You Can Run
Grade : A

Rebecca Zanetti kicks off the new year with something more worrisome than the pandemic: serial killers. So now when the wintry wind is whipping snow around in the twilight, I’ll have to look over my shoulder for the boogeyman. Thanks, Z. You Can Run is the first book in her new Laurel Snow series, and I’m expecting great things.

I count the Scorpius Syndrome and Sin Brothers among my favorite series of the last decade, so it’s no surprise I devoured Zanetti’s return to a more traditional, contemporary romantic suspense. What’s not traditional is Laurel Snow, FBI special agent and profiler extraordinaire with OCD-like tendencies. She’s young, she’s focused, and she’s a genius. Serial killers in her sights don’t stand a chance. At first glance, she seems calm and unemotional, more driven by her intellect and curiosity. But rather than being harsh and jarring, she’s relatable and oddly likable, and as the story unfolds it’s clear she’s greatly affected by the circumstances of the case that brings her home to Genesis Valley, Washington. A serial killer is working in the wilderness and, much to the dismay of Laurel’s mother, her brother is a suspect. So Laurel heads home to have a look at the evidence and make a long-overdue visit to her family.

Zanetti sets up the long game of the series arc by peppering in details that count, like the reason Laurel doesn’t have FBI backup is because there was a hiccup in creating a special violent crimes unit nearby. Enter Fish and Wildlife Captain Huck Rivers, the best hunter and tracker in Genesis Valley. He’s a loner, who, with his dog Aeneas, is called in as the last resort most of the time, but now he’s Laurel’s best bet to navigate the icy tundra. He’s big and strong and protective … and determined to keep his distance from Laurel. As I said before: loner. Tension and trauma run deep in Huck, which don’t do him any favors when one of the victims turns out to be a woman he once dated. It’s a distraction the team doesn’t need, and a situation that amplifies Huck’s protective streak. Laurel grew up in Genesis Valley and has good instincts, and while she’s the FBI’s serial-killer-Terminator, she thrives in a team environment and builds an effective ragtag team that gets the job done.

I’m always tentative with a series that has a recurring main character. I hate cliffhangers. I like a story that’s contained and wraps up at the end - it’s just the way my brain works. So the whole time I was reading You Can Run, racing to the end of this terrific story to see who did it, I felt this weight on my shoulders, wondering if there’d be closure. And even though this story is wrapped up and there’s a vision of the future, there’s still a little ‘what if’ happening. I can’t wait for the next installment!

Buy it at: Amazon, Audible or your local independent retailer

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Reviewed by Dolly Sickles
Grade : A

Sensuality: Warm

Review Date : February 6, 2022

Publication Date: 01/2022

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