  Dutton
January 2020
Mystery / FBI
1529124395
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When
You See Me
Detective D.D. Warren #11
by Lisa Gardner
Review
& Interview by Elise Cooper
When
You See Me by
Lisa Gardner is a home run. This book has four female
heroines stepping up to the plate, working together
to solve a town’s murders. What makes it extra-special
is that it brings together three characters: Boston
Homicide Detective D.D. Warren, FBI special agent Kimberly
Quincy and recovering torture victim turned vigilante
Flora Dane.
FBI Special
Agent Kimberly Quincy and Sergeant Detective D. D. Warren
have built a task force to follow the digital bread
crumbs left behind by deceased serial kidnapper Jacob
Ness. When a disturbing piece of evidence is discovered
in the hills of Georgia, they bring Flora Dane and true-crime
savant Keith Edgar to a small town where something seems
to be deeply wrong. They travel to this small town after
two hikers find bones which turn out to be those of
a woman who has been missing for many years. Could this
be another of Jacob Ness’ victims since he had
ties to Georgia? While processing the bones from the
first find other graves are discovered and suddenly
this becomes a huge murder investigation.
A very
helpful witness is a mute teenage maid known only as
Girl, who has crucial information to the killings. She
attaches herself to detective D.D. Warren hopeful she
can overcome her brain injury brought about from a gunshot
wound. The other three women protagonists work together
with “THE GIRL” to find who is behind all
these killings. All four are totally different but they
have a single purpose, to solve the gruesome crimes.
Readers
will be on their edge of their seats. This is an emotionally
powerful story. Words cannot sufficiently describe what
a fabulous novel this is.
Elise
Cooper: Is this an end to the series?
Lisa
Gardner: This book wraps up the series. I first
had the idea after listening to True Crime podcasts
regarding Cold Cases. There is closure for vigilante
Flora Dane. I hope readers think this is a nice ending
for all the characters. In the series Detective Warren
had eleven books, FBI Agent Kimberly Quincy had six,
and Flora had three.
Elise:
How would you describe “The Girl,” Bonita?
Lisa:
She is a young lost soul. Because of a head trauma she
cannot speak and never learned to read or write. She
is trapped, helpless, and literally does not have a
voice. In place of being robbed of her voice, she uses
colors to communicate and describe people. Detective
Warren to Bonita is a burst of oranges, yellows, and
red. FBI Agent Quincy is seen by her with colors like
the “shades of a forest, with sparks of fireflies.
She is of the earth. Quieter, but sparkly in her own
way.” I think she is a compelling character. She
shows her determination and is a bit angry, but has
hope.
Elise:
Did you do research?
Lisa:
I worked with speech therapists and a person who is
a specialist in forensic evidence. There is no magical
solution. I learned that they communicate with non-verbal
children through pictures. Usually these witnesses are
not used in the trial, but to gather evidence.
Elise:
How would you describe Flora?
Lisa:
She is edgier and darker than Bonita, who had the buffer
of her age and memories of her mother. Flora is a damaged,
determined vigilante-turned-victim activist. She wants
to find a place for herself post the horrors she suffered
at the hands of serial rapist/killer Jacob Ness. She
has thrived while working with D.D. on the search for
other victims and by supporting other survivors in their
quest to build lives for themselves after enduring violent
crimes. Both she and Bonita do not want to be survivors,
but want to have thriving lives.
Elise:
How would you compare D. D. to Kimberly?
Lisa:
D. D. is more brash, intuitive, impetuous, and laser-focused.
Kimberly is more measured, uses charm, and has more
patience. They are united in a common goal, to catch
the bad guys.
Elise:
What about the setting?
Lisa:
I live in the mountains of New Hampshire similar to
this small town in Georgia. It has dark secrets and
is creepy; yet, can be quaint as well. The scenic main
street, while filled with charming shops and beautiful
Victorian bed and breakfasts, is also sinister.
Elise:
Your next book?
Lisa:
It is a new book with new characters. The protagonist
is someone who in their free time searches for missing
minority children. Regarding another D. D. Warren book,
I would say the odds are good.
www.lisagardner.com/
Elise and MyShelf.com would like to thank Lisa
Gardner for both the review and interview.
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