Crush

Alan Jacobson

While recovering from an attack by an serial killer, FBI profiler takes a vacation to NAPA with her special man, Robby Hernandez. They are planning a week of wine tasting, dining, and love making. Unfortunately, at their first winery, they come across a dead body.

Vail is supposed to be on vacation, but... There are some odd markings on the body. Vail offers her services to the local police. The next day she and Hernandez go with a guide to an old cave that is being excavated. Another body is uncovered there. The is a common marker on this body. Vail joins the police task force. Their searching uncovers another body from three years earlier in a nearby Northern California city.

Then Vail gets a text message from the Crush killer. Now they are on a time line. Another body is found, as predicted in her text. He wants the world to know he's there and he's powerful. The task force wants to keep his "work" quiet. Can they catch him before one of them dies as well?

Crush is a gruesome, compelling read. Alan Jacobson researches his area and his facts closely. The killer leaves some appalling marks on the bodies he kills. Jacobson occasionally writes the novel from the killer's point of view as well as Vail's. Vail is rebellious, insisting she work this case despite the fact she is on vacation and is supposed to be resting. Jacobson has another strong woman counterpart to Vail, Roxxane Dixon, the local police and head of the task force. It's satisfying to see two strong women bonding and working together.

Jacobson keeps the story line taut and edgy. One problem with Crush is the side story that doesn't seem to have anything to do with anything. Actually, it's a set up for the next book in the series, Velocity. They're not tied together, though until Velocity. The ending of Crush has some twists and a lot of open threads. They are finished and bound up in Velocity.

Notice:  Graphic violence, Suggestive dialogue or situations

The 7th Victim
Crush
Velocity