Cop or criminal? When you’re undercover, the lines can get a little blurry. Former vigilante Lexi Winter returns in a fast-paced, suspenseful crime thriller.
Ace hacker, former sex worker and vigilante Lexi Winter is now a cop and not keen to revisit her criminal past. But when old friends invoke the wrath of a local motorcycle club – the same club Lexi herself used to work for – she races to help them the only way she can: undercover.
If Lexi is to save a child’s life, she is going to have to go back – back to a life she thought she had outrun. Back to the person she used to be. But her timing isn’t great. Former club president Arthur Cronin has finished his long prison sentence and is out for revenge for the death of his wife and child. As he launches a series of bomb attacks on the club members who set him up and the cops who took him down, Lexi is caught in the middle.
Torn between old loyalties and new responsibilities, she must decide once and for all which side she’s on, but even if she does decide to break free, are her old criminal friends ready to let her go?
It’s been a few years now since Sarah Barrie moved from writing in the rural romance genre to thrillers. Her dark, propulsive thrillers quickly garnered her a legion of readers. I’ve noticed that the comparisons to other top authors in the genre have abated, and, instead, recent debut writers are being compared to Barrie. She’s carved out a place for herself here, and readers love her.
We were introduced to Lexi Winter, Detective Sergeant Finn Carson and Inspector Rachael Langley in Unforgiven, a dark yet gripping read that dealt with child sexual assault. Retribution came next, and it also had some disturbing scenes and themes; however, Barrie is a master at traversing these areas with sensitivity and care.
Now, all three characters are back, and Lexi is now a cop. Right from page one, Barrie puts her foot on the accelerator, and it doesn’t leave the floor until the final pages. Vendetta is relentless. Polished prose, sharp dialogue, and so many twists that you will find it difficult to put this down – it was a fast-paced, two-sitting read for me.
All three books in this series can be read as standalones, but I was glad I’d read the previous two novels, if only because I loved how we learn more about Lexi’s background here. As she’s propelling us along on this ride, Barrie also manages to develop all her characters, and they’re as compelling as ever. Add in some other characters – Dawny, who appeared in book #1, and Olivia – and I’m now eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
Lexi has become one of my all-time favourite crime protagonists. She’s tough and often funny, and perfectly placed to hold this brilliantly gritty series long term. A TV spin-off, anyone?
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