Before the Dawn by Cynthia Eden

About Before the Dawn

Print Length: 384 pages

Publisher: HQN Books (August 1, 2017)

The Killer Instinct series from New York Timesbestselling author Cynthia Eden continues as an FBI profiler tracks a case that resurrects ghosts from his past 

Ex-SEAL Tucker Frost knows that the world is full of evil. He saw it in the face of his own brother, Jason Frost, a cold, methodical, sadistic killer. A killer Tucker put down with his own hands in order to save Jason’s final victim—Dawn Alexander, the only girl who got away from the infamous “Iceman.”

It’s Tucker’s up close and personal experience with evil that’s made him perfect for Samantha Dark’s experimental profiling division in the FBI. And when women start turning up murdered with the same MO used by the Iceman, Tucker is sent back to Louisiana to investigate.

Ten full years have passed since the night that Tucker faced down his brother…and since he last saw Dawn, his one-time lover. But as Tucker and Dawn grapple with a desire that never died, they must also face the shared shadow from their pasts. Both have the same question—has Jason Frost come back from the dead to hunt again? And this time, will he succeed in killing the victim who got away?

“Suspenseful, sexy fare that keeps you turning pages until you reach the story’s conclusion.” –RT Book Reviews: on AFTER THE DARK

“Eden expertly twines terror and true love in her second Killer Instinct contemporary romantic thriller…. Eden employs countless red herrings, making it impossible to tell who the real killer is until the book’s end. This winning tale is a tightly plotted, expertly characterized adrenaline rush from start to finish.” –Publishers Weekly STARRED review on Before the Dawn by Cynthia Eden

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Mama Says:
Fair warning, there is some very dark material right from the beginning of this book, so if that’s not your bag, skip this intense to read.
That being said, I think if you read a serial killer/FBI book, you probably expect this sort of thing to come up, really.
While there was a fair bit of formulaic writing and predictability, overall the plot wasn’t entirely laid out from the beginning, and things were kept rather interesting with the main character and her pursuits.
I wasn’t too keen on some of the ways another character felt entitled to being with the mc, but that’s more of a personal issue than any trouble with the writing technique itself.
With brisk pacing and enjoyable dialogue, this would be a good thriller to read on the deck if you happen to take a weekend on the lake, or in your own backyard with your favorite cold drink.
Just don’t forget to leave a light on!
3.5 stars and my sincere thanks to the publisher and tour host for the review opportunity!

 

Excerpt:

Second chances didn’t come around often. If a man was lucky enough to have one, then he should grab on to that opportunity and hold tight to it with every bit of strength that he had.
It was a good thing Tucker Frost was strong.

He hurried into the conference room at the FBI’s Washington, DC, office. It was early June and the sun glinted through the window, shining right through the blinds. The other agents were already inside, seated at the round table. Their laptops were out. Their manila files were open. Their phones were on the tabletop, probably already turned to mute.

He took the last seat, had his laptop out and open in seconds and was adjusting the volume on his phone when Samantha Dark delicately cleared her throat.

“I want to thank all of you for joining me on such short notice.”

The meeting had been called ten minutes ago. He’d been outside the building, already anticipating just how he’d be spending the weekend.

“I know that our unit is still in the development phase, but you were all handpicked to join this team because I know that you bring a unique set of skills and a perspective for targeting killers that others just can’t imitate.”

Her voice was low, calm, and she turned her golden stare on all of the agents at the table.

Samantha Dark.

He was damn glad she’d come back to the FBI. He’d always respected Agent Dark. From the very first moment that they’d met at Quantico, he’d known just how sharp she was. Samantha had been the profiler to watch, but when her ex-lover had turned out to be a vicious serial killer, she’d retreated, pulling away from everyone close to her. He’d hated that.

But Samantha was back now. She’d stopped not just one serial killer on her last case, but two, and since she’d also managed to save the life of the FBI’s executive assistant director, Justin Bass, she’d been given carte blanche to try her experimental unit.

“Some folks would say,” Samantha began as her stare turned pensive, “that we aren’t the best ones to profile killers. They’d say our personal connections to murderers are weaknesses.”

His jaw locked.

“But those people would be dead wrong.” She gave a grim nod. “The fact that we’ve had serial killers intimately involved in our lives means that we understand them like no other person can.” She paused. “They were friends. They were lovers.”

She’d taken down the lover who’d tried to hurt her and who had hurt so many others.

“They were family.” Now her golden stare came back to him.

Beneath the table, his hands fisted. Blood always comes first.

Then her stare tracked to the red-haired agent on his left, Macey Night. “They have been our tormenters.”

From the corner of his eye, he saw Macey stiffen.

But then Samantha’s focus was on the last agent at that little table as she stared at Bowen Murphy and said, “And they have been our prey.”

Bowen inclined his head toward her.

About Cynthia Eden

Cynthia Eden is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader best-seller.

Cynthia writes dark tales of romantic suspense and sexy paranormal romance novels. She is a three-time finalist for the RITA® award (she was a finalist both in the romantic suspense category and in the paranormal romance category). Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over seventy novels and novellas.

Cynthia lives along the Alabama Gulf Coast. She loves romance novels, horror movies, and chocolate. Her favorite hobbies including hiking in the mountains (searching for waterfalls) and spelunking.

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