Something dark and brooding stalks the mysterious Bosque nature reserve.Birdwatchers fall prey to the menace and thefts of rare falcons are on therise. But it is the body of a murdered girl discovered on the banks of The RioGrande River that eventually brings Detectives Temeke and Santiago onto the trail.
During a camping weekend, Jessie Bowman's best friend, Bree, has disappeared. Guiltridden, yet determined to do the right thing, she tracks the man she believesis responsible and begins to unravel a mystery that tests every ounce of herresilience. She has only two choices - fight or flight. And Jessie is done withrunning.
Now Detectives Temeke and Santiago must locate Jessie before the madman snares hisfinal prey.
Watch out for more from Detective Temeke and Malin Santiago
Professional Reviews
Intensely Disturbing - Another Notch in Temeke's Belt
As a fan of Detective Temeke and his partner Malin Santiago, I was delighted to see a new book in the series. Easy Prey features a fascinating character, Jessie Bowman, who embodies the indestructible illusion of youth. When her best friend, Brianna Ortiz, disappears from their tent while on a camping trip, Jessie is thrown into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a deadly opponent.
Waking in the tent to discover Bree is gone along with a gun Jessie had brought for protection, the seventeen-year-old sets out to find her. The girls had been searching for a rare bird, an arctic gyrfalcon, and had seen a gray-haired man with a shotgun who they suspected was hunting the same bird.
While Jessie searches for Bree, she notifies the police, drawing Temeke and Santiago into the case. The story is told both through Jessie’s eyes as well as Malin’s and Temeke’s. Stibbe does an excellent job of capturing the innermost thoughts of the young girl; her guilt about an argument she had with Bree before her disappearance, her determination to learn what has happened to her friend, and her ability to pursue the man she suspects has kidnapped Brianna.
Stibbe has a knack for describing police procedures with an intensity that carries the reader along, comfortable in the knowledge of what is happening and why things are done in a particular manner. Her ability to switch between Temeke’s detective vision and Jessie’s teenage view provides a well-rounded picture of the events.
Perhaps the most disturbing character in the book is Jago, a sick individual who leads Jessie on a chase that could end in her death. This is not a book for the squeamish. It is violent, frightening, and will keep the reader up well past bedtime. I truly could not set it down.
There are other important characters in the story, not the least of which is the gyrfalcon. Kept by Malik Shamoun who owns a bird sanctuary, the falcon is the focal point of the tale. It is this falcon that precipitates much of the activity, from its disappearance to the hunt by Jago, and the eventual discovery of its importance.
There are understories which are as intense as the main plot. Stibbe ties it altogether neatly at the end, leaving her reader satisfied and eager for the next Temeke adventure. As with all the Detective Temeke books, this can be read as a stand-alone. However, I encourage readers to start with the first one and move forward. They are too good to choose just one favorite.
Eerie and twisted! Hurrah for the young heroine of ...
Eerie and twisted! Hurrah for the young heroine of the story! Eager to see what lies ahead for the 2 detectives as they push ahead in their personal lives, and what crimes will come their way next. I'm a fan of this series of Ms Stibbe, and appreciate her attention to detail concerning the workings of a police department. I hope there will be more in this series.
Another thrilling thriller!
This is a pacy read which I thoroughly enjoyed. There is a lot going on with a teen murder and the theft of rare birds to keep Temeke and Santiago on their toes. The disappearance of a second girl initiates a chilling cat and mouse game played out between killer and prey and for once Temeke is playing catch-up. As the story develops over a short time period you get the sense of a ticking clock in the background ranking up the tension and there are more than a few nail-biting ‘look behind you’ moments.
As with previous books in this series, those who enjoy police procedurals will appreciate the insights into how crime scenes are processed. I found it enthralling and balanced well with the flow of the story without slowing the action.
Temeke and Santiago share a wonderfully abrasive chemistry and in ‘Easy Prey’ we see further development of their characters both professionally and personally. A love interest for Santiago doesn’t go unnoticed by Temeke...which will be of interest to all those readers, like me, who are watching the ‘will they won’t they’ play out. I particularly liked the fact that teen lead Jessie isn’t a ‘prom queen’ heroine but instead, despite being gifted, she’s considered the least likely and least popular of her peers. The offspring of an overbearing soldier father, she’s struggling with low self esteem and the seemingly impossible task to live up to her father’s expectations. I found myself rooting for her as she battles against enormous odds.
A truly twisty plot, tense and suspenseful action and a thrilling climax.
Wholly recommended.
Boom! Pain! Blackness!
After an RPG attack on their barracks in Afghanistan, corpsmen, Amber Fox, Luke Owens , Wade Scott and Ross Miller wake up in an Army hospital in Germany.
Thus, begins a months long recovery for all of them. A
Let your children enjoy the wonders and adventures of pets that join a family, bringing joy and heartwarming moments to their everyday lives. This story is about Tubby and Riley, two dogs who needed a good, loving home.
