Review: The Hunting Grounds by Katee Robert

The Hunting Grounds (Hidden Sins #2) by Katee Robert
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Publication date: July 25th 2017
My rating: 3.5 Stars
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For two FBI agents with a past, love becomes a matter of life and death in the new Hidden Sins novel from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert.

Maggie Gaines used to be an FBI agent—top of her class and one of the bright, up-and-coming stars—until she spectacularly fell apart during her first high-profile case. That was eight years ago. Now she’s a ranger at Glacier National Park, and she’s found some measure of peace. But when the body of a murdered woman is discovered, she must finally put the past behind her and work with the one man she thought she’d never see again.

For months, Vic Sutherland has been hunting a killer who’s been targeting unsuspecting hikers in national parks—and now the predator has come to Glacier. Vic knows the case will bring him face-to-face with his former partner, yet nothing can prepare him for seeing Maggie again after all these years, or for the memories of passion it stirs in both of them.

As the investigation brings them closer together—and closer to the killer—Maggie and Vic fear they have only each other to trust. But even that might not be enough to make it out of Glacier alive. 

My Thoughts:

I’ve enjoyed hiking, backpacking, and camping over the years, but I must confess on some of those trips I’ve gotten more than a little spooked at night imaging how easy it would be for a madman/killer to sneak up and take us out.  Eeeek!  The Hunting Grounds seemed to be just the kind of story I’ve envisioned happening at one time or another, so I knew I had to pick it up.  Crazy, right? Well, I’m the kind of girl who loves to tell scary stories by the campfire and freak everyone the heck out. I usually manage to scare myself senseless in the process, so the trip back to my tent to sleep is super fun.  So there you have it, I’m a little deranged!

Maggie used to be an FBI agent until a particularly gruesome case caused her to quit eight years ago.  These days she’s a park ranger at Glacier National Park where the most dangerous situation she faces involves bears or unprepared hikers. That all changes when she discovers a body of a woman, and must call in the FBI.  Work with her old partner, Vic, all the old feelings of attraction between them are brought up to the surface again as the work the case. It’s a race against time to find this killer before someone else is murdered.

It seems I read a lot of second chance romances.  I guess I just love the thought a couple getting another shot together after screwing up the first time. This wasn’t exactly a second chance romance, more unrequited lust/love situation.  Circumstances at the time prevented it from being anything else, but nothing holds Vic and Maggie back now.  It was a pleasure watching these two take a chance while trying to stay alive.  Life and death situations make it easy to sort out what’s important in life, so there’s no angsty back and forth.

There is a secondary story centering on a group of backpackers. Old high school friends who reunite to hike one of their favorite trails in Glacier.  But this isn’t one big happy reunion.  There’s trouble brewing between them; flash backs to the past gradually reveal what led to their current situation.  It quickly becomes apparent that their group is in danger.

I had fun with The Hunting Grounds even though I suspected the killer’s identity early on, I still didn’t know for sure, and had doubts on my theory up until the end.  It was an all-around solid romantic suspense/mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat wondering if our characters were all going to make it!   

 

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