In Broad Daylight

by Seth Harwood

From the author of the acclaimed thriller novels Jack Wakes Up and Young Junius comes In Broad Daylight, a taut psychological whodunnit with Stieg Larsson's intrigue and Karin Slaughter's raw insights on strange communities.

FBI agent Jess Harding treks back to Anchorage to hunt down a sadistic killer who's reemerged from a five-year hiatus--a killer who has already slipped her grasp once before. The endless days of an Alaskan summer can't thwart the fiend's plans as he slashes his way through the rural community, where everyone knows your name and always distrusts the outside. With the help of Oscar Linstrom, an old colleague who wants to be more than friends, Jess attempts to immerse herself in the area's culture, leading her to a strange rural village inhabited by Russian Old Believers hell-bent on protecting their way of life. Even the locals are outsiders to the Old Believers, and Jess needs a safehaven in the glare of daylight because a blood-stained message left at the scene of the most recent murder says Jess is no longer the hunter--but the hunted.

Seth Harwood, named a Best of 2010 author by George Pelecanos, returns with this terrifying daydream of an expansive Great North that offers no place to hide.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Ebooks, Suspense

234 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Seth Harwood received an MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and went on to build a large readership for his first novel, JACK WAKES UP, by serializing it as a free audiobook online. Currently audio versions of Harwood’s novels and stories have been downloaded over one million times.

He is the author of six additional novels: THE MALTESE JORDANS, EVERYONE PAYS, IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, CZECHMATE, THIS IS LIFE and YOUNG JUNIUS, as well as two collections of short stories, A LONG WAY FROM DISNEY and FISHER CAT. He has also written a novella in the world of Kurt Vonnegut dealing with the themes of time travel, writing, and fatherhood.

Harwood currently lives in western Massachusetts and is at work on a second Clara Donner novel.

He teaches creative writing and English classes at City College of San Francisco, Stanford Continuing Studies, and Harvard Extension. Other jobs throughout the years have included commodities floor trading clerk, bartender, copy-editor, rare book cataloguer, high school English teacher, basketball coach, and freelance journalist.

Reviews

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this fast paced and suspenseful tale very enjoyable. There is a lot of FBI chasing Serial Killers books out there, I found this one refreshing. The characters are well written and the plot keeps you guessing. Not necessarily about who is the killer, but how is she going to catch the killer. I'll be checking out more books from this author.

[Anne S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book. It is about a female FBI agent who goes after a serial killer. The story starts 5 years before when she was hunting him in Alaska but didn't catch him then. 5 years later his killing starts again and she gets called back from San Francisco to Alaska to try and catch him. she doesn't succeed at first and ends up going back to SF to finish the job when he follows her and starts killing there.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good mystery.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moving away from the Jack Palms mystery series, IN BROAD DAYLIGHT is a police procedural which introduces readers to a new female protagonist in FBI agent Jess Harding, a professional who hunts serial killers – only this time, the hunter becomes the hunted.

Set in Alaska, Harwood managers to instil a good sense of time and place, enveloping the reader in a real sense of isolation and small town atmosphere. This is not one of the glamour FBI cases portrayed in popular genre fiction – IN BROAD DAYLIGHT is gory, messy, and a little disturbing, the setting helps to confine to atrocities as well as perpetuate the darkness and mystery surrounding the methodical madness.

IN BROAD DAYLIGHT reads as a second series book rather than first with many references to Jess’s past attempts at bringing this particular killer to justice. There is also a high degree of back-story implied as it relates to Jess’s romantic interests with fellow agents. I did find it difficult to fully appreciate Jess’s past without having read a prequel-like novel first. That aside, this is a solid police procedural that has plenty of action filled moments.

