Xepherus Reads 10 Favorite Characters of 2018 So Far

  Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,

    It's that time again, Xepherus Reads 10 Favorite Characters of 2018 so far!

   I have read so many amazing books in the year of 2018. And when I review a book, sometimes I feel that they need another shout out as to how much they affected my reading. Often they feature characters that are entertaining and stay with me long after the book has ended. I have also included links to my reviews in each description .

In alphabetical order:

Alice Vega- This bounty hunter did not take no for an answer when she was hired to find two missing girls in Two Girls Down. Her courageous and often brash approach to her work was a wonderful companion to the novel's other main character, retired cop Max Caplin. Alice never gave up on finding the Brandt girls, even sustaining a head injury while taking down one of the kidnappers. Brought to life by writer Louisa Luna, Alice remains stuck in my mind.   

D.D. Warren- Nope. Don't even ask. Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren is not going to back down from any case even if she is injured, pregnant, or ill. This Boston detective has dealt with some of society's worst, but she still has time for husband, Alex and son, Jack. Warren's sharp mind and sharper tongue has made the ten novels I have read with her as the star extremely enjoyable. Author Lisa Gardner loves her character, but she also puts her through the ringer. Her best thriller with Warren for me was Catch Me.

Ellie Mack- This tragic teenager from Lisa Jewell's Then She Was Gone broke my heart. Held hostage by someone she knew, and forced to bear a child she would never keep, Ellie never lost hope. Loved by many, she was destined to leave a lasting mark on her community. And if her story was not suspenseful and heartbreaking enough, the epilogue was what had me reaching for a box of tissues. We can all learn a lot from Ellie Mack for even though she was hurt by one she trusted, she never stopped loving.

Flora Dane- Held hostage for four hundred and seventy two days, Flora Dane was changed forever. Abducted at a young age by serial killer, Flora lived in a coffin and was rarely let out. After she was saved by FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy, she vowed to become a protector of the innocent. But in Find Her she has to deal with Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren, who pegs Dane as vigilante. But when a dangerous part of her past returns, Flora risks her life to unravel a new killer's game of cat and mouse. Lisa Gardner reunited Flora and D.D. in the sequel, Look For Me. In February 2019 Gardner brings Flora back in a new thriller, Never Tell.    

Gwen Proctor- Suburban housewife Gina Royal had a great life. A loving husband and two children she adored. But one day Gina found out a deadly secret: her husband was a serial killer. After the arrest of Melvin Royal and her acquittal for her suspected role in his killings, Gina disappeared. Under new identities, she and her children were on the run. Moving from location to location, they escaped Melvin Royal's followers. And with many believing that she helped her husband, Gina is also hated by society. As Gwen Proctor she moves her children to Stillhouse Lake in Tennessee. There they have a beautiful home and a life that is protected thanks to a hacker, named Absalom. Their identities safe and new friends made, Gwen Proctor still lives her life on alert. And when Melvin escapes and his followers find Gwen, she and her children must fight for their lives. Rachel Caine also wrote a sequel entitled Killman Creek. And in 2019 the third novel, Wolfhunter River will be close this trilogy of thrillers. 

Kimberly Quincy- FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy is the daughter of famous FBI Profiler, Pierce Quincy. Like her father, she is quick and sees what others do not. Her deadliest case is featured in the novel Say Goodbye by Lisa Gardner. When a serial killer and child kidnapper, Mr. Dinchara, terrorizes her jurisdiction, Kimberly races against time to stop this dangerous adversary. What I like about Kimberly Quincy is her relationship with her family, and how she uses this love to enforce her perseverance. She is a bold character that demands respect. 

Polly Waterford- When her relationship and business venture fail, Polly Waterford decides to move away from her old life. She finds a small flat in the tidal village of Mount Polbearne on the Cornwall Coast of England. Below her new home lies the old Little Beach Street Bakery. As she begins to acclimate herself to her new life she opens the dusty bakery and breathes new life into it by featuring her artisan breads. Polly soon becomes the latest thing in the area, even drawing in tourists. With a heartbreaking romance that ends in death, Polly forges ahead. She meets Huckle, a beekeeper in a nearby town. They kindle a romance that eventually leads to marriage and a Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery. Jenny Colgan's novels always put a smile on my face, and they break up my usual crime thriller reading. Polly also is featured in Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery, which I have yet to read.

Tracy Crosswhite- Robert Dugoni's sensational detective, Tracy Crosswhite, is the star of six novels and two short works. This clever and determined woman knows how to solve a case and get her suspects locked up. Haunted by the disappearance of her sister, Sarah, for twenty years, Tracy left her marriage and job as a chemistry teacher to pursue law enforcement. She works with her colorful A Team of detectives in Seattle. In My Sister's Grave Sarah's bones were found in a shallow grave. After going toe to toe with Sarah's killer, Tracy came out the victor. She would continue to solve more cases (one forty years old) in Her Final Breath, In the Clearing, The Trapped Girl, and Close to Home, of which I have read. I love this character and cannot wait for more of her in future novels.  

Vince Leone- This former FBI Agent works as a consultant so far below ground at FBI Headquarters his office is Deeper Than Dead. This Tami Hoag character was the star of three novels in her Oak Knoll Series. When a serial killer kidnaps and murders women in the small town of Oak Knoll, Vince is brought in to help local law enforcement catch the murderer. But the late 1980s technology and the sheriff's department's ignorance when it comes to profiling and new DNA technology hinders the case. But Vince finds a kindred spirit in a young detective who is on top of the latest breakthroughs. It is on the case that he meets his future wife, Anne Leone. In Secrets to the Grave and Down the Darkest Road we see Vince's relationship blossom into a truly genuine romance. Vince is a respected man in the FBI, and that respect is gained from his own caring of others.     

Wyatt Foster- This rugged, no-nonsense police officer is featured in two of Lisa Gardner's Tessa Leoni novels. Working out of the sheriff's department of the  mountainous region of Northern New Hampshire, Wyatt is never opposed to doing what it takes to get criminals in jail. Working a kidnapping case with Tess in Touch and Go and a woman's search for her child in Crash and Burn, Wyatt firmly cemented himself into my list of favorites. He is easy to get along with, dedicated to his work, and a loving partner to Tessa. I hope to see him pop up again in a Lisa Gardner novel.

 

Have fun reading this week. Let me know in the comments below what you are reading.

 

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  Because there is always time to read,

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