Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Mind Games by Nancy Mehl

SERIES: Kaely Quinn Profiler #1
GENRE: Inspirational Suspense/Thriller
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
RELEASE DATE: December 4, 2018
PAGES: 336

FBI Behavioral Analyst Kaely Quinn’s methods may be highly unorthodox, but her talent is undeniable. She’s done her best to establish a new life for herself after being demoted and transferred to St. Louis when a reporter revealed she’s the daughter of an infamous serial killer. But when that same reporter claims to have received an anonymous poem predicting a string of murders, ending with Kaely’s, it seems her old life has followed her.

When a body is found that fits the poem’s morbid predictions, Kaely and her new partner, Special Agent Noah Hunter, are forced to move past his skepticism of her approach and work together to unravel the deadly riddle.

With a brazen serial killer who breaks all the normal patterns on the loose, Noah and Kaely are tested to their limits to catch the murderer before anyone else, including Kaely, is killed.

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“Let the mind games begin.”

Wow. Wow. WOW.

Buckle up for this one, y’all! I’m not even sure how to review it because I don’t want to give away any spoilers and all I really want to keep saying is ‘Wow’. lol.

That ending.

Wow.

Ok. I’ll try to pull myself together here and give you helpful information. (But seriously, y’all, wow.)

Kaely Quinn is one of the most complex characters I’ve met in a long time – perhaps the most complex heroine I’ve ever encountered in fiction. Her backstory alone has multiple emotional layers that are continuing to be revealed as the story – and the series – progresses. The more we learn about Kaely, the more fascinating her character becomes. Her partners Alex and Noah – one former, one current – are great counterpoints to here character, especially as they respond to & respect her unique process as they work to solve the case.

The poem sent to Kaely – which foreshadows the events of this riveting thriller – is chilling, precipitating a race against time to stop the murders before they happen … if they can figure out who is the next target. So much great psychological profiling as Kaely and Noah try to stay a step ahead, and if you’re a fan of “Criminal Minds” on TV you’re going to love this too.

I read A LOT of books, and it’s not often that I am surprised by one so thoroughly. That alone earns it all 5 stars as far as I’m concerned. Once you reach a certain point in this book, forget putting it down to sleep – you’ll be absolutely glued to the page. And if you’re like me, once you reach the end, you may just say “wow” a few hundred times before actual vocabulary is restored to you.

Bottom Line: Mind Games is Mehl’s best book yet! You may want to read this with all the lights on – and don’t plan on putting it down until you’ve reached the very last word. There is some romantic potential here in future books, hints in this one, but it definitely doesn’t overpower the storyline. Layered, complex, and compelling – the plot and the heroine – this is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and FBI procedurals alike. Wow.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 5 stars / In a class by itself

Nancy Mehl (www.nancymehl.com) is the author of more than thirty books, including the Road to Kingdom, Finding Sanctuary, and Defenders of Justice series. She received the ACFW Mystery Book of the Year Award in 2009. She has a background in social work and is a member of ACFW and RWA. She writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their Puggle, Watson. She is part of The Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com, along with several other popular suspense authors. She is also very active on Facebook.

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Writing Mind Games is a dream come true. I’ve been interested in FBI profiling for years. I’ve read about it, studied it, and watched every TV special I could find on the subject. So when the chance finally came to write the book I’ve always wanted to write, I jumped at it. Thankfully, through the help of another writer, I was hooked up with a retired FBI profiler. I was so excited. Until I found out I had almost everything wrong. Yes, I had some understanding about profiling, but I knew nothing about the FBI and how it works.

First of all, the FBI doesn’t call the men and women who profile criminals, profilers. They’re called Behavioral Analysts. The plot for Mind Games had my analyst running around the country solving crimes while she was stationed in St. Louis. Uh, no. Behavioral analysts do travel, but they all work out of Quantico in Virginia. So…I rewrote.

There were ways around my conundrum, but one solution led to more and more problems. We finally worked through them. Then I spent the next few months learning acronyms. CIRG, CJIS, NCAVC, HRT, UNSUB, CNU, THU, ViCap, CODIS, SWAT, ERTU, OPU, THRU, ERT… Well, the list goes on and on. The FBI is made up of many specialized units. And a plethora of acronyms, it seems.

I rewrote Mind Games three times before my source said we were good to go.

If you assume I’m out of the woods now, you’d be wrong. I haven’t had the nerve to open up the manuscript I sent her for book two in my Kaely Quinn Profiler series. I figured I had Fire Storm right but… Well, I can tell from her email comments I’ll be doing more rewriting. Sigh.

So is it worth it? A resounding yes! I love learning, and as long as my analyst friend hangs in with me (she has the patience of Job), I’ll keep at it.

I hope you enjoy Mind Games. It’s edgy but fun. Kaely Quinn is a quirky character. She was thrown out of Quantico because her version of profiling is… Well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out!

To celebrate her tour, Nancy is giving away a grand prize of a copy of Mind Games and the three books in Nancy’s Defenders of Justice series, plus a $20 Starbucks gift card!

Two additional winners will also receive a copy of Mind Games!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

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This giveaway is hosted by Celebrate Lit, not RimSP
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