#BookReview- Never Look Back by Mary Burton #CrimeFiction

Expect the unexpected in this gritty, tense, and page-turning mystery from New York Times bestselling author Mary Burton.

After multiple women go missing, Agent Melina Shepard of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation makes the impulsive decision to go undercover as a prostitute. While working the street, she narrowly avoids becoming a serial killer’s latest victim; as much as it pains her to admit, she needs backup.

Enter lone wolf FBI agent Jerrod Ramsey. Stonewalled by a lack of leads, he and Melina investigate a scene where a little girl has been found abandoned in a crashed vehicle. They open the trunk to reveal a horror show and quickly realize they’re dealing with two serial killers with very different MOs. The whole situation brings back memories for Melina—why does this particular case feel so connected to her painful past?

Before time runs out, Melina must catch not one but two serial killers, both ready to claim another victim—and both with their sights set on her.

Biography

Mary Burton loves writing suspense, researching law enforcement and forensic procedures, morning walks, baking, books, and tiny dachshunds. She also enjoys hunting down serial killers, which she does in her New York Times and USA Today bestselling novels of suspense and romance. Library Journal has compared her work to that of Lisa Jackson and Lisa Gardner, and Fresh Fiction likened her writing to that of James Patterson.

Mary is routinely featured among the top twenty writers in Amazon’s Author Rankings for romantic suspense, and her recent novel The Last Move claimed the number ten fiction slot in the Kindle eBooks Store.

Research is a favorite part of Mary’s day. She never tires of learning more about police work, evidence collection and analysis. She’s known for taking a hands-on approach, whether it means interviews with professionals in the field, forensic seminars or lessons at the firing range.

A Richmond native, Mary has lived there for most of her life. She is a graduate of Virginia’s Hollins University and worked in marketing before she began writing full time. Her first book was published in 2000 and she’s now the author of thirty-four published novels, five novellas and four works of contemporary women’s fiction written as Mary Ellen Taylor.

A member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Novelists, Inc., and Romance Writers of America, Mary is known for creating multiple suspense stories connected by characters, such as her recent The Forgotten Files novels. Her new book, Her Last Word, and The Last Move, break that mold.

When not traveling for research or visiting with readers at bookstores, book festivals and conferences, Mary remains very much a homebody. She and her husband spend time alternately enjoying and lamenting their empty nest and spoiling their four-legged babies Buddy, Bella and Tiki.

My Review

When several women go missing in Nashville, TBI Agent Melina Shepard heads undercover and almost becomes a victim of a sadistic killer.

Career FBI Agent Jerrod Ramsey is on a fast track to DC and the latest serial killer case he’s assigned could be his ticket, but too many things about the investigation don’t add up- and an attraction to his temporary partner, the beautiful Melina Shepard, doesn’t help.

Soon, the two find themselves up against not one, but two vicious predators. What is the connection, and what does it have to do with Melina’s past?

This story had so many converging plotlines, it was hard to keep track. I’d hate to be the investigator chasing after either one of these creeps!

While well-written, I had a hard time connecting with Melina. It starts out with her going undercover as a prostitute to gain the other girls’ trust and hopefully find out information on two missing women. Within moments, a john appears in a white van and propositions our heroine, but she senses something and refuses- good thing, too, as he tries to grab her and she gets an eyeful of an elaborate torture chamber in the back of the van.

Furious, and injured, he drives away vowing revenge and you’d think that would be the premise for the story, right? Wrong. From then on, van guy barely makes an appearance until the last few pages of the book.

Instead, we focus on Melina’s past and how it affects another killer on the loose in her fair city.

I think the author would have done better to turn this into two novels in order to do justice to the individual storylines. The way it is, details are left out and the ending is rushed and dissatisfying.

On that note, I thought the plot was suspenseful and unique enough to keep my interest. I would read more from this author.

“I voluntarily read an ARC of this book which was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.”

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