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annathepiperLast time I read a Tami Hoag novel, I remember feeling a bit flat; the book in question, Kill the Messenger, hadn't done much for me. Now, though, I've finally gotten around to reading her paperback from last year--Prior Bad Acts--and I'm pleased to report that Ms. Hoag definitely still has it in her.
This book goes back to revisit a couple of characters she's written about before: Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska, the cops previously appearing in Dust to Dust. I've seen the formula of a pair of mixed-gender cops who aren't romantically involved in a few different places at this point, so it's not as rare to me as it used to be. However, it's still unusual enough that it's quite a pleasure to read about. It helps too that Kovac and Liska are very strong characters in general, with a genuine camaraderie that doesn't need to be muddied by sex.
Which is not to say that Prior Bad Acts doesn't have a romantic undercurrent in it; it does, albeit one very much tempered and sobered by the horrific events of the main plot, as Kovac finds himself drawn to Judge Carey Moore. Moore has issued a ruling that's put her under fire from all directions, pronouncing that the prior bad acts of a convicted killer are not admissible in court for a newer crime--and now, Moore's become the victim of a brutal assault. I definitely appreciated the few gentle notes of attraction between Kovac and Moore, which stood out in sweet contrast to the horrors past and present they're having to fight.
And make no mistake, the main plot is as gripping as anything Hoag's ever penned. The murders of a mother and two young children, the event that triggers this entire story, resonate out to destroy several lives. Along the way, although it's telegraphed enough that I knew what was finally coming, the discovery of the true perpetrator is chilling indeed. Good gripping read all around. Four stars.
This book goes back to revisit a couple of characters she's written about before: Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska, the cops previously appearing in Dust to Dust. I've seen the formula of a pair of mixed-gender cops who aren't romantically involved in a few different places at this point, so it's not as rare to me as it used to be. However, it's still unusual enough that it's quite a pleasure to read about. It helps too that Kovac and Liska are very strong characters in general, with a genuine camaraderie that doesn't need to be muddied by sex.
Which is not to say that Prior Bad Acts doesn't have a romantic undercurrent in it; it does, albeit one very much tempered and sobered by the horrific events of the main plot, as Kovac finds himself drawn to Judge Carey Moore. Moore has issued a ruling that's put her under fire from all directions, pronouncing that the prior bad acts of a convicted killer are not admissible in court for a newer crime--and now, Moore's become the victim of a brutal assault. I definitely appreciated the few gentle notes of attraction between Kovac and Moore, which stood out in sweet contrast to the horrors past and present they're having to fight.
And make no mistake, the main plot is as gripping as anything Hoag's ever penned. The murders of a mother and two young children, the event that triggers this entire story, resonate out to destroy several lives. Along the way, although it's telegraphed enough that I knew what was finally coming, the discovery of the true perpetrator is chilling indeed. Good gripping read all around. Four stars.