The police aspect of this book takes the focus, as Sam’s suspension keeps her hands tied as a new case peaks her interest. That part of Sam’s personality both fascinates and frustrates me, as she really does make things difficult for herself and her superior officers when she refuses to remain at home and out of police business.

Nick is a constant support, as usual, though his job means he is less free to drop everything to assist as he would like. It was interesting to watch him juggle his many responsibilities, as he does his best to help Sam in her investigation. As this case is less tied to Capital Hill as some of her other cases, his assistance is mostly emotional rather than informational, but it’s presence speaks volumes to their relationship.

I love the rich world these books are built into. Events unfold in a way that makes it feel like the reader is sitting right next to Sam, and the on-going nature of the series means readers are invested in the whole cast. Sam and Nick’s relationship is well settled, and it feels less like a romance and more like a piece of general fiction that happens to focus on one couple.

That being said, things have moved beyond their relationship and into the family of homicide detectives and what happens in the line of duty to these officers who are so close to each other. While I did read some of the previous books, there are some key events that happen in the three books I haven’t had a chance to read that left me reeling when I read about them after the fact. (I have since gone back and read those three books, for the record.)

This is billed as a standalone and officially, yes, it stands alone. However, I was glad I had taken the time to read at least part of the rest of the series before reading this one. While the criminal investigation aspects of the story stand alone, there are so many other storylines in this world that I would have felt like something was missing if I had read it alone. Sam, Nick, & Scotty being one of the biggest of those stories, there are also countless other side stories: the various other members of Sam’s homicide squad, Nick’s rise to his current political position, Sam’s dad’s medical history, as well as many other relationships. These previous side stories are referenced in offhanded ways that allow new readers to get a quick history without tying up large portions of the book. 

I devoured this book, even on the heels of having read three other Fatal books back to back, and much of the rest of the series within the last few weeks. The investigation threads that run through the story as well as the character’s outside lives that bleed into their police work had me turning pages as fast as I could. 

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

She used her thumb to point to her guest. “This is Josh—he’s with me.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She hated the way the agents insisted on calling her ma’am, as if she were seventy years old or something, but she’d chosen not to fight that battle. She wanted to say, if you can call me ma’am why can’t you call me Sam? Close enough, wasn’t it? But Nick had asked her not to make an issue of it, so she didn’t. But she wanted to.

“Have a seat.” She directed Josh to the sofa while she tossed her coat over the back of it. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.”

Sam dashed upstairs to their bedroom, anxious to see what was wrong with Nick, who’d been fine earlier. She found him in bed, curled into the fetal position, and was instantly concerned. Leaning over the bed, she pressed a kiss to his forehead, which was on fire. “Babe.”

“Mmm.”

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Don’t know. Was fine and then I wasn’t.”

“You’re burning up. Did you take something?”

“Couldn’t. Stomach.”

“I’m calling Harry.”

“No, I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine, and I’m calling Harry.”

He mumbled something that sounded like “don’t bother him,” but to hell with that. She was bothering him. Withdrawing her cell phone from her pocket, she found the number for one of their closest friends, who happened to be a doctor, and made the call.

“Madame Vice President,” Harry said. “To what do I owe the honor?”

“Nick is sick. Can you come over?”

“Sick with what?”

“I don’t know. He said it came on out of nowhere, and now he’s burning up and says his stomach hurts too bad to take anything.”

“Sounds like the flu. Keep your distance.”

“Way too late for that warning.” Sam winced when she thought of the sex they’d had last night and again this morning. Not getting too close to her husband was usu­ally the last thing she wanted to do.

 

And don’t forget to grab the previous titles in the Fatal Series Today!
FATAL AFFAIR
FATAL JUSTICE
FATAL CONSEQUENCES
FATAL DESTINY
FATAL FLAW
FATAL DECEPTION
FATAL MISTAKE
FATAL JEOPARDY
FATAL SCANDAL
FATAL FRENZY