This review also appears on my blog: http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

************************FIRSTREADS ENTRY WINNER**********************

In broad daylight was a wonderful book written by a wonderful author. I really enjoyed reading this book, and hope to find more of your writings! The plot was wonderful, and steady throughout the whole book, and your writing style is also great! This is my favorite murder/crime book ever! The way you brought the characters in, and introduce them, and rather well the book! Jess was my favorite character because she went through a lot during this book, and story to being with the adventure of finding the Alaska killer. Very intensifying book that I would recommend anyone that needed book recommendations I thank you for the book, as you signed it, and its wonderful! Thank you Seth

First time reading: 10/19/2013-10/27/2013
Second time reading: 03/15/2016-03/17/2016

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book, mainly set in Alaska and San Francisco - a female FBI agent who is a bit of a loner chases down a violent killer

[Bona Fide Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating story. Jessica Harding is a FBI agent hot on the trail of a serial killer. Five years ago, she was in Anchorage, Alaska, chasing this same nightmare. It was her first time leading an investigation that contained crime scene after crime scene, and too few clues. After months, the scent grew cold and she was re-assigned to California. Now, the killer is back and so is Agent Harding.

This time around she has enough experience to put on a strong front for the benefit of her male colleagues, showing that she knows exactly how she will move this investigation forward. She’s sure something important was missed the first time around and she wants to backtrack as she moves forward, but not everyone thinks that’s a good plan for success. As Jess enters each scene, looking for the slightest psychological whiff of her murderer, she is disturbed to feel him so close. Some scenes raise the hair on the back of her neck, as she recognizes his games. He enjoys throwing off the hunters with meaningless words, phrases, or sentences written with the victim’s blood. He begins to list the names of his victims at the scene and soon Jess finds her own name added to the list. She decides not to report this fact and, although it gives her chills, she is determined to bring this monster down. Once again, the crime scenes start to add up.

Jess is a great character with a lot of drive for her job. It’s the most fulfilling part of her life. I appreciate that she is quietly aggressive and careful to protect her position, hopefully without offending. Also, she has the ability to make a friend when it’s not easy for her and not at the top of her list of priorities. I enjoyed the suspense and the portrayal of Jess as only human, instead of Wonder Woman. Jess is the main player, but there are others in the story that are interesting, even when they only have a small part. There is plenty here to mull over as the story moves on, and the suspense is high. There are a couple of ‘eww’ murder scenes, but the book is well worth the time and anyone who loves catching the bad guy will appreciate this one.

The rating:

Genre and general reading age – This is suspense for adults. I don’t know if a teenager would have the patience to wait out an investigation.
Level of sexuality – There is some sex. Overall, it definitely is not what drives the story.
Is there graphic language? The author conveys the character’s thoughts and actions with very little graphic language. Thank you.
Did I laugh? No.
Did I cry? No. I felt some sadness and anger for the victims. Their deaths were violent and meaningless.
Is this part of a series? Not that I can tell.
Level of character development – The characters were great. I didn’t at any time think someone needed adjustment to make this storyline work any smoother.

I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

[Ray Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping tale of an FBI agents hunt for a serial killer in Alaska.
Very strong characters, great story line, and I loved the descriptions of Alaskan life & the big country feel that the author imparts.
Great book, well written & edited.
The author also narrates this book, He has a good voice and his smooth style make this book an easy listen,
100% recommend.
I received a free copy of this audio book at my request, and I leave this honest review.

[The Badger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Harwood needs a female proofreader (or just a proofreader). In between all the corpses and chases, Harwood forgot to add a tiny thing called a "plot." Shooting the bad guy in the face whilst climbing up a 20-some story building in ballet flats is impressive, but it also means we never find out WHY he killed, and why he was obsessed with Jess.

Also, it took me half the book to realize that Oscar and Lindstrom were the same person. And as for the way Jess uses Lindstrom as both target practice for perps and her personal disposable inflatable sex doll, this was the point where I realized that this was written by a dumbass male...

If Harwood really deserved the accolades attributed to his writing, his books wouldn't be free.

[Robert V. Rossi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me hooked

I gave him five stars for this book because it did what a good book should do. It made me want to keep reading. The characters are realistic in an acceptable sense. You are not required to muddle through tons of minutia and meaningless drivel. Vitali-Ivan was the hard one for me. I don't want to give it away, though. I would suggest to Mr. Harwood that the "F" bombs brought no real value to the read, but were placed with precision. I would recommend this book to adults who are mature enough to get by the language and that enjoy a quick read.

[Meagan Trent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed

Very enjoyable. Love the strong female lead!
The twists and utter determination of Special Agent Harding is unbelievable. She's going to get her man no matter the consequence.

