Predictable But Still Fun

Lisa Gardner realizes a great duo when she has one, so she builds another story around the twosome of Pierce Quincy and Rainie Connor. In this tome, someone is killing people near and dear to Quincy. The reader is grabbed from the beginning with a seduction that ends in murder, whose victim just happens to be Quincy’s oldest daughter, Amanda. Narrowing the list of people who have a grievance with Quincy is not an easy task since he’s an FBI profiler and has helped put away numerous criminals. Is it one of those or someone new? So Rainie comes flying to his aid to help stop this murderer before Quincy loses anyone else close to him.

The story line is at times predictable, but the identity of the killer may elude some. SpoilerThe part about Quincy’s ex-wife, Bethie, falling for a man she hardly knows, and not telling anyone about him, is a bit farfetched. Everyone could see that murder coming!End Spoiler

With Quincy fast becoming a key suspect due to the diligence of the villain in setting him up for these crimes the pace of the book picks up speed. Quincy, Kimberly (his other daughter), and Rainie go to Portland, Oregon where they will be safe while trying to figure out who is behind these crimes which is the best part of this mystery.

A few items in this book are a bit hard to comprehend. Quincy is usually self-reliant and so self absorbed that I don’t think he’d ask for anyone’s help, even if it were someone with whom he had an emotional attachment. And why would Quincy ask for help investigating a crime that happened fourteen months previously (Amanda was in a coma for that length of time)? Why not investigate sooner? And how many wrecked cars have any parts still available after that length of time? I doubt many!

At times I wanted to smack Rainie for her smart mouth and hardcore personality. But that seems to be what attracted Quincy in the first place, so those traits remained steadfast. Quincy has a problem trusting anyone and opening up, but seems to be forced to trust Rainie during this time. This is the beginning of not only a trust thing, but the sparks begin to ignite a bit more than we previously saw. It’s obvious, but it works.

Plot development picks up speed and the reader is soon holding on to the edge of his/her seat. Gardner may start out slow at times, but she definitely has the plot twists in full swing by mid book. She’s a master at tying up all the loose ends before the last page and throws in a couple of extras just for good measure.

Character development is a bit of a let down. Rainie’s overbearing personality is a bit over-the-top and we don’t get to know her any better than we do in the beginning. We learn a few tidbits more about Quincy, but not much. Kim is the only one being developed in this book.

Even with its flaws, THE NEXT ACCIDENT is definitely one to read. It will keep even the most die-hard mystery fan glued to the pages until the end.