REVIEW: The Hunting Grounds by Katee Robert

In The Hunting Grounds (Hidden Sins #2) by Katee Robert, Park ranger Maggie Gaines enjoys her job at Glacier National Park in Montana most days. Okay, so the tourists can drive her a little batty but it’s nothing compared to the stress she was under during her brief time with the FBI. Her then partner, Vic Sutherland, was the only bright spot as they chased down serial killers, seeing the worst possible scenarios imaginable. She couldn’t have dreamed that after seven years since they last saw each other, Maggie would be face to face with Vic again, this time as he investigates a murder in her park. As they focus on finding the killer and trying to keep vacationers safe, their intense chemistry keeps interfering, forcing Maggie to wonder if they finally have their opportunity at a relationship once the case is over. Or if they’re destined to keep missing their chance.

‘Twenty-four hours didn’t seem like it should be long enough to unravel seven years of doing her damnedest to forget Vic Sutherland, but it was becoming increasingly clear that she’d never be able to put the past in the past. Not when it came to him.’

Vic has seen a lot of horrible things in his time with the FBI but it never gets easier. And now that he’s on a manhunt for a killer wreaking havoc in national parks, he knows time is ticking away, with the very real chance they’ll soon have another murder to investigate. When the next victim is found in Glacier National Park, Vic realizes he’s going to get to see Maggie again. Something he’s thought about for years. He wishes it could be under better circumstances, but before he moves on from this case, he knows he has to spend some time with Maggie and see where things might lead them. Although Vic didn’t realize that the investigation would soon become a struggle for their very own survival or that it would put him and his former partner in the killer’s sight.

‘He had a duty to the victims, and letting himself get distracted by Maggie wasn’t going to find the unsub. Even if Maggie was a bright, shining star in the midst of darkness.’

Every bit as complex as book one but with a totally different storyline, The Hunting Grounds once again proved Katee Robert is more than capable of spinning a thrilling romantic suspense tale that will keep readers on their toes.

‘She had no intention of dying today, but if it was her time, she wasn’t going without a fight.’

Quick note: The murder scenes are fairly detailed when our main characters investigate, so be forewarned.

I’ve read and enjoyed several books by Katee Robert over the years and was happy to see her new endeavor, romantic suspense, has been just as well written as her contemporary romances. The characters were still genuine and flawed, lending them a realistic feeling and the emotions were varied with each situation her cast faced. The Hunting Grounds had a nice flow to it, with multiple POVs and a nice balance of the relationship between Maggie & Vic and with the investigation into the murders in the park. I honestly had a hard time pinpointing who the killer was because it seemed everyone had motive and it was a big old complicated mess when it came to the suspects and their relationships with each other. I really loved that it kept me guessing and that the plot was so tightly woven together.

Our main characters Vic and Maggie were both equally likable, I thought. I will caution that their history when they were partners in the FBI was a bit convoluted as they shared one (meaningful) kiss while Vic was married. Nothing further happened at the time and he got divorced a short while later but for those sensitive to cheating I would be remiss not to mention it. I liked that neither Maggie nor Vic was painted as being perfect. They both had their issues and it created some tension in their reunion. I got a kick out of how independent Maggie was and loved the bantering she had with Vic and some of her friends at the park. She was smart as a whip yet was still kind and considerate, with a need to help others. Vic was a bit more cynical, being in the FBI for a decade or so, but he of course was a good guy who did his job to keep people safe. I thought they were a nice match, both in personality and in their chemistry together.

Katee Robert took her readers on a wild ride with this fast-paced, exciting plot and its unique setting. Her Hidden Sins series has impressed me so far and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next.

Book Info:

Publication: Published July 25th 2017 | Montlake Romance | Hidden Sins #2

For two FBI agents with a past, love becomes a matter of life and death in the new Hidden Sins novel from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert.

Maggie Gaines used to be an FBI agent—top of her class and one of the bright, up-and-coming stars—until she spectacularly fell apart during her first high-profile case. That was eight years ago. Now she’s a ranger at Glacier National Park, and she’s found some measure of peace. But when the body of a murdered woman is discovered, she must finally put the past behind her and work with the one man she thought she’d never see again.

For months, Vic Sutherland has been hunting a killer who’s been targeting unsuspecting hikers in national parks—and now the predator has come to Glacier. Vic knows the case will bring him face-to-face with his former partner, yet nothing can prepare him for seeing Maggie again after all these years, or for the memories of passion it stirs in both of them.

As the investigation brings them closer together—and closer to the killer—Maggie and Vic fear they have only each other to trust. But even that might not be enough to make it out of Glacier alive.