The Grifter by Kimberly Kincaid

I’m a huge fan of author Kimberly Kincaid’s stories. They never ever fail in the “gotcha” story thread with heart-tugging romance and toe-curling steam to go along with the romance and characters. The characters, both main and supporting, not only engage me but make me feel that I need to find these people and become friends with them. (Yes, I know they are all fictional and not real people.) This particular deadly combination makes for a page-turning story for which you will let your dinner burn to keep reading. Hey, what’s wrong with pizza?

The Grifter is no different and I have no idea how I missed this series before now. From the opening page to the kept-me-guessing end, I did not want to put it down. I really enjoyed getting into the heads and feelings of both heroine detective Frankie Rossi and hero Shawn Maxwell, ex-partners and -lovers whose relationship fell apart when Frankie was stabbed in the line of duty, had to recover from an injury that almost took her life, and became addicted to first the painkillers then harder drugs. It all left her partner racked with so much guilt, he is emotionally paralyzed. Jump eight years ahead, and Frankie returns to undercover work to nail a deadly drug dealer responsible for the destruction of a friend and of more lives than Frankie can name. Beck, the sociopathic dealer has now relocated to Remington to create a new market for his prescription drugs and tainted heroin. The one catch: she will need to work with her ex to have any chance of bringing down this baddie. What subsequently results is a kickass story with two protagonists whose chemistry could set the pages to flame.

With this tale, Kincaid weaves a masterful story that explores second chances and single parenthood, all the while delivering a chilling thriller with an abundance of unexpected twists and turns that will keep your heart pounding. The Grifter, I discovered, is the third in the Intelligence Unit series. The Grifter is, as the rest of the books in the series are, a standalone story. However, I have ordered the two preceding this one and can’t wait to read them so I’ll be all caught up when the next in the series comes out. I highly recommend this book!