Every Dark Corner

December 19, 2016
As if the character roster in Rose’s long-on-suspense contemporary romance isn’t lengthy enough, one of them goes by two names: FBI Special Agent Griffin Davenport is better known as Gene Decker. At least love interest Kate Coppola, a fellow agent, sticks with a single moniker as she sits by his hospital bed after he suffers a near-fatal gunshot. She’s only recently been assigned to the Cincinnati field office and doesn’t really know Gene, but it’s imperative that she be there when he wakes from his medically induced coma; his first words might hold the key to identifying an elusive child molester. Nothing is ever quite so easy, and as a result Kate and Gene must spend more time scanning his memory for clues. By the time there’s a break in the case, Gene and Kate are in love. Tension mounts as each chapter ticks off every moment of the FBI’s frustrating search. Rose’s brand of character-focused romantic thriller has its appeal, but readers may be turned off by her dizzying array of secondary players, and a reduction in page count would not go amiss. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House.

December 1, 2016
It's sink or swim when two troubled, love-struck Cincinnati FBI agents dive headfirst into the choppy waters of a drug and child-pornography ring.Special Agent Griffin "Decker" Davenport is in a coma after he was shot during an undercover sting of human traffickers, and Special Agent Kate Coppola, new to Cincinnati, has been sitting by his side. Sparks between the two fly as soon as he wakes up, and, along with a large team of investigators, they're on the cusp of blowing a human (specifically children) trafficking ring wide open. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Mallory Martin dreams of escape from the monster that has kept her prisoner and who, when she was only 12, dubbed her Sunshine Suzie, forcing her to "perform" in porn films. There's only one problem: her 9-year-old sister, Macy. The drug dealer and pornographer who calls himself the Professor warns Mallory that if she tries to escape, he'll make sure Macy will be forced to do the same things as Mallory, and Mallory would rather die than see that happen. Agents Coppola and Davenport, along with a giant cast of characters, sift through the many (many) clues while the Professor, with the authorities closing in, starts tying up loose ends, including Agent Davenport. Rose (Alone in the Dark, 2016, etc.) explores the dark subject matter with sensitivity, but Kate and Decker's love-at-first-sight attraction, though steamy, often descends into the silly: Decker frequently gets aroused by Kate just walking into the room. However, kudos should be given for a valiant attempt to round out so many characters. Long stretches of dialogue punctuated by mild action do not make a thrilling read, and new readers will be lost, but fans of the Cincinnati series will probably be happy to see the return of favorite characters. Even a truly vile bad guy can't give this thriller a jolt. An overstuffed melodrama that's all bark and not much bite.

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Starred review from February 15, 2017

On the mend after taking a bullet to the chest while undercover during a human trafficking takedown, FBI Special Agent Griffin "Decker" Davenport isn't about to let things rest--and neither is special agent and sharpshooter Kate Coppola. Somewhere out there kids are in danger, preyed upon by a depraved sociopath in charge of a child porn ring, and Kate and Decker are determined to find them and bring the crafty villain down. Multiple viewpoints, including the villain's and one of the victim's, add dimension to a timely, multilayered story that is beautifully conceived and seamlessly linked to the earlier novels, enhanced with exceptional character development, and delivered with razor-sharp precision. VERDICT Gritty, dark, and occasionally uncomfortable, Rose's latest foray into the abyss of human depravity and deception is another page-turning thriller. Note: This story is complete in itself, but owing to the complex interpersonal relationships among the characters, new readers may want to start the series in order. Rose (Alone in the Dark) lives in Florida.

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