Karen Vail FBI Profiler Series by Alan Jacobson

times 3!!!
(I haven't gotten to the 4th one yet, but I'm sure it will be just as addicting)

My love affair with thrillers and mysteries began with Alan Jacobson. Karen Vail is an extremely likable character who simply put - kicks ass. What makes Alan Jacobson so good? No matter how good you are, you will not be able to predict the ending or the identity of the killer.

These books are extra relatable to me because I am familiar with most of the settings: Karen Vail grew up on Long Island, not far from where I live; the 2nd and 3rd books are set in Napa Valley and San Francisco - my mom lived in the suburbs of San Francisco for a while and when I visited her we went up to Napa. Having thrillers set in places you are familar with makes them extra thrilling.

In this first novel, the first female FBI Profiler, Karen Vail, and her team hunt down the Dead Eyes Killer - a serial killer who mutilates his victims and paints the walls with their blood. It turns out that Karen is the secret to unlocking this mystery and the killer's identity, nearly becoming the killers 7th victim.

Karen Vail is on vacation with her boyfriend in Napa Valley. As luck would have it, they stumble upon a dead body while touring a winery and Karen is put on the case. The Crush Killer baffles Karen because he transcends every profile. The task force team becomes a target as they desperately try to catch the killer and save their lives. Lucky for you the 3rd book is already out because Crush will leave you with your mouth agape, jaw-on-the-floor, desperate to get your hands on Velocity so you can find out what happens next.

I don't want to spoil the ending of Crush so I won't tell you what Velocity is about, but I will tell you to make sure you have this book on your shelf before you finish Crush because you will want to dive right into it. The detail in this book is astounding and I applaud Alan Jacobson's diligent accuracy. Loved, Loved, Loved it!

The amount of research that Alan Jacobson obviously put into these novels is astounding. There are so many details and they are all extremely accurate. You will get lost in the reality of his fiction. Leave yourself plenty of reading time when you pick these up, because you won't be able to put them down.