Book Reviews from an Avid Reader: Notorious by Carey Baldwin

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Notorious by Carey Baldwin

I liked this FBI thriller. It's the first Spenser and Cassidy I've read. I feel like I got the full impact of their personalities and work without having read the previous novels in the series.

This novel centers around deception and lies that turn deadly. It begins with the murder of the wife of an FBI agent. She was a socialite and was rumored to have been having affairs. The Dallas police immediately suspect the husband.

Called in to work on the case are FBI profiler Atticus Spenser and psychiatrist Dr. Caitlin Cassidy. In the midst of their blossoming romance, they struggle to uncover layers of deception to reveal the murderer. The suspense heightens when their own lives are in danger. It becomes evident that there is more to this case and more at stake than the murder of one woman.

I like the interaction between Spenser and Cassidy. It seems that their romantic feelings have been simmering in previous novels and finally boil over in this one. I like that they are able to still concentrate on the investigation at hand and do a great job of figuring out the ultimately complicated motives. They are great characters and make a good investigative team.

There is plenty of psychological suspense in the novel. It kept me turning pages. And even as I got toward the end of the book, there were a couple of twists that took the plot in another direction and uncovered another layer of deception.

I recommend this novel to those who enjoy a well crafted psychological thriller. It's a good combination of action and suspense interwoven with romance and family loyalty.

For my regular blog readers, there is a bit of graphic sex in this novel. Sensitive readers may find it offensive.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read an excerpt here.

I'm taking part in a blog tour of this book. Click here to view the 'Notorious by Carey Baldwin' Tour Participants.

Carey Baldwin is a mild-mannered doctor by day and an award-winning author of edgy suspense by night. She holds doctoral degrees in medicine and psychology. She lives in the southwestern U. S. You can find out more at www.CareyBaldwin.com.

Witness Impulse, 336 pages.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for the purpose of an independent and honest review.