Blood Echo: A Burning Girl Thriller

In bestseller Rice’s strong sequel to 2018’s Bone Music, Charlotte “Charley” Rowe, who was tricked in the first book into taking a chemical that gave her superhuman strength, is now using her powers to combat evil in partnership with Cole Graydon, the head of Graydon Pharmaceuticals. During her first mission, she disables a serial killer and survives an explosive trap, but afterward she’s ready for a break. Cole sends Charley to Altamira, Calif., the place she considers home, to recuperate and reconnect with her boyfriend, sheriff’s deputy Luke Prescott. Shortly before Charley’s return, Lacey Shannon approached Luke at the sheriff’s office and accused her boyfriend, Jordy Clements, of abuse. She also says he left behind a flash drive containing evidence that Jordy is the leader of a domestic terrorist group. Cole, who has his own reasons for handling Jordy’s case, obtains the flash drive and assures Charley that he will take care of the situation, but it ultimately falls to Charley to rescue Luke when he’s kidnapped, leaving mangled bodies in her wake. Rice combines bloody violence, complex characters, and high tech in a dark tale that will leave readers wanting to see more of Charley. Agent: Lynn Nesbit, Janklow & Nesbit. (Feb.)