Hunting Fear - Kay Hooper (2013 Rom Sus Challenge)

There's a new psychic on the scene, and he's ready for action: introducing Lucas Jordan, the latest addition to Noah Bishop's crackerjack Special Crimes Unit. Lucas Jordan has an extraordinary psychic skill that police all over the country find invaluable: he locates missing people. And since being recruited by Noah Bishop for his FBI Special Crimes Unit, Lucas has learned to hone his remarkable ability so that what he does seems little short of miraculous.He's called in on what appear to be a series of ordinary kidnappings-for-ransom, but almost immediately Lucas realizes the situation is far from ordinary—and more deadly than anything he's ever faced before. Because a brilliant, twisted madman is out to win a sick game, matching his wits against the best hunter he can find: Lucas.

I am always looking forward to start a new Hooper book. Even if they they don't make my top reads list they are usually fast paced and intriguing and they make for enjoyable reads. Hunting Fear is no exception and almost made it to the above mentioned list.

Lucas Jordan is another of Bishop's agents. The book starts with Bishop enlisting Jordan which was a really nice bit as I don't think we've been getting enough Bishop in the last books I've read. As the other agents on the team Lucas has a particular psychic ability - he can sense fear. He has been chasing a kidnapper who holds his victims for ransom but even if the money is payed he kills them.

The current case is in Clayton Country and when Lucas arrives he finds someone from his past - Samantha Burke. Samantha is a seer, she connects with people when she touches them. It is obvious from the beginning that her shared past with Lucas ended badly and she keeps baiting him. I didn't much like Samantha. Although in the end we do find out the reason behind her behaviour, I had a hard time believing she and Lucas would start a relationship without some working out their trust issues and her behaviour towards him.

I think the story really works after we discover that it is personal against Lucas and when the victim also becomes someone he (and us) know. I have to admit I was thinking that their race against time would be a successful one and was a bit surprised when Hooper let go of what seemed, so far, an important character in the story. She does maintain the suspense flowing and the torture details were quite chilling.

However I missed knowing more about the killer and his motivations. Since the way he worked was well described and so precise I think we needed to know more about him. As it is I felt the final revelation came a bit out of nowhere.  It was still a fast and easy read that made for an enjoyable afternoon.

Grade: 3.5/5