Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden

Title: Deadly Fear
Author: Cynthia Eden
ISBN: 9780446559249
Publisher: Forever/2010
Pages: 385

Monica Davenport, a FBI special agent, has the ability to think like a serial killer, profile them and finally, nab them. Lucas Dante has the protective instinct for the victims. He can put them at their ease and cooperate with him in the investigations. Together, they make a terrific team professionally.

Monica's work has taken its toll on her. She has kept to herself, not wishing for any kind of closeness with anyone. However, Luke and Monica have a past and he can't let her go. Both get together, after six years, to catch another serial killer, their chemistry as strong as ever, although Monica is not ready to give and Luke can't take no for an answer.

The serial killer seems to be on a rampage, but there is a pattern. He feeds on the fears of his victims, in one way or the other. He also has some kind of inside knowledge, about the FBI's work. He wishes for Monica to be one of the victims, fully well knowing about her fears. He always seems to be one step ahead of the investigations. He kidnaps a special FBI agent, and taunts them to rescue her. The reader is left wondering who is the serial killer, although it had been narrowed down to a few.

Monica has a lot of personal history, which is unknown to Luke. That is one of the reasons, she can get into the minds of serial killers. Luke too has a past, which has given rise to his protective instinct.

This is fast paced book, with gripping tension, with a very vile serial killer , also a lots of steamy scenes between Luke and Monica. A few of those were not really needed. And at times the language too got bad, with liberal use of the F-word, which felt completely unnecessary. Yet, it tells us about different kind of fears, how does one overcome those. Monica does it in the end.

I liked one of the secondary characters too, especially that of Hyde, their FBI superior, who knows all about Monica's history and in a way is responsible for her well being.