I’ve been a fan of Karen Rose since she debuted back in 2003 with Don’t Tell. Her early books were entertaining, if not brilliant, but I really think she’s hit her stride with the Vartanian Trilogy. This series kicked off with Die for Me (2007), followed by Scream for Me (2008), the subject of this review. The final book in the trilogy, Kill for Me (2009), will be released in mass market edition in July.
As the books in the trilogy do not stand alone, series spoilers are inevitable. Just as a warning to those of you who have not yet read the first entry!
Scream for Me picks up a few weeks after the end of Die for Me. Still recovering from the events of the past couple of months, Special Agent Daniel Vartanian is determined to immerse himself in his work at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. He becomes involved in an investigation into the murder of a young woman whose case bears an eerie resemblance to a crime committed thirteen years earlier. His only leads are some sinister photographs which belonged to his serial killer brother.
Alex Fallon is a nurse with a troubled past. After the violent death of her twin sister years before, she fled her home town of Dutton, Georgia. Now she’s back. Her stepsister, Bailie, has vanished, leaving Alex in charge of her traumatized four-year-old daughter. The authorities – in particular the town’s sheriff – refuse to regard Bailie’s disappearance as suspicious. They assume she’s returned to her drug-taking ways and skipped town. Alex isn’t so sure and becomes convinced that little Hope holds the key.
In the course of their respective enquiries, Alex and Daniel’s paths cross. Needless to say, romance blossoms, and the investigation heats up in more ways than one!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It represents romantic suspense at its very best. Daniel and Alex were great characters and the storyline engaged me right from the prologue through to the end. There are plenty of twists and turns but not so many that the plot becomes overly complex. The subject matter is quite disturbing, although much of the violence occurs off page. There are also some excellent secondary characters and I’m looking forward to Luke’s story in the next book.
My quibbles were minor. The bulk of the story takes place over a week. I found this to be too short a space of time for me to completely buy into the depth of emotion between Daniel and Alex. There were also a few threads left hanging but I’m hoping that they will be resolved in the conclusion to the trilogy.
For anyone who likes suspense with a touch of romance, I can highly recommend this series. Grade: A-
