Trapped by Irene Hannon
Revell, September 1, 2013

When librarian Laura Griffith’s sixteen-year-old sister disappears on a frigid February day, leaving only a brief note behind, Laura resolves to do whatever it takes to track down the runaway teen. That includes recruiting ATF agent turned PI James “Dev” Devlin to help. But the deeper he digs, the more he begins to suspect that something sinister is at work in the girl’s disappearance. And the closer he gets to uncovering the truth, the clearer it becomes that the situation isn’t just dangerous–it’s deadly.

Chilling and at times terrifying, Trapped is the latest thrilling read from Irene Hannon, the queen of romantic suspense. Hannon outdoes herself with this fast-paced tale of fear, deception, and just the right dose of romance.

I’ve been waiting for this book since Vanished came out. Nine months is a long time! My first thoughts after finishing the book is that I was creeped out by the villain – not necessarily a bad thing, but this guy was not just crazy, but creepy and it made some of his scene a little hard for me to read. Some people will find the subject matter (kidnapping – especially in the form taken in this book) hard to read at times. However, this character did add to the suspense of the book and for me that is a good thing.

I think this book is a little different from her other ones. We knew who the bad guy was a lot earlier, so it was a game of waiting and wondering when and how they were going to catch him – if at all at some points. I liked this new angle actually, it left a bit more time for character development. This is Darcy’s story as much as it is Laura and Dev’s. I felt for her, was scared for her and worried for her. I felt for Laura as she waited to hear word from her sister.

Laura and Devlin make a good but understated couple. Restrained chemistry marked much of their interactions, but it was easy to see how much they liked each other and were willing to wait the case out to pursue a relationship. Devlin as a hero didn’t grab my attention – it might be his red hair, but he was guarded for much of the book and even when he did let Laura in behind his walls, it still didn’t grab me emotionally. So, besides their mutual attraction, Dev could have been replaced by a different hero it wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the story.

In terms of spiritual things, this is also Hannon’s most understated regarding Christian themes. This is highlighted by how little the characters discuss their faith or lack of. I liked this. I knew the characters believed in God, with some struggling with this, but overall it was not discussed in lots of detail. I’d rather make my own judgments on their faith journey that have it spelled out for me.

So overall another great book! Looking forward to many more successful years!

Jess

Jess is a mum of two children and married to the calmest man alive. She loves to bake and go for walks. A writer of contemporary romance, Jess write stories about the heart and where love is worth the journey.