I needed to figure out a way to start reading series where I am not current or the series is finished but haven’t read them yet. So it’s a way to commit myself to read my backlist, particularly series.
I love the books by Allison Brennan. I decided to start at the beginning and read all the early books leading up to the Lucy Kincaid series. So I look for the Kincaids and connections to them. This FBI trilogy, I was happy to go back to audiobooks.
Sudden Death by Allison Brennan Narrator: Ann Marie Lee
Series: FBI Trilogy #1
Published by Penguin Audio on March 24, 2009
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Length: 12 hours, 40 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
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When a homeless veteran is found dead in a squalid Sacramento alley, FBI special agent Megan Elliott vows to find the murdered hero’s killer. Her investigation gets complicated fast, for the victim, a former Delta Force soldier, is just one link in a nationwide spree of torture and murder.
Straight off a job rescuing medical missionaries, soldier-for-hire Jack Kincaid returns to his home base in the Texas border town of Hidalgo only to receive the news that one of his closest colleagues–also ex-military–has been brutally murdered. Faced with an inept local police force, Jack takes matters into his own hands.
Now, as part of a national task force to stop the sadistic killings, by-the-book Megan and burn-the-book Jack form a tense alliance, sparked with conflict and temptation. But they struggle against more than passion, for a vicious pair of killers has only just begun a rampage of evil . . . and the primary target is much closer than Megan suspects.
Sudden Death has Jack Kincaid as one of the romantic couple along with Megan Elliott, an FBI agent. The family is mentioned as Jack comes back to town. Vigo is the one who trained Megan so he has joined the case.
A serial killer is tracking down military men from a team. Megan gets an early one in her home area and then follows it around the country. She ends up working with Jack as one of his men was a victim.
To me the romance was really a background thread here. It was too fast to me. They are both strong, independent players and the support and comfort they gave each other was good to see.
I love the police procedural and investigative parts and there was some action. I enjoyed seeing the Kincaids and some other law enforcement like Vigo, and John Black in Sacramento. There were some real twists here with an exciting conclusion to the case.
Fatal Secrets by Allison Brennan Narrator: Ann Marie Lee
Series: FBI Trilogy #2
Published by Penguin Audio on May 19, 2009
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Length: 12 hours, 34 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
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When a top lieutenant in a notorious ring of human traffickers agrees to turn state’s evidence, Immigration and Customs Enforcement senior agent Sonia Knight believes she’ll finally take down the illegal operation’s devilish mastermind, Xavier Jones. But when an FBI sting on Jones’s criminal enterprise collides with an ICE stakeout, Sonia is enraged: Her informant’s life and her evidence are in grave jeopardy.
FBI agent Dean Hooper has been chasing Jones for years on money-laundering and tax-evasion charges and doesn’t need or want a hot-headed ICE agent second-guessing his every move. When the Bureau is ordered to join forces with ICE, Sonia is just as livid: Her job is to save lives, not money. But their team effort pays off as fierce mutual resentment fades and passion flares–along with risk.
For Jones is just one piece of a depraved puzzle, answering to an even more dangerous predator. Denied his expected prey, this pitiless fiend intends to make Sonia and Dean pay with their own blood.
The couple here is an ICE agent, Sonia Knight and FBI assistant director, Dean Hooper. Sonia was trafficked as a girl, and grew up to chase down human traffickers in law enforcement herself. Dean Hooper is the brother of Will Hooper, who is Cara Kincaid’s (police) partner.
Sonia and Dean are both trying to take down the same bad guy but have different strategies. But they want to take him down so they agree to work together even if they find it hard to trust someone in a different agency. It gets more complicated as people are murdered. Hans Vigo joins this team. Sonia’s brother, Riley is a cop who guards a trafficking victim and he works with John Black. So I always enjoy the connected characters.
Sonia’s original mentor/partner, Charlie is working as a driver for the bad guy. He left ICE in disgrace and she isn’t really happy to see him. But getting information is more important than her feelings, so she talks to him. He’s very transactional though and only helps her if she will do things he wants.
The human trafficking is vile. The work they do to find and stop them is exciting and a bit tense. The traffickers are ruthless. It takes smart people to put together the information to have any chance in saving the young people, mostly girls, and lock up the criminals. Fatal Secrets was an exciting read.
Cutting Edge by Allison Brennan Narrator: Ann Marie Lee
Series: FBI Trilogy #3
Published by Penguin Audio on July 28, 2009
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Length: 11 hours, 48 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
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A RADICAL WAY TO DIE
When security specialist Duke Rogan’s state-of-the-art computer system fails at a controversial bio-tech firm, a raging inferno spreads, and a grotesquely charred body is discovered in the aftermath. With an extremist anti-technology group claiming responsibility, the case grows even more complex when the victim’s autopsy unexpectedly reveals that he bled to death. Heading the FBI’s domestic terrorism unit, Agent Nora English is fiercely determined to track and stop a sadistic assassin.
It’s back to Sacramento CA for a new couple. We’ve met Duke Rogan who is a brother of Cane Rogan. He’s appeared in a few books, along with his younger brother Sean Rogan. Other people we know (and love) who show up include Dean Hooper, Hans Vigo, Megan (Elliott) Kindcaid, and a few more.
The FBI case is one tracking a series of arsons at biotech firms. The Agent in charge is Nora English who has deep knowledge having grown up as the child of activists / domestic terrorists. The state arson investigator is her younger sister, Quinn. The latest fire also includes a dead body, and ducks stolen which have a deadly virus. Duke shows up because their firm designed the security system for the business.
Duke and Nora have a history, and have been attracted to each other for a few years. But Nora hasn’t made room in her life for anyone but her sister. Now they will be working this case together. I enjoyed Nora’s past which informed her deep understanding of environmental activists. As the bodies pile up, Duke insists on protecting Nora as backup as well jointly working the investigation.
The romance here is a small part of the story, as the case takes the focus with its engaging action and developments. I really liked these characters and the slower pace of their romance than some of the other books in the trilogy. I am sure we will see them in future books, at least I hope so.
Narration:
The primary narrator is female. Each book has a couple, and there tend to be more male characters so it’s interesting. The main and recurring characters have distinct voices and the regional accents seem authentic. I listened 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.
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:
- 24-COYER
I love when series books have a solid network of connected characters like that so I can get to know them and seeing them working together over the long haul.
Way to go polishing off a series!
Allison Brennan is one of my favorites. This series leads to the Lucy Kincaid series which is I think 17 books now. That’s the problem. The series I have chosen are long with 15-20 books in many of them. I hope to polish off a few short ones in the upcoming months, maybe.
Oh, how I loved this reading journey! Get ready for a long but satisfying trek through Lucy Kincaid, Anne💜
I’ve loved it so far and look forward to the next round!
This sounds like a great series. I have no issues when the romance is served on the side as long as the cases are well done. Wonderful reviews!
Thanks Kimberly. I love this author. These trilogies are older but still good. They lead up to the Lucy Kincaid series, building the world and a foundation with stories of her older siblings who are mostly military or law enforcement.
I read and enjoyed this series back in 2016, but I could probably read it again because I forgot so much! Glad to see you working through all Brennan’s oldies. Love her!
I haven’t read them before. I’m especially excited to get to Lucy Kincaid series now.
Never heard of this series before!
Allison Brennan has a series of trilogies which lead up to her Lucy Kincaid series. I’ve finished all of the the trilogies so now I’ll be able to read Lucy Kincaid.
This looks like a great trilogy! I feel like I’ve read something by this author and enjoyed it but not sure. I’ll have to dig through my Read book lists to see. Great reviews!
Thank you Katherine. I really enjoy this author. This trilogy is the final one leading up to the Lucy Kincaid series. I can’t wait to start those but I wanted the background of all the trilogies which are about other members of her family and even one about Lucy as a teen.