Laurie Breton

FBI Special Agent Carolyn Monahan returns to Boston after ten years to help local police hunt down the serial killer who is killing young women. Caro’s sister was the victim of an unsolved murder ten years ago, so Caro’s memories of home are not good and her family relations are strained. On top of that, she’s now working with homicide lieutenant Conor Rafferty, who just happens to be her ex-boyfriend.

This was such an enjoyable romantic suspense/police procedural novel. It had a great show more cast of characters. I especially liked Caro’s and Conor’s good friend (who is a priest) who later became their number one suspect, Father Clancy Donovan. I really enjoyed the investigation into the murders and the interactions between the cops and detectives working the case. I thought I had the killer pegged and I ended up being so wrong. The story had a good mix of suspense and romance in this very entertaining read. show less

Compulsively readable - an old-fashioned melodramatic romance that spans 15 years and includes love at first sight, infidelity, tragedy, PTSD, love triangles, and characters who actually say things like "you only go around once in life so you have to grab the gusto while you can" (I'm paraphrasing, but the original is almost as corny). Certainly not great literature, but for some reason I could not put it down and am considering checking out books #2 and 3 in the series.

This series is turning into a guilty pleasure for me. I enjoyed Colleen's redemption story but frankly could have lived without the chapters from Casey's POV. She is so perfect - maternal, musical, beautiful, loving, etc. - that I wonder if she will be canonized by the end of the series. I find the secondary characters much more interesting. I hope Breton doesn't drag out Paige and Mikey's story for too long - she runs the risk of falling into the Susan Wiggs/Daisy Bellamy trap, where she show more built up the tension for so long that by the time we got her story it was a disappointment. show less

Two years after Robin Spinney's husband was killed she found the evidence her husband had dug up exposing a cover-up involving the chief of police and the district attorney. When a friend is killed trying to help her, Robin knows that it is time to take her daughter and get as far away as she can. After months of running, Robin decides to settle down in Serenity, Maine and change her name to Annie Kendall. While she is there, she begins a reluctant relationship with the temporary police show more chief, Davy Hunter, but she worries that it may just be a matter of time before she is found.

Criminal Intent is a pretty average small town romantic suspense but does include realistic dialogue that moves the story along. However, the mystery involving Robin is nothing special and the story lacks emotion. Also, the plot drags, especially in the middle where very little is mentioned about the mystery, and the protagonists have almost no interaction. In addition, character development is weak, most notably with the villains as well as with the supporting characters. Overall, Criminal Intent begins with a bang, but that energy isn't maintained throughout the book. show less