Books & Spoons Review for BEFORE THE DAWN by Cynthia Eden

11/8/2017

The Killer Instinct series from New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden continues as an FBI profiler tracks a case that resurrects ghosts from his past

Ex-SEAL Tucker Frost knows that the world is full of evil. He saw it in the face of his own brother, Jason Frost, a cold, methodical, sadistic killer. A killer Tucker put down with his own hands in order to save Jason's final victim--Dawn Alexander, the only girl who got away from the infamous "Iceman."

It's Tucker's up close and personal experience with evil that's made him perfect for Samantha Dark's experimental profiling division in the FBI. And when women start turning up murdered with the same MO used by the Iceman, Tucker is sent back to Louisiana to investigate.

Seven years have passed since the night that Tucker faced down his brother...and since he last saw Dawn, his one-time lover. But as Tucker and Dawn grapple with a desire that never died, they must also face the shared shadow from their pasts. Both have the same question--has Jason Frost come back from the dead to hunt again? And this time, will he succeed in killing the victim who got away?

A dark, riveting, mind boggling story that will stay with you, it might even come to your dreams, the characters and their destinies hunt your mind, and you lose the sense of your surroundings as you immerse yourself into the menacing world of the serial killers, and the bravery and courage of those who have faced them yet are willing to go and hunt them to make the world a safer place for the rest of us.
Cynthia Eden does it again. Her talented, at times creepy, words and scenes managed to give me the chills as I sat on the hot beach reading the story. But despite all the horror the serial killer creates, what stayed with me after reading the story, was the overpowering, beautiful, lasting, passionate love between ex-SEAL Tucker Frost and Dawn Alexander.
The history between Tucker and Dawn is heartbreaking and horrifying. The circumstances make it so that they have no insurance whom they can trust, who is on their side, who truly has their back, how the evidence can be interpreted, and once again, testing their trust on each other. The doubts and uncertainty create tension in an already intense situation, and kept me on the edge through the tale, from the very start all the way to the end.
The unwavering, steadfast connection between Tucker and Dawn is an amazing thing to witness. As more evidence comes to the light, the way they have always been mentally connected, always accepted their feelings towards each other - despite everything that has happened in the past and how they had moved on - is beautiful. The passion between them is scorching, the emotions deep and profound. Yes, there are several moments of doubts and questions, physical desires that override the sensibilities, and moments of truth that hurt but the constant love is still there, the feelings that will not fade.
They are both nothing but professional, smart, capable, and able. They are willing to risk themselves to save each the other, the bravery and maturity in them had me admiring them even more. The constant turns in the plot, the distrustful atmosphere surrounding them, the new evidence, the circle of suspects getting tighter, kept me guessing and wondering to the end. There are signs yet they point to couple different directions just to play with your mind.
Another cleverly crafted thriller by Cynthia Eden.
An enthralling, gripping, and grim tale that makes an impression, both with its alluring romance and its perilous suspense.
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side