Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner

I've enjoyed several of Lisa Gardner's previous books, but Right Behind You was not of the same caliber.  

Thirteen-year-old Sharlah, fostered by Rainie and Quincy, is unable to show her delight when told she is about to be formally adopted.  Her traumatic past keeps her from showing much emotion and from verbally expressing how pleased she is.   Sharlah's background includes an abusive family, the violent deaths of her parents, separation from her brother, and a series of foster homes.  Quincy, retired FBI profiler, and his wife Rainie are familiar with serial killers and psychopaths through their work, and although retired are still occasionally involved in solving cases. "Sharlah  loves one thing best about her new family: They are all experts on monsters." 

A double killing at a gas station initiates a family crisis--the killer may be Telly Ray Nash, Sharlah's brother.

What didn't work for me:

The prologue (from Telly's pov) was too long.  And it is a rare book in this genre that doesn't have a prologue these days.  

Too much telling.  The sections with the thoughts of Sharla and Telly were also way too long--but of course, without them the action makes little sense.  While inserts like these are often useful, they shouldn't be required to order to understand the story.  

The tracker Cal was a cheese maker.  That fact has little to do with the plot, but is mentioned over and over.  Sharlah says that you can recognize an FBI profiler even in casual clothes.  Huh?  

The plot was over-complicated.  There were elements that should have worked, but didn't.  

I liked Gardner's Crash & Burn (Tess Leoni series) and Find Her and Catch Me (D.D. Warren series), but Say Goodbye the only other book I've read in the Rainie and Quincy series I've read, I didn't care for.  

I will stick to the Tessa Leoni and D.D. Warren books from now on.  

Read in Dec.  Blog post scheduled for Jan. 9, 2017.

NetGalley/Penguin Group

Crime/Suspense.  Jan. 31, 2017.  Print length:  400 pages.