Friday, February 8, 2008

Review - No One Heard Her Scream by Jordan Dane

No One Heard Her Scream
Written by: Jordan Dane
Fiction
Rated: Very Good (****)
Review by: Lisa Haselton

Self-inflicted physical pain does little to ease Detective Rebecca Montgomery’s frustration and guilt bubbling just below the surface of her hard exterior. Even with her experience and resources, Rebecca is unable to find answers.

Rebecca’s personal interest and combative attitude in the handling of missing and abducted girls lands her on the cold case squad. Her first assignment is meant to keep her occupied and away from the detectives handling her sister’s case, yet she quickly finds herself being removed from her newest project and told to take vacation time.

With time off from work and her heart breaking over her crumbling family, Rebecca knows she can’t sit around idle. She uses what details she has and contacts she’s made to build a theory. With a little maneuvering and no badge, she’s able to step outside the regulations a little to engage a reluctant mysterious man to become her partner. With only circumstantial evidence, Rebecca follows her gut and her heart with little heed to the consequences her actions will wreak.

The story is heart pounding. No One Heard Her Scream is unpredictable in a real-life way. The twists and turns that Dane takes the reader on are nothing short of an invigorating roller coaster ride into the dark pit of the real world. The reader is just as surprised to learn new facts as the protagonist, and just as puzzled as to how all the pieces fit together – or even if they do fit together. In the midst of all the action, Rebecca realizes someone is tugging at her heart strings. Love is nice, but now isn’t time.

The female protagonist in Jordan Dane’s No One Heard Her Scream is solid. The writing makes the book a page turner and difficult to put down. The array of characters keeps the reader engaged and involved in the action. They are unique in their own mix of foibles and strengths. Dane portrays the dark subject matter quite well with tight descriptive details and use of senses.

I recommend reading No One Heard Her Scream to anyone who enjoys police action, and a lot of fast paced suspense and a dash of romance. The reader is grabbed at the opening page, is breathless by the climax, and glad to be breathing normally again by the last page.