Review: Seized by Elizabeth Heiter

seizedTitle: Seized by Elizabeth Heiter
The Profiler Series Book Three
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Danger is all around her… 

What should have been a routine investigation for FBI profiler Evelyn Baine turns ominous when she’s kidnapped by a dangerous cult of survivalists. As her worst nightmares become a reality, she begins to question what she’s seeing. Because the longer she’s inside their compound, the more she realizes this group is not what it seems to be.

The next terrorist threat is right beside her… 

As the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team closes in, Evelyn suspects she’s stumbled onto an emerging terrorist threat—and a cult leader who has a score to settle with the FBI. If Hostage Rescue breaches the compound, Evelyn’s dead for sure. If they don’t, the cult may unleash a surprise attack that could leave the whole country shattered.

Review:

In Seized, the third installment in Elizabeth Heiter’s The Profiler series, FBI agent Evelyn Baine is kidnapped and held hostage by a survivalist cult.

Now she has solved the kidnapping case that drove her to become a profiler, Evelyn is at a crossroads. She feels adrift and cannot decide whether she wants to continue her career in the FBI while at the same time, the thought of leaving fills her with panic. She is plagued with self-doubt and she cannot help but question her ability to accurately profile the cases she is reviewing. When fellow FBI agent Jen Martinez approaches her with her suspicions that a local cult is a terrorist threat, Evelyn is reluctant to become involved but Jen leaves her no choice but to agree. What should have been a quick assessment rapidly turns deadly when Jen is shot by cult leader Ward Butler and Evelyn is held hostage at the cult’s compound.

At first, Evelyn is just trying to survive the situation but once she realizes the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) has been called in, she pushes aside her alarm to try to give the team as much information as possible. She also tries to use her profiling skills to assess Butler and another cult member, Rolfe. She is conflicted by the men’s actions which in makes her very indecisive about her profile. Evelyn’s panic also makes her feel like she is missing vital clues that could help her nail down the profile but her fears for her safety make it impossible for her to impartially gauge the increasingly volatile situation.

Once Evelyn is rescued by HRT, she is officially assigned to the case but she still remains uncertain of her profile. Things move at a breakneck speed when another threat is uncovered and someone she cares for is injured in the line of duty. Evelyn is also in the unusual position of following a case through to the end and she feels pressured to commit to her assessment of the main suspect. At the same time, she is still trying to evade a confrontation with her boss about the future of her career.

Seized is a suspense-laden and intriguing thriller that has an unusual but compelling storyline. Evelyn still continues to be a multi-faceted character who has been shaped by her past but is trying to come to terms with the fact that this no longer defines her. Elizabeth Heiter does a wonderful job keeping the series fresh by focusing this latest installment on a terrorist cult instead of the usual murder and/or kidnapping storyline. Appealing characters, an unique but relevant plot and plenty of action make this newest addition to The Profiler series an aboslute must read for fans of the mystery/suspense genre.

1 Comment

Filed under Contemporary, Elizabeth Heiter, Harlequin, Mira, Mystery, Rated B+, Seized, Suspense, The Profiler Series

One Response to Review: Seized by Elizabeth Heiter

  1. Timitra

    Thanks Kathy for the review