Steven James: Every Deadly Kiss

By Kelly Bridgewater

FBI special agent Patrick Bowers grapples with a baffling series of murders in Detroit—and discovers a terror plot with roots that stretch back centuries.
 
Called in by an ex-girlfriend to consult on a case, Patrick encounters the work of a killer who displays a stunning degree of ruthlessness. Bowers is shocked to find that the slayings are linked not just to his own history with a known terrorist, but to his former lover as well—and that her secret past might hold the key to stopping the crime spree. As layers of intrigue peel away, the city is pushed ever closer to a seemingly unstoppable bioweapon attack.

Unnerving and laced with breathtaking suspense, Every Deadly Kiss is a surprising and complex thriller that will keep readers obsessed to the final page.

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My Thoughts:

Steven James is my go-to thriller author. Every book he has written has captured my attention and drew me into the story instantly. I'm excited that there is another installment of the Patrick Bowers' files, and I couldn't wait to read it. Every Deadly Kiss might be the first book by James that I don't brag to my friends about. It didn't hit the mark for me.

First, I enjoyed returning to Patrick Bowers and watching his life interact with Christie and Tessa as he juggles his work life. This deepens Bowers character and makes him jump off the page for me. I enjoy seeing Christie and Tessa wander if there is room in their personal lives for Bowers or do they allow him to move on.

While the reoccurring character is a nice treat, I had a hard time with the plot in this story. For the first time, I actually had to drag myself to finish Every Deadly Kiss. It seemed pretty boring and not so thrill seeking as usual. James is great at allowing Bowers to work hard on a case and allowing us to see his stream of consciousness, but in Every Deadly Kiss, both of the cases, the bioterrorist threat and the dead women really didn't seem to motivate him to move. Bowers spent more time focusing on his relationship with Christie and his past relationship with a fellow FBI agent. The novel becomes more of James' style in the last ten percent of the novel. I am just sad that the rest of the novel didn't lead up to what I was expecting.

While the novel is unpredictable and original, James does leave a cliff-hanger at the end of the novel, begging me to return to the next one, which I will do since I love James' writing so much.

A word of caution there are more profanity laced words in this novel than any of the previous novels in this series. The action might still be a little too violent for young children. Maybe a late teenager might enjoy this, but I would have a hard time giving the novel to my fifteen year old. I don't think he is mature enough to handle this type of book.

Overall, Steven James' Every Deadly Kiss filled me with joy as I encounter Patrick Bower's again as he struggles through his life, but the plot didn't hit out of the park for me. I even got bored for a long time. I pray the next installment does a better job at giving me the type of story that I know James can write.

I received a complimentary copy of Every Deadly Kiss by Steven James from Berkley Publishing, and the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

What makes you feel bad about giving a favorite author a bad review on their latest story? Or does it? Do you think they should have a bad book just to make them appear normal? Or is that even a question?