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Detective Tracy Sterling #2
Capitol Killer
Tracy Sterling has been hired to clear a prominent political figure of murder. There’s just one complication ...
... the murder hasn’t happened yet.
In the chilling sequel to "Lies and Bones,"
Tracy Sterling is back, but this time she's playing by her own rules. She’s left the city's grim alleys for the private sector. But it won’t take long for her to realize that this world is just as bloody as the last.
She's been hired by a prominent senator, a man whose reputation teeters on the brink of ruin. His future is shrouded in a sinister prediction of bloodshed, a crime that threatens to topple his career and destroy his life.
Someone will kill a young woman very soon. And he expects that he will be the one to blame.
With each tick of the clock, the future crime morphs from an elusive possibility into a grim reality. Tracy is racing against time, and her failure could result in more than one death.
The line between friend and foe blurs in the face of a looming murder. With a relentless enemy predicting every move, Tracy finds herself in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Who is this killer? What secrets is the senator withholding? Can Tracy prevent a crime that hasn't yet occurred? And if not, will she be able to find the killer before he strikes again?
Every step drags Tracy deeper into a web of intrigue, deceit and impending violence. Her relentless pursuit of the truth leads her through the city's political power corridors, where secrets thrive, and trust is a scarce commodity.
"Capitol Killer" is a relentless, pulse-pounding thriller. Fans of John Sandford, Jeffery Deaver, Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner, David Baldacci, Michael Connelly, James Patterson, Tess Gerritsen, and Patricia Cornwell will be captivated by the relentless Tracy Sterling in this high-stakes mystery thriller.
... the murder hasn’t happened yet.
In the chilling sequel to "Lies and Bones,"
Tracy Sterling is back, but this time she's playing by her own rules. She’s left the city's grim alleys for the private sector. But it won’t take long for her to realize that this world is just as bloody as the last.
She's been hired by a prominent senator, a man whose reputation teeters on the brink of ruin. His future is shrouded in a sinister prediction of bloodshed, a crime that threatens to topple his career and destroy his life.
Someone will kill a young woman very soon. And he expects that he will be the one to blame.
With each tick of the clock, the future crime morphs from an elusive possibility into a grim reality. Tracy is racing against time, and her failure could result in more than one death.
The line between friend and foe blurs in the face of a looming murder. With a relentless enemy predicting every move, Tracy finds herself in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Who is this killer? What secrets is the senator withholding? Can Tracy prevent a crime that hasn't yet occurred? And if not, will she be able to find the killer before he strikes again?
Every step drags Tracy deeper into a web of intrigue, deceit and impending violence. Her relentless pursuit of the truth leads her through the city's political power corridors, where secrets thrive, and trust is a scarce commodity.
"Capitol Killer" is a relentless, pulse-pounding thriller. Fans of John Sandford, Jeffery Deaver, Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner, David Baldacci, Michael Connelly, James Patterson, Tess Gerritsen, and Patricia Cornwell will be captivated by the relentless Tracy Sterling in this high-stakes mystery thriller.
178 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 1, 2026
Having been intrigued by R. J. Law's series setup, I eagerly reached for this second novel in the Detective Tracy Sterling series, curious to see how the author would build upon the foundation of the first book. What I discovered is a captivating, well-paced thriller with plenty of intrigue, some clever investigative turns, and a protagonist whose evolution is beginning to show real dividends. While it ventures in a completely different direction than the debut in almost every element, it maintains the core hooks that make this series worth watching.
The premise itself sets a fantastic hook: Tracy Sterling has been hired to clear a prominent political figure of murder, but there’s just one complication... the murder hasn’t happened yet.
Tracy is no longer a traditional detective, playing by her own rules now in the private sector as a PI. She’s left the city's grim alleys behind, but it won’t take long for her to realize that the corridors of political power are just as bloody as the streets. She's been hired by a prominent senator whose reputation teeters on the brink of ruin. His future is shrouded in a sinister prediction of bloodshed—a crime that threatens to topple his career and destroy his life.
Someone will kill a young woman very soon, and the senator expects that he will be the one framed for it.
With each tick of the clock, the future crime morphs from an elusive possibility into a grim reality. Tracy is racing against time, and her failure could result in more than one death. The line between friend and foe quickly blurs in the face of a looming murder. With a relentless enemy seemingly predicting her every move, Tracy finds herself in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Every step drags her deeper into a web of intrigue, deceit, and impending violence as her relentless pursuit of the truth leads her through political power corridors where secrets thrive and trust is a scarce commodity.
Where Law truly excels is in his pacing. Short, punchy chapters keep the story moving at a breakneck speed, making it incredibly easy to justify reading just "one more chapter" late into the night. The narrative rarely stagnates, with revelations and investigative developments arriving at just the right moments. Law certainly knows how to keep readers turning pages, even when the underlying investigation ventures beyond a standard, conventional police procedural.
The mystery itself is decent, offering a few solid surprises and respectable PI work. Law definitely shows another side to Tracy here; she remains a captivating protagonist, but her new private sector freedom allows her determination, occasional obsessiveness, and complicated family legacy to shine in a new light. Fans of the first book will also be pleased to see Jimmy, the PI from the opening novel, make an appearance. While he and Tracy are not formal partners, their loose link-up adds great texture to the narrative and provides a strong anchor to the series' growing universe.
The supporting cast adequately complements the plot, though the focus remains squarely on Tracy's shoulders. There is still a difference between a thriller that keeps you reading and one that leaves you utterly breathless, and while this installment confidently achieves the former, it leaves just enough unanswered potential to keep you guessing about the future. Law can write, his pacing is strong, and he knows how to sustain intrigue, but there is still room to sharpen the investigative complexity to make this series truly stand out from others in the genre.
Ultimately, this is a respectable 3.75-star piece. It offers a refreshing departure from the style of the debut, proving that Law isn't afraid to shake up his own status quo. My curiosity remains incredibly high to see how this series and its characters continue to develop. It leaves me entirely textually invested and highly curious about where her professional loyalty will ultimately land: will she choose to remain a PI playing by her own rules, or will she eventually return to the police force to set her own name straight, even with her father's legacy permanently tarnished after his death? I will definitely be reaching for the third book to find out.
Kudos, Mr. Law, for another entertaining read!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com
The premise itself sets a fantastic hook: Tracy Sterling has been hired to clear a prominent political figure of murder, but there’s just one complication... the murder hasn’t happened yet.
Tracy is no longer a traditional detective, playing by her own rules now in the private sector as a PI. She’s left the city's grim alleys behind, but it won’t take long for her to realize that the corridors of political power are just as bloody as the streets. She's been hired by a prominent senator whose reputation teeters on the brink of ruin. His future is shrouded in a sinister prediction of bloodshed—a crime that threatens to topple his career and destroy his life.
Someone will kill a young woman very soon, and the senator expects that he will be the one framed for it.
With each tick of the clock, the future crime morphs from an elusive possibility into a grim reality. Tracy is racing against time, and her failure could result in more than one death. The line between friend and foe quickly blurs in the face of a looming murder. With a relentless enemy seemingly predicting her every move, Tracy finds herself in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Every step drags her deeper into a web of intrigue, deceit, and impending violence as her relentless pursuit of the truth leads her through political power corridors where secrets thrive and trust is a scarce commodity.
Where Law truly excels is in his pacing. Short, punchy chapters keep the story moving at a breakneck speed, making it incredibly easy to justify reading just "one more chapter" late into the night. The narrative rarely stagnates, with revelations and investigative developments arriving at just the right moments. Law certainly knows how to keep readers turning pages, even when the underlying investigation ventures beyond a standard, conventional police procedural.
The mystery itself is decent, offering a few solid surprises and respectable PI work. Law definitely shows another side to Tracy here; she remains a captivating protagonist, but her new private sector freedom allows her determination, occasional obsessiveness, and complicated family legacy to shine in a new light. Fans of the first book will also be pleased to see Jimmy, the PI from the opening novel, make an appearance. While he and Tracy are not formal partners, their loose link-up adds great texture to the narrative and provides a strong anchor to the series' growing universe.
The supporting cast adequately complements the plot, though the focus remains squarely on Tracy's shoulders. There is still a difference between a thriller that keeps you reading and one that leaves you utterly breathless, and while this installment confidently achieves the former, it leaves just enough unanswered potential to keep you guessing about the future. Law can write, his pacing is strong, and he knows how to sustain intrigue, but there is still room to sharpen the investigative complexity to make this series truly stand out from others in the genre.
Ultimately, this is a respectable 3.75-star piece. It offers a refreshing departure from the style of the debut, proving that Law isn't afraid to shake up his own status quo. My curiosity remains incredibly high to see how this series and its characters continue to develop. It leaves me entirely textually invested and highly curious about where her professional loyalty will ultimately land: will she choose to remain a PI playing by her own rules, or will she eventually return to the police force to set her own name straight, even with her father's legacy permanently tarnished after his death? I will definitely be reaching for the third book to find out.
Kudos, Mr. Law, for another entertaining read!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com
November 12, 2026
i knew this was written by a man when a woman’s breasts were described as “jiggling boulders”
also, why does no one have a sense of urgency in these books? every single character is always shrugging or yawning
like, same because it’s been boring as hell, but i thought this was supposed to be a thriller
also, why does no one have a sense of urgency in these books? every single character is always shrugging or yawning
like, same because it’s been boring as hell, but i thought this was supposed to be a thriller
September 9, 2025
We’re born into a world of flames and you can spend your whole life trying to put fires out. But you’ll just end up old and tired, and the flames will burn on long after you’re dead.
There are so many ways it can go wrong. So why sprint into a buzzsaw.
There are so many ways it can go wrong. So why sprint into a buzzsaw.
April 28, 2026
A fine short novel.
Writing was okay, plot interesting.
The characters lacked depth and the story felt rushed at times, versus too long in others. The twist was expected early on and so didn’t land as hard as it should have.
3/5
Writing was okay, plot interesting.
The characters lacked depth and the story felt rushed at times, versus too long in others. The twist was expected early on and so didn’t land as hard as it should have.
3/5
September 13, 2023
I am enjoying this series.. They keep me guessing and on the edge of my seat. I look forward to reading about what Tracy and Jimmy get up to next. The characters are gritty and real.
October 9, 2023
Tracy now is a PI. She is approached by a senator's campaign manager to help prevent a murder. The plot has twists and turns. Even the ending makes the reader wonder about our politicians.
May 13, 2024
Great action packed thriller!
July 29, 2024
Another excellent read from this author
May 28, 2025
just kinda dumb
July 28, 2026
definitely better than the first, but still just as predictable (2.5)
August 12, 2024
There is a weird thing that keeps happening to me with this series of mysteries. I have read the first two but started them over thinking that I hadn't. Not sure what that is all about ......
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews