#Review - A Forgotten Kill by Isabella Maldonado #Mystery #Thriller

Series: Daniela Vega (#2)
Format: Paperback, 363 pages
Release Date: March 26, 2024
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Mystery / Thriller 

An FBI agent tracks a brilliant serial killer in New York—right back to her own cold-blooded past in a riveting thriller by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Cipher.

FBI Special Agent Daniela “Dani” Vega was seventeen when her mother murdered her father. Ten years after Dani’s own damning eyewitness testimony sealed her mother’s fate, she’s starting to have doubts. What if she got it all wrong?

A veteran NYPD homicide detective agrees to reopen the closed case on one condition—Dani must help him find a serial killer who’s been operating throughout New York City for the past decade. If anyone can decipher his patterns, and his riddles, it’s a trained codebreaker like Dani. The killer knows this too. And his next riddle—and victim—is meant just for her.

For Dani, stopping a killer—and learning what really happened to her father—becomes more personal and more dangerous with each new twist. As secrets of the past are unearthed, the truth could forever change Dani’s life…and the lives of everyone she loves.

A Forgotten Kill, by Isabella Maldonado, is the second installment in the authors Daniel Vega series. This story ends up being more than emotional for Dani. Dani, who is an FBI Special Agent who was trained as an Army Ranger like her father, is called to Bellevue Hospital to visit a particular patient. This patient has not spoken for 10 years. 10 years since, Dani's father was murdered, and her mother was found unable to stand trial for killing him. 

But everything changes when Camila starts speaking via Bible verses. Bible verses that cause Dani to question everything that happened 10 years to the man that was her idol, the man who  was the reason why Dani worked so hard and accomplished so much in the Army before an attack on her unit ended her career. This is kind of hard for me because Dani's father had traumatic brain injury and because of that injury, he ended up being killed. To make matters worse, it was Dani's testimony that helped police focus on her mother. 

Stan Chapman, a veteran NYPD homicide detective out of Fort Apache, agrees to reopen the closed case on one condition—Dani must help him find a serial killer who’s been operating throughout New York City for the past decade. If anyone can decipher his patterns, and his riddles, it’s a trained codebreaker like Dani. The killer knows this too. A killer who may be the most prolific serial killer that Dani now has to track down and stop before she becomes the next victim. 

For Dani, who is still under investigation and on leave for her actions in the first installment to escape a dangerous psychopath, stopping a killer and learning what really happened to her father—becomes more personal and more dangerous with each new twist. As secrets of the past are unearthed, the truth could forever change Dani’s life and the lives of everyone she loves. In the first installment, I was not a fan of Dani's aunt who treated Dani horrifically because she is a lot like her father except the TBI. 

The story skillfully reveals Connor’s backstory and motivations alongside his gruesome acts. A killer who is as devious as he is dangerous. A killer who ends up playing a cat and mouse game with Dani thinking he can outwit her, and thus escape justice. The conclusion of the family background was a bit of a tear-jerker though. I'm very curious to see how Maldonado addresses that in the next installment. I will give Maldonado lots of credit. She walks the walk seeing as she has the experience in law enforcement. 

Amazon | Audible