Publishers Weekly
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Many readers will struggle to sympathize with Grace Blades, the protagonist of this standalone with an improbable plot from bestseller Kellerman (Motive), after a flashback opening that shows five-year-old Grace living in a trailer park, neglected by her parents, and forced at a young age to forage. Grace overcame those horrific circumstances and is now, at 34, a highly regarded psychotherapist in L.A. Even though she's independently wealthy, Grace doesn't accept insurance or allow her patients to pay on a sliding scale. She has a reckless side, which she indulges in one-night flings with strangers. To her shock, one of those hookups becomes a new patient, Andrew Toner, who traveled from out of state to see her. Soon afterward, he's found murdered, and Grace turns sleuth after figuring out that he was using an alias. Readers should be prepared for some florid prose ("the ocean to the west a series of gray-cresting waves on black satin, the mountains to the east an endless chocolate bar"). (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

In his latest, Kellerman introduces psychologist Grace Blades. A former student of series shrink Alex Delaware, Grace specializes in helping people who are struggling to move beyond a tragic loss. Grace knows a lot about loss she saw her father kill her mother when she was five years old, and spent much of her young life shuttling between foster homes. The past comes back to visit her when a recently murdered patient turns out to be one of the boys who shared her final foster home. Chapters from Grace's troubled childhood and eventual rescue by a psychologist who recognized her incredible intellect complement the chapters describing her dogged and dangerous search for the killer. Kellerman doesn't let off-the-charts genius Grace become one-dimensional. Her backstory and challenge to fit in, even into adulthood, are an engaging part of this satisfying mystery, which, though billed as a stand-alone, could certainly make a spin-off series.--Keefe, Karen Copyright 2015 Booklist

Library Journal
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Dr. Grace Blades, like her name suggests, practices psychology with calm, surgical precision. Her clients are typically those affected by the traumatic death of a loved one, but they have no idea about her own early years, marred by domestic violence and death and later shuttled among foster homes. Grace blows off steam with the same MO. She dons a persona and picks up a target for intense, anonymous sex. Trouble arrives on her doorstep though, the day a previous conquest shows up as a new client. Within 24 hours, he's dead, and Grace is drawn into a dangerous cat and mouse game in which she's not even sure who the dead man actually was, let alone who's aiming to kill her. Kellerman's stand-alone thriller features a brilliant, kick-ass heroine who's nobody's victim, a character for whom audiences can't help but cheer. A tight, fast-paced narrative and effective flashbacks-both terrible and tender-drive the action to an unsurprising and not-quite satisfying conclusion. Verdict Despite the ending, the rush up is exciting and definitely worth it. A good choice for fans of strong, female-driven thrillers and mysteries, as well as Kellerman's established fans. [See Prepub Alert, 11/3/14.]-Amy Brozio-Andrews, Albany P.L., NY © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.