I think I have reached the saturation point with Steven James and his Bower's Files series.
I really enjoy the writing quality and storytelling abilities of Steven James. He can take so many threads and create an engaging tale. I have enjoyed basically every Bowers book.
But I think, with this latest prequel, I have come to find that the books read too similar.
At this point I get that there is a serial killer who does horrific things. I get that Patrick Bowers is going to get beat up/injured/placed in life or death situations. Every time.
**Spoilers**
I also know that there will be a kind of twisty reveal at the end and it now entails a plant. (You'd think, at this point the FBI would put out a mole hunt with how many plants there are)
I guess I understand that this series is a series of a brilliant FBI agent called in to hunt down serial killers. I understand that there is always going to be some kind of relational hardship to work through.
And, believe me, James is fantastic at writing through the thoughts and inner workings of the relationship content. He is fabulous and getting you to think about some heavy hitting topics while reading a summer beach thriller.
But I think I've come to the point where it all feels formulaic now.
One other point of concern for me is the inclusion of cussing from the characters now. I don't think James ever had his characters say the things they said in this latest installment.
And this is another question I have for writers: the defense I hear in favor of using coarse language is that it's true to the characters. I understand that point. But if your characters haven't talked like that in over how many books, why is it true to their character to have them start now? And if this is a prequel, why didn't they continue to talk that way from the beginning?
I really REALLY like Steven James books. I consume his stories.(I finished this book in one day) I think I need to take a break, though.
This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Berkley Press.
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