Josie Quinn has been on leave since the death of her beloved grandmother Lisette. On the day before she is due to return to work, she finds a woman’s murdered body in the cemetery. The victim is the mother of a child killed in a bus crash and the driver is about to go on trial. Josie has the unpleasant task of investigating the lives of the other bereaved parents but they are in danger too…
Her Deadly Touch is the 12th book to feature Josie Quinn and her team. There are no spoilers about events in previous books except for the death of Lisette.
The grief described throughout the book is hugely emotional and made even more so by the author’s note at the end. Survivors’ guilt as well as the incessant ‘what if’ and ‘if only’ plays on the minds of many of the characters.
Josie has a vulnerability in this book that hasn’t been so apparent in previous books. Her inner strength that has got her through previous intense situations has been shaken by her guilt. She appears much more human in this book as her emotions take control, however she is still determined to catch the killer.
The plot kept me guessing until the very end. The range of suspects are all credible culprits as secrets unravel and more murders ensue. Picking apart the lives of the crash victims’ parents is tough work emotionally for Josie as she struggles with her own grief. There are plenty of twists and this allowed me to make lots of incorrect guesses about the killer and their motive.
Her Deadly Touch is an engaging and enthralling mystery although I was left with a feeling of overwhelming sadness (sign of a good writer when you care about the characters!)
The woman is kneeling at a gravestone, her hair blowing in the breeze, a bunch of wilting yellow daffodils on the grass beside her. Her eyes are fixed on the ground and her mouth is parted in a silent prayer. But the wax dripping from her cold blue lips means it’s already too late to save her…
On her first day back with the Denton PD after a major trauma, Detective Josie Quinn is on the hunt for a missing woman, Krystal Duncan, the mother of one of five children killed in a devastating school bus crash. Hours later, Josie finds Krystal’s body beside her daughter’s grave, her lips sealed together forever with wax.
Forensics match the wax to one of the candles lit in memory of the sweet little souls who died, giving Josie her first lead to a support group made up of the parents who lost children in the crash. Painstakingly dissecting the lives of these grieving couples, it’s clear to Josie that each of them is hiding something about the day of the accident—but whose secret is worth killing for?
The case takes an agonizing turn when the body of another young mother is found near the site of the bus crash. Someone connected to the accident is out for revenge. As the members of the support group are picked off one by one, every second counts for Josie to save the lives of these loving parents who have already suffered the loss of those they treasured most…
An absolutely gripping and totally unputdownable crime thriller from an Amazon, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Be warned, this book will keep you up all night! Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine.
Author Bio
Lisa Regan is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series. Lisa is a member of Sisters In Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the U.S. with her husband, daughter, and Boston Terrier named Mr. Phillip.
