In her third novel involving the highly dysfunctional Vartanian family
(also found in Die for Me [2007], reviewed
on Myshelf; and Scream for Me [2008], reviewed
on Myshelf), best-selling author Karen Rose presents another spellbinding
tale of horrific violence and depravity interwoven with a passionate
romance. Susannah Vartanian, a physically and emotionally damaged
assistant district attorney in New York City returns to her hometown
in Georgia for the funerals of her parents and to give her statement
regarding a gang of rapists that attacked her thirteen years ago.
The same gang appears to be connected with the current abductions of teenaged girls through the
Internet. These girls disappear, have their spirits broken through torture and humiliation, and then
are sold in a human trafficking scheme. Susannah’s brother, Daniel, and his partner, Special Agent Luke
Papadopoulos, both employed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI), work to help solve the
sordid mystery.
In a strange parallel, the Vartanian connection to solving the crimes is equally balanced by the
Vartanian connection to committing the crimes. As Susannah and the GBI agents peel through layer after
layer of lies, sort out twisted family trees, discover moles in their midst, and keep track of the
ever-growing body count, they fight to retain their humanity in the face of such inhuman behavior.
As they get closer to the brains behind the operation, they must also fight for their lives.
The lurid descriptions of torture and references to rape and murder
make the story hard to read at times. As in her previous novels
in the trilogy, Rose wisely divides each chapter into brief sections
chronologically and geographically in order to explain the action. Readers
never have to spend too long at the crime scenes, although the sections
take enough time to get the point across. The budding romance between
Susannah and Luke feels genuine, and adds some needed relief from
the dark and disturbing elements in the story. For newcomers to
the trilogy, it may be difficult to keep track of the huge cast
of characters, but the story slowly reveals its secrets inch-by-inch
for everyone to understand and appreciate.
Reviews
of other titles in this Romantic Suspense Series
Baltimore
Death
Is Not Enough
Chicago
I'm Watching
You
You Can't Hide
Count
to Ten
Philadelphia/Atlanta
Kill For Me
Scream for
Me