I’ve let the FATAL series get away from me–I just finished book 4, and 10 comes out this month–so I’m pretty sure a binge listen session is in order!
Marie Force’s FATAL Series
Fatal Flaw (Fatal #4)
By Marie Force
Synopsis:
Back from their honeymoon, Senator Nick Cappuano and D.C. Police Lieutenant Sam Holland are ready for some normalcy after the whirlwind of their wedding, but someone has other plans for them. When Sam discovers wedding cards containing thinly veiled death threats, she’s not sure if she or Nick is the target.
Already on edge, Sam and her team start investigating a series of baffling murders. The victims are well-liked with no known enemies, and the murders are carried out in a clean and efficient manner. Unable to find a clear motive for the deaths, she feels like she’s chasing her tail.
With no obvious connection between the victims, Sam soon suspects that she may be the ultimate prize in the killer’s clever game. When the danger starts to hit a little too close to home, she has two goals: find the elusive murderer and manage to live long enough to enjoy her happily ever after.
Review:
Sam and Nick are finally married–yay! Back from their honeymoon, they’re looking forward to settling in to their new lives together…sort of. Naturally, staying in Bora Bora would have been ideal, but being back in D.C. has its charms too, right?
Right???
Of course it does, though when you’re a homicide detective, things can get a little dicey. When you’re a homicide detective who’s just married a U.S. Senator and therefore become one of the newest “It” couples, things get even more complicated. And when your first call comes in just minutes after midnight on your first day back? You know it’s gonna be one heck of a welcome home. And probably not the kind you were hoping for.
It was great to get back to the world of Sam and Nick in Fatal Flaw–they are one of my favorite recurring couples, and the series’ secondary characters can be just as fun. As usual, there’s a whole lot going on in book 4–Sam’s dad has some health issues, Freddie (her partner) is torn between his mother and his new girlfriend, Jeannie (another department detective) is still reeling from a devastating event earlier in the series, Terry (Nick’s chief of staff) and Lindsey (the ME) might be starting a relationship. Sam and Nick have gotten a crazy number of wedding mail (some of which is decidedly threatening)…oh, yeah, and the homicides are starting to pile up almost as fast as the mail is coming in. The murders don’t appear to be related–or are they?
With so much going on with all the characters and so many murders to solve, the pages practically turned themselves with this one! We don’t quite have all the information we need to figure out the link between the murders ourselves, but that’s okay–it all makes sense in the end. I’m still not entirely convinced that the way in which Sam went about trying to snag the killer would have really been okayed by real-life police commanders, but it sure made for some exciting reading anyway. I loved getting caught up with all of my favorite characters, and can’t wait to continue with the rest of the series.
I really wouldn’t recommend starting the series with this one–there’s a whole lot here that hinges on earlier events in other books. (Even though I have read #s 1-3, it had been a while and at times I wished I had a cheat sheet to get myself back up to speed. Most of it came back to me pretty quickly, though.) This is book 4 out of 10, so starting from the first book shouldn’t add too much to your TBR (because if you’re like me, 4 more to 1500+ is just a drop in the bucket, really) if the series is totally new to you. Plus, this series would be a great one for a summer binge read!
Just sayin’ 🙂
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Release date 7/26–Sam and Nick’s latest adventure!
As the first anniversary of her marriage to Vice President Nick Cappuano approaches, Lieutenant Sam Holland is dreaming of Bora Bora—sun, sand and a desperately needed break from the DC grind. But real life has a way of intervening, and Sam soon finds herself taking on one of the most perplexing cases of her career.
Government worker Josh Hamilton begs Sam to investigate his shocking claim that his parents stole him from another family thirty years ago. More complicated still, his “father” is none other than the FBI director. When a member of Josh’s family is brutally murdered, Sam begins to question how deep this cover-up goes. Is it possible the revered director was part of a baby-napping ring and that others involved are also targets?
With a killer intent on deadly revenge and her team still reeling from a devastating loss, Sam’s plate is full—and when Nick and their son, Scotty, take ill, is her dream of a tropical anniversary celebration in peril too?
Read the book that started it all:
Washington, D.C., Metro Police Detective Sergeant Sam Holland needs a big win to salvage her career–and her confidence–after a disastrous investigation. The perfect opportunity arises when Senator John O’Connor is found brutally murdered in his bed, and Sam is assigned to the case. Matters get complicated when Sam has to team up with Nick Cappuano, O’Connor’s friend and chief of staff…and the man Sam had a memorable one-night stand with years earlier. Their sexual chemistry still sizzles, and Sam has to fight to stay focused on the case. Sleeping with a material witness is another mistake she can’t afford–especially when the bodies keep piling up.
Connect with Marie:
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Living not far from DC as I do, the setting of this series definitely has my attention! I’m glad you’re enjoying it – I’ll have to check it out myself.
Thanks for being a part of the tour.
You definitely should! 🙂