Characters who get themselves in trouble are a must for a suspense novel, and in The Survivor by DiAnn Mills, writer Kariss Walker is that type of character. Kariss finds herself in danger for the second time since she switched genres to become a suspense writer. (You can read about her first adventure in The Chase.)

Dr. Amy Garrett contacts Kariss and requests that she write a novel based on the attack that happened to Dr. Garrett when she was a child. Since the attacker was never caught, Dr. Garrett has lived in fear, though she’s become a counselor and helps traumatized women. The attacker soon tries to stop the story from being told. Though Kariss’s relationship with Special Agent Santiago Harris (Tigo) has ended and he is investigating a car bombing, when Kariss finds herself in danger, Tigo is back in her life.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this novel was I did not identify the attacker too soon. There are an abundance of suspects and two crimes that appear to be unrelated, but in the end the story is woven together nicely. Another aspect of this novel I liked is Tigo’s conversion. I won’t be specific, so I don’t ruin the surprise, but it fits the toughness of his character and frightened me. I appreciated the detailed research that makes Tigo and Kariss ring true as characters.

If you enjoy a mix of suspense and romance, I highly recommend The Survivor.