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Criminal Profiler #5
I See You
From New York Times bestselling author Mary Burton comes a gritty, suspenseful story in the Criminal Profiler series.
FBI special agent Zoe Spencer uses skeletal remains to recreate the faces of murder victims through sculpture. Though highly scientific, the process is also sensitive and intimate; she becomes attached to the individuals she identifies, desperate to find justice for each.
As Zoe examines old remains, she sees a teenage girl looking back at her—the victim in a cold case from over a decade ago. Zoe wants nothing more than to tell this young woman’s story and to bring her killer to justice.
Zoe’s case leads her to the victim’s hometown and to homicide detective William Vaughan, Zoe’s on-again, off-again lover. As the two become more involved in the case, they quickly realize that it isn’t as cold as they first believed: someone’s still out there hunting women. And with more women gone missing, time’s running out. Can they work together and stop this madman before he kills again?
FBI special agent Zoe Spencer uses skeletal remains to recreate the faces of murder victims through sculpture. Though highly scientific, the process is also sensitive and intimate; she becomes attached to the individuals she identifies, desperate to find justice for each.
As Zoe examines old remains, she sees a teenage girl looking back at her—the victim in a cold case from over a decade ago. Zoe wants nothing more than to tell this young woman’s story and to bring her killer to justice.
Zoe’s case leads her to the victim’s hometown and to homicide detective William Vaughan, Zoe’s on-again, off-again lover. As the two become more involved in the case, they quickly realize that it isn’t as cold as they first believed: someone’s still out there hunting women. And with more women gone missing, time’s running out. Can they work together and stop this madman before he kills again?
348 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 8, 2019
5429 people are currently reading
6391 people want to read
About the author
Mary Burton
68 books4,069 followersMary Burton, whose latest novel is THE LIES I TOLD, loves writing suspense, getting to know her characters, keeping up with law enforcement and forensic procedure, morning walks, baking, and tiny dachshunds. She also enjoys hunting down serial killers, which she does in her New York Times and USA Today bestselling novels. Library Journal has compared her work to that of Lisa Jackson and Lisa Gardner, and Fresh Fiction likened her writing to that of James Patterson.
Mary is routinely featured among the top ten writers in Amazon’s Author Rankings for romantic suspense, thriller and mystery. Upon publication, her novels, including NEVER LOOK BACK and BURN YOU TWICE, consistently rank high on the Kindle eBooks Store Bestseller List. Her novels CUT AND RUN and YOU'RE NOT SAFE were nominated for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award for Romantic Suspense.
A Richmond native, Mary is the author of forty-five published novels and five novellas as Mary Burton and as Mary Ellen Taylor.
A member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Novelists, Inc., and Romance Writers of America, Mary is known for creating multiple suspense stories connected by characters and/or place.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 691 reviews
October 23, 2019
I See You by Mary Burton is the second book in the thrilling romantic suspense Criminal Profiler series. Each of the books in this series and others by the author change the main characters of the book giving readers a whole new romance plot while loosely connecting the cases. The characters in the first book of this series actually came from another Mary Burton series but even with all the crossover book to book or series to series these can be read as a standalone or out of order and understood if choosing to do so.
I See You introduces special agent Zoe Spencer with the FBI who not only works cases bit is often used as a skeletal reconstruction specialist when there is not another way to identify a victim. Zoe had just finished up reconstructing a skull which led to finding it belonged to a teenage girl from an old cold case.
As Zoe heads to the girls hometown and begins to investigate she finds herself crossing paths with homicide detective William Vaughan. The two have a history together being what some would call friends with benefits and diving into the case brings those moments to light. In the middle of the cold case investigation the pair also discover they may have an active serial killer on their hands to track down.
One of the things I love with a Mary Burton title is that while they are romantic suspense she still has a great grasp on the thrilling side of the story instead of letting the steamier side take over. These characters also had an established beginning which I enjoy too so we don’t dive into an uncomfortable insta-love area and just let things grow as the focus stays on the crime at hand for a good portion of the story making this another solid installment to the series.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
I See You introduces special agent Zoe Spencer with the FBI who not only works cases bit is often used as a skeletal reconstruction specialist when there is not another way to identify a victim. Zoe had just finished up reconstructing a skull which led to finding it belonged to a teenage girl from an old cold case.
As Zoe heads to the girls hometown and begins to investigate she finds herself crossing paths with homicide detective William Vaughan. The two have a history together being what some would call friends with benefits and diving into the case brings those moments to light. In the middle of the cold case investigation the pair also discover they may have an active serial killer on their hands to track down.
One of the things I love with a Mary Burton title is that while they are romantic suspense she still has a great grasp on the thrilling side of the story instead of letting the steamier side take over. These characters also had an established beginning which I enjoy too so we don’t dive into an uncomfortable insta-love area and just let things grow as the focus stays on the crime at hand for a good portion of the story making this another solid installment to the series.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
October 8, 2019
It begins when a journalist, following an anonymous tip, find human remains in the basement of an apartment building.
FBI Agent Zoe Spencer uses her ability to recreate faces of murder victims through sculpture. Who she finds in this instance is a teenage girl who disappeared years ago.
Homicide Detective William Vaughn is investigating a series of murders ... all young women, and all resemble the victim found earlier.
So maybe this is not a cold case .... maybe someone is continuing the cycle.
Is it more than a coincidence that the first victim's sister and her daughter both disappear?
Spencer and Vaughn must work together to find the killer, delving through decades of lies and secrets.
Well-written by one of my favorite authors, the suspense is palpable and the characters are finely drawn. Spencer and Vaughn are on again - off again lovers and they pick up where the left off when they last worked together. There is spice and sizzle, but I really enjoyed how they share their professional, as well as personal lives.
Many thanks to the author / Montlake Romance / Netgalley for the digital copy of this addition to the author's Criminal Profiler series. Read and reviewed voluntarily, the opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
October 8, 2019
Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
I SEE YOU (Criminal Profiler Book 2) by Mary Burton is the second romantic suspense in the Criminal Profiler series. This book focuses on two suspense plots, a cold case and a present day serial killer case while still managing to give you a believable romance intertwined with the investigations.
FBI Special Agent Zoe Spencer is a profiler and a forensic artist who can use skeletal remains or eye- witness testimony to build or draw a visual representation for law enforcement. As she works on the reconstruction of a recently found skull, she brings back the face of a missing teenage girl from 19 years ago.
Alexandria homicide detective William Vaughan has been called to the scene of a brutally murdered teenage sex worker. Just as he begins investigating, he gets a call to assist on Zoe’s cold case. He is interested in the case and is happy to once again work with his on-again, off-again lover.
As William and Zoe reconnect with the sister of the cold case victim, they are shocked to get a call that the sister’s husband has been stabbed and the sister and her daughter have been abducted. There are deep secrets in this family and as the investigation heats up, more bodies are being found. Can William and Zoe find out who and what connects the past with the present and if they are connected stop the killing spree?
I love all the layers in these suspense plots from the past and present and how they were tied together. Ms. Burton kept me guessing and changing my mind on who was guilty with an ending that satisfies, but also leaves a scary question mark for the future. William is a steady, strong hero who does not overshadow Zoe, who is a very strong heroine on her own. The romance was believable because they were both at a point in their lives where they were both ready to move on. The sex scenes are steamy and intimate, but not gratuitous.
I highly recommend this romantic suspense and author. Ms. Burton always gives me intriguing cases to solve, strong and intelligent heroes and heroines and a romantic HEA.
Thanks very much to Montlake Romance and Net Galley for allowing me to read an eARC of this book.
I SEE YOU (Criminal Profiler Book 2) by Mary Burton is the second romantic suspense in the Criminal Profiler series. This book focuses on two suspense plots, a cold case and a present day serial killer case while still managing to give you a believable romance intertwined with the investigations.
FBI Special Agent Zoe Spencer is a profiler and a forensic artist who can use skeletal remains or eye- witness testimony to build or draw a visual representation for law enforcement. As she works on the reconstruction of a recently found skull, she brings back the face of a missing teenage girl from 19 years ago.
Alexandria homicide detective William Vaughan has been called to the scene of a brutally murdered teenage sex worker. Just as he begins investigating, he gets a call to assist on Zoe’s cold case. He is interested in the case and is happy to once again work with his on-again, off-again lover.
As William and Zoe reconnect with the sister of the cold case victim, they are shocked to get a call that the sister’s husband has been stabbed and the sister and her daughter have been abducted. There are deep secrets in this family and as the investigation heats up, more bodies are being found. Can William and Zoe find out who and what connects the past with the present and if they are connected stop the killing spree?
I love all the layers in these suspense plots from the past and present and how they were tied together. Ms. Burton kept me guessing and changing my mind on who was guilty with an ending that satisfies, but also leaves a scary question mark for the future. William is a steady, strong hero who does not overshadow Zoe, who is a very strong heroine on her own. The romance was believable because they were both at a point in their lives where they were both ready to move on. The sex scenes are steamy and intimate, but not gratuitous.
I highly recommend this romantic suspense and author. Ms. Burton always gives me intriguing cases to solve, strong and intelligent heroes and heroines and a romantic HEA.
Thanks very much to Montlake Romance and Net Galley for allowing me to read an eARC of this book.
October 22, 2019
4.5 Stars
When this book jumped right to the action with a down on her luck news reporter getting an anonymous tip and finding a twenty year old skeleton in a storage unit, I knew I was in for a captivating ride.
Zoe Spencer helps bring justice to victims by using her gift of sculpture and the victim’s skeletal remains to identify them. When her latest project turns out to be the remains of a young woman whose kidnapping almost twenty years earlier was widely publicized, a cold case quickly heats back up again.
The identification of the body brings her back into contact with William Vaughn, homicide detective extraordinaire and Zoe’s ex-acquaintance with benefits. A new round of killings bears striking similarities to the murder from all those years ago. Could they be dealing with a copycat killer or has the original killer returned to finish what they started?
I’m not going to spoil a thing here so I’ll keep it safe and say if you’re a fan of police procedurals without a lot of extra storyline to convolute the mystery, I See You should be at the top of your TBR pile. The information drops and pacing of the story were just right and I was riveted to this book from the moment I started reading. The main characters are fleshed out just enough to connect to, but not enough to take the focus away from the mystery, which is what I’m looking for when I pick up this type of story. I also appreciate the fact just enough alternate points of view were provided to keep things interesting, but not too many as to bog things down.
I See you reintroduced me to the awesomeness that is Mary Burton and for that, I’m thankful. I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in the series and to see what Ms. Burton has in store for us next.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review
When this book jumped right to the action with a down on her luck news reporter getting an anonymous tip and finding a twenty year old skeleton in a storage unit, I knew I was in for a captivating ride.
Zoe Spencer helps bring justice to victims by using her gift of sculpture and the victim’s skeletal remains to identify them. When her latest project turns out to be the remains of a young woman whose kidnapping almost twenty years earlier was widely publicized, a cold case quickly heats back up again.
The identification of the body brings her back into contact with William Vaughn, homicide detective extraordinaire and Zoe’s ex-acquaintance with benefits. A new round of killings bears striking similarities to the murder from all those years ago. Could they be dealing with a copycat killer or has the original killer returned to finish what they started?
I’m not going to spoil a thing here so I’ll keep it safe and say if you’re a fan of police procedurals without a lot of extra storyline to convolute the mystery, I See You should be at the top of your TBR pile. The information drops and pacing of the story were just right and I was riveted to this book from the moment I started reading. The main characters are fleshed out just enough to connect to, but not enough to take the focus away from the mystery, which is what I’m looking for when I pick up this type of story. I also appreciate the fact just enough alternate points of view were provided to keep things interesting, but not too many as to bog things down.
I See you reintroduced me to the awesomeness that is Mary Burton and for that, I’m thankful. I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in the series and to see what Ms. Burton has in store for us next.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review
March 8, 2024
Former TV News personality Nikki McDonald gets a tip about a body. She finds the remains of a body in an old apartment building. FBI Special Agent Zoe Spencer uses the skull to sculpt a likeness of the victim. She realizes right away that the victim is Marsha Prince, a woman who disappeared nearly eighteen years ago. Detective William Vaughn was a rookie when Marsha disappeared. Now is his chance to solve her murder. Detective Vaughn, along with Agent Spencer, notifies Marsha's family. But strange things start happening when Marsha's sister, Hadley, and her teenage daughter Schuyler, are both taken from their home by a masked man. Now Vaughn and Spencer are racing against time to find Hadley and Schuyler.
This book is part of Burton's Criminal Profiler series; but can be read as a standalone with no problem. The romance and the suspense are well balanced. Vaughn and Zoe are on-again, off-again lovers. Things heat up again when they start working together. There are lots of twists and turns in this story. All of the suspects are hiding something that Vaughn and Zoe have to figure out. Vaughn is also working a series of murders that might tie to the women's disappearance. My rating: 4 Stars.
This book is part of Burton's Criminal Profiler series; but can be read as a standalone with no problem. The romance and the suspense are well balanced. Vaughn and Zoe are on-again, off-again lovers. Things heat up again when they start working together. There are lots of twists and turns in this story. All of the suspects are hiding something that Vaughn and Zoe have to figure out. Vaughn is also working a series of murders that might tie to the women's disappearance. My rating: 4 Stars.
September 27, 2019
Note - I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first Mary Burton book, and I had high hopes. Unfortunately, it fails to deliver.
There were just so many things wrong with it. If I was not bored while reading the book, then I was irritated.
First of all, Zoe was a Mary Sue character. She was a dancer, FBI special agent, artist, sculptor and a profiler. All of these are full time profession by themselves, and our heroine was all of them. The next problem I had was, even after having capability for being all this, she was dumb. She didn't follow the necessary leads, she barely stumbled onto the killer's identity, she confronted a killer without backup, and basically, the book would have been no different if she had not been in it.
Secondly, this book had very visible lack of research. Even after just watching crime tv shows, I had better knowledge than what was portrayed in the book. Leads that should have been obviously followed were ignored, forensic procedures were a joke, procedures and laws ignored when convenient, protocols not followed, confessions thrown out the window by lawyers or confessions acquired in front of lawyers (I don't know which one is worse) ... basically, the book was a mess.
My next problem, was lack of clear logical sequence and explanations. The book was very haphazardly written and there was no 'hallelujah' moment at the end, where it was all explained. There was so many unanswered questions and plot holes, like...
Lastly, I found a lot of chapters to be extraneous. Take for example, the chapter where the journalist talks to Jason Dalton. They talk about all the things that he already talked to with Zoe and Vaughn. It was repetitive and unnecessary. This made the book quite boring at parts.
Overall, I would have liked the book far more if it was well researched and had a more satisfactory ending. I didn't like that the main protagonists basically stumbled onto the answer. It could have been better written.
This is my first Mary Burton book, and I had high hopes. Unfortunately, it fails to deliver.
There were just so many things wrong with it. If I was not bored while reading the book, then I was irritated.
First of all, Zoe was a Mary Sue character. She was a dancer, FBI special agent, artist, sculptor and a profiler. All of these are full time profession by themselves, and our heroine was all of them. The next problem I had was, even after having capability for being all this, she was dumb. She didn't follow the necessary leads, she barely stumbled onto the killer's identity, she confronted a killer without backup, and basically, the book would have been no different if she had not been in it.
Secondly, this book had very visible lack of research. Even after just watching crime tv shows, I had better knowledge than what was portrayed in the book. Leads that should have been obviously followed were ignored, forensic procedures were a joke, procedures and laws ignored when convenient, protocols not followed, confessions thrown out the window by lawyers or confessions acquired in front of lawyers (I don't know which one is worse) ... basically, the book was a mess.
My next problem, was lack of clear logical sequence and explanations. The book was very haphazardly written and there was no 'hallelujah' moment at the end, where it was all explained. There was so many unanswered questions and plot holes, like...
Lastly, I found a lot of chapters to be extraneous. Take for example, the chapter where the journalist talks to Jason Dalton. They talk about all the things that he already talked to with Zoe and Vaughn. It was repetitive and unnecessary. This made the book quite boring at parts.
Overall, I would have liked the book far more if it was well researched and had a more satisfactory ending. I didn't like that the main protagonists basically stumbled onto the answer. It could have been better written.
October 8, 2019
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Amazon US * Amazon UK
Mary Burton never fails to have me on the edge of my seat as I read her stories and try to solve all of the mysteries. But this book felt so much more suspenseful than usual, and I loved it. I was left constantly guessing about what was going on and what had happened in the past, and even near the end I was on edge just waiting to see if my suspicions were correct.
Zoe and Vaughn were great lead characters and really helped move this story along. I liked getting to see how they developed and came together as the book progressed and it was just another thing for me to look forward to as I read. They made a great team and an amazing couple.
Overall, I definitely recommend this book and pretty much anything this author writes. This book can be read as a standalone if you want to jump right into this series with this story.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
Mary Burton never fails to have me on the edge of my seat as I read her stories and try to solve all of the mysteries. But this book felt so much more suspenseful than usual, and I loved it. I was left constantly guessing about what was going on and what had happened in the past, and even near the end I was on edge just waiting to see if my suspicions were correct.
Zoe and Vaughn were great lead characters and really helped move this story along. I liked getting to see how they developed and came together as the book progressed and it was just another thing for me to look forward to as I read. They made a great team and an amazing couple.
Overall, I definitely recommend this book and pretty much anything this author writes. This book can be read as a standalone if you want to jump right into this series with this story.
May 14, 2025
Якось не цікаво було. Майже з першого знайомства з одним персонажем викликає відчуття що щось з нею не так, і в кінці вона виправдовує це. Вражає іноді ставлення до потенційних жертв, в цій історії копи зробили батько головним підозрюваним, коли на їхніх будинок напали та підрізали його та викрали дружину та доньку, та і його звинувачували до кінця в усьому цьому, але чомусь нікому в голову не приходило що з його донькою теж не все так чисто, вони думали що вона покриває свого батька і т.п. але чомусь до останнього не дивуються з її поведінки після її знаходження, ніби все так і має бути. В кінці я не дуже зрозуміла чи її посадять, наче вона неповнолітня? Чи буде якесь покарання? В цій книжці мене дратувало те, що фбр на 100% впевнені були, що це батько вбив свою дружину і взагалі все це інсценував далі з його донькою, так, там вони ще підозрювали одного але здебільшого виключно був тільки він, і нікому не приходило в голову що він може когось покривати, для них напевно був би шок.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2025
3,0 ✨✨✨
(Audiobook)
(Audiobook)
January 2, 2020
FBI Agent Zoe Spencer is a skeletal reconstruction specialist who uses skeletal remains to recreate the faces of murder victims. William Vaughan is a homicide detective who has some history with Zoe Spencer. A reconstruction of a skull finds Zoe and William working on a cold case from over 10 years ago. As the investigation progresses though they discover that the case may not be as clear-cut as they thought and the killer might be closer than they think.
I See You by Mary Burton is the second book in the thrilling romantic suspense Criminal Profiler series and can be read as a stand alone. It has well developed characters and is an excellent romantic thriller which focuses on the mystery as well making it an enjoyable addition to the series.
I would like to thank Montlake Romance & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
I See You by Mary Burton is the second book in the thrilling romantic suspense Criminal Profiler series and can be read as a stand alone. It has well developed characters and is an excellent romantic thriller which focuses on the mystery as well making it an enjoyable addition to the series.
I would like to thank Montlake Romance & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
December 4, 2020
Not bad, but not particularly good either. The story was promising but it only partly delivered. Writing was good, although certain aspects were fairly predictable. Fun read, nevertheless.
October 5, 2019
I See You was an incredible read with an exciting plot that focuses on the suspense which is something this author does well.
FBI special agent Zoe Spencer helps give skeletal remains their identities back by recreating their faces through sculpture. After working on the skeletal remains of a murder victim, Zoe discovers the young woman was the subject of a high profile missing persons case nearly twenty years ago. When the case leads Zoe to Alexandria, Zoe partners with homicide detective William Vaughan, her on-again, off-again lover. But as the two work the case, they discover someone is out there still hunting women and time is running out to catch the killer before they strike again.
The case surrounding the murder victim was incredibly interesting and doesn’t even scratch the surface of what Zoe and Vaughn work on in this book. While the identity of the skeletal remains provides a good jumping off point, Zoe and Vaughn are quickly drawn down another path. Between a kidnapping, a potential serial killer, and more suspects than they can keep up with, this book is fast paced and packed with suspense. There were a few surprises along the way that only enhanced the story and I enjoyed the direction the author took things. The ending was a bit unexpected, but I thought it was a good choice that perfectly fit the story.
Zoe and Vaughn work really well together and I think their romantic relationship only enhances that. They both trust each other to do their job and have no doubts about the other’s skills. I liked that while the pair would go off and do their own thing, the majority of the case was them working together. As to their personal relationship, initially you’re given the impression that Vaughn is more involved than Zoe, but it quickly becomes clear that’s not the case. Zoe is more private about her feelings than Vaughn is and I was happy to see her open up more as the book went on.
I See You was a fantastic continuation of the Criminal Profiler series and I highly recommend this author if you’re looking for some great romantic suspense.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
FBI special agent Zoe Spencer helps give skeletal remains their identities back by recreating their faces through sculpture. After working on the skeletal remains of a murder victim, Zoe discovers the young woman was the subject of a high profile missing persons case nearly twenty years ago. When the case leads Zoe to Alexandria, Zoe partners with homicide detective William Vaughan, her on-again, off-again lover. But as the two work the case, they discover someone is out there still hunting women and time is running out to catch the killer before they strike again.
The case surrounding the murder victim was incredibly interesting and doesn’t even scratch the surface of what Zoe and Vaughn work on in this book. While the identity of the skeletal remains provides a good jumping off point, Zoe and Vaughn are quickly drawn down another path. Between a kidnapping, a potential serial killer, and more suspects than they can keep up with, this book is fast paced and packed with suspense. There were a few surprises along the way that only enhanced the story and I enjoyed the direction the author took things. The ending was a bit unexpected, but I thought it was a good choice that perfectly fit the story.
Zoe and Vaughn work really well together and I think their romantic relationship only enhances that. They both trust each other to do their job and have no doubts about the other’s skills. I liked that while the pair would go off and do their own thing, the majority of the case was them working together. As to their personal relationship, initially you’re given the impression that Vaughn is more involved than Zoe, but it quickly becomes clear that’s not the case. Zoe is more private about her feelings than Vaughn is and I was happy to see her open up more as the book went on.
I See You was a fantastic continuation of the Criminal Profiler series and I highly recommend this author if you’re looking for some great romantic suspense.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
September 23, 2019
I liked this book. I'm not familiar with the series but I was able to jump in with no trouble. The love story balanced well with the suspense and there wasn't an excess of psychology to bog it down but enough to make it plausible and interesting. I really like the main character, Zoe Spencer. She was a tough woman and in the end, I was rooting for her to kick butt. Her romance with William Vaughn is steamy but doesn't feel unbelievable. I could tell the previous stories set up their connection already so I was on board to explore where they were in their relationship.
The mystery had a clear story about family secrets and unfolded without too much foreshadowing. The story moves quickly and has a solid plot that didn't try to serve gimmicks. It made me want to read other books in the series and put Mary Burton on my radar in the future.
The mystery had a clear story about family secrets and unfolded without too much foreshadowing. The story moves quickly and has a solid plot that didn't try to serve gimmicks. It made me want to read other books in the series and put Mary Burton on my radar in the future.
October 9, 2019
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
Really good mystery and a good romance. Mary Burton does tend to keep her distance, and yours, from her characters though. I really had no like for the primary victim, Hadley Prince Foster. She was a manipulative perfectionist and her demise was no surprise. The who and the why, those were the elements this plot hinged on and kept you guessing right to the end.
FBI special agent Zoe Spencer is a very controlled person, both as a professional and in her personal life. Her involvement starts with using her artistic talents to do a facial reconstruction on an old, burned skull. The location of the remains was tipped to a down on her luck TV reporter, Nikki McDonald. The remains turn out to be those of a teenage girl who has been missing for 18 years.
Alexandrea, VA police detective William Vaughan remembers when Marsha Prince disappeared. He was new on the force, but this case was a tough one. Now, he has a cold case to go along with a new homicide and not enough evidence on either one. But at least the cold case puts him back in contact with sometime lover, Zoe Spencer, and the sparks are as hot as ever.
Together they notify Marsha's family and that seems to set off a chain of events that no one could have ever foreseen. A killer with a motive and a taste for blood must be stopped.
Really good mystery and a good romance. Mary Burton does tend to keep her distance, and yours, from her characters though. I really had no like for the primary victim, Hadley Prince Foster. She was a manipulative perfectionist and her demise was no surprise. The who and the why, those were the elements this plot hinged on and kept you guessing right to the end.
FBI special agent Zoe Spencer is a very controlled person, both as a professional and in her personal life. Her involvement starts with using her artistic talents to do a facial reconstruction on an old, burned skull. The location of the remains was tipped to a down on her luck TV reporter, Nikki McDonald. The remains turn out to be those of a teenage girl who has been missing for 18 years.
Alexandrea, VA police detective William Vaughan remembers when Marsha Prince disappeared. He was new on the force, but this case was a tough one. Now, he has a cold case to go along with a new homicide and not enough evidence on either one. But at least the cold case puts him back in contact with sometime lover, Zoe Spencer, and the sparks are as hot as ever.
Together they notify Marsha's family and that seems to set off a chain of events that no one could have ever foreseen. A killer with a motive and a taste for blood must be stopped.
October 10, 2019
A cold case. A recent murder. More than one suspect.
An interesting criminal profiler and a sharp detective.
All of that combined had the making of a great read.
This story was interesting. I loved that it told so many stories in one book. Discussing different kinds of parents, father-son relationship, family drama and romantic feelings.
The murder story was interesting, kept me guessing. But I found that it wasn't as well-plotted as other crime/detective novels. But I still liked it.
I give this book 4 stars.
Read it.
An interesting criminal profiler and a sharp detective.
All of that combined had the making of a great read.
This story was interesting. I loved that it told so many stories in one book. Discussing different kinds of parents, father-son relationship, family drama and romantic feelings.
The murder story was interesting, kept me guessing. But I found that it wasn't as well-plotted as other crime/detective novels. But I still liked it.
I give this book 4 stars.
Read it.
October 15, 2019
Wow! What a thrilling story with twists at every turn. The mystery that plagues the investigators was so crazy that in the end I was completely shocked. The hero, Vaughn, was very likable and down to earth, but the heroine, Zoe, was very standoffish and stuck in the past. They were colleagues with benefits, but it seemed too mechanical and forced on her part. The murder mystery plot kept the story interesting and kept me guessing through the whole book. For that alone, it was definitely worth reading.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
August 1, 2019
Story starts off with FBI profiler Zoe Spencer identifying a murder victim from 2001 using Forensic facial reconstruction. You think that's going to be the main plot of the story but boy does the train derail. As Zoe and homicide detective William Vaughan start digging into the past, that past comes crashing into the present bringing more murders and shocking revelations. Twist and turns are abound.
July 13, 2025
2.5✨rounded up
I just didn’t connect with this book like I have the others and it was a bit of a tough read for the first 60% but I did enjoy the end as I felt the pace picked up!
I just didn’t connect with this book like I have the others and it was a bit of a tough read for the first 60% but I did enjoy the end as I felt the pace picked up!
October 12, 2019
3.5/5.0
I really debated between rounding up to a four or down to three stars. Honestly could go either way but a few personal views dragged it down.
The book was a solid read. The “who-did-it?” part was pretty straight forward with no real twists and turns. The red herrings were pretty obvious and one can easily guess who didn’t do it even though they stayed in the running throughout. There were only three real contenders so it wasn’t a big stretch no matter how it went. Nothing really to tax the brain at all but a decent read getting there.
One thing I REALLY didn’t like was the completely clinical nature of the sexual relationship. To spend time describing the sex when the participants have no emotional connection and are only hooking up here and there when convenient is a total waste of page space. There was absolutely nothing at all but take the clothes off, describe the deed and get back to work. No feelings, no emotion... clinical sex, making one dimensional, cardboard characters. I could get as much out of a doctor’s how-to manual.
There was also never any real depth behind the motivations of the characters, especially the killer(s?) There were very vague explanations but nothing that allowed the reader to close the book with any real true grasp of understanding.
SO overall....solid murder mystery/suspense, so-so characterization and depth.
I really debated between rounding up to a four or down to three stars. Honestly could go either way but a few personal views dragged it down.
The book was a solid read. The “who-did-it?” part was pretty straight forward with no real twists and turns. The red herrings were pretty obvious and one can easily guess who didn’t do it even though they stayed in the running throughout. There were only three real contenders so it wasn’t a big stretch no matter how it went. Nothing really to tax the brain at all but a decent read getting there.
One thing I REALLY didn’t like was the completely clinical nature of the sexual relationship. To spend time describing the sex when the participants have no emotional connection and are only hooking up here and there when convenient is a total waste of page space. There was absolutely nothing at all but take the clothes off, describe the deed and get back to work. No feelings, no emotion... clinical sex, making one dimensional, cardboard characters. I could get as much out of a doctor’s how-to manual.
There was also never any real depth behind the motivations of the characters, especially the killer(s?) There were very vague explanations but nothing that allowed the reader to close the book with any real true grasp of understanding.
SO overall....solid murder mystery/suspense, so-so characterization and depth.
November 22, 2019
I See You is the second book in this series. I've fallen in love with Mary Burton's novels this year alone and have become quite a fan. This story has its complicated, twisted and non-stop action that I love about her stories. I like that you gradually flow into knowing who actually committed the crime amongst the multi layers that develop as the story flows to the ending.
FBI Agent Zoe Spencer and Homicide Detective William Vaughan have a somewhat slow burn type of romance with their "friends with benefits" involvement related to the history that they have with one another. The story was well written, the plot good, and the mystery terrific. I loved that she weaved her characters into their respective roles and bringing out the many skeletons held by members of the this seemingly perfect family.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story with all its intrigue, mystery, secrets and romance. Another great suspense with a little bit of romance by Ms. Burton. Recommend the read.
Thanks very much to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4-Stars
FBI Agent Zoe Spencer and Homicide Detective William Vaughan have a somewhat slow burn type of romance with their "friends with benefits" involvement related to the history that they have with one another. The story was well written, the plot good, and the mystery terrific. I loved that she weaved her characters into their respective roles and bringing out the many skeletons held by members of the this seemingly perfect family.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story with all its intrigue, mystery, secrets and romance. Another great suspense with a little bit of romance by Ms. Burton. Recommend the read.
Thanks very much to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4-Stars
January 30, 2020
Story 4 stars Narration 4 stars As always I enjoyed this authors latest. The main characters were well realized and had believable back stories that only added to the story. The romance between the two had started as friends with benefits prior to the beginning of the book and definitely progressed throughout the listen. It was actually spicy at times. The mystery kept me sucked into the story and there was quite a bit of police procedural type stuff as is to be expected when the hero is a police detective and the heroine is an FBI agent. Of course the villain was on my list of people in the whodunnit column, but the story had some major twists so it kept me bouncing back and forth with my own theories. This is a sign of a good mystery for me. Recommended to adult romantic readers.
October 27, 2019
I really enjoyed this one staying up late (or actually into the wee hours of the morning) to finish it. I liked Vaughn's character a lot more than Zoe. I found Zoe irritating...not anything specific but little things add up. I found it odd that he paired up with Zoe (FBI) and his actual partner was barely seen, but that's the romantic suspense writing skewing things. Zoe did do a TSTL move with confronting a presumed killer on her own vs simply following him to ensure that they knew his whereabouts. It did seem like the journalist did more research than Zoe. The plot was intriguing and definitely hard to put down.
September 28, 2022
Loved the dynamics of the main leads even though the story was a little weak…. Thought it would be more secretive, more thrilling but I guess I can’t ask for too much…. One more book to go in this series.
October 8, 2019
I See You by Mary Burton
Criminal Profiler #2
Intense and intricate this story tells of the unearthing of a serial killer after the killer sends a hint to a journalist about where a murder victim might be found. The bones were handed over to Special Agent Zoe Spencer who has an uncanny ability to sculpt likenesses from remains or draw from memories of those who have seen suspects. Zoe has been a dancer, a wife and is now an FBI profiler. She is still sort of grieving the loss of her husband six years previously. That said, she has also begun a sometimes-colleague with benefits relationship with Detective William Vaughn who just happened to be the one who sent the cold-case murder victim’s skull to Quantico.
With so much time and energy invested in the sculpting of Marsha Prince’s image Zoe is set to assist Vaughn in the search for Marsha’s murderer. Into their search spring a few more murder cases of a more recent nature that also need to be solved. Throw in the disappearance of Marsha’s sister and niece and the plot thickens.
What I liked:
* Zoe: Though at first she seemed a bit cold and unfeeling she definitely warmed up. She is strong, competent and smart.
* Vaughn: A great homicide detective who has been the one to raise his son now off to college. He is warm, caring and focused...on whatever he is doing.
* The pacing of the story
* The prostitute that got away
* The back stories of the main characters
* The fact that sometimes things don’t work out as expected
* The romance and how it developed
What I did not like:
* I am afraid that if I give too much detail here I might give the story away BUT I will say that I was left unsettled by some things that happened toward the end of the story.
Did I like this book? Yes indeed
Would I read more in this series? Without a doubt
Note: I went into this book thinking that the series would revolve around the previous profiler solving another case but instead have a feeling this series may instead be about the five (I believe it was five) members of the profiling team and cases they are sent out to solve. Because of this the book is definitely stand alone. I would like to find out if in the future any of the members o f the team will overlap when solving a case.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Criminal Profiler #2
Intense and intricate this story tells of the unearthing of a serial killer after the killer sends a hint to a journalist about where a murder victim might be found. The bones were handed over to Special Agent Zoe Spencer who has an uncanny ability to sculpt likenesses from remains or draw from memories of those who have seen suspects. Zoe has been a dancer, a wife and is now an FBI profiler. She is still sort of grieving the loss of her husband six years previously. That said, she has also begun a sometimes-colleague with benefits relationship with Detective William Vaughn who just happened to be the one who sent the cold-case murder victim’s skull to Quantico.
With so much time and energy invested in the sculpting of Marsha Prince’s image Zoe is set to assist Vaughn in the search for Marsha’s murderer. Into their search spring a few more murder cases of a more recent nature that also need to be solved. Throw in the disappearance of Marsha’s sister and niece and the plot thickens.
What I liked:
* Zoe: Though at first she seemed a bit cold and unfeeling she definitely warmed up. She is strong, competent and smart.
* Vaughn: A great homicide detective who has been the one to raise his son now off to college. He is warm, caring and focused...on whatever he is doing.
* The pacing of the story
* The prostitute that got away
* The back stories of the main characters
* The fact that sometimes things don’t work out as expected
* The romance and how it developed
What I did not like:
* I am afraid that if I give too much detail here I might give the story away BUT I will say that I was left unsettled by some things that happened toward the end of the story.
Did I like this book? Yes indeed
Would I read more in this series? Without a doubt
Note: I went into this book thinking that the series would revolve around the previous profiler solving another case but instead have a feeling this series may instead be about the five (I believe it was five) members of the profiling team and cases they are sent out to solve. Because of this the book is definitely stand alone. I would like to find out if in the future any of the members o f the team will overlap when solving a case.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
November 8, 2019
This is book 2 in the Criminal profiler series. I did read the first one but this book could easily be a stand alone which I love. There wasn't really much for overlapping from book 1 just the ones main character, the FBI agent Spencer. This book jumps right into the action with a reporter getting an anonymous tip on her website where she finds burned bones in a storage locker. FBI Agent Zoe Spencer works for weeks at recreating the head to identify the victim that would end up being a cold case from 20 years prior.
Lots of dark twists to solve the cold case leading to new cases of young women all with the same features. Is there a serial killer or a coincidence that these young women have features in common and one having a connection with the family from the cold case.
Burton throws in a little romance between the agent and detective on the case to not make it all dark. Throwing in the killers perspective here and there (could have had a little more of this) along with what the reporter is up to. A few times I wondered why Nikki would put herself in harms way but she was just so determined to get a great story to land a job back on the news.
The author did a lot of research into how the real world of processing scenes and how long it really takes to get DNA etc back unlike when we watch tv shows and it is back right away. I really enjoyed the suspense this book had and found myself throughout it trying to be one step ahead of everyone trying to solve the cases.
I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars and can't wait to read more in this series and others by Mary Burton.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Lots of dark twists to solve the cold case leading to new cases of young women all with the same features. Is there a serial killer or a coincidence that these young women have features in common and one having a connection with the family from the cold case.
Burton throws in a little romance between the agent and detective on the case to not make it all dark. Throwing in the killers perspective here and there (could have had a little more of this) along with what the reporter is up to. A few times I wondered why Nikki would put herself in harms way but she was just so determined to get a great story to land a job back on the news.
The author did a lot of research into how the real world of processing scenes and how long it really takes to get DNA etc back unlike when we watch tv shows and it is back right away. I really enjoyed the suspense this book had and found myself throughout it trying to be one step ahead of everyone trying to solve the cases.
I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars and can't wait to read more in this series and others by Mary Burton.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 8, 2019
I really enjoyed this one and it was my first by Mary Burton. This book is the second in the series, but I caught on so fast and it was fine as a stand alone read.
FBI Agent Zoe Spencer used skeletal remains to recreate the faces of murder victims. William Vaughan is a homicide detective and its clear the two have some background. Zoe and William find themselves working on a cold case from over 10 years ago, where Zoe has recreated the face of the victim. But as the investigation progresses, it is clear that case may not be what it seems and the killer is closer than they think.
I loved the twists and turns and although this one was a slow burn in parts, in other parts it had me racing through it. It did have a little gore and it was also steamy in places, which was totally unexpected. A really enjoyable police procedural and who done it and I'll definitely read more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for this advance reader, in exchange for my honest review.
FBI Agent Zoe Spencer used skeletal remains to recreate the faces of murder victims. William Vaughan is a homicide detective and its clear the two have some background. Zoe and William find themselves working on a cold case from over 10 years ago, where Zoe has recreated the face of the victim. But as the investigation progresses, it is clear that case may not be what it seems and the killer is closer than they think.
I loved the twists and turns and although this one was a slow burn in parts, in other parts it had me racing through it. It did have a little gore and it was also steamy in places, which was totally unexpected. A really enjoyable police procedural and who done it and I'll definitely read more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for this advance reader, in exchange for my honest review.
October 11, 2019
When the burned skeleton of a young woman is found in a locked trunk, the only hopes for identification rest with FBI Special Agent Zoe Spencer’s ability to reconstruct faces by sculpture. Finding out the victim was a high-profile missing person sets off a chain of events which culminate in the death of the victim’s sister, and Spencer must work out who is killing young women before any more die, in partnership (both personal and professional) with homicide detective William Vaughan.
There are some interesting twists and turns in this procedural, but I struggled to really get into the story because Spencer, supposedly our protagonist, was very closed-off and unemotional. Vaughan seemed more invested in getting justice for the victims but we didn’t get to hear much about his feelings and personal life. There were very tiny snippets from the killer’s perspective but not enough to give us any insight as to their motives, which were never really explored once the mystery was solved either. WIth a third protagonist in the form of independent reporter Nikki, we just didn’t get to spend enough time in any character’s point of view, and consequently no character seemed to get a complete story arc. The whole thing felt just a little disjointed and, at the very end, somewhat unsatisfying as at least one person seemed likely to escape justice for the crime they’d committed.
Three stars for an interesting story that just felt a little scattered and didn’t tie up as neatly as I prefer my mysteries to do.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
There are some interesting twists and turns in this procedural, but I struggled to really get into the story because Spencer, supposedly our protagonist, was very closed-off and unemotional. Vaughan seemed more invested in getting justice for the victims but we didn’t get to hear much about his feelings and personal life. There were very tiny snippets from the killer’s perspective but not enough to give us any insight as to their motives, which were never really explored once the mystery was solved either. WIth a third protagonist in the form of independent reporter Nikki, we just didn’t get to spend enough time in any character’s point of view, and consequently no character seemed to get a complete story arc. The whole thing felt just a little disjointed and, at the very end, somewhat unsatisfying as at least one person seemed likely to escape justice for the crime they’d committed.
Three stars for an interesting story that just felt a little scattered and didn’t tie up as neatly as I prefer my mysteries to do.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
October 12, 2019
Another good story from Mary Burton. There’s never a disappoint from her. Lots of murders and you have no idea who did it until the end.
And you can’t help but really like Zoe and Vaughn, the two main characters in the book. Zoe did spend some time missing her dead husband Jeff, while having sex with Vaughan, but she finally stopped that. Thanks heavens.
This was about the murder of women and trying to figure out who did it before another was killed. Then the killing of a wife and mother and knowing there was something being held back during questioning of the husband and daughter. It was all very exciting and had the reader trying to guess who did it.
There was explicit sex and the F-bomb was used 6 times.
As to the narration: I’ve never listened to Bailey Carr before, but she wasn’t half bad. She’ll need a little more excitement and more emotions when she reads but her men didn’t sound girly so that was something!
October 10, 2019
A cold case. A recent murder. Too many suspects.
An interesting criminal profiler and a sharp detective.
All of that combined had the making of a great read.
This story was interesting. I loved that it told so many stories in one book. Discussing different kinds of parents, father-son relationship, family drama and romantic feelings.
The murder story was interesting, kept me guessing. But I found that it wasn't as well-plotted as other crime/detective novels. But I still liked it.
I give this book 4 stars.
Read it.
An interesting criminal profiler and a sharp detective.
All of that combined had the making of a great read.
This story was interesting. I loved that it told so many stories in one book. Discussing different kinds of parents, father-son relationship, family drama and romantic feelings.
The murder story was interesting, kept me guessing. But I found that it wasn't as well-plotted as other crime/detective novels. But I still liked it.
I give this book 4 stars.
Read it.
August 23, 2019
I See You by Mary Burton a four-star read that you will want to profile. This is the second novel in the Criminal profiler series, but they can be read as stand-alone as I haven’t read the first one yet, but I will be going back and getting hold of it. The suspense is sublime, it will keep you on your toes and guessing all the way through. There are so many twists that you don’t see the turns in the road coming and what turns they are. Throw in some slow burn romance and you have a winner.
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