Name: Paige Green's review of Crimson Summer by Heather Graham
Item: Crimson Summer
Rating: 3
Author: Paige Green

Heather Graham

They're not going down without a fight. When FDLE special agent Amy Larson discovers a small horse figurine amid the bloody aftermath of a gang massacre in the Everglades, she recognizes it immediately. The toy is the calling card of the apocalypse cult that Amy and her partner, FBI special agent Hunter Forrest, have been investigating, and it can only mean one thing: this wasn’t an isolated skirmish—it was the beginning of a war. As tensions between rival gangs rise, so does the body count, and Amy and Hunter’s investigation leads them to a violent, far-right extremist group who are in no hurry to quell the civil unrest. With a deadly puppet master working to silence their every lead, it’s a race against the clock to figure out who’s been pulling the strings and put a stop to the escalating cartel turf war before the Everglades run red.

Crimson Summer

Genesis (@whisperingchapters)

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Crimson Summer

Author: Heather Graham

Book Series: Amy Larson & Hunter Forrest FBI Book 2

Rating: 3/5

Recommended For...: mystery, murder mystery, thriller, suspense

Publication Date: April 5, 2022

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Age Relevance: 18+ (murder, death, violence, gore, language)

Explanation of Above: There is a lot of murder and death in this book, along with violence and gore. There is also cursing in this book.

Publisher: MIRA

Pages: 384

Synopsis: They're not going down without a fight.

When FDLE special agent Amy Larson discovers a small horse figurine amid the bloody aftermath of a gang massacre in the Everglades, she recognizes it immediately. The toy is the calling card of the apocalypse cult that Amy and her partner, FBI special agent Hunter Forrest, have been investigating, and it can only mean one thing: this wasn’t an isolated skirmish—it was the beginning of a war.

As tensions between rival gangs rise, so does the body count, and Amy and Hunter’s investigation leads them to a violent, far-right extremist group who are in no hurry to quell the civil unrest. With a deadly puppet master working to silence their every lead, it’s a race against the clock to figure out who’s been pulling the strings and put a stop to the escalating cartel turf war before the Everglades run red.

Review: Overall, this was an ok book. The premise is interesting and it kept my interest throughout the book. The characters were fairly well developed and the world building was ok. I also liked the mystery aspect and thought it was intriguing.

However, I feel like the book didn’t execute well and the dialogue was just really weird. The book had a lot of repetition and the book also was weirdly paced. I also feel like some of the backstory was in the synopsis.

Verdict: It was ok.


Totally Addicted to Reading

Crimson Summer by Heather Graham is the second book in the Amy Larson and Hunter Forest FBI series. Having enjoyed Danger in Numbers, I looked forward to reading Crimson Summer after learning it was the sequel. It delivered a thrilling and suspenseful tale served with a side of romance.
 

Summary
Now the events in Crimson Summer occurred one month after Danger in Numbers. The story began with a mass murder in the Everglades, made to look like gang on gang violence. The victims were members of a notorious Latino gang. Meanwhile, the delivery of a red toy horse to Amy and Hunter’s hotel room led to them cutting their vacation short. A similar toy found at the crime scene alerted Amy and Hunter to the connection between this crime scene and their previous case involving the investigation of an apocalypse cult. The red horse hinted at the beginning of war. Amy and Hunter race against time to prevent a catastrophic event.
 
Graham delivered a clever tale which had me turning the pages while keeping me on the edge of my seat. The case is chilling and complex. Several players were involved in the murders that spread beyond Florida. The big question on the reader’s mind was who was the puppet master?

Amy and Hunter’s relationship has strengthened, and they have grown closer. They had each other’s back. Hunter’s action near to the end showed how much he loved Amy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment, even more so than Danger in Numbers. Crimson Summer pulled in from the very beginning with the grittiness of the murder investigation, the romantic moments between Amy and Hunter, and the twists and turns Graham created throughout the story. Identifying the villain proved a challenge this time around. The romantic and light moments balanced out the darker themes of the story. 

The danger intensified the more Hunter and Amy searched for the truth. The tale provided some nail-biting moments. Now, while this aspect of the investigation wrapped up successfully, Hunter and Amy’s work isn’t over. I cannot wait to find out who will be behind the next horseman of the apocalypse.

Fans of gritty crime stories with an element of romance would appreciate the story Graham delivered in Crimson Summer. 

Genesis (@whisperingchapters) &
Crimson Summer by Heather Graham

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Genesis (@whisperingchapters) &Crimson Summer by Heather Graham

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Join the club

Genesis (@whisperingchapters) &
Crimson Summer by Heather Graham