[Cheri Zweep · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book; my first read by Seth Harwood. I don't want to give anything away but at the end there is mention of the need for a Physical Therapist in Anchorage!!!

[Jez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish. Really couldn’t gel with this book. Mainly written from a first person perspective, which is off putting for me to begin with. Far too many comparisons in rapid succession breaking the glow of the scene, eg
‘Moustache as brown as the table was white’
‘Like he practiced the move more times than he cooked an egg’
‘If she’d been a smoker for four packs she’d been for four decades.’
It just feels forced, like the author is trying to get that magic phrase but never quite makes it. For me it distracted from the story, and I ended up giving up at around 10% inti the book. It’s a shame as the idea of a crime novel set in the arctic circle really appealed to me.

[Crystal w · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story it was really fast paced and made you guess until the end. She is following the same killer she couldn't catch years before the first time around. So she goes after the killer again. It was good, and really kept me on my toes and kept my attention the whole time. Great book!

[Andrew Kirkhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

A good read with a very good ending
First read of this author for me , but will not be the last

[Anne Glouner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in one day!

Started reading in the AM and couldn't put it down!!! Very fast paced and suspenseful. Glad it ended the way it did.

[Rory Costello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid thriller with a good central figure and very effective use of location...but the bad guy was hazily drawn.

[Rosemarie Lovesay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Agent too macho for me but did enjoy

Agent too macho for me but enjoyed learning about Alaska. Good story but Jess full of herself. But thank you

[Julie Heckman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh . . . just didn't like the style . . .

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an ok read

This book was only ok for me. I thought it lacked depth and was hoping for more meat on the bones. The ending left me in satisfied.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love crime thrillers so entering a Goodreads giveaway for this book was a no-brainer for me. I was very pleased to receive a copy. To be honest I was a little surprised that a male author was writing in the first person perspective of a female agent. After a slow start, the surprise wore off, the action ramped up and I was completely immersed into the story. Part of me was glad that the chapters were to-the-point kind of chapters because I'd have to make myself stop at the end of a chapter. If I didn't, I would have read through the night.

The novel begins with the main character, Jess, being summoned to Alaska to help with an old, familiar case that she worked on as a rookie field agent. Right from the start, Jess is out to prove that she's no longer the green, wet-behind-the-ears new kid and that her instincts about the person behind the gruesome killings are valuable despite the rumblings from the "old boys" club. Because the book is set in the present time period, it seemed as though everything could really be happening. For me, it all added up to the story feeling very real and that's a scary thought when it comes to serial killers.

As realistic as I found the characters and their reactions to situations to be, the locations within the book played a big role in the storyline as well. The culture, customs and traditions of the inhabitants in various areas of Alaska both helped and hindered the investigation. The same case could be made for the events that happened within San Fransisco as well. The author presents vivid descriptions of the surrounding areas that the reader can nearly feel the cold of the Alaskan wilderness or hear the bustle of a San Fransiscan street.

There is a slow build to the action but once the ball gets rolling, there is no stopping. The reader is fed the clues at the same pace in which Jess finds them, so we're following her instincts in real time. Her realizations and frustrations become ours, adding to the tension building within the story. Only one thing frustrated me out of the entire book and that is whatever Jess is hiding about her connection with the killer. The door is left open for the author to explore (and I hope he does) and definitely leaves the reader wanting more.

Overall, this book was an excellent and exciting way to spend a few evenings. Most times I didn't want to put the book down. If I had been able, I would have devoured this book in one sitting as the action takes the story along a decently steady pace. There are plenty of twists and turns one would expect from the thriller genre but the story has its own flavor with its strong, resilient heroine in Jess Harding. If you're looking for a book full of action, adventure and travels all while battling a strange, demented serial killer, then this is the book for you.

