Early Review - The Last Echo by Kimbery Derting

In “The Last Echo” (Body Finder #3) 17-year old Violet Ambrose has started working for Sara Priest’s group. It seems she’s been there for several months now and is actually starting to feel comfortable being around her co-workers and not alone with her unique ability.

If you have followed this series at all, you know that Violet has the ability to find those who have died at the hands of another. She knows that the dead leave behind an echo which Violet can pick up on. The most important part of her ability is the fact that she picks up on the imprint of their killers which leads authorities to catch the person responsible.

This book also takes on a different feel to it in that Derting introduces readers to Sara’s group which includes Rafe Priest (yes, he’s her brother) for whom there seems to be some sort of connection when they touch. The other members are Krystal Devine (medium), Sam Abolins, and Gemma Kidder (empath). 

The one thing that remains the same is Violet’s tendency to be targeted by a killer when she stumbles into, or isn’t looking for trouble. This time the killer is known as the Girlfriend Collector, and yes, he is more disturbing than the previous villains. Derting actually tells the story from the GC’s POV and you pretty much know what is going to happen before Violet can react.
 
Yet another twist to the series, is the fact that Violet, Rafe, and Jay, end up in a 3-way triangle where Violet isn’t so sure that Jay is the one for her any longer. For what it's worth, I think Rafe is the chocolate to Jay's vanilla. Where Jay is safe and without any secrets; Rafe is dark and mysterious and you can't help wonder what other secrets he's hiding within his facade. I also need to know why there seems to be a spark between Rafe and Violet when they touch.

By the end of the book, you just know that Violet is headed for trouble and the direction of this series has taken a serious turn towards the mysterious as Violet is given a devastating ultimatum after surviving by shear luck. **Super-secret spoiler. Read the book!

In the end, I truly felt for Sara knowing that her group wasn’t her own and that others were guiding it behind the scenes. For now, Sara is unaware of the secret forces or the fact that they have basically given Violet an ultimatum to remain or else. Again, super secret spoiler which you need to read the book to find out what happens.

Overall, I felt this book was actually better than the previous two books. Obviously this is not the last book in the series or else I would be totally throwing a fit right now. After Derting’s cliffhanger of an ending and the way that Violet is changed by her own actions, readers need to know what is going to happen next.

Author: Kimberly Derting
Title: The Last Echo
Released: April 17, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins