Back Fire by Catherine Coulter
Putnam Adult
July 2012
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
First line: Judge Ramsey Hunt listened to the lapping water break against the rocks below, a sound that always brought him back into himself and centered him.
From the inside cover: San Francisco Judge
Ramsey Hunt, longtime friend to FBI agents Lacey Sherlock and Dillon
Savich, is presiding over the trial of Clive and Cindy Cahill – accused
in a string of murders – when the proceedings take a radical turn.
Federal prosecutor Mickey O’Rourke, known for his relentless style,
becomes suddenly tentative in his opening statement, leading Hunt to
suspect he’s been threatened – suspicions that are all but confirmed
when Hunt is shot in the back.
Savich and Sherlock receive news
of the attack as a mysterious note is delivered to Savich at the Hoover
Building: YOU DESERVE THIS FOR WHAT YOU DID. Who sent the note? What does it mean?
As Ramsey Hunt’s life hangs in the balance, Savich and Sherlock race to San Francisco to answer the question: Why would anyone shoot the judge? When the anyone shoot the judge? When they discover one answer, more questions arise until Savich and Sherlock face the final shock.
My thoughts: This is the latest in Catherine Coulter’s FBI Thriller series, which means that I am finally caught up!!! I love this series and love the husband-wife team of Savich and Sherlock.
This latest installment gives us lots of twists and turns and is filled with suspense right from the beginning. Receiving a mysterious note at FBI headquaters that says “You deserve this for what you did” has Savich a little on edge. But then, shortly after receiving the note, they get the call that friend Ramsey Hunt has been shot. They take off for San Francisco and there we meet US Federal Marshal Eve Barbieri and FBI Special Agent Harry Christoff, both on the case. These two definitely don’t see eye to eye at first, but as they start working together, the sparks start flying.
So now Savich and Sherlock have two cases going – trying to figure out who shot Ramsey and why and who sent the note and why. Can they figure both out before anyone gets hurt? Are the two cases related? As soon as they get one answer, more questions pop up and before things are settled, there will be an explosion, an officer down, and many other surprises along the way.
I love how in this series, we meet new characters each time, but also get to see some from earlier books. We first met Ramsey and his wife in an earlier book and it’s great to catch up with them, despite Ramsey being shot. I think my favorite character, though, is Sean, Savich and Sherlock’s son. He steals the show in some of the scenes he’s in, especially with his marriage proposal at the end!
I’m so glad to finally be caught up with this series, but am bummed at the same time. Now I have to wait a whole year until the next book comes out! So, what about you? If you read series, do you read them as each book comes out or do you prefer to read them all at once?
(I borrowed this book from the library.)
Books in the series:
- The Cove 9. Blowout
- The Maze 10. Point Blank
- The Target 11. Double Take
- The Edge 12. Tailspin
- Riptide 13. Knockout
- Hemlock Bay 14. Whiplash
- Eleventh Hour 15. Split Second
- Blindside 16. Back Fire
