By: Mariah Thomas
Dangerous Insight gradually drops readers back into the world of Detective Kaitlyn Kruse and her partner, Detective Joe Riley. Playing in the realms of crime and supernatural, author Karoline Anderson manages to merge the two seamlessly. Detective Kruse has the ability to dream of her past lives and experiences and these usually help with whatever case she is working at hand. Written from Kruse’s point of view, Dangerous Insight often reads as a running monologue inside her head. This is a series that allows readers to place themselves in the shoes of Kruse herself and see this fictional world directly.
Following Karoline Anderson’s first novel Killer Insight, this sequel picks up with our lead detectives, Kruse and Riley, as they track down the unfindable. Faced with a narcissistic killer who seems to possess a great skill for covering their tracks, tension quickly grows in waves throughout this book. Kaitlyn remains determined to make all of the puzzle pieces fit together in order to get justice for the victim. Dealing with doubt and levels of misogyny at work, Kruse pushes through to do her job. This sequel is laced with many unexpected twists and turns that will leave readers trying to piece together clues until the final chapters.
What I enjoy most about this series, and Dangerous Insight specifically, is the dynamic between Kruse and Riley. An overlooked element in some detective series is the importance of a main character having a reliable and likable partner. To me, seeing their relationship progress in various ways was a huge highlight of this book. There is a beauty in being able to trust. There are many moments sprinkled throughout that showcase the importance of Riley and Kruse’s working relationship. If there is one thing to count on, it is each other.
This is author Karoline Anderson’s second book. Being a book lover, she took the plunge of joining the mystery writing world. Anyone who takes a dive into pursuing their passions is admired by me. Though at times I found myself overwhelmed with the style of writing, she brings readers directly into the mind of the main character. You are able to know every thought and feeling she experiences as she navigates this case. First person is typically not my personal preference for crime novels; however, my attention was greatly captured as I read this sequel.
What I really enjoyed about Dangerous Insight was how it very closely follows as a police procedural episode. The first pages drop you directly into the case and leave a moment of suspense before backtracking for explanations as the book continues. If you are a fan of crime shows, this is a great series to read. You are right alongside detectives Kruse and Riley as they tirelessly work to solve the case. I would recommend this book to anyone who already knows a good detective series, book or show.