Publisher's Weekly Review
In 2005, 25-year-old Spanish assistant inspector Amaia Salazar, the protagonist of this gripping prequel to Redondo's Baztán trilogy, is taking a course at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va. During a lecture, Amaia learns of a serial killer, nicknamed the Composer, who's been targeting families affected by natural disasters. The Composer has fatally shot survivors of tornados in Texas and Oklahoma, where a witness saw him "waving his arms like someone directing an orchestra." Now, as Hurricane Katrina heads toward New Orleans, the FBI wants Amaia, an expert on serial killer psychology, to assist with their investigation. In New Orleans, the suspense builds as Amaia, FBI agents, and local detectives work tirelessly to try to find the Composer before the killer can strike again. Amaia's distinctive backstory, which includes a traumatic childhood, adoption at age 12 by an elderly American couple, and an outstanding school career in the U.S. before returning to Spain to join the police, lends weight to the dramatic action. This crime thriller is a good starting place for readers new to Redondo. Agent: Maria Cardona, Pontas Agency (Spain). (June)
Library Journal Review
This title is both prequel and sequel to Redondo's "Baztán Trilogy" of noir detective procedurals with strong elements of the supernatural. The protagonist is Amaia Salazar, born in the Basque country of Navarre but educated in the U.S. Recruited by the FBI after college, she elected instead to return to Navarre, where she became the youngest police inspector in Spain after trapping a serial killer only she could find. She is now training in Quantico with an FBI strike force pursuing an elusive serial killer who only attacks during violent storms. Their hunt for the killer takes place as Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans. Something happened to Amaia 15 years ago that blocked her memories but some begin to resurface as she bonds with her new colleagues. The FBI agent in charge of the search has his own traumatic past to relive; soon there are three mysteries to be solved, one past and two present. VERDICT The mysteries are dark and twisty, and the moments of danger are plentiful. Amaia's trauma gives her insight into other people's thinking; she uses this knowledge to hunt down new demons. Fans of noir fiction will devour this book.--David Keymer, Cleveland