The best tracker in the world, a man with a secret and a special set of skills, must find two nearly untraceable killers before time runs out for their victims, in Spencer Kope’s Shadows of the Dead. A woman–abducted and found in the trunk of a car after a high-speed chase–regains consciousness in the ICU to reveal two crucial pieces of information: the man who kidnapped her is not the same as … kidnapped her is not the same as the man who left her in the woods, and she’s not the first victim–in fact, she is number eight.
Magnus “Steps” Craig is part of the elite three-man Special Tracking Unit of the FBI. Known for his ability to find and follow trails over any surface, Steps is called in on cases that require his unparalleled skills. But there’s a secret to his talent. Steps has a kind of synesthesia where he can see the ‘essence’ of a person–what he calls ‘shine’–on everything they’ve touched.
Brought in to track the driver through a dense forest after the blood hounds have lost his trail, Steps and his partner Jimmy find the driver laughing maniacally, babbling about souls, and hiding a pristinely maintained box of eight posed rats. Now the Special Tracking Unit must chase two villains–through not just the real world, but the dark web as well–tracking an enemy they can’t see, as time runs out for the unknown victims.
more
A unique story summary drew my attention to this book. While I did not realize there were two previous books, I never felt lost as the author provided enough backstory to the characters. Magnus “Steps” Craig died as a young child and was brought back to life with a unique ability. He is able to see the essence that humans leave behind or as he calls it the “shine”. Only his father, his partner and the director of the F.B.I. are aware of his special skill. His latest case working with the Special Tracking Unit of the F.B.I., is to find out who kidnapped the woman who was found alive in the trunk of a wrecked car. The woman survived her kidnapping and was able to tell them that there was another man, other than the driver of the car, involved in her near death. Follow along as the hunt is on to find the second man and any other possible victims. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
Suspense, mystery , murder with some “shine” woven through. First read for me and I was not lost. I am intrigued enough to want to read book1 and 2. This was in depth and I could not afford to gloss or skim any part. Without knowing before hand the author was a Criminal Investigator, you know this book is different, You feel the reality in the book wrapped with that special “shine”. There are twists as Steps and Jimmy investigate with the help of Diane (IT person) and the ending made the book. Thank you for the arc, Net Galley. Spencer Kope and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read a new author and indulge in some thrills. I voluntarily share my true thoughts and opinions.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book. The comments and review are my honest review.
This book starts off fast and doesn’t let up. Serial killers, dark web, and an unusual ability from the main character makes it an excellent read. This was the first book I read by Steven Kope and I am glad I did not miss it. I look forward to reading more by this author.
This is the third book in the Special Tracking Unit series. It is the first of the series that I have read, but I didn’t have problems following along.
A wrong turn in the woods, a blizzard and a lost boy. The boy is eight, and dies. The boy is revived by his father and searchers, and now has a gift or a curse, depending on how one views it. That boy is Magnus Craig, now 28 working for the FBI as a man-tracker, and goes by Steps. Steps is able to see shades of color left by others, which he refers to as shine. Only three people know about shine, Steps’ father, partner, Jimmy, and the director of the FBI.
Steps gets a call involving a high speed pursuit leading to a car crash, a woman in the trunk, and a driver that fled.
Steps lead a team to a small cabin, where the driver is apprehended and gives his name as Faceman that he’s a fixer, and asks about Eight. It is apparent, that they are dealing with a guy who should be institutionalized.
An interview with Faceman leaves a chilling impression that there are more victims, besides Eight, where Faceman is fixated on “patients” who are broken and need to be fixed. It’s apparent, that Faceman is working with someone else referred to by Onion King.
Faceman is sprung from jail, and news about another person missing leads Jimmy and Steps to race against the clock to find who this Onion King is, before there is another victim.
Wow, I enjoyed the different take where solving crime had to do with a special gift that only a few knew about. Lots of twists and turns, and humor. Now that I’ve read this, I want to go back and read the other two books in the series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley via St. Martin’s Press and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.
A different take on a FBI Thriller.
Magnus “Steps”Craig is on the FBI Special Tracking Team. He has a unique gift he calls the shine that helps him catch the killer.
Perfect for fans of Robert Crais and John Sandford. There is humor along with the very serious subject of a crazy , creepy serial killer know as The Onion King. This is my first book by this author and I have not read the first 2 books.
“ All things considered, I suppose pushing a stuck car from the mud in Sasquatch country isn’t so bad.”
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the arc copy for my honest opinion.
384 pages
5 stars
Wow! How did I miss this author?
A high speed car chase. A crash. An unconscious woman in the trunk. A chase through the woods. The suspect is caught.
Magnus “Steps” Craig and his partner James “Jimmy” Donovan are on the case and the arrest. They form two members of the three person Special Tracking Unit of the FBI. The third person is Diane. She is an IT Specialist. Steps has a special ability that greatly aids him in tracking people. Only Jimmy knows about it.
When the suspect Murphy Cotton keeps calling the woman in the trunk “number eight,” the agents get a bad feeling. After interviewing him, they know that he is not working alone. There is a shadowy figure who calls himself the “Onion King” pulling his strings.
They are saddened to learn that there are indeed eight women.
Steps, Jimmy and Diane are able to pick up some valuable clues from not only their research, but that of neighboring – and very helpful – police forces. They are as anxious as the FBI to capture this serial killer.
This is a fast-paced thriller. It is also a detailed and highly interesting police procedural. It shows all the disappointments and triumphs of an investigation. I like the way that Mr. Kope interjects occasional humor to break the awful tension the agents and police officers must be feeling. As Steps tells the story, the reader is right there. I was riding in the car with them, witnessing the awful results of the murders, and eavesdropping in on various conversations. I usually don’t enjoy stories told in the first person, but Mr. Kope made Steps so very real, and so human. I really liked him and Jimmy. I liked their interactions and ability to work well with one another. They communicated on a level that didn’t need words. This is my first Spencer Kope novel, but it certainly won’t be my last. I loved the book!
I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for forwarding to me a copy of this remarkable book for me to read, enjoy and review.