Disarming Detective
3.5 Stars

Convinced that a serial killer is at work in his small town, Detective Logan Greer is desperate for help from the FBI Behavioral Sciences Unit. Going against her boss's decision, FBI Profiler Isabella Cortez agrees to help Logan as she suspects a connection between his case and one that has haunted her for years.

A suspenseful thriller with well-written actions scenes. The investigation could have been better developed with more focus on Ella's profiling skills (this is probably a result of the shorter Harlequin format), but the climax and resolution are satisfying nonetheless.

Unfortunately, the romance falls quite flat as the chemistry between the H/h is virtually non-existent and their relationship feels forced.

In sum, this book would have been better as a straightforward thriller without the romantic elements. Elizabeth Heiter has another series in which she appears to do exactly this. Looking forward to giving it a try.
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I liked this book from the opening scene right through the end. Ella is an FBI profiler who is long overdue a vacation. As she's leaving work the last day before she leaves, she finds a stranger waiting for her in the dark parking lot of her office. He's come to ask her help, because he has a case that he thinks is a serial killer, though his boss doesn't agree. Ella agrees to help him when she notices similarities with a case she's been working on for years.

I loved Ella and Logan. There is a connection between them right from the beginning. It starts out as an attraction that hits them both really hard, but each knows there's no future in it. Ella's job keeps her in Virginia, and Logan is committed to his job in Florida. Both are afraid that it might be too much of a distraction as they work to find the killer. The opening scene was a great indicator of how well they work together. Logan finds himself at the business end of her abilities, and rather than feeling threatened, he takes it all in stride. As they begin their work in Florida, his respect for what she can do is obvious. Ella is one tough lady herself. She became a profiler because of what happened to her friend, and that case is always on her mind. She doesn't hesitate to get involved in Logan's case, even though it's on her own time. I really liked the fact that, as independent and tough as she is, she doesn't take stupid risks.

As Ella and Logan work together, their attraction continues to grow. Each of them also realizes that it's starting to feel like more than just a physical attraction. Both of them have reasons that they think there's no hope for them. Ella is tied to Virginia if she wants to keep doing what she does, and Logan has never considered leaving Florida, where his roots are buried pretty deep. But when it comes down to the end, what is more important? I liked the way they worked it out, as it was different from what usually happens.

The suspense was really good. It started with the feeling that the two cases could be connected, and Ella's determination to follow up, even though it couldn't be done officially. As Ella and Logan progressed in their search, the second murder upped the intensity. I liked seeing the steps that they went through, and the frustration that they felt when they hit dead ends. The final confrontation with the killer was chilling, and definitely had me on the edge of my seat as I wondered how they were going to escape. It was very well done, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the next two books in the series. ( )