The Wrong Victim (A Quinn & Costa Thriller, #3)

by Allison Brennan

From New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan comes a gripping new thriller.

A lethal attack with no clear motive…and a killer dead-set on keeping the truth buried.

A bomb explodes on a sunset charter cruise out of Friday Harbor at the height of tourist season and kills everyone on board. Now this fishing and boating community is in shock and asking who would commit such a heinous crime—the largest act of mass murder in the history of the San Juan Islands.

Was the explosion an act of domestic terrorism, or was one of the dead the primary target? That is the first question Special Agent Matt Costa, Detective Kara Quinn and the rest of the FBI team need to answer, but they have few clues and no witnesses.

Accused of putting profits before people after leaking fuel endangered an environmentally sensitive preserve, the West End Charter company may itself have been the target. As Matt and his team get closer to answers, they find one of their own caught in the crosshairs of a determined killer.

Don’t miss THE MISSING WITNESS, the brand-new page-turning thriller from New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan!

• ISBN10: 0778312305
• ISBN13: 9780778312307
• Publish Date: 26 April 2022
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Imprint: Mira Books
• Edition: Original ed.
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 464
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

I've learned something about myself. Sometimes I'll make a mistake and pick up a series in the middle. Frequently, I'll try to back and read the previous books. Other times? I'm just too stubborn and will keep reading the series, happy as can be. That's the case with Quinn & Costa – I still haven't read the first book in the series, but that isn't going to keep me from diving into The Wrong Victim, the third novel in the series.

Detectives Kara Quinn and Matt Costa have seen more than their fair share of violence. It's part of the job. Yet even their years of experience could not prepare them for the terrorist attack they are about to deal with.

A bomb successfully takes out a charter cruise, killing everyone on board. This makes it the worst mass murder to hit the San Juan Islands. Finding out who is behind the attack will be more complicated than expected, as there are plenty of motives flying around.

They're back! Is it just me, or is there something delightful about a mystery series dropping the next book? I love following the same characters in and out of different cases, including Quinn and Costa.

The Wrong Victim is a complex and fascinating read that is very multidimensional. It made it difficult to predict the conclusion, which is fine by me. As long as it all makes sense in the end, that is. And it did, at least for me.

Naturally, there's also a heavy personal element to go alongside the mystery. Kara and Matt both have personal stuff going on, though it felt like Kara's plot stole the show. This time, at any rate. It was a strong reminder that they are people first and investigators second – even when dealing with gruesome crimes.

Thanks to MIRA and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Jeff Sexton]

Solid Mystery Deep In Series. While this is only book 3 in the series, as heavily as the first two are referenced it actually feels much deeper in. So up front, my recommendation is actually to go back to the beginning of this series and start there, if you haven't already. But once you get here... this is a solid mystery with a lot going on both within the mystery and town it is placed in - this band of FBI cops travels the country, and this particular mystery is set in Washington's San Juan Islands, familiar to many from Discovery Channel's long running Island Life show (which I watched - for months, over meals - on Discovery+, for those that may have missed it and want to get a feel for the real islands here). Both the islanders and the FBI team prove interesting characters, but the series depth *really* shows through in the interactions between the FBI team. The choice to almost go Disaster Movie-esque and show the victims of the murder first was actually quite bold and refreshing, and overall this book simply worked so much better than Brennan's previous effort I reviewed, The Sorority Murder - which worked well enough for what it was and had some unique things going for it, this was simply a better executed story here to my own mind. Overall a great story, and perfect for any fans of long running police procedurals. Very much recommended.

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Brennan has returned with the third book in the Quinn and Costa series, The Wrong Victim. This was an explosive and twisted read that will boggle the mind and keep readers guessing until the big reveal.

I have been following the series from the beginning and I could hardly wait to dive into The Wrong Victim. Curious about the new case that landed in the laps of the Mobile Response Team and that state of Kara and Matt’s relationship, I quickly slipped into the story. The story gripped me with its intense storyline, tightly woven plot, interesting but flawed characters, the many clues which kept me guessing with each page turn.

This is one of those mysteries/thrillers where the who is not easily surmised and the motive is crazier than a loon. Wow! Who can ever understand the mind and the actions of a psychopath? With its many suspects and the potential clues popping, the MRT had their work cut out for them. The fact it occurred in a small town added to their challenges.

Tension filled the pages of this thrilling story. Not only we have in relation to the case, there is also tension between two of the members of the MRT. The team’s psychologist feels Kara’s is not a good fit for the team and questions her judgement. She does everything to make Kara feel uncomfortable in her attempt to have her removed from the team. Discovering Kara and Matt’s secret romantic involvement provided her with added ammunition. I lift my hat to Kara. She held her own and proved that despite her lack of a degree; she possessed the instincts and the experience the MRT needed.

Brennan intricately wove several threads throughout the story, which culminated into one big finish. Initially, uncertainty existed regarding the connection of these threads, but throughout the progression of the story, the connection gained clarity. The last few pages of the story had me on the edge of my seat. I am a disappointed with the outcome. Thankfully, it did not detract from my enjoyment of the story.

The Wrong Victim, which works well as a stand-alone, was a great addition to the series. Fans of police procedurals would find this series entertaining.
This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading