Thursday 20 March 2014

Book Review: Snapped by Laura Griffin


On a sweltering summer afternoon, Sophie Barrett walks into a nightmare. A sniper has opened fire on a college campus. When the carnage is over, three people - plus the shooter - are dead and dozens more are injured. Sophie escapes virtually unscathed. Yet as details emerge from the investigation, she becomes convinced that this wasn't the random, senseless act it appeared to be. No one wants to believe her - not the cops, not her colleagues at the Delphi Center crime lab, and definitely not Jonah Macon, the homicide detective who’s already saved her life once.

Jonah has all kinds of reasons for hoping Sophie is mistaken. Involving himself with a key witness could derail an already messy investigation, not to mention jeopardize his career. But Sophie is as determined and fearless as she is sexy. If he can’t resist her, he can at least swear to protect her. Because if Sophie is right, she’s made herself the target of a killer without a conscience. And the real terror is only just beginning.

Snapped the second book I have read in the Tracers series. Snapped is number 4 and I have also read number 7. I found them to be really similar and had the some problems with each of them.

In both the books I have read so far I have really liked the storyline (even though they were really quite similar) but didn't like the main female character. I had hoped that this didn't run through the whole series, and I will continue to read them but at the moment it is looking likely to be the case.

I really love the way Laura Griffin writes her murder mystery thrillers. That aspect of the story is exciting, and exhilarating. Snapped opens with a bang and the punches keep coming. I like how it is about many different characters who are all working together to solve a case. The actual investigation is by far the best part of the book and when the writing is focused on that it is amazing.

It is with the characterisation and the romance that this book lost points with me. Every book I have read in this series so far is centred on an annoying female character. Twice now I have come across the same characteristics and irritating ticks. Sophie's life is in danger so she seems to go out of her way to make things as difficult as she possibly can for the people who are trying to help her. She is stubborn, she inserts herself into an investigation and seems to think she is above the law and better than anyone else. She is exactly the same as the female character in the other book I read from this series.

Jonah is the guy trying to keep her Sophie is some sort of order, he is trying to solve a case and protect a woman who is intent on doing anything in her power to make his life as difficult as possible, no wonder he seemed drawn and tired all the time. I quite liked Jonah and would have liked to have known more about him but he was swallowed by Sophie.

The romance lacked chemistry and substance. Sophie seemed to think that if she wanted something from a man sleeping with him was the only way to do it. When she wants to stay at Jonah's house she wears a skimpy outfit and racy underwear to get what she wants. I never felt like the romance was level, Jonah seemed to care about her a lot more than she seemed to care about him. The love scene just seemed to happen and there was little feeling involved.

I was hoping that Snapped would be better than the other Tracers book I read but it was about the same. The thriller aspects were top notch but the romance and characters disappointing.

2 stars

 Find out more:

Book 4 in the Tracers series

Published August 30th 2011 by Pocket Star, ebook, 401 pages

Review by Kate Phillips


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