THE GIRLS IN THE FIRE

4 stars out of 5

When I read the first book in this series last year, I noted that the star of the show, the very flawed Detective Harlow Durant, was carrying way too much baggage for my liking - even though I very much enjoyed the book. Well, it's ditto for this one; I'm still not a big Harlow fan, but despite that it's another good story well worth reading. That's due in no small part to the fact that I love her partner Lucas, who pretty much has her number (and takes "supportive" to a whole 'nother level). Happily, they make quite a few joint appearances here.

The dynamic duo get sent to Saranac Lake in upstate New York (not far from their home base), where a woman's body has been found; it's so badly burned that it's impossible to tell whether the victim is male or female. Not far away in a wilderness area, efforts are under way to find a presumed serial killer of several people, with those efforts being led by a nemesis of Harlow. Of course, the two bump heads, but Harlow insists she has no interest in sticking her nose in his case (and means it, although she has no reservations about digging in her heels should the two cases be related in any way).

Finally, the crispy dead woman is identified, but a motive remains elusive. Not long thereafter, another body turns up with the same M.O. Could it be that a serial killer is on the loose here as well? Could all the murders be somehow connected, and is it possible they're looking for the same serial killer?

Amid all this, Harlow's past comes out of hiding; as the daughter of an imprisoned serial killer and a nasty woman who's a mother only because she gave birth, Harlow has been forced to pull up stakes when the media and local folks get wind of her background. Worse, if that's possible, she's been dogged by her estranged mother, who tends to find her at the worst possible moment.

As a result of the serial killer angle, Harlow's current case triggers all sorts of childhood nightmares, many of which are laid out in interspersed chapters that let readers know what's going on in her head. I know I should be more sympathetic, but honestly, I grew a bit weary of those background checks (i.e., you're a stellar detective, Harlow, so get on with your life already). In reality, though, that may prove difficult - Harlow herself, it appears, has become a target.

The rest you'll just have to read for yourself, and series fans should know there's a twist at the end that no doubt will carry over into the next book. I'll be waiting, but for now I'll thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

The Girls in the Fire by Dea Poirier (Bookouture, March 2022); 313 pp.

FIND ME IN THE DARK

5 stars out of 5

I've been fortunate to get in at the beginning of several new series of late, and I've concluded one thing: It's impossible to find a central character, male or female, who isn't carrying around a ton of personal baggage from his or her past, whether physical or emotional or both. Nowhere is that more true than in this one, in which New York state detective Harlow Durant keeps moving from job to job, staying only long enough for her colleagues to learn that her father, a psychologist, was a prolific serial killer. Her supervisors always know her background, but she believes - rightly or wrongly - that once the truth comes out she'll no longer be accepted by her peers or the community and bolts to territory where her secret will remain secret for a while. Amid her angst, she's never developed any real or lasting friendships or romances in the belief that those attachments will turn sour once her past is discovered.

Now she's in Plattsburgh, an upstate New York community with a SUNY campus. Fairly new at the job and constantly heckled by other officers just because she's female (an indication that all her problems are not in her past), she and partner detective Lucas Park - for whom she's reluctantly begun to respect for his work ethic and acceptance of hers as well - learn about a dead body dumped in one of the winter's snowbanks. The victim is identified as a college student, and at first the investigation centers around an ex-boyfriend. But then, after Harlow suffers an injury at the hands of a suspect and is forced to sit it out longer than she'd like, the unthinkable happens: Another woman's dead body is found in a snowbank and then another. Clearly, they're dealing with a serial killer - bringing the case far too close to memories that have dogged Harlow from early childhood on and turning it into an emotional challenge.

The story is narrated by Harlow, who doesn't hesitate to lay out exactly what she's thinking and how that was influenced by her childhood (some chapters revert to what happened in the past, giving readers a closer look inside those steamer trunk-sized visions that have shaped her life). And, as if tracking down a murderer isn't enough of a job, Harlow also is plagued with text messages from an unidentifiable source that threaten her very life if she doesn't stop meddling in the case.

Little by little, clues are unearthed along with the bodies, bringing a satisfactory end to the story for readers (along with a little surprise that, of course, I won't reveal). I can't say I'd ever want Harlow for a best friend, but for sure she's an intriguing character I'd love to read more about. Until that happens, I'll just say thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. Well done!

Find Me in the Dark by Dea Poirier (Bookouture, October 2021); 300 pp.