Gone by Dawn
(Val Costa #1)
by H.K. Christie
You kissed your daughter goodnight. By morning, she’s gone.
Two days ago, FBI Agent Val Costa came face to face with a serial killer known as the Bear. One of only two women ever to survive, she’s forever branded with his a curling “S” carved into her skin. Val knows it’s only a matter of time before he takes another victim.
Forced home to recover, Val returns to Red Rose County, California, to be with her son. But the very next day she finds the close-knit community panic-stricken over the disappearance of blonde-haired, freckled-faced local teen, Scarlett Douglas.
Defying orders, Val interviews the Douglas family at their farmhouse and uncovers a less-than-idyllic picture. Housebound since a devastating diagnosis, Scarlett’s world was crumbling. The sight of Scarlett’s unworn prom dress hanging in her room brings a tear to Val’s eye. She won’t sleep until this sweet girl is home and safe.
Val and her team search the nearby towering redwoods for any clue to what happened the morning Scarlett disappeared. But the case takes a sinister turn when a little pink teddy bear is delivered to Val’s door. Did the Bear follow her to Red Rose County? Is her family now in terrible danger? Could Scarlett be his latest victim?
Working around the clock, Val begins to question if the Douglases are the loving parents they claim to be. With time running out to save Scarlett’s life, and the truth just within her reach, will Val once again come face to face with the Bear? And who—if anyone—will survive?
A totally addictive and pulse-pounding crime thriller for fans of Lisa Regan, Mary Stone and Willow Rose. You won’t be able to put this page-turner down!
My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
I liked to believe that good things happened sometimes. This was something I had to remind myself of, having such a dark and dangerous job. We profiled the worst of humanity…
Once hopeful the authorities would actually do their jobs, my faith in the police was once again tarnished like old silverware at a garage sale.
You know, sometimes we can’t choose our path— sometimes it chooses us. Think of this as a beginning to something new.
My Review:
This was my introduction to the compelling storytelling of H.K. Christie and I picked a winner to start with. The writing was easy to follow, written from multiple points of view, hooked me early, and kept me reading despite the disquieting and nettlesome subject matter. I found the main character of Val Costa to be well-scaffolded. She was recently wounded yet still a badass. Val was well-conjured, authentic, realistically flawed, complicated, admirable, well-textured, and someone I want to follow in subsequent installments.
H. K. Christie watched horror films far too early in life. Inspired by the likes of Stephen King, Jodi Picoult, true crime podcasts, and a vivid imagination she now writes suspenseful thrillers. When not working on her latest novel, she can be found eating & drinking with friends, walking around the lakes, or playing with her favorite furry pal.
She is a native and current resident of the San Francisco Bay Area.
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