When You See Me
4 Stars

The discovery of a human bone deep in the hills of Georgia leads to the creation of a multi-jurisdictional task force, and the unraveling of a decades-old conspiracy that may have life-altering consequences for everyone involved.

Series note: This book merges the perspectives of several lead characters from Lisa Gardner's universe - D.D. Warren, Kimberly Quincy and Flora Dane. There is a great deal of backstory needed to understand the plot, and as such, the book cannot be read as a standalone or as an introduction to Gardner's writing.

This installment is a solid police procedural with good character development for Flora. That said, the explanation for the mystery is predictable and the connection to Jacob Ness feels forced.

It is not easy to merge the perspectives of four different characters, but Lisa Gardner manages with smooth transitions between characters. Thankfully, the chapter titles include the name of the character, so it is easy to keep track, which is especially important when listening to the audiobook.

The updates on D.D.'s and Kimberly's families are delightful - it is good to see that they have found a balance between their personal and professional lives. However, the real highlight is the progress that Flora has made. Over the last few books, she has grown and changed from the closed-off vigilante to a woman who has finally reconciled with her past and opened herself the possibility of a happy future.

The investigation itself is pretty straightforward and the identity of the culprit easy to guess. Nevertheless, there are some exciting scenes towards the end and the resolution is satisfying.

In sum, an entertaining read, but I get the impression that this might be the last book in this particular series. It seems a good place to end it.



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When You See Me (Detective D.D. Warren, #11) by Lisa Gardner

Detective D.D. Warren, FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy, Flora Dane and true-crime enthusiast Keith Edgar head to a small Georgia town. Once there they know something is very wrong.

Together they try to piece together an old crime, buried human remains, recent deaths (that seem to be) connected. What they are about to uncover is evil at its core. (But) that won't stop them. Lives are in danger as they fight to uncover the truth.

Moving at a fast pace (with) engaging dialog told from alternating characters, brought me deep into the story. Attention to detail, with plenty of chilling, suspense filled moments. Tension builds in this emotionally charged thrill ride. I was hooked and could not put it down.

Overall I found When You See Me enjoyable. I highly recommend to those who enjoy a great procedural/crime-thriller/suspense. Lisa Gardner fans will not want to miss this read. Fantastic! ( )

Excellent. ( )

WOW what an awesome read this one was. What Bonita had to endure during a short period of time was horrible. I know there were others kept "captive; as well be her story just cut right through me. I could actually see myself as one of the characters in the story with her, How cruel people can be, I am just so happy they got her out of the house but o sad they weren't able to help Helene too. I can't wait to read more from Lisa Gardner with DD Warren or the other main characters of her books, ( )

My favorite D.D. Warren book of the series. Amazingly twisted plot with some great characters. Definitely a page-turner in the second half of the book. If you have never read a Lisa Gardner novel, starting with this one would be a great choice -- though these characters do have a history in her earlier novels. ( )