The Bait - Carol Ericson (HI #2002 - June 2021)

Series: Kyra and Jake Investigation (Book 3)

They're after a vicious serial killer.
And this time it's personal.
 
Decades after The Player's infamous murder spree, a third copycat killer terrorizes LA. Detective Jake McAllister and victim advocate Kyra Chase launch a risky dark web investigation -- complicating their relationship and exposing their troubled pasts. But when the copycat kidnaps Jake's daughter, Kyra defies her partner to lay her life on the line. Just one chilling question remains: Is The Player back?
 
The tension continues to mount in this, the third book of the series. No sooner had Jake, Kyra, and the rest of the task force put a stop to Copycat 2.0 than another killer stepped up to take his place. In the previous book, The Decoy, the task force found a dark web connection between the first two copycats. Further investigation leads them to believe that Copycat Three is also linked and that all of them dance to the tune of a master manipulator. The question is, who pulls the strings? Jake and Kyra both suspect that the original Player is behind it all.
 
This case becomes very personal to Jake. Copycat Three takes to leaving taunting messages for Jake with the bodies of his victims. For Kyra, her determination never wavers. Convinced the original Player is behind it all, catching the man responsible for her mother's murder is at the top of Kyra's wishlist. Watching Jake, Kyra, and the rest of the task force dig through what few clues there were kept me glued to the pages. The swizzle stick clue proved to be vital, and I loved seeing how it played out. The intensity shot through the roof when the killer kidnapped Jake's daughter Fiona. I ached for Jake and his fear for her as he desperately searched for any clue to the killer's whereabouts. But it was Kyra, playing a hunch and putting herself at risk, that became the deciding factor. That confrontation was a nail-biter. But the question remains, is The Player back? I have my suspicions about who it is, and I can't wait to read the next book and see if I'm right. This book ends with an unexpected twist, leaving me wondering if foul play was involved.
 
I also enjoyed seeing the progression of Jake and Kyra's relationship. Professionally, their respect for each other continues to grow. Jake overcame his distrust of Kyra as a victim's advocate and fully included her in the task force's activities. Kyra finds it much easier to trust Jake now, though she still tends to rush into danger without telling him what she's up to. In this book, it nearly gets her killed. Personally, their relationship is moving forward, slowly but steadily. That progression becomes complicated when Jake's fourteen-year-old daughter shows up unexpectedly. Though Fiona may have her dad fooled, Kyra has the girl's number from the get-go. I enjoyed watching Kyra help Jake through the rough patches. I also liked how Jake still managed to find alone time with Kyra. Jake won my heart even more with his support of Kyra when her past became public knowledge. Just knowing he stood behind her gave Kyra the strength to deal with the fallout. After surviving the confrontation with Copycat Three, both Jake and Kyra are ready to admit their feelings for each other and see where it goes.