Review: The Summer Children (The Collector #3) by Dot Hutchison

Print Length: 302 pages

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (May 22, 2018)

From Goodreads.com: This FBI agent has come to expect almost anything—just not this…

When Agent Mercedes Ramirez finds an abused young boy on her porch, covered in blood and clutching a teddy bear, she has no idea that this is just the beginning. He tells her a chilling tale: an angel killed his parents and then brought him here so Mercedes could keep him safe.

His parents weren’t just murdered. It was a slaughter—a rage kill like no one on the Crimes Against Children team had seen before. But they’re going to see it again. An avenging angel is meting out savage justice, and she’s far from through.

One by one, more children arrive at Mercedes’s door with the same horror story. Each one a traumatized survivor of an abusive home. Each one chafing at Mercedes’s own scars from the past. And each one taking its toll on her life and career.

Now, as the investigation draws her deeper into the dark, Mercedes is beginning to fear that if this case doesn’t destroy her, her memories might.

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My Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This may be the third (and I believe final) book in the Collector series, however it can be read and understood as a stand-alone novel. Yes, some characters from the first two novels are featured in this one, however it is done in a way where the reader doesn't get lost or confused. 

This novel does touch on some disturbing realities (mainly the abuse of children and how in some cases the abuse is overlooked and/or the system has failed a child), however I feel the author's strong writing style make it more palatable than it otherwise may have been. The sad reality is, sometimes these things do happen and occasionally we as readers need to be taken to a place of discomfort in order to face the reality of the worlds. 

I loved getting to see team Mercedes is a part of interact with each other. The obvious bond they had showed just how much they had been through as a team, and what they were willing to do for one another. I will say that while all of these characters are complex and strong in their own ways, Siobhan was not my favorite. I feel as though she had a lot of unrealistic expectations when it came to Mercedes and her job. Also, I enjoyed (as hard as it was) to learn Mercedes background. I think it spoke a lot to her character and why she acted (and reacted) in the ways that she did. 

I would definitely recommend this novel to those who enjoy well written police and "whodunit" novels. I will be reading more from this author!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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                           The Summer Children is available from Amazon.com