[Buchdoktor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jessica Harding hatte vor Jahren in Alaska erfolglos gegen einen Serientäter ermittelt und war anschließend in San Francisco tätig. Nun ist sie zur Unterstützung der Kollegen vor Ort zurückgekehrt. Der Blick einer außenstehenden Person oder auch der Blick einer Frau in einem reinen Männerteam könnte die Ermittlungen voranbringen. Der Täter ist in den hellen Sommernächten im Juni aktiv, wenn die Sonne in Alaska erst gegen Mitternacht untergeht. Man fragt sich, wie er immer wieder unbeobachtet tätig werden kann, während die Menschen bis spät in die Nacht den kurzen Sommer nutzen. Das neuestes Opfer lebte in einem Appartement, das dem verblüffend ähnelt, das Jessica damals gemietet hatte. Der Täter kennt die Ermittlerin offenbar genau und hat die tote junge Frau gezielt als Botschaft für sie am Tatort drapiert. Nicht ungewöhnlich für eine Region, in der gefischt und gejagt wird, kann der Serienmörder offenbar geschickt mir sehr scharfen Messern umgehen. Jessica lässt die Chance verstreichen, sich wegen der Nähe des Täters zu ihr von dem Fall abziehen zu lassen oder sich professionelle Unterstützung zu holen. Zusammen mit dem Berufsanfänger und Alsaka-Greenhorn Martinez ermittelt sie unter recht speziellen Umständen im nördlichsten Staat der USA. Die zurückzulegenden Fahr-Strecken sind lang, öde und mit rigider Geschwindigkeitsbeschränkung versehen und die Einheimischen zeigen geringe Begeisterung, mit der Polizei zu kooperieren. Als Jessica sich eingestehen muss, dass der Täter ihr bereits viel zu nahe gekommen ist, entschließt sie sich zu einem folgenschweren Alleingang.

Der Kampf einer arbeitssüchtigen Alphafrau gegen einen perversen Serientäter hat mich als konventionelle Krimikost hauptsächlich durch die atmosphärische Schilderung Alaskas unterhalten. Polizeiarbeit wird durch exakt definierte Routinen und Hierarchien bestimmt, Jessicas filmreife Alleingänge ohne Abstimmung mit Team und Ermittlungsleiter wirken selbst für eine abgelegene Gegend wie Alaska nicht glaubwürdig.

[Virginia Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Seth Harwood offers a tense psychological thriller with “In Broad Daylight”, featuring female FBI agent Jess Harding. For five years, the serial killer Harding tracked and was unable to capture has remained inactive and off the radar. Now, he’s gotten busy again, and Harding is called back to Alaska from San Francisco to work the case. Her old partner, Oscar Linstrom, is there to assist her, and he also hopes to have more than a working relationship with Jess. As soon as Harding begins working on the case, she notices things that set off warning bells in her mind. Eerie similarities between herself and the victims, and common threads between their lives have Harding thinking that she is being set up and hunted by the killer. Harding’s relentless pursuit leads her from Anchorage to the deep woods of an isolated Russian-culture community of Old Believers, who practice a lifestyle from long ago, and who do not welcome outsiders. The information Harding gains gives her insight into the madman, and she also obtains a sketch of his image, and his name, Ivan Nikolaevsk. However, after a vicious and bloody confrontation with Ivan, in which an innocent man is mortally wounded, Harding is sent back to San Francisco. She hasn’t been home for long when she realizes that Ivan has followed her, and she calls the one person she can trust for help, her former colleague Oscar. He agrees to take his available leave time and come to San Francisco, even agreeing to Harding’s plan that he trail her and stay out of sight. While they must meet covertly, the attraction between them becomes an involvement, and the reasons for putting Ivan out of commission become more personal. Will Ivan the Hunter be caught by Jess’ determined sleuthing? Will Oscar woo Jess into a lasting relationship—if they survive? “In Broad Daylight” is a satisfying thriller with a strong female protagonist who deserves a few more cases to solve.

Review Copy Gratis Amazon Vine

[Dindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the start of In Broad Daylight by Seth Harwood, the book seems to have a lot going for it as a thriller. On the plus side, the Alaska location is a change of pace. Harwood does a good job of creating the setting, poking fun at such staples from the lower 48 as Starbucks and McDonalds. Things that we take for granted, such as jogging and 24 hour fitness centers become objects of derision in a state where for much of the year, merely walking outside in the snow is an aerobic activity.

The protagonist, FBI agent Jess Harding, is a female workaholic who returns to Anchorage after five years away to try to catch a sadistic serial killer whom she failed to catch before.

The mystery has potential, as Jess investigates the murders of young women and immerses herself into the culture of Alaska in an attempt to get inside the mind of the killer.

