Cold Blooded
4 Stars

Assigned to investigate the possible dissemination of a lethal strain of Anthrax, FBI agent Hunt Kincaid is convinced that researcher Cindy Resnick died from an accidental overdose. Unfortunately, here best friend, disgraced journalist Pip West is determined to prove otherwise. As evidence mounts, Pip and Hunt get closer, both to each other and to a malicious bio-terrorist willing to kill anyone who gets in his way.

Series note: This installment continues events initiated in the Cold Dark Promise wedding novella. It is, therefore, recommended that the novella be read first.

Pip and Hunt's relationship gets off to a rocky start as they each have their own conflicting agendas. Moreover, there is a distinct lack of trust despite their attraction and chemistry, and it takes time for them to overcome the obstacles both personal and professional.

The investigation is quite straightforward with some exciting moments. While it is possible to figure out the "who-dun-it" with the clues provided, there are a couple of distracting red-herrings.

All in all, a good addition to the series although the emphasis is more on the suspense than the romance. The next book is actually the first installment in a spin-off series focusing on the FBI's HRT unit. Looking forward to it. ( )

This isn't my one of my usual genres but it kept me interested right up to the end. ( )

OMG, this book--crack it open and hang on for the ride!

Pip and Hunt's story has many twists and turns, both with their relationship and in the suspense plot. I can't tell you how much time I spent telling various characters in the book, "No, it WASN'T a drug overdose! What's wrong with you people???"--honestly, I think I said it more than Pip did (especially since at one point, even Pip started wondering...) I gasped out loud while reading more than once. And OMG--what Ms. Anderson has happen to one of the characters toward the end--I may never recover. I had to re-read a few paragraphs just to make sure that yes, yes, that did really happen. Argh.

Fortunately, she made up for it (kinda, sorta but not totally--but at least she kept me distracted) with some absolutely adorable long-distance(ish) courtship between Pip and Hunt. The last 20% of the book has things happening at breakneck speed--first with the drama of the suspense plot, then with Pip and Hunt--so much so that you almost feel as if you can't take a deep breath until you manage to reach the final page at last. Phew!

A lot of people die in this one (it started to feel a little out of control), and at times the story got a little bogged down in some of the science-y anthrax parts of the plot, and yeah, Pip and Hunt go pretty fast from fairly antagonistic to something a lot closer, but still this was one heck of a read. I don't know why I haven't read more of this series' books, but you'd better believe they're all in my TBR now!

Cold Blooded is the 9th book in the series, but really should work just fine as a standalone if you've been meaning to pick it up.

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. ( )