In the Line of Duty (Detective Madison Knight, #7)

by Carolyn Arnold

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

“In the Line of Duty” by Carolyn Arnold is the seventh book in the Maddison Knight series. Having never read the previous books in the series, I was a bit worried that I would not be able to follow the story. However, my worries were unnecessary. This book can be read as a stand-alone.

The story began on a sad note. Madison’s colleague and friend, officer Barry Weir, was shot and killed while off duty. The question on everyone’s lips at this point was, was this a specific hit or was it an attack on police officers in general? The men and women of the Stiles PD find themselves in a race against time to find the killer before he strikes again.

This story is a demonstration of what the persons who swore to protect and serve face on a daily basis. It also demonstrates the trauma and turmoil they face when one of theirs is taken down by ruthless criminals. This was a story of real human emotions that hit too close to home.
What stood out most to me in this story is the manner in which grief can either bring persons together or pull them apart. In this instance, I saw officers who could barely tolerate each other, working together to achieve a common goal. Also, I saw the toll it took on Madison’s relationship with her significant other.

The characters were interesting, but the one that stood out for me was Madison. She was a kickass detective who was fearless, strong-willed and tenacious. She followed all possible leads as she was committed to solving this case. She confronted everything head on. I loved how the author portrayed both her personal and professional life. It shows her struggling to gain approval from her mom who does not approve of her career choice. This showed that there is a sensitive side to her.
The story was gripping. I could not wait to find out who was responsible for the killing and what was the motive. There were so many possible suspects. Just when I thought I had it figured out another suspect was thrown into the mix. When all was revealed I was in utter shock as I never saw it coming.

This is my second time reading Ms. Arnold’s work and I am impressed with her writing style and how she portrays her characters. It is evident that she had done her due diligence before putting pen to paper. Her attention to detail was on point and the way she described each scene made me feel as if I was actually there.

This is a must read for fans of police procedurals.