Scream For Me - Karen Rose

Special Agent Daniel Vartanian has sworn to find the perpetrator of multiple killings that mimic a 13-year-old murder linked to a collection of photographs that belonged to his brother, Simon, the ruthless serial killer who met his demise in DIE FOR ME. Daniel is certain that someone even more depraved than his brother committed these crimes, and he's determined to bring the current murderer to justice and solve the mysterious crime from years ago.

With only a handful of images as a lead, Daniel's search will lead him back through the dark past of his own family, and into the realm of a mind more sinister than he could ever imagine. But his quest will also draw him to Alex Fallon, a beautiful nurse whose troubled past reflects his own. As Daniel becomes attached to Alex, he discovers that she is also the object of the obsessed murderer. Soon, he will not only be racing to discover the identity of this macabre criminal, but also to save the life of the woman he has begun to love.

Scream For Me is a sequel to Die for Me where we were introduced to the Vartanian family. Simon, the murderer caught in the previous book, is now dead and his brother Daniel returns to the small town where they grew up. Also back in town is Alex Fallon, she left town when she was still a girl after her twin sister was murdered and her mother committed suicide and she now returns to look for her cousin who has gone missing.

As usual Rose's books are an interesting mix of suspense and romance, she pays equal attention to both of them and that works very well for me even when she deals with gritty subjects. One must mention that these stories are not for the faint of heart as her villains are really bad guys.

Daniel Vartanian goes back to investigate a crime his brother committed while still in high school, a series of rapes of young girls. It's clear that more young men were involved and he soon finds out Alex Fallon's sister was one of their victims. Rose successfully creates a small town atmosphere where everyone could be guilty and most seem to know everyone else's secrets and feel they have a right to judge. I really disliked all the time spent there but I think that was Rose's intention. You know those bad horror movies where you know something bad is going to happen and you feel like screaming at the screen: don't go there? Well, for a while I kept screaming at Alex to just get out of there and go home, but of course that couldn't happen could it?

While investigating Simon and his friends past crimes and how they link to Alex's cousin disappearance, Alex and Daniel uncover a new crime organization that's kidnaps girls and sells them for prostitution. They solve the old crime but this new one is clearly set up to continue in the next book. In fact it almost felt like the two books were one and if you are planning to read this trilogy that is better done in a row, especially book 2 and 3.

While I did like the story I felt it lacked a bit of closure and that the small town, Dutton, felt a bit too corrupt, too dirty. I certainly hope nothing like this exists in real life where all the powers seem involved with the bad guys.

I did like Daniel and Alex, even if I felt they fell in love a bit too quickly. But as usual Rose writes strong, courageous and interesting characters and one can't but enjoy they're developing relationship.

Grade: 4/5