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A review by laurenjodi
Ambush by Barbara Nickless
3.0
Ambush
3 Stars
Railway detective Sydney Rose Parnell and her K-9 partner, Clyde, join in the investigation into the murder of a railway security guard by a homeless man. Sydney soon realizes that the case is connected to the conspiracy revolving around the deaths of a Marine and interpreter in Iraq as well as the actions of the mysterious Alpha who is determined to keep the events secret.
While it is good to finally have an explanation and closure surrounding Sydney's past in Iraq during the 2nd Gulf War, the plot feels more like a Cold War thriller than a murder investigation. This shift in tone is disappointing as the conspiracy elements seem cobbled together rather than a natural development based on the hints provided in previous books.
The pacing is also rather slow at first, but the twists soon start coming and the tension increases as the story progresses. There are some very surprising and interesting revelations along the way although one or two developments require more than a little suspension of disbelief. Thankfully, Nickless avoids the annoying, and Sydney makes the right choices for herself.
Overall, this is not the best installment in the series, and I hope that the next book returns to the more appealing police procedural style of the first couple of books.
3 Stars
Railway detective Sydney Rose Parnell and her K-9 partner, Clyde, join in the investigation into the murder of a railway security guard by a homeless man. Sydney soon realizes that the case is connected to the conspiracy revolving around the deaths of a Marine and interpreter in Iraq as well as the actions of the mysterious Alpha who is determined to keep the events secret.
While it is good to finally have an explanation and closure surrounding Sydney's past in Iraq during the 2nd Gulf War, the plot feels more like a Cold War thriller than a murder investigation. This shift in tone is disappointing as the conspiracy elements seem cobbled together rather than a natural development based on the hints provided in previous books.
The pacing is also rather slow at first, but the twists soon start coming and the tension increases as the story progresses. There are some very surprising and interesting revelations along the way although one or two developments require more than a little suspension of disbelief. Thankfully, Nickless avoids the annoying
Spoiler
love triangle when Sydney's love interest, Doug Ayres is resurrectedOverall, this is not the best installment in the series, and I hope that the next book returns to the more appealing police procedural style of the first couple of books.