Book Review: Ashes to Ashes by Tami Hoag
Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!
Tami Hoag has written some of my favorite thrillers. When I finished the Bitter Season, I was ready to dive into more of her novels. I read 9th Girl in 2017 and went on to read Deeper Than the Dead, Down the Darkest Road, Secrets to the Grave, The Boy, and Cold Cold Heart. Hoag's stories are always riveting and with the Bitter Season, I was re-introduced to Kate Conlin, who had previously been a major part of Ashes to Ashes, a book that I read way back in 2006. I figured it was time to re-read the very first book in this series.
Ashes to Ashes is book one in Tami Hoag's popular Kovac and Liska crime thriller series of books. The edition I read was the first edition hardcover novel published by Bantam Books, which is currently an imprint of Penguin Random House. In this novel, we are introduced to Kate Conlin, a witness advocate. Former FBI, she traded in the Bureau for what she believed to be an easier life after her failed marriage and the loss of her young daughter. But fifteen-year-old Angie DiMarco changes that when she becomes the witness to the serial killer, known as the Cremator, incinerate his latest victim. The young girl's bravado hides a troubling childhood and even worse present lifestyle.
Kate has always made it a point not to be an advocate for kids, but her boss assigns her Angie. Things are even more complicated when Kate's old flame from her FBI years shows up to work the case. The Cremator's latest victim appears to be the daughter of a wealthy businessman, Peter Bondurant. This gathers a wealth of lawyers and politicos into the mix. As she works with Detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska, Kate also has to deal with her re-emerging feeling for Agent John Quinn. A killer seems to be one step ahead of their investigation. He could be any of the many men they have encountered. She must work fast before she becomes ashes herself.
Ashes to Ashes was a different re-read for me. I have grown used to Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska being the main characters. But in this first novel of the series, they were more background characters. This was a contrast to Bitter Season, in which Kate was a background protagonist. I found that I did not enjoy this novel as much as I did the first time. I have seen Hoag's writing mature over the years, and this novel did not quite reach the standards of her later works. The novel seemed to have more filler than needed. I have read some of her longer novels, and they all had a lot more substance than this one. The build-up to the Cremator's identity was well done, but the reveal was a disappointment to me. What I did enjoy was Kate and John's relationship and the genuine affection they had for one another. Sam and Nikki were fun as always and kept the story moving forward.
I read Ashes to Ashes in part with the narration of David Collacci. He never disappoints with his smooth voice and even tone flows well with anything he reads. He kept my attention during this novel and delivered the narrative excellently.
Ashes to Ashes was a three-star read for me. It was fun to visit Kovac and Liska again. But the story could have had fewer characters and more substance. It felt like two novels instead of one. This does not turn me off Hoag's writing at all. In fact, it showed me just how amazing her work has matured over the years into the phenomenal writer she is now. Ashes to Ashes is still worth a look into. Happy Reading.
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