I really didn't like this one. I had vague memories of reading book #1, so maybe it's my own fault for not re-reading that one first to go into this one fresh. Honestly though, I don't think it would have helped. The characters didn't grab me and the plot seemed nonsensical after a while. We eventually sputter to an ending. 

 

The main character (if you can call her that since you get many POVs in this one) is prosecutor Ellen North. Ellen is trying a local professor in good standing in the community with a kidnapping and possible murder of a young boy (Josh Kirkwood). With her boss ready to throw her under the bus at any moment, Ellen is walking a tightrope when the young boy suddenly reappears and refuses to speak about what happened to him. 

 

We not only follow Ellen, we follow a true crime novelist (Jay Brooks) along with the young boy, his mother, his father, one of the neighbors, the local sheriff, and I know I am forgetting some people. There are too many characters to juggle in this one. It needed cut down a lot.

 

I personally didn't like the character of Jay at all and thought he was creepy/stalking Ellen. 

 

I didn't feel one way or the other for Ellen. 

 

The other characters just pop in and out of the story throughout. I think I was supposed to be on pins and needles about what happened with everyone, but think that Hoag left way too many things up in the air regarding the personal relationships that may have drawn people in via book #1. 

 

The whole mystery of what happened to Josh Kirkwood and why took way too long to get to. I found myself getting bored along the way. When things are finally revealed I maybe just went "huh" rather than even trying to work out all of the plot holes I had with the book as written. 

OMG what a book! Ms. Hoag really knows how to draw out the suspense while dropping clues and red herrings left and right. I loved that both Mitch Holt and Megan O'Malley were emotionally damaged and yet drawn to each other despite their reluctance to get involved. I must admit to hating the ending. I know this is the first in the series but so many things were left hanging or without explanation. Damn, I guess I'm going to have to squeeze [b:Guilty as Sin: A Novel|537096|Guilty as Sin A Novel|Tami Hoag|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333578773s/537096.jpg|4648325] in sooner than I expected to.

When an eight-year old boy goes missing from a small Minnesota town in the dead of winter, Special Agent Megan Malloy works to assist Mitch Holt, the town's chief of police, in locating him. She's newly promoted to the position as the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's (BCA) regional agent and as the first woman in that role, she's also got a lot to prove. There was a lot going on in this story in addition to solving the abduction. Megan has a fast and firm rule against dating cops and with sexism running rampant, she can ill afford a relationship with Mitch but they can't deny their attraction. He comes with quite a bit of baggage as well so this makes for a relationship already weighed down at the onset. Megan also has a huge boulder on her shoulder, borne from her own isolated childhood and career ambition. The parents of the abducted child are also at each other's throats as their precarious relationship starts tearing at the frayed seams. The local media has a separate agenda that interferes with the case and jeopardizes Megan's job. The town goes viral after one suspect after another is scrutinized. The notion that Deer Lake is a sleepy, safe little town is also turned on its end. Secrets abound and the town has to face its vulnerabilities while the abductor remains at large. This story isn't just about the case but the human condition and its inherent frailties. Many relationships are examined and there are no perfect people in this story and there are many surprises. It's intriguing and I had a tough time putting it down. Be forewarned that this is a two-book commitment as all is not resolved by the end of the story, which is a bit unfair. However, I had planned to read the second book, Guilty as Sin but not necessarily right away. Now, curiosity demands that I do so. Still, this book is worth it if you're interested in mystery, suspense, romance and a somewhat literary approach to the very many characters in this story.