In The Name Of by Candace Irving is Book 2 of 4 in: A Hidden Valor Military Veteran/K-9 Suspense.
In Book 1 The Garbage Man we meet Deputy Kate Holland, former Army CID, a courageous but deeply scarred young woman – and not just on one side of her face and body. PTSD is ravaging her sleep and as she tries to cope with the severe anxiety of certain images and reminders of what she's endured in her past, her wrist is raw from where she twists her former deceased love's watch. We find Kate in Book 2 finally submitting to "a shrink" from the VA Hospital with whom she became familiar during her previous case.
Her older therapist (Dr. Manning) seems like just the right man for the job because he recognizes her habits from her raw wrist, handles her quick responses and translates them easily, continues to address her worksheets and problems therein, and concludes with asking her for a favor that surprises her and one she thinks she will deny. Her plans are to quit her job because of what's been ingrained in her thinking. However, other deputies are doing the same. Seth, her lovable and good deputy friend, had enough on the last case and is suffering as she is from that one. He's given his notice. Her therapist asks her to consider staying two more weeks before making this critical decision and to wrap her wrist with an elastic bandage.
While grudgingly doing her best to continue to follow Dr. Manning's suggestions, there is another case of a grisly murder of a young military wife that has the "feel" of an honor killing from an irate Muslim husband in the military. Working with a detective she knew from her former case (Arash) who has an Iranian heritage but is not Muslim, he uses his local Islamic contacts to attempt to gather information or rumors about what will become more similar deaths. When the husband seems to have disappeared, he becomes the prime suspect until wife #2 shows up laid out in the same manner and her husband is also military and missing. There is a unique commonality between the victims that Kate discovers involving a female doctor who Kate might have encountered briefly after her personal trauma in Afghanistan.
There is much consternation when the doctor is totally uncooperative, and the leads seem to dissolve without her assistance. Kate recognizes fear and trauma when she sees it, and the doctor definitely shows signs of genuine terror.
The last thing Kate wants to do is what she must do to get a name, but will the former incarcerated partner who betrayed her cooperate?
Kate and Arash work what they have and come to some of the same conclusions. What happens as the story progresses is Kate's resolve to get to this killer while fighting through the old panic attacks and anxieties. Learning she is actually improving both bolsters and surprises her, and, against her better judgment, she decides to do what she feels must be done to solve and end the murders – much to the objections and disappointment of Arash.
Both of Candace's novels are sterling stories of the effects and actions caused by PTSD. Amazing descriptions that resonate as to the challenges faced by intense personal trauma when the desire is to not address those feelings or be reminded of the horror that introduced them. Exceedingly important visuals created in Candace's stories of the valiant heroine doing all she can to survive what happened to her. In the Name Of gives you a solid story, a wicked antagonist, and plenty of reasons to move on to the next one in the series: Beneath the Bones. Can't wait.
Ruger is back in his full personality – and you will love him even more.
(Some profanity.)
Father, once again I ask that you would bless Candace with the stories you have just for her to tell, guard and protect her, and minister to her needs. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
