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Summary
Homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite has returned to the police force after the sensational retrial of her sister's killer. Still scarred from that ordeal, Tracy is pulled into an investigation that threatens to end her career, if not her life.
This police procedural mystery, "Her Final Breath," was a solid and enjoyable read, particularly for about 75% of the book. The plot progressed at a quick pace, keeping me engaged throughout. The characters were well-developed, adding depth to the story. The ending took me by surprise, as the author, Dugoni, skillfully concealed the identity of the villain. I believe any mystery that keeps you guessing until the final chapter should be considered a success.
However, my main issue lies with the protagonist, Tracy. Just as I found her actions unrealistic and implausible in the first book of the series, "My Sister's Grave," the same sentiment carried over to this installment. It was frustrating that no one intervened to prevent her reckless behavior. In "Her Final Breath," my frustration stemmed from her complicated relationship with her captain and the fact that the Chief of the Seattle Police Department's career seemed to hinge on Tracy's actions. Dugoni attempted to justify her captain's animosity towards her in a prequel novella set before the first book. However, his blatant hostility and deliberate attempts to undermine her, while openly obstructing her investigation, seemed unlikely for a male captain to get away with in present times. It bordered on being a caricature and felt outdated. Moreover, Tracy seemed to evade any consequences despite her blatant disregard for her superior.
Despite this issue, the book still offers enough strong elements to overlook the protagonist's questionable decisions. The narration was particularly well-done, adding to the overall enjoyment of the story.
I really enjoyed not being able to predict the identity of the cowboy beforehand, but I must admit that I find it a bit tiresome that female officers always seem to end up in life-threatening situations. I mean, they don't have to be superheroes, but it would be nice if they weren't constantly targeted.
I overall had a good time with the book. The protagonist and the main plotline were particularly appealing to me. I also liked that the author avoided excessive violence and didn't delve too much into the killer's perspective. However, the book did fall into some familiar patterns that annoy me in this genre. One example is the constant undermining of the main character by a superior, which felt quite unrealistic in this case. Why can't the main character just focus on hunting down a serial killer without facing opposition from her colleagues? Additionally, the recurring theme of the main character being stalked felt tiresome to me. Isn't a major investigation enough to keep the story thrilling?
As for the narrator, they were average. Not terrible, but not outstanding either.
I like this series, so far its entertaining. I noticed the author trying to inject some humor into characters and personality, it didn’t work well for me ,however ; I’m not sure if its because the narrator wasn’t up to the alternate voices ? and maybe it “reads” funny ?
I think I would enjoy this series with a different narrator .
I enjoy the books in this series - plot and characters work well, good sense of place, the action moves along , the suspense works. Worth a listen. Narration does not get up your nose.
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