Dangerous Games by Tess Diamond

Dangerous Games (O'Connor & Kincaid, #1)

by Tess Diamond

In Tess Diamond's gripping debut, when an elite negotiator and a security expert team up to solve a kidnapping, the only thing higher than the tension is the heat ...Maggie Kincaid left the FBI two years ago and didn't look back ...until now. A senator's daughter has been abducted, and the nightmare set in motion isn't just familiar to Maggie, it's personal. She'll need all the help she can get to bring Kayla Thebes home alive-even if that help comes from a hot-as-hell ex-soldier who plays by his own rules...For Jake O'Connor, negotiation equals weakness. But he's immediately drawn to the sexy former agent who epitomizes strength. It isn't long before he and Maggie are working together 24/7, learning to read each other's signals and wanting much more. But for Maggie and Jake, letting their guard down-even around each other-may be dangerous. Now, as they close in on a kidnapper with nothing to lose, their first mistake could shatter a young girl's last chance...

Reviewed by kimbacaffeinate on

4 of 5 stars

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The story opens with Maggie Kincaid running for exercise. As her mind wanders we get a look into her troubled past and life as an FBI hostage negotiator. Maggie left the FBI, two years ago, after losing a young girl. Diamond very quickly connects the reader to Maggie and provides a suspense element when her former mentor asks her to assist on a high-profile abduction.

We meet Jake O'Conner a former Army Ranger who now works in security for Washington's elite. He has been brought in to handle the security detail and advise the senator. Right away, I liked the banter between O'Conner and Kincaid. Reader's will enjoy the delicious undercurrent of chemistry hidden behind posturing and snark. Immediately I looked forward to seeing it unfold.

The kidnapping case in DANGEROUS GAMES had all the making of an episode of the hit TV show 24. Twists, turns, coverups, corruption and more. I was enthralled as we pulled together clues and witnessed a partnership form between O'Conner and Kincaid. The story was well written, and each thread brought us one step closer. Diamond provided suspenseful moments while keeping an air of believability.

Diamond did an excellent job of peeling back the layers of Maggie in this novel. She is quite brilliant and driven to excel based on her traumatic background. There is an overall ARC to the O’Connor & Kincaid series that deals with answers Kincaid is seeking. While the kidnapping case wraps up, we are left with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger. I cannot wait for the release of book two.

Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 28 February, 2017: Finished reading
  • 28 February, 2017: Reviewed