Series: Instinct (Book 1)
On the crowded streets of San Francisco, a serial killer watches and waits. Known only as "Simon Says," he lures his next victim while the FBI grasps for answers. Desperate, they turn to Adrienne Jeffries. Adrienne has an uncanny talent for getting inside the city's most dangerous minds. But first she'll have to get past FBI agent Conner Perigo. Skeptical of Adrienne's abilities, Conner begrudgingly enlists her help…unprepared for the powerful attraction that could jeopardize their focus. With little time, and everything to lose, they must work to find Simon's next victim -- before he does.
Excellent book that had me hooked from the beginning. Conner and his partner are FBI agents working a serial killer case. It's been ten months, with five women killed, and there has been no progress in finding the killer. Conner's boss decided it was time to bring in an outside consultant, one that worked for the FBI years earlier, with an impressive record of solving cases. Unfortunately, she wants nothing to do with working for the FBI ever again. Adrienne has a unique ability to get inside the mind of a killer. However, it takes an enormous toll on her, mentally and physically, and at the age of eighteen, it didn't take long for her to burn out.
I loved the first meeting between Conner and Adrienne. Conner is very skeptical of Adrienne's abilities and makes no secret of the fact. Adrienne has matured into a strong woman who has no trouble standing up for herself. The two of them strike sparks from each other from the moment they met. Conner is quite a jerk with his snarky comments, but underneath it all is an unwilling and unwanted attraction to her. I loved seeing Adrienne stand up to him, and her calling him Agent Jackass made me laugh. She is also attracted to him. I enjoyed the development of their relationship. Conner's blatant skepticism and distrust made Adrienne all the more determined to prove herself. As the case progressed, I loved seeing Conner's skepticism fade and his respect for her grow. He also became very protective. His care of her when she would have one of her visions was incredible. It was great to see the antagonism between them fade and the connection between them grow. The unexpected effect that Conner has on Adrienne's ability deepened the connection between them as she began to lean on him. Having Conner's support also boosted her strength of will as she went all out to find the killer. His fear when the killer caught her brought home to him how much he loved her. I had to laugh at the timing of his declaration, but it was beautifully said.
The suspense of the story was outstanding. From the first experience, Adrienne had with connecting "Simon" the sense of evil was evident. I felt Adrienne's frustration at the beginning when she couldn't get a read on the evidence. Once they figured out the issue, and she put her talent to use the things that she saw and felt were terrifying. I honestly don't know how Adrienne managed to retain the things she did through the agony she experienced. During the investigation of the latest murder, I got a feeling about the identity of Simon, but there were some things that made me question it. The intensity ramped up considerably when they had a chance to get to one before she was killed, but the probability it was a trap was strong. How that played out was nerve-wracking. The final confrontation had me on the edge of my seat with its intensity and twists, as Adrienne fought the debilitating effects of being so close to the killer. I loved her part in saving herself, and Conner's in making it possible.
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