Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan

 

My thoughts

This is the second book in the Kat and Lock series. Jo Callaghan has created very likable characters with these two. One is a female DI and the other is an AI who they are trying to use in the course of investigations. 

In this book Kat and Lock are looking for a suspect who has hung a man on a cross and removed his ears. Who would do such a thing. His fiance possibly? Maybe his best friend? Or is something much more sinister at play?

When Kat gets the call about a man being found hung on a cross she immediately starts trying to figure out what happened and why it happened. Before it happens again. In four days it does happen though. Her boss of course doubts her ability to solve the case but she doesn't give up. Kat has a wonderful team and they are all working overtime to solve these murders. 

A reporter is letting people know things before Kat can get a handle on things. Kat wants this solved before another murder can happen. Her partner, the AI, is working with her by looking at videos and reading everything as fast as he can. 

I have to say that this was an excellent book. A first rate follow of the first book, In The Blink of An Eye. You get to know more about each character and how they work. How well they all get along. While I did figure out who the killer was and why it certainly did not take away from the story. Not in the least. I was on the edge of my seat when things came to a head and Lock(AI) was talking to the murderer. And at a few other times I found myself holding my breath. I also cried a few times. This book was so good but also needs to come with a trigger warning for sure. It contains talk of a rape, a drug induced rape. Date rape drug use and other things. But it's still a wonderful book and well written.

This author has a series here that I believe will keep getting better and better. I'm looking forward to the next installment already. 

Be sure and read the Acknowledgments at the end as it contains some info. My heart goes out to this author and her family. 

Thank you #NetGalley, #RandomHousePublishing, for this ARC. 

Five big stars.

About

When the body of a man is found crucified at the top of a hill in the British midlands, AIDE Lock—the world’s first AI Detective—and Detective Kat Frank are thrust into the spotlight as they are given their first live case. When a second body is found the police issue an extraordinary warning to local males aged between 30 and 40 years old:

• Avoid drinking in pubs
• If you must go to a pub, do not leave alone
• And definitely do not leave a pub with a stranger

With the national media and local men in an uproar, Kat and Lock have to combine their instincts and algorithms to catch the killer before they can strike again.