharlah become part of a new family while what's left of her old one is still out there somewhere? Telly, also struggling with belonging to his new foster family, is now shown on a security camera where two civilians have been shot down, shortly after his foster parents have been found murdered in their bed. Evidence? Telly's face staring straight at the security camera right before he shoots it. What prompted this spree of killing and will it stop? Is Sharlah in danger? Telly - hero or zero?
First, let me say that I had no idea this was part of a series. This can absolutely be read as a stand alone - I never once felt lost or felt like I was missing something from the first 6 books and I'm that person who just has to read things in order or it drives me crazy. Luckily I actually didn't even realize I was walking into this one as part of a series. Never would've known! Second, let me just say that I LOVED this book. As an avid Criminal Minds fan, I kept picturing it as Hotch and JJ adopting a kid and then solving a case. A little out there? Maybe, but I don't care. I am intrigued by profiling and getting into the mind of a person, guilty or not. Pattern recognition, behavioral analysis, taking clues and pieces of the puzzle to come to a solid conclusion. I actually wanted to get my masters in Criminal Justice after I got my Social Work degree but never quite took that leap.
A quick and easy read - a little bit of who.did.it strung in with some why.did.any.of.them.do.what.they.did. I love Sharlah and her family - I want to go out and adopt a dozen retired police dogs now. Five full sheriff badges for this based on entertainment value and my love for behavioral analysis.
I'm curious as to the rest of the book in the series now - good books in series will do that for you - especially since these (or at least this one) can read as a standalone. Do characters reoccur - will we know more about Telly and/or Sharlah in future books? Will I learn more about Quincy and Rainie if I read books 1-7 that might make this book even better in my mind? AHHH - INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW - enlighten me if you've read this series please!
Like behavioral analysis? Like police procedurals? Like red herrings? I think you'll like this book then!
Huge thanks to Dutton Books for this advanced copy in return for an honest review.
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