Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Missing Witness by Allison Brennan Narrator: Suzanne Gutierrez
Series: Quinn & Costa #5
Published by Harlequin Audio, HarperAudio on January 23, 2024
Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Length: hours, minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
Detective Kara Quinn is back in Los Angeles to testify against a notorious human trafficker, finally moving past the case that upended her life. But when the accused is shot by a masked man in broad daylight, the chaotic scene of the crime turns up few reliable bystanders. And one witness—a whistleblower who might be the key to everything—has disappeared.
After the prosecuting DDA is stabbed to death, it’s clear that anyone who knows too much about the investigation is in danger, and tracking down the witness becomes a matter of life or death. With government corruption running rampant and someone on the inside trying to pin anything they can on Kara, she trusts nobody except FBI special agent Matt Costa and a handful of allies.
But when explosive secrets begin to surface within the LAPD and FBI, Kara questions everything she thought she knew about the case, her colleagues and the life she left behind months ago.
I really love the Quinn & Costa series. Kara Quinn is incredibly smart and skilled, having been undercover for 12 years with the LAPD. Her cover was blown so it’s best for her to be somewhere other than LA where the bad guys want to kill her. They already killed her partner. So she takes a job with the new mobile response team with the FBI, although she is not an FBI agent.
Matt is the team leader who has picked every person on the team because of their talents and ability to work with the team. Kara and Matt are attracted to each other, but have agreed they will be professional during a case. They are surprisingly good at that compartmentalizing. Kara has led a life which doesn’t lend itself to trusting or falling in love with anyone. She has made close friends on the team, except for Catherine. They don’t like each other.
The time has come for Kara to go back to LA to testify in the case which had her loaned out to the Mobile Response Team from the beginning. She is hoping to put away the corrupt trafficker and then go back to working with the LAPD. She is happy to see her old boss and supervisor and other teammates. Everyone but Kara seems to know she won’t be able to just go back to LAPD.
The twists in The Missing Witness are hard and fast. The action never stops. It just blew me away. The bad guy shot in front of the courthouse. The prosecuting DDA stabbed in the courthouse right next to Kara. Kara continues to work in her smart and skilled ways. Matt continues to be the rock for her and the team. He knows Kara is skittish about progressing their personal relationship and gives her the time and space she needs, even though he wants more.
I really loved going back to LA and seeing more of Kara’s history and having some things resolved for her future. We got some new characters. Will who runs First Contact which is a non-profit who works with the homeless. Violet is a computer nerd working for the city, who volunteers for First Contact because her mother is homeless. There is also Sloane who works with the FBI team in LA. They added layers to an already interesting story. I hope this series never ends.
Narration:
The narrator, Suzanne Guterriez Fortin, has been with the whole series. She is Kara in my mind. The female and male voices feel comfortable with the male voices more husky in tone. I am sure her performance added to my enjoyment bringing more emotion to the reading. I enjoyed her performance at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Allison Brennan
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Allison Brennan believes that life is too short to be bored, so she had five children and writes three books a year. Allison recently relocated from Northern California to Arizona with her husband and two youngest children.
Allison has penned more than three dozen thrillers and many short stories. COLD SNAP was a finalist for Best Thriller in the Thriller Awards (ITW) and FEAR NO EVIL (2007) and COMPULSION (2015) won the Daphne du Maurier award. Allison has been nominated multiple times for RWA’s Best Romantic Suspense award, and the Kiss of Death’s Daphne award. She currently writes the Lucy Kincaid/Sean Rogan thriller series, and is launching the Mobile Response Team series in February 2020.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 23-COYER
I’m going to try to start this series, I love seeing such a high rating for book #5😁
I loved this series from book 1. I hope you get to try it.
This sounds intense but good!
yes this series is action-packed and dangerous for our beloved charcters.
This is a series that I read book one and then never kept going, but planned to. I love how the author is developing characters and the relationships alongside the cases. Wow, interesting to bring Kara back full circle in an intense way, but I’m glad you got some closure on things with this case and a more open way for future books.
I love this series SO much. I highly recommend it.
I didn’t read your review since this is coming up soon for me but love seeing those 5 stars. I’m excited, too, to be going back to Los Angeles.
YES!
I like Allison Brennan a lot, but I haven’t tried any of the books in her Quinn & Costa series. Yet. ;D
I really enjoy this author and I’ve tried a few of her series and some stand-alones. I’ve enjoyed them all. This series I started at the beginning and it’s been a big hit for me.
Yes! I love this series, too, as you know. This was a complex mystery with a surprise discovery. I’m happy with how it all played out and how things are settled for Kara in the future now. I’m interested in how Sloane will fit in. Glad we didn’t get any Catherine in this one. I don’t like her at all.
I’m with you Rachel. I loved the twists. I actually wondered if this was the end but I hope not.
I’m so excited for this one! Will have to wait for the library copy to become available, though. Great review.
I hope you love it as much as I did.