Into the Fire

Left to Lapse is Book 7 in the Blake Pierce An Adele Sharp Mystery Series. 

There's a murder on a train in France which at first glance does not seem like a murder, but when another death occurs on a different train, different country, which makes the possibility of a third one soon to take place on a train in Germany, Executive Foucault sends Agent Sharp and Agent Renee to investigate. This is their first "reunion" since Adele unjustly treated John with contempt after he elected to save a victim instead of going after Adele's mother's killer. It isn't a warm and fuzzy reunion. Instead, it's mostly silent and awkward.  

Enter Agent Leoni from Italy to join their case which inevitably makes this threesome even more awkward. Adele can't help her attraction to the investigator with the movie star looks and genteel ways, but John doesn't warm up even a little bit to the man. And though John's ways are often completely the opposite of Leoni's, John's got everyone's backs no matter what. And Adele knows there's no one better for that part of the job. 

This bizarre case calls for daring action, and there's no one better to plan for such things than Agent John Renee. "Daring" doesn't quite cover it and results in a serious injury to Agent Leoni but the three of them persevere and barely in the nick of time manage to figure out not only who the killer is but why he made his choices. When Adele speaks to him privately after he's captured, she finds they have a thread of commonality which both saddens and terrifies her. 

Before the final scene, there's a touching and defining moment between John and Adele. It's raw, honest, melancholic. 

The final critical semi-cliffhanger scene is ugly and sorrowful. 

I was surprised to read no follow-up to Adele's call to Agent Christopher Leoni following her tirade against John in Book 6.

I don't think it's a coincidence that the prominent placement of crows on the covers of An Adele Sharp Mystery Series is because a flock of crows is known as a "murder". What do you think? 

Profanity present.  

Father, continue to bless Blake in writing and in life. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.