Macy Reid is forensic linguistics expert and consultant for Raiker Forensics. She has been paired with another employee, Kellan Burke, the smart-mouthed rebellious investigator to help solve their next case. Today, they are being sent to the home of millionaire Stephen Mulder to investigate the kidnapping of his daughter Ellie. The strange circumstance surrounding this case is that this not the first time Ellie has been kidnapped. Years ago she was abducted, raped at tortured at the hands of the madman. Since that villain is safely locked behind bars, this is a whole new ball game and everyone becomes a potential suspect. Macy and Kellan realize early on they are being kept one-step behind in the investigation and decide to start their own casework. Their close proximity brings back feelings that have been dormant since their one night stand months ago. Trying to put their passionate feelings aside for the moment, they are now in a race against time to save Ellie before it�s too late.

For those who have read the previous installments of the Mindhunters series, you might be a little disappointed with this latest installment. Known for her thrilling and suspenseful writing, Brant fell short of the mark this time around with Deadly Intent. The beginning is somewhat messy and difficult to get through. It is overly descriptive, somewhat mundane and difficult to focus on. If you are a dedicated fan of police procedural novels, Deadly Intent may satisfy your craving for descriptive investigation. Unfortunately, I felt this journey took me around in circles making it extremely difficult to gain any ground or much interest. It was easy to become frustrated with how slowly things moved along.

The first half is a struggle but the novel does pick up somewhat in the second half. You travel with Macy and Kell as they discover all the new clues and all the dead ends of their investigation. In the midst of their work, Macy is forced to face the villain from her past. That is where the romance somewhat kicks in, but the romance in this romantic suspense is hit and miss. At some points, it does not mesh well with the storyline and at other points, Brant sneaks in bits that make you smile. Brant does a good job mixing in the romance and not putting the major case on the back burner. Still those moments are few and far between and even after all is said and done, I was left wanting just a little bit more.

Deadly Intent does feel like a filler novel because it sets up the cliffhanger for the next installment. Not every issue is resolved with the villain so there are many loose ends. Characters from previous novels in the Mindhunters series are brought onto the case for fans searching for any updates on their favorite characters. Adam Raiker, or the man behind the forensics team, has a secondary storyline in this novel that looks as if it will be explored further in the next installment. But for latest novel, Deadly Intent, I would say you have to be a fan of extremely detailed workings of investigators and forensic experts in order to enjoy this novel. If you are looking for the simply driven, fast paced adventure, Deadly Intent may not hit the mark. It has its highs and lows, but overall it is a pretty uneventful novel.

Reviewed by: Lisa