Into the Fire

Fastrope by L.T. Ryan and Fiona Ryan is the 10th novel in the A Rachel Hatch Novel Series.

(I've been really upset with L.T. Ryan for what he did to Hatch. Very upset. And now that Savage has a series of his own, I refuse to read it. At least for now.) 

Anyway, Hatch is home with her family when she receives an unusual phone call from an old military friend who sounds like he's in trouble but decides not to elaborate and is gone. The call disturbs her, and she decides to head out to see if she can determine what's up with him. She uses her boss (Tracy) with the private security/ops company she's worked for to help her locate his address. When she arrives, it's a gut-punch to see the full-dress uniformed marines standing outside his home. 

What she learns by chance about a recent event where a drug dealer and his son were murdered by a group that's been hitting dealers and robbing them, she's pulled into the investigation and talks to a scared witness (Sophie) and a temporarily suspended female detective (Santiago) with whom she gains mutual respect for surmising there's someone "dirty" coordinating this. 

Hatch hates to assume the worst of her friend, but when she spends meaningful time with his grieving widow, they put their heads together and start to figure out some of the weirdness going on. Hatch is no stranger to chaos, and in no time flat after figuring out what's going on, she and Santiago face serious trouble.  

With the call signs of the culprits engaged, it's tricky to figure out who's who, but it all becomes clear at some point. With Tracy's insistence and assistance, things go as planned. 

As usual, this Hatch story is as complex as others in the series and just as dangerous. She assesses herself as better when she's in the fight for what's right, and this time is no exception. 

I highly recommend the Rachel Hatch Series. She's my favorite female protagonist next to Sibella Giorello's Raleigh Harmon. Hatch is scarred physically and emotionally, and still she's tough as nails. Fastrope is a good entry to the series. 

Father, you know hearts. Only you save souls. Please continue to shine your face upon L.T. and give him what he needs to write the stories he wants to tell. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.