Series: Sanchez & Heron (#1)
Format: Paperback, 444 pages
Release Date: September 1, 2024
Publisher: Amazon Publisher
Source: Amazon First
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
As a wave of murders grips Southern California, an unlikely pair must untangle the mysterious patterns of an elusive killer. A propulsive new series by New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Isabella Maldonado.
Carmen Sanchez is a tough Homeland Security agent who plays by the rules. But when her sister is attacked, revealing a connection to a series of murders across Southern California, she realizes a conventional investigation will not be enough to stop the ruthless perpetrator.
With nowhere else to turn, Sanchez enlists the aid of Professor Jake Heron, a brilliant and quirky private security expert who, unlike Sanchez, believes rules are merely suggestions. The two have a troubled past, but he owes her a favor and she’s cashing in. They team up to catch the assailant, who, mystifyingly, has no discernible motive and fits no classic criminal profile. All they have to go on is a distinctive tattoo and a singular obsession that gives this chillingly efficient tactician his nickname: Spider.
Over the next seventy-two hours, Sanchez and Heron find themselves in the midst of a lethal chess match with the killer as they race to stop the carnage. As the victims mount, so do the risks. Because this spider’s web of intrigue is more sinister—and goes far deeper—than anyone could possibly anticipate.
Fatal Intrusion is the first installment in co-authors Jeffrey Deaver and Isabella Maldonado's Sanchez & Heron series. The story features Carmen Sanchez and Jake Heron and takes place in Southern California. It is told from their points of view, interspersed with sections from the killer's point of view and lots of information about spiders. It looks like there’s a serial killer on the loose, a man with a distinctive spider tattoo on his wrist. His first victim is a real estate developer whose main hobby is wildlife photography.
His next intended victim is a chemistry student who manages to thwart his attempts by fighting back like she was trained to do by her sister and with a bit of help from a bystander who bears the brunt of the attack. She is also Carmen Sanchez’s younger sister, Selina. Detective Ryan Hall, Riverside County Sheriff's Department (RCSD), is the main investigator in the attack on Carmen's sister. Thanks to Selena's quick thinking, she picks up her attacker's cellphone, but it is encrypted.
But when it comes to family, Carmen, a tough Homeland Security Investigations agent who plays by the rules, realizes a conventional investigation will not be enough to stop the ruthless perpetrator. HSI's mission is to detect, disrupt, and dismantle threats to national security, but even specialists need some help. With police unable to crack encrypted files on the burner cell phone, Sanchez enlists the aid of Professor Jake Heron, a brilliant and quirky private security expert who, unlike Sanchez, believes rules are merely suggestions.
Jake also has a side gig as a security expert, who is basically a nerdy tech geek. Carmen and Jake have a “complicated” relationship stemming from an incident four years ago on Christmas Eve which is explained later in the book. In the aftermath of that “incident,” Carmen feels like she “owes him one.” They team up to catch the assailant, who, mystifyingly, has no discernible motive and fits no classic criminal profile.
All they have to go on is a distinctive tattoo and a singular obsession that gives this chillingly efficient tactician his nickname: Spider. The Spider believes that something called The Push is responsible for his desire to kill people. Over the next seventy-two hours, Sanchez and Heron find themselves in the midst of a lethal chess match with the killer as they race to stop the carnage. As the victims mount, so do the risks. Because this spider’s web of intrigue is more sinister—and goes far deeper—than anyone could possibly anticipate.
The plot was very complex and fast-paced with lots of action, including chases and gunfights along with murder. I haven't read anything by Deaver in a very long time. I started reading his Lincoln Rhyme series, starting with The Bone Collector, which eventually became a movie featuring Angelina Jolie and Denzel Washington. I recently finished Maldonado's Daniela Vega trilogy and am thinking about starting another of her series, which seems to stop after 3 books. Both Deaver and Maldonado tend to bring realism to their books and characters. Maldonado is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in her police department, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During over two decades on the force, her assignments included hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and precinct commander.
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