The Gathering Dusk (Killer Instinct)

by Cynthia Eden

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

The Gathering Dusk is the prequel to the Killer Instinct series. It introduced the reader to Samantha Dark, a top-notch FBI profiler and her partner, former Navy Seal Blake Gamble. The story started out on an interesting note, which had me keen to learn more. Blake and Sam had attempted to apprehend a serial killer and save his latest victim. Things, however, did not go as planned and lives were lost, which placed them both in the crosshairs of a killer seeking revenge. In the aftermath, Samantha struggled with the guilt because of the loss of life, which brought to the forefront memories from her past.

Despite the brevity of the story, it proved to be a gripping and intense read, which whetted my appetite for more. Blake is the type who plays by the rules, but with Samantha, he would do just about anything to protect her. They both shared a chemistry, which slowly developed as the story progressed, but someone from Samantha’s past, who was privy to her darkest secrets, did not like this development, placing them both in further danger. Samantha has proven time and time again that her profiling skills were unparalleled, but this latest development regarding the individual from her past had her questioning her abilities.

The reader found Samantha fascinating, the way her mind works and how her profiles were spot on. Hints provided indicated she had a troubled past, which made the reader curious to learn more. However, regarding Blake the reader felt cheated as the information regarding his background was lacking. I was not sure if the length played a role in this lack of information or if it was a deliberate move by the author.

The story ended on an intriguing note, which had me immediately picking up the next book in the series. Overall, a quick read and great introduction to the seriesThis review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading