Sacred Sins

Nora Roberts

A killer is leaving an unusual signature on dead women being found in Washington DC. He strangles them with an amice, or priest's scarf, and leaves them with a note: "Her sins are forgiven her." Otherwise, there is nothing to give detective Ben Paris and his partner Ed Jackson any leads to who the murderer is.

After three victims are found, the police department requests the help of a psychiatrist to help profile the killer. Dr. Tess Court reluctantly takes on the case. She is already overworked but her senator grandfather and the Mayor asked her personally. The head of Homicide would like her ideas. Ben Paris wants nothing to do with any psychiatric profiling interferance. He has a poor opinion of psychiatrists and their work.

The more they work together, the more Ben is drawn to Tess. The first impressions she gives of the suspect are the same any police officer could form. While he still has low opinions of psychiatrists, some of her work for them proves helpful. Tess' involvement on the case is public knowledge. She fits the physical profile of the victims. Then she starts receiving anonymous phone calls. It appears Tess is targeted to be the next victim. Ben won't allow that to happen. He becomes part of her round the clock security team.

Nora Roberts' Sacred Sins is a decent mystery and romance. The motivation of the serial killer has a different idiosyncrasy. The solution twists and turns with enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing. The romance is predictable and rushed.

Part of what makes Sacred Sins good is the side stories. Tess has a patient she is trying to save but keeps running into walls. The interaction between Ben and his partner is humorous with their very different personalities. The Senator, Tess' grandfather, makes a few appearances and is a likeable, intimidating man. Even the chief of the homicide department is filled in enough to make him feel like a person rather than a necessary character for the story. Partner Ed Jackson is featured in Roberts' Brazen Virtue.

Notice:  Non-graphic violence, strong sexual content