Review: Final Kill (Dark Crime Series #3) by S.T. Ashman

      

Print Length: 315 pages

Publisher:  S.T. Ashman (October 24, 2024)

From Goodreads.com:  In the heart-pounding conclusion to the series, Leah, Agent Richter, and Agent Rose face their deadliest challenge yet. Under the watchful eye of the most monstrous predator they’ve ever encountered, shocking twists and intense emotions collide.

As they hunt the ultimate killers, nothing is as it seems in this gripping showdown. "Final Kill" will leave you breathless with its relentless pace, original content, and an unforgettable finale. Don’t miss the climax of a classic series.

This is the third installment in the series, following the second book, "We Kill Killers."

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My Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Once again, what really worked for me here were the characters and their complexities, especially Richter. At his core, he’s a man who genuinely believes in right and wrong, and you can see how deeply he struggles with that on a daily basis. Watching him slowly start to come around to Leah’s way of thinking was both fascinating and uncomfortable in the best way. At the same time, it was just as interesting to see Leah begin to realize that she actually cared about Richter’s opinion of her and about the partnership they’d built. For someone who has spent so long insisting she feels nothing, those cracks in her emotional armor were compelling. That said, I wish this aspect had been explored with far more depth, it felt like we only just started to scratch the surface of what could have been a really powerful evolution for her character.

Now, I may be in the minority here, but I also enjoyed Jan Novak as a character. Once you understand his motivations and where he’s coming from, it becomes clear that he and Leah could have been a formidable team. There were moments where I found myself almost hoping they would team up more than what they did, and that Leah might, if not abandon Richter entirely, at least bring him into the loop about what was really going on. That is, of course, until Jan crossed the one line that simply couldn’t be forgiven. His ending felt fitting for the character, even if it leaned a bit toward the unrealistic.

And then there’s the overall ending for this trilogy. And honestly, this is where the book disappointed me the most. It just felt… unfinished. When I reached the final chapter, I fully expected one last section to tie up the remaining loose ends, not a promo for the author’s latest novel. After investing in these characters and this story, that was a frustrating place to stop. It felt like a huge waste of potential, especially considering how long we’ve been on this journey with Leah and Richter. We’ve watched them form a tentative alliance, seen Richter recognize Leah for what she is, and, perhaps more importantly, hold her accountable in his own way. He challenges her methods, forces her to question herself, and in doing so almost gives her the beginnings of a moral compass, even if it will never be as clean-cut as his. And although we do see Rose in her new role interacting with Leah, we get no real closure when it comes to Richter. Did they continue working together? Did their relationship turn personal, or did they keep it strictly professional? We’re simply left guessing.

That said, it’s entirely possible the author left things intentionally open-ended in case she decides to revisit these characters down the line, and I truly hope she does. I’d love to see both Leah and Richter reach their full potential, and Rose, now in a position where she could either help or seriously hinder Leah in her "hobby", adds an extra layer of intrigue that’s absolutely worth exploring further.