What a story. This was actually the first book in the series that I read. I had heard so many good things, I knew I had to check it out. And I’m glad I did. One of the best crime thrillers I’ve read in years. I was rooting for Lori immediately, realized that she had a gritty past and was tough as nails, and I was gripped from page one.
Lori is tough, a hard-hitting bounty hunter with the brains and street savvy to back it up. She has a unique voice which gives the story a special tone. Her inner dialog shows that she is a super woman of sorts. Not just a survivor, but a fighter. Lori is a mother of a young daughter, in a relationship with the man she loves despite the potential for dysfunction. She is trying to settle down with her new family, but her life always seems to get in the way. Lori doesn’t just strive to survive or to get herself out of this impossible situation. She sets out to do the right thing, to set things straight and to protect her family. She is selfless and fierce in her pursuit of justice. Lori’s first person anecdotes mixed with her overall resilience have made her one of the best female protagonists I’ve read in a long while. The book begins with Lori living with her lover and daughter but she is never quite comfortable in this role; used to tracking down and fighting bad guys, she compares her new found domestication to playing house. The reader quickly senses that she is restless—and then, within hours she is kidnapped by a mob boss. This is great stuff.
Lori’s toughness pulls her through but it’s her street savvy that wins the day and makes her so layered and interesting and kept me turning the pages. I hope there is more of Lori. I will go back and read the first two books (in fact, I can’t wait.) This is a character that a twenty-five book series could be written on and still all the layers would not be pulled away. I’m on team Lori and I plan on staying here for as many books as Broadribb will turn out. Bravo.