She Treads Softly: The Reaper Follows

Thursday, March 21, 2024

The Reaper Follows

The Reaper Follows by Heather Graham
4/2/24; 320 pages
MIRA
Amy Larson & Hunter Forrest FBI Series #4

The Reaper Follows by Heather Graham is the recommended fourth novel in the investigative series featuring Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) agent Amy Larson and FBI Special agent Hunter Forrest as they continue their investigation into a series of crimes linked to the four horsemen in the Book of Revelations.

The discovery of a woman's hand and arm along with other body parts lead Larson and Forrest to the fourth Horseman. They discover an oil drum that tipped over and spilled out the body parts. It is quickly determined that there are dozens of oil drums, all filled with body parts that could only have been cut up by human hands. Larson and Forrest along with other investigators must find out who these people were and any connection between them. When they find a small pale horse they know: The fourth horseman of the apocalypse rides a pale horse—and his name is Death.

After a very strong start the plot slowed down to a crawl which tamped down my interest in following the investigation. It was not completely to my benefit that I only read the first book in the series and missed the second and third. There is a lot of information about the Florida Everglades and the Miccosukee tribe which was interesting, but interfered with the action and pacing of the plot. Admittedly, the identity of the antagonist was also easy to determine. For those who enjoy it, expect some romance along with the investigation. If you've been following the whole series, The Reaper Follows will likely appeal more to you and give you closure. Thanks to MIRA for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

No comments:

Post a Comment

John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.