Dead By Morning [Paperback]

I've finished "Dead by Morning" by Beverly Barton.

Product Description

The darkest sins . . .

He begins his work just before dawn, wielding a knife with the precision of a surgeon. Cunning and meticulous, he's always in control. Mercy is not an option.

Will always . . .

Maleah Perdue is tough, outspoken, and completely dedicated to her work at the Powell Security Agency. But her fearless exterior shatters when a madman begins killing her colleagues one by one, mimicking a notorious serial killer already behind bars. Working alongside top profiler Derek Lawrence, Maleah will do anything to find the murderer, even if it means playing a psychopath's twisted mind games.

Come to light.

No one connected to the agency is safe. No one is beyond suspicion. For as Maleah and Derek piece together the clues, they uncover a chilling legacy of lies and brutal vengeance -- and a killer who has been hiding in plain sight all along.

Product Details
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Zebra; 1 edition (May 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420110357
ISBN-13: 978-1420110357

My Review:

Storyline: Powell agents and their families are being killed by brutal means and found in pools of water with triangles cut out of their arms and legs. The killer is known as the Copycat Carver because of the similarities  killing methods to the original Carver Jerome Browning the serial killer locked up for life in a Georgia State prison.  The Copycat Carver had Maleah in his sights and knows exactly how to lure her into his sick game.

Characters:  Maleah Perdue is one of Powell Private and Security and Investigative Agency's most skilled and dedicated agents.  She is also Nicole Powell's best friends and is a smart, strong and independent woman.  She has survived a horrible and abusive childhood touched by tragedy.  She has peaches and cream complexion and sun-streaked blond hair.

Derek Lawrence is a top-notch profiler and consultant for Powell Private and Security and Investigative Agency who is a former FBI profiler.  He comes from a very wealthy family but has shunned the life of a trust fund millionaire. 

Romance:  Derek has been fascinated by Maleah ever since their first meeting but Maleah hasn't trusted the tall dark and handsome womanizer.  I really loved the antagonism between Maleah and Derek because it was so much fun to read and how she reasons with herself why she shouldn't be so attracted to Derek.  Loved how they got to know more about the both of them and they realized they actually like and respect each other.  They are honest with each other about everything.

Killer(s):  The mastermind has hired an assassin to do his killings and Griff is the ultimate prize.  He knows this will hurt Griff to the core which has caused some problems with his wife Nicole.  He also has forced someone to start killing people associated to Yvette's charges and Powell agents.

5/5