Compulsion
by Allison Brennan is the second of the series. Its main character
is investigative reporter Maxine (Max) Revere who believes
the truth will always set someone free. With each book readers
get to know more of the back story on Max and her supporting
cast.
Any mystery fan will enjoy Brennan's mixing of Max's prior
cases and early life with the surrounding facts concerning
the current case. Because of her connections and TV news show,
"Maximum Exposure," she is able to get an exclusive
interview with an accused serial killer, Adam Bachman who
has been charged with five murders. But Max's focus is on
two other victims, a middle-aged couple on their second honeymoon,
who have just disappeared. With relentless perseverance Max
finds what actually happened to this couple, which leads to
her kidnapping. The rest of the plot is devoted to finding
answers as well as finding Max.
The author commented, "I had Adam use the analogy of
fish to let Max know he was guilty without admitting it. I
used to go fishing with my grandpa and sometimes thought of
this quote from the book, 'You hook a fish. It's not supposed
to hurt them, but who knows because fish can't talk
They still see the bait, they want the bait, in the back of
their little pea brains they might even recognize there's
a danger, but they dismiss it. They get hooked every time.'"
Through her back story, Max becomes a more sympathetic character
as readers see and feel everything she is experiencing. The
book explains how her past "ruled her. Drove her."
She was battered, imprisoned, scarred, and abandoned, which
enlightens on how her personality was molded into being a
demanding, sometimes arrogant, judgmental, yet passionate
and intelligent person.
Brennan wanted to base a character on some of her own experiences
of "being an independent woman who is viewed differently
in the work force. When I worked in the Capitol I had to lay
down the law to a staffer. He told me, 'I guess I know who
wears the pants in your family.' Yet, I thought about it and
knew if my husband had done and said what I did this staffer
would have reacted differently. Max is how I used to be, tenacious
and never shying away."
Compulsion is a gripping, pulse-pounding thriller that
readers will not want to put down. Brennan examines the investigative
reporter process realistically with riveting characters that
include Max Revere and her supporting cast.
The author gave a heads up about her next few books. The book
featuring Max will focus on a dysfunctional family where one
of the teenagers is murdered. The plot examines a "mean
girl" who does not hesitate to use social media for her
atrocious comments, which ruin reputations. Before that there
will be another two books featuring FBI agent Lucy Kincaid.
The setting will be San Antonio, and the plot involves a corrupt
Congresswoman who is laundering money for the drug cartels.
The DEA agent Nicole who was introduced in Dead Heat
will play a pivotal role in these sequel plots.
Reviews
of other titles in this series
Notorious
#1
Compulsion #2
Shattered
#4
|