However, there are just too many loose ends and gaps to make this a satisfying read. For one thing, there are frequent hints about the bad experience that Jess suffered when she was stationed in Anchorage five years before, but we never really know what it is until near the end of the book in a throw-away line, there is a reference to the prejudice she encountered as a woman agent in the male dominated world in Alaska. In addition, there is a bizarre obsession in the book between Jess and other agents with establishing a name for the killer, and the reason for the killer's actions, along with his obsession with Jess, is never made clear.

So this book was largely a disappointment to me; the promising beginning never really developed into the taut suspense novel for which I had hoped. Ultimately, the book ended up being a waste of my time. I'm giving it three points instead of two, because I enjoyed the Alaskan setting, but beyond that, I really can't recommend this to anyone.

[Carol - Reading Writing and Riesling · Rating 3 out of 5]

My View:
A compelling and heart racing, fast paced, action packed crime bonanza; this story leaves the reader with little time to breath whilst hastily turning pages. The murders are savage, bloody. The heroine, FBI agent Jess Harding, once the hunter now the hunted is desperate, determined and ruthless in her pursuit of the killer. She will not let him win.

Harding fights sexism, discrimination and crime with a tough, take no nonsense attitude. She is fit, feisty and only concerned with one thing; bringing this killer to justice. Believe me you want her on your side.

Set in the height of the Alaskan summer and its long bright nights we are transfixed by the wildness and isolation of the countryside; a land of hiking and float planes and flourishing tourism that is marred by the bloody redness of death. No young woman is safe be they from the city or the rural towns. When Agent Martinez is asked “You see anyone in these you think could have done this?” He replies “I’m from Ohio and hunted as a kid, but these folks up here kill bears and eat them. I don’t know what they’d do.” ( p.68) Add to the mix a cult like community that doesn’t abide interference, strangers and most certainly not the FBI, salt liberally with a hint of romance and you have a mystery that is bewitching, deadly and intriguing.

An exciting and exhilarating read, you will not want to stop reading until you reach the satisfying conclusion. Seth Harwood is a crime writer to add to you must read list.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first discovered Seth Harwood at podiobooks.com. Where he posted his book "Jack Wakes Up" over a period of breathless weeks. I followed that series through all three books, meeting, along the way, Jack Palms, the Czechs, Jane Ganon and Junius Ponds among others. In Broad Daylight concerns none of these, but rather another agent from the San Francisco bureau of the FBI, Jess Harding.

In her past, as a new investigator, Harding had been the lead agent in charge of tracking a particularly horrific serial killer. Who used as his tell, the binding of the victim's wrists with barbed wire and writing on the walls in the victim's blood. He kills a number of women, then vanishes.

Five years later, he's back and Harding, now a more seasoned agent is brought back on the case. This time the victim is a Senator's daughter. She had been living in an apartment that was similar to Harding's and the killer had written Jess Harding's name, in blood, in his screeds on the victim's walls.

I read this book in about 12 hours, I could not put it down. Seth's prose and characterizations are spot on. Further, his descriptions of the "Old Believers" reminds me of encounters with people I have met in other self imposed remote places. Reluctant to talk and insular as hell. Think the Frenchmen of Maine's Allagash and the people of the Pine Barrens in New Jersey.

Pick it up and give my man Seth a try. This is hard core crime fiction, baby. Not to be missed.

[Duncan Comrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jess Harding is a successful and dedicated FBI agent, the Daylight case was her first lead case, the one that got away. Five years have passed and then another murder, the Daylight serial killer has returned, but why after five years, where has he been for this time, why is he back.

Jess is reassigned and send back to Anchorage to pick up where she left off. She attacks the case with her usual dedication, but the more she digs, the more it appears as though the killer might be focusing on her. If so why, what is his end game, is Jess to be the next victim, what price will she pay to get her man.

Set during the endless Alaskan summer, the descriptions of the surrounding natural beauty, cultural difference and endless daylight leave you feeling this place is different, the killer is different. The two blended together creates this terrific eerie sense of place. Having read it, it is hard to imagine why there are not more thrillers with an Alaskan setting.

In Broad Daylight is a terrific thriller with the Seth Harwood touch, constant action and movement. Everything turned up to eleven, with hardly a pause to take a breath. So take a big breath, open to page one, and enjoy the ride.

