FIND HER ALIVE

5 stars out of 5

Count on this series to be consistently good,

and this one - the eighth - fits the pattern well. The story is a bit more "far out" than the others I've read, but it doesn't matter - I stayed up late to finish the last four chapters just because things were moving so fast at that point that I didn't want to wait till morning to find out what happened.

Josie Quinn, a detective in rural Denton, Pennsylvania, has twin sister Trinity. It's been only recently that they discovered each other (background on all that is in previous books); and even now, their interaction can be a bit tense. Trinity, who is a well-known TV news anchor, came to visit Josie and her significant other Noah Fraley, also a police officer. Convinced she was about to be fired, Trinity was on the trail of a major breakthrough story that would revive her TV career big-time.

But about three weeks ago, the twins got into an argument and Trinity stalked out - renting a remote hunting cabin for a reason known only to her. When she can't reach her sister, Josie heads to the cabin, where she encounters a gruesome sight: human bones neatly arranged outside the cabin. Needless to say, she's terrified that the bones are Trinity's, although it seems unlikely that total decomposition could have happened this rapidly.

When the police team come in to investigate, Josie is relieved; dental records confirm the remains are not Trinity, but rather a missing woman from a nearby town. Now, the investigation expands, but it seems to go nowhere fast. Gleaning some clues from a handwritten message Trinity apparently left on her car - which was found outside the cabin complete with her purse and cell phone - Josie determines that Trinity's big story involved an as-yet-unidentified serial killer known for his "artistry" with human bones.

Along the way, other bone formations are found, adding urgency to the investigation. Is Trinity still alive, and if she is, can they find her before it's too late? Josie is hot to trot with ideas and suggestions, but not all are taken seriously simply because of her obvious personal interest in the case. 

And tttthhhhhaaat's all from me, folks, except to say it's a dash to an exciting finish with a couple of twists thrown in. Those who are familar with this series will enjoy this one too, I'm sure - and to those who aren't, well, what are you waiting for? Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Find Her Alive by Lisa Regan (Bookouture, April 2020); 300 pp.