See how they hide

The sixth installment of Brennan's Quinn and Costa series (following The Missing Witness, 2024) sees its FBI MRT unit called in to investigate two murders with identical scenes occurring simultaneously but with dissimilar victims in distant locations. After several more murders, the team tracks an elusive witness with inside knowledge about an isolated community whose members are being ruthlessly dispatched. The acerbic Kara Quinn relates to Riley--a young woman whose involvement in the group is initially unclear--as a kindred spirit, imprinted with serious trust issues due to their similarly traumatic upbringing. Brennan's choice to include the Luddite community brings outdated communication and digital invisibility to the modern setting. Short chapters dedicated to multiple characters create a frenetic feel, and the drizzling of crucial details maximizes suspense. The geographically separated MRT makes for narrative threads in disparate locales, and flashbacks provide coherence and background. The many plotlines eventually converge in a climactic, if predictable, resolution. This entry will appeal to loyal fans of the series and readers curious about the psychology behind cults.

Brennan reunites Det. Kara Quinn and FBI special agent Matt Costa for a suitably entertaining sixth case (after The Missing Witness). Jane Merrifield, a 22-year-old college senior in Ashland, Ore., and Robert Benson, a 47-year-old antique store owner in Weems, Va., have both had their throats slit and their bodies strewn with hundreds of dried red poppies. Quinn and Costa know they're looking for at least two killers, since the homicides occurred within a three-hour window, but both victims were kind and well-liked, making it difficult to pinpoint a motive. The investigation eventually leads Quinn and Costa to Jane's roommate, Riley Pierce, who has information about an isolated community in the Colorado mountains that might be key to solving the murders. Fans will appreciate seeing how the relationships between members of Costa's mobile response team evolve, including a softening of the dynamic between Quinn and forensic psychiatrist Dr. Catherine Jones, and the climax is legitimately nail-biting. This gets the job done. Agent: Daniel Conaway, Writers House. (Jan.)