AUTHOR: Patricia Bradley
DATE: 2023
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS: ***
From the back cover:
No sooner has Alexis Stone been sworn in as the interim sheriff for Russell County, Tennessee, when a serial killer dubbed the Queen's Gambit Killer strikes again--this time in her hometown. Pearl Springs is just supposed to be a temporary stop along the way to Alex's real dream: becoming the first female police chief of Chattanooga. But the killer's calling card--a white pawn and a note with a chess move printed on it--cannot be ignored.
Pearl Springs chief of police Nathan Landry can't believe that his high school sweetheart Alexis (he refuses to call her Alex) is back in town, and he can't help wanting to protect the woman he never stopped loving. But as the danger mounts and the killer closes in, can Nathan come through on the promises he makes to himself to bring a killer to justice before it's too late.
My review:
I had a hard time rating Counter Attack. Fast-paced with good character development, it should have been five stars, but a few things bothered me. First, the cover shows a blonde woman, while the lead character has – and this is important to the story – dark red hair. Second, the depravity of the villain made it hard for me to finish. And finally, I had guessed the identity of the killer.
Why did I order this book? I’ve read several by Patricia Bradley and enjoyed them. She’s a great author, one I greatly respect.
All things considered, I would recommend Counter Attack to those who love romantic thrillers featuring depraved serial killers, but I will avoid such stories from now on. As a result, to my sorrow, Counter Attack earns three stars from me. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher.