4.5 Stars! Out of the Shadows is book three in the Bishop/Special Crimes series and the last in the Shadows trilogy. This is one of my favorites because of the history of the MC's, the suspense, and the absolutely fascinating look at psychic ability.
Summary:
Noah Bishop is a serious man dedicated to his job of finding the nation's most dangerous killers and rapists. Bishop is also a psychic and uses his gift to catch those that can't be caught by normal police methods. For years, Bishop has worked tirelessly at hunting those that commit such gruesome crimes, even going so far as to starting up a specialized crime unit in the FBI that utilizes other psychic's gifts and expertise. He's been wildly successful, but none of it has helped him find the woman he hurt so badly in the past or given him the chance to right the many wrongs he committed. Sheriff Miranda "Randy" Knight has found the most idyllic little town to raise her teenage sister, and she's content to police the mild offenses of said little town. That is, until two teenagers are found brutally murdered. Randy is also psychic, but keeps herself well hidden on that level due to a very real and murderous threat from her past. When innocent teenagers' bodies continue to be found having been submitted to a variety of horrors, Randy knows she will have to do the one thing she never wanted, call the FBI. Randy and Noah have a history. They used to be close, in more ways than one, but Bishop's actions then, severed the trust she gave him so easily and resulted in a loss so incredible, it's hard to forgive. But she must, for a deranged killer is stalking the town's teenagers, one of which lives in Randy's house, and a vision has told Randy that it won't end without Bishop's help. Unfortunately, neither Bishop nor Randy counted on the reality of their situation. Bishop couldn't have known exactly how much Randy hated him or despised his presence until he arrived and found her shielding completely, almost to the detriment of the case. And Randy couldn't know how she really felt about Bishop until she saw him after so many years and learned how his life has gone, how he's changed. As more bodies pile up, Bishop and Randy will have to navigate their rocky relationship and find their long-lost connection in order to track down a killer mastermind who's been quietly working for decades. If they fail, the teenagers of Gladstone, Tennessee are doomed, Randy's little sister especially, and Randy runs the risk of becoming a victim right along with them.
Miranda was an enigma for me. I liked her alright, but didn't exactly agree with her decisions or actions. She kept herself determinedly closed off for much of the story at the detriment of the investigation. I can understand her wary attitude and untrusting behavior in light of what happened between her and Bishop, but kids were being slaughtered. I think she could have set her issues aside in order to save as many as possible. Still, I admired her strength and her determination to protect her sister, Bonnie, at all costs. She had been through hell, but was still living her life, not without fear, but with tenacity. Bishop was awesome. Before, he had my curiosity going nuts because in previous books, we didn't get much of him other than his skeptical nature and extreme loyalty. But in Out of the Shadows, he rocked my world. He was so strong, intelligent, thoughtful, and sincere all while having a subtle fierceness. It was awesome. He completely had me hooked since the end of the last book when it was hinted his story would be coming up. I adored the history between him and Randy, as I feel that gives e story a little added something. Supporting cast was both entertaining and lovable. I really want a HEA for Alex, though. My heart broke for him, and I think a story about him would be fantastic. Overall, a strong plot line and engaging characters brought this story to life for me. I couldn't put it down, and I'm already ready to crack open book four! <3