Before starting my review, I have to say that if there's one author I can't truly be objective with, it's probably Kay Hooper... actually, no, it's her FBI SCU series that I'm biased. Don't ask me why, it's just like that. There was a very good post about series and how/why a reader can still find a series interesting or how an author can keep going and still make the series fresh, but I can't find it. when I do, I'll link it... anyway, for this series, I think that the secret is that there is only 1 book per year and it is a very painful wait.
Anyway, before I got further, perhaps just give a brief summary about the series...
Kay Hooper's FBI SCU series - where SCU stands for Special Crime Unit. This unit is very special, very casual and have a high success rate. Basically, they are called into difficult cases when most investigators have hit a dead-end and the agents of the unit "use uncoventional and intuitive investigative methods and tools to solve crimes." Basically, the agents have psychic abilities - precognition, telepathy, clairvoyance, etc. and even some don't have a name... So you're going to tell me: psychic abilities... However, let me tell you that Kay Hooper backs it up well with theories, explanations and possibilities, she makes it believable - at least to me. Of course, the series is not for everyone, as lots of ppl have a hard time believing in psychic powers, but if you can do it - if you can believe, accept, don't mind, whatever - these books are a joy.
So to continue, other reasons I think that her series is quite successful is that different agents have different abilities, with different degree of control and etc. Some are incredibly powerful, others quite weak, almost not psychic - so they have to compensate by other means. Also, she doesn't drop hints of all the other agents of the unit in every books, as in she doesn't prepare readers for her next book by introducing or mentioning them (like Sherrilyn Kenyon). In addition, you get a new agent per book and the only character present in every book is Noah Bishop, the one who created the SCU, and his role is quite limited. Sometime, he'll be with Miranda, his wife, or Tony Harte, another agent... and Bishop is in no way like Ash (from the Dark-Hunters series) - as in, he's not solving everything and his story is over, so there's no waiting for his books, which is actually clever.
anyway, enough. I'll probably dedicate another post to the FBI SCU series, but let's get on with the challenge.
Title: Sleeping With Fear
Author: Kay Hooper
Year published: July 2006
Why did you get this book? Because I've been waiting it for a year. Kay Hooper/ FBI SCU series have become an auto-buy for me.
Do you like the cover? The cover is good I think. The spiderweb is the common theme for this trilogy and I can actually believe that it's Riley on the cover, so kudos.
Did you enjoy the book? I did - it was really worth the wait! Although, I pulled an all-night to finish it... i guess i didn't really savour the book :P
Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again?The author is not new to me and yes, I would read her again. I just wished she would post a bit about her next book!
Are you keeping it or passing it on? Definitively keeping it :D
Anything else? I have to say, Kay Hooper is doing a good job with this series. I've praised the series quite a lot at the beginning of the post and I have to add - yes, they are repetitive elements in the story, but she's been able to keep the plots quite new by exploring different avenues - in this one, it's the occults.
I have to add that Riley Crane was a cool main character to follow and a tough nut. If I was in her shoes, I would have been freaking out so much! and it's quite sad she can't remember meeting Ash (not Sherrilyn Kenyon's Ash, but Riley Crane's Ash ^^: ) - I'd like to have read about it :P What's also interesting is that the "paranormal" has been kept to a minimum, so Riley doesn't use her powers all that much. The storyline is a bit confusing, just like Riley's memory, but I think that adds to the book.
So, final verdict? It is not going to replace my favorite of the FBI SCU series, but for sure, it's not at the bottom :D and it is still a great book :D