And a big Palms Daddy thanks to Seth and Thomas & Mercer for getting this out to us readers.

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

With its flashy premise involving an Alaskan serial killer returned to add to his spree of killings after a five year hiatus, this book starring FBI agent Jessica Harding is certainly attention-grabbing. And with its high body count and gruesome killings, it is a pretty exciting read. It is well-edited and fast-paced. It lacks, however, sufficient depth in its characters. Even the main character feels a bit shallow and certainly is not a dynamic character. The book has a realistic feel with its settings, and perhaps it is this that adds to making the cast of characters feel so stiff, and never as genuine as the described landscapes. The killer, especially, along with his means and motives is never properly explored. All in all, the book has the slight undertone that the rest of the federal government doesn’t care much for Alaska, and that’s just the way they like it, too. The storyline, though, is exciting enough - and these flaws in the characterization would probably go unnoticed in a made-for-TV adaptation of the story. There are aspects of the story, like the Old Believers, that are particularly interesting. It isn’t a terrible book by any means, but it isn’t a wonderful one, either. What makes this all the more disappointing, is that the potential is there for this to be a much more engaging and exciting serial killer story.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

* I received this book as a Goodread's First-Reads Giveaway

I give In Broad Daylight by Seth Harwood 3.5 Stars

Summary: This book is a murder mystery book following a FBI agent Jess Harding and her search for The Daylight Killer, a man who has killed dozens of women during Alaska's white nights.

Positives:
-The main character is a female who is pretty bad-ass and independent. She's not the usual female protagonist who is wimpy and depends on others for everything.

-This is one of very few books I can think of that have a male author writing about a self-reliant female protagonist. Most characters like that are written by woman, so that's cool.

-The book was an interesting read, I didn't get bored with it. It kept me involved and I rooted for the characters. I really enjoyed the Alaskan setting, considering not a lot of books have that.

-The cover is gorgeous! Can we just take a moment to appreciate the beautifulness of it!

Negatives:
-There was no motive given for the killer besides the fact he is just weird. There was also no explanation regarding why he was so obsessed with Jess. (Maybe this will come in later books, because this seems like it might be a series following Jess's cases).

Wrap-Up: It was an enjoyable read, I recommend it, however it could have had a more satisfying conclusion.

[BigJohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Broad Daylight is a gritty murder mystery investigated by FBI agent Jess Harding. A killer is up to their old tricks after taking a 5-year hiatus, and Agent Harding is called back to work the only unsolved blemish on her record. She hits the ground running, as the Daylight Killer leads her all across Alaska leaving bodies behind for Jess.

In Broad Daylight is fast-paced and engaging. As with many well-written books of the genre, the story has characters that hold your attention and keep you interested. Far too many times I found myself gritting my teeth, stressed at the latest developments and obstacles thrown across the path. I was very drawn into this book, and enjoyed both the dastardly criminalistic points, as well as the investigative process that Agent Harding follows.

Perhaps the most impressive piece of the book is the wonderful descriptions of Alaska. You would think Seth Harwood had spent the majority of his life there; his narration of the scenery and people are painted from something very personal. Similarly, the parts set in San Francisco evoke the same sense of familiar - all the more impressive since I believe Harwood has spent way more time in SF than in Alaska.

At any rate, this story is a top-notch murder mystery and investigation story.

[Scholastic Squid · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Broad Daylight - I won this on Goodreads. This book was about a serial killer located in Alaska, who kills young females that are semi-athletic and more towards the independent side. The main character happens to fit this description and has also been trying to hunt him/her down for years but left the case to return to California. The killings begin again after a 5 year break period, so she comes back to Alaska to find out she is being hunted by the killer. At the latest crime scene she finds evidence pointing toward this; her name written in the latest victims blood. There were parts of this story that seemed to be missing to me? Thoughts seemed to just stop short and then you were brought to the end result to quickly? Or at least it seemed so to me. It was a quick read for me, it was exciting to chase the killer and interesting to hear about the life in Alaskan communities. It was also nice to hear about a female character who was not weak and needed to be saved by anyone else. She was tough, worked hard and was able to wear skirts or pants to do her job. She didn't let anyone walk over her.