Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Fantastic conclusion to the series. This book is about Mason Ford, leader of the Justice Seekers, and how the past is about to repeat itself. Mason is an intriguing character who inspires intense loyalty in the people who work for and with him. Previous books hinted at Mason's backstory, and this one reveals all.
The story opens as Mason deals with the anniversary of his older brother's murder. Landon was wrongly convicted of killing his girlfriend and murdered in prison before Mason could prove his innocence. After exposing the corruption in the police department and winning a lawsuit against the town, Mason moved to Tennessee and began the Justice Seekers. He never gave up his quest to find the true killer. An unexpected visit from his ex-fiancée preceded an attack and kidnapping that left Mason awakening in a house he didn't recognize and his ex dead on the floor. Almost immediately, the police burst through the door and arrest him for murder, and he discovers he's back in his hometown.
This was an attention-grabbing opening, and the intensity never let up. The accusations against Mason eerily mirror those that sent his brother to prison, and Mason has no intention of going down the same path. I loved his presence of mind and steely determination as he found a way to escape custody. Having previously been the town's police chief, Mason has some tricks up his sleeve that he puts to good use. However, he didn't expect to find the chief's office occupied when he burst into it.
Hannah Cantrell is a crime scene analyst, the current chief's daughter, and a cool customer. I loved the conversation between her and Mason as she held him at gunpoint. Though she's never met him before, Mason's sister Olivia is a good friend, and she's heard all about him. It doesn't take long for her to listen to and believe Mason's story and offer to help him. Though reluctant to involve her, she leaves him no choice. The intensity of the escape included a few lighter moments that showed an unexpected connection between Hannah and Mason.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Hannah and Mason. Hannah's hero-worship/crush from Olivia's stories quickly turned into deeper feelings as she got to know the real Mason. At the same time, Hannah's support and understanding filled a hole Mason never realized was there. But even though the desire to be together was there, so were obstacles. I ached for them both when everything was over, and they went their separate ways. All was not lost, though, as Mason discovered that advice once given tends to come home to roost. I loved the impact of (Agent Under Siege) Bryson's words and what Mason did about it. I loved Mason's big moment, his heartfelt words to Hannah, her response, and the (to him) stunning reaction of her family.
The mystery of the murders, the framing, and who is behind them kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. I enjoyed the intensity of Mason's escape from the police station, facilitated by Hannah's level-headed consideration of his story and convincing arguments with her father (which made me laugh, too). Mason's determination to keep her from the consequences set up an interesting "rescue," followed by a meeting at the police station. I cheered that meeting when I saw that ALL of Mason's Justice Seekers came to help clear their boss. There were also quite a few surprises. A near tragedy involving Hannah's father gave further impetus to the search for the truth. I loved watching the Seekers work, their attention to detail, and determined digging unearthing some surprising information. The final confrontation was a nail-biter as the killer faced off against Mason. The complexity of the scheme the killer concocted over the years was mind-boggling. The tension had me on the edge of my seat until it was all over.
The story opens as Mason deals with the anniversary of his older brother's murder. Landon was wrongly convicted of killing his girlfriend and murdered in prison before Mason could prove his innocence. After exposing the corruption in the police department and winning a lawsuit against the town, Mason moved to Tennessee and began the Justice Seekers. He never gave up his quest to find the true killer. An unexpected visit from his ex-fiancée preceded an attack and kidnapping that left Mason awakening in a house he didn't recognize and his ex dead on the floor. Almost immediately, the police burst through the door and arrest him for murder, and he discovers he's back in his hometown.
This was an attention-grabbing opening, and the intensity never let up. The accusations against Mason eerily mirror those that sent his brother to prison, and Mason has no intention of going down the same path. I loved his presence of mind and steely determination as he found a way to escape custody. Having previously been the town's police chief, Mason has some tricks up his sleeve that he puts to good use. However, he didn't expect to find the chief's office occupied when he burst into it.
Hannah Cantrell is a crime scene analyst, the current chief's daughter, and a cool customer. I loved the conversation between her and Mason as she held him at gunpoint. Though she's never met him before, Mason's sister Olivia is a good friend, and she's heard all about him. It doesn't take long for her to listen to and believe Mason's story and offer to help him. Though reluctant to involve her, she leaves him no choice. The intensity of the escape included a few lighter moments that showed an unexpected connection between Hannah and Mason.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Hannah and Mason. Hannah's hero-worship/crush from Olivia's stories quickly turned into deeper feelings as she got to know the real Mason. At the same time, Hannah's support and understanding filled a hole Mason never realized was there. But even though the desire to be together was there, so were obstacles. I ached for them both when everything was over, and they went their separate ways. All was not lost, though, as Mason discovered that advice once given tends to come home to roost. I loved the impact of (Agent Under Siege) Bryson's words and what Mason did about it. I loved Mason's big moment, his heartfelt words to Hannah, her response, and the (to him) stunning reaction of her family.
The mystery of the murders, the framing, and who is behind them kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. I enjoyed the intensity of Mason's escape from the police station, facilitated by Hannah's level-headed consideration of his story and convincing arguments with her father (which made me laugh, too). Mason's determination to keep her from the consequences set up an interesting "rescue," followed by a meeting at the police station. I cheered that meeting when I saw that ALL of Mason's Justice Seekers came to help clear their boss. There were also quite a few surprises. A near tragedy involving Hannah's father gave further impetus to the search for the truth. I loved watching the Seekers work, their attention to detail, and determined digging unearthing some surprising information. The final confrontation was a nail-biter as the killer faced off against Mason. The complexity of the scheme the killer concocted over the years was mind-boggling. The tension had me on the edge of my seat until it was all over.
