Deceptive Measures by Traci Hohenstein, a Mysterious Review.

Review: Missing persons investigator Rachel Scott's own daughter Mallory was kidnapped six years ago. Now, she finally has a solid lead on her whereabouts and is determined to get her back, in Deceptive Measures, the fourth mystery in this series by Traci Hohenstein.

Rachel is wrapping up a case in New Orleans, when she receives an anonymous call telling her that Mallory is living with the couple that adopted her in suburban Atlanta. Taking the first flight available, she arrives at the location only to find the house empty, its occupants clearly leaving in a hurry. But she finds a photograph of a young girl affixed to the refrigerator, who Rachel is convinced is Mallory. The name on the photo says "Maggie", but Rachel knows it is her daughter. But where could they have taken her?

Deceptive Measures is an exciting and — slight spoiler alert — an ultimately rewarding story, but it is far from perfect. The biggest problem is with the lead character Rachel Scott. She's a professional investigator and yet she's personally involved in the case she's investigating, on an emotional roller coaster that takes her up and down the east coast of the US. It's hard not to feel her frustration in being so close to being reunited with her daughter but missing her several times over the course of a few days, sometimes by just hours. Yet she's not all that likeable as a character, often abrupt with her colleagues and uncooperative with the authorities, believing she knows best how to proceed where they have repeatedly failed. Maybe that's just the mother in her, being protective of her daughter, but she comes across as churlish more than determined. Too, her missing daughter has been a story arc through the series to date. Though there are several untied plot threads at the end, there is almost a sense that the author is bringing this series to a close with this book. While satisfying on one level, it would be frustrating on another if that were the case.

Acknowledgment: Thomas & Mercer provided an eARC of Deceptive Measures for this review.

Deceptive Measures

A Rachel Scott Adventure by Traci Hohenstein