Book Review: The Third Victim (FBI Profiler #2) by Lisa Gardner


 


Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,

   


   The Third Victim is Lisa Gardner's second book in her FBI Profiler series, published in 2001 by Bantam Books. 

   Fan-favorite Officer Rainie Conner is thrust into a horrific crime scene in the aftermath of a school shooting. With innocent lives taken, she not only has to tamp down her own emotions but also keep her rookie partner together as they process the scene. What she discovers sends her small town into chaos. Rainie knows what she sees and procedure dictates what she should do. But in her heart, she is certain not all of the facts are present. As she comes closer to the truth, she realizes she is in the cross-hairs of a killer who will not hesitate to remove her from the investigation permanently. 

   The too-real subject of shootings has weighed heavy on us in the past few years. Lisa Gardner has handled tough subjects in the past, and I trusted her to get me through this story. Witnessing the complex setup of the events in this book, I saw an author adept at humanizing the victims and the emotions of a community beset by tragedy. Rainie and Peirce's romance begins here and to see it blossom was emotional for me, as a fan of the later books. The twists are fast and the story is a page-turner. And the finale offered some clever misdirects that had me smiling.  

    I read this in part with Teri Schnaubelt's narration. Her voice was cool, bringing the story to life with seamless switching between characters. I look forward to listening to more novels she narrates. 

    I appreciated the care that was given to this novel's subject. Four stars later, this book stuck with me long after I closed it. The FBI Profiler series has seven books and some guest appearances in other series written by Lisa Gardner. Rainie and Pierce (and daughter, Kimberly) always deliver a fast-paced thriller that never disappoints.

     Let me know what you are reading in the comments below.


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