Catch Me

This is probably one of Gardner's best. The story is tightly wound, supremely suspenseful and wonderfully written. D. D. is at her best. Motherhood has softened her a bit, but it's good for her. She's not as bitchy as she was and that only makes her a better detective, I think.

I started getting inklings of the outcome, of the killer, but unlike other books the only reason I was figuring it out was because Gardner was writing it so I could figure it out. It was brilliant. Charlene is tough and paranoid, but good and flawed and human. The only one I took an instant dislike to was Detective O. She reminded me of a harsher, pre-motherhood D. D., but not in a good way. I guess every story has to have someone you clash with though, right?

But my favorite part, by far was the convergence of multiple characters from nearly every story she's ever done! Appearances were made by Kimberly & Pierce Quincy (the FBI Profiler series), Roan Griffin (The Survivor's Club) and JT & Tess (The Perfect Husband/FBI Profiler series). The only one who didn't make an appearance was Bobby Dodge, which is strange since he's part of the D. D. Warren series. But it was fun to catch up with everyone, especially Pierce and hear just a little bit about what has happened with him & Rainie - two of my favorite characters. It was also crazy to think about JT & Tess to be in their 60s!

If none of them had been included in this story I still would have loved it, but the fact that they were just made me all giddy with excitement.