Review: One Last Kill (Tracy Crosswhite, #10) by Robert Dugoni

                                     

Print Length: 351 pages

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (October 3, 2023)

From Goodreads.com: Tracy Crosswhite is reopening the investigation into Seattle’s Route 99 serial killer. After thirteen victims, he stopped hunting and the trail went cold, stirring public outrage. Now, nearly three decades after his first kill, Tracy is expected to finally bring closure to the victims’ families and redeem the Seattle PD’s reputation. Even if it means working with her nemesis, Captain Johnny Nolasco.

Lead detective of the original task force, Nolasco dares Tracy to do what he failed to: close the case. Forming an uneasy alliance, Tracy and Nolasco revisit old leads and pursue new evidence only to unearth high-level corruption and cover-ups as dangerous as the elusive killer himself. At the risk of being exposed, such deadly and powerful forces will go to extremes to stay in the shadows.

That’s just where Tracy and Nolasco are headed—to find the twisted truth behind a killer’s motives, his disappearance, and his chilling comeback.

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My Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Technically, I believe that this book could be read as a stand-alone. There is just enough background given throughout the book that you aren't lost on the plot points that happened previously. And while yes, the story-line given here is technically the final part of a trilogy of events within the other books, it is still unique to this story.   

Having been a fan of this series from the beginning, and understanding the animosity between Tracy and Nolasco, I was curious to see not only how these two would get along having to work together, but if my opinion of Nolasco would change at all considering what I knew about him. Interestingly enough, I felt that this story was able to stay true to the characters and how they had been throughout the other nine novels, while allowing for the growth that was needed for this novel. And while I don't think they will ever be friends, I'm curious to see what does happen next with them. 

I enjoyed the hunt as Tracy and Nolasco go back over every detail of the case, looking for something that may have been missed (or in another instance a detail not followed up on), and while I had my suspicions as to who was behind the murders, I was still surprised not only by the culprit, but for the reasoning behind them.

Sadly, what killed this one for me was the ending. After everything that happened, one of the key players in the game was allowed to walk away and move on with their life as if their choices in the past weren't the catalyst for everything that happened after. When that happened, it not only left a bad taste in my mouth, but I felt it cast a shadow over the entire story. Sure the killer was stopped, but that doesn't mean that true justice was served. 

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. 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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                                                 One Last Kill is available on Amazon.com

                                             (for free if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited)