“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn’t let go.”–Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense.Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, remains haunted by the abduction of her own daughter, years before, never found. Still … never found. Still obsessed with finding her, Keri buries her grief the only way she knows how: by throwing herself into the cases of missing persons in Los Angeles.
A routine phone call from a worried mother of a high-schooler, only two hours missing, should be ignored. Yet something about the mother’s voice strikes a chord, and Keri decides to investigate.
What she finds shocks her. The missing daughter—of a prominent senator—was hiding secrets no one knew. When all evidence points to a runaway, Keri is ordered off the case. And yet, despite pressure from her superiors, from the media, despite all trails going cold, the brilliant and obsessed Keri refuses to let it go. She knows she has but 48 hours if she has any chance of bringing this girl back alive.
A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF DEATH marks the debut of a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.
“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”
–Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)
Book #2 in the Keri Locke series is also now available!
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I absolutely love all of Blake Pierce’s books. His style of writing is fantastic.
Great book would read again.
Great read.Couldn’t put it down.
This Was my first Keri Locke Mystery by Blake Pierce and it was well written with great characters that keep you invested in the read. I immediately got Trace of Murder and was blown away with the way Blake Pierce pulls you in. Great read.
Free ibook and it was a page turner. Once i start reading “A Trace of Death” i was hooked and started reading the rest of the free books of his other series which all were page turners. Heading to library or getting new nook or whatever to read others in series. Keep them coming.
A Trace of Death by Blake Pierce is the first book in the Keri Locke mystery series. Keri Locke is a detective with the Missing Persons division of the LAPD. She is haunted by her own daughter’s abduction, years before, never to be found. Still obsessed with finding her daughter, Keri buries her grief into her cases. When a routine call from a worried mother strikes a cord with Keri. Even though the teenager, Ashley, has only been missing for two hours, something in the mother’s voice tells Keri to investigate. Ashley is the daughter of a prominent California senator and is hiding secrets, as teenagers do. But Keri feels there is something more than just a teenager keeping secrets. When all the evidence points to a runaway, Keri is ordered off the case. But Keri won’t give up. Despite the pressures from her superiors, the media, and all trails growing cold, Keri refuses to let go. She knows that she only has 48 hours for any chance to bring Ashley home safe and sound. Will she find Ashley in time?
A Trace of Death is a fast-paced thriller which I read in one day. It was an easy read without overly complicated clues and misdirections. I have read several of Blake Pierce’s mysteries and while A Trace of Death wasn’t as exciting as the others, I was still hooked and thrilled as I read. Keri is a typical cop who is tormented by personal issues that haunt her but makes her a brilliant detective. I particularly enjoyed the camaraderie between Keri and her partner, Ray, a former boxer turned cop. There were a few exchanges between the two that I laughed at and could see happening between friends. And there is the typical superior who can’t stand the troubled but brilliant female detective and has to eat humble pie later when Keri is proven correct. Overall, I enjoyed A Trace of Death. It was a nice, easy afternoon read. I liked the fact that I could read and enjoy the mystery without getting a headache from the over-the-top and difficult to read herrings that I’ve experienced in other mystery thrillers. If you enjoy mystery thrillers, you will enjoy A Trace of Death.
A Trace of Death is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook
Recognize first that this is fiction. However, I wish crimes could be dealt with in such a timely manner. Keri was a teacher, for awhile, she taught a class on criminology. She is also a mother whose child has been kidnapped. Ray, her partner and the one who convinced her to apply to the academy and become a detective, is a former boxer (aka the sandman). The case? The daughter of a Senator has been kidnapped and Keri must convince her boss it is a real kidnapping. In the face of mounting evidence to the contrary Keri is driven to investigate and locate the missing daughter. On the way we get to see what it takes to break through the crooked underworld of teenagers, and criminals who convince them that they must become less of a person and more of a thing.
Violence is well described. Sex is mostly innuendo, it isn’t described in turgid terms. I recommend for those who like to read good detective stories. Just remember, it’s fiction.
Very entertaining and fast-paced thriller. The main character is all too human, with flaws that make her both relatable and understandable.
I’m new to reading crime books but you have definitely inspires a new genre in me to read. I absolutely loved the book and recommend everyone to read it I literally finished it in 2 days (I am a fast reader but also every chance I got, I read it!). I wish you the best in your career and can’t wait to read many more books by you!
The narrator is horrible! The British accent is one thing, but the over dramatizing is annoying and off-putting. I could not bear to listen to the entire book.
I liked it – would recommend it – it was hard to put down – read it in a weekend
The heroine in this story is a “Dirty Harry” type of detective and her bravado leads her into trouble but she is the only one who keeps looking for a runaway teen who has been kidnapped by a madman. A Trace of Death has a violent climax but is it foreshadowed. I would have liked a POV from the villain who seemed underdeveloped, but the other characters, including the kidnapped teen, are fleshed out fully.
I like his books but it would be nice if they were more then 175 to 200 pages long. I can spend the same money and get an actual novel length book. Thats why I’ve stopped buying his books.
This is Keri Locke first book. Her daughter has been taken from her while they were in a park.
Five years later she is no where closer to finding her. Her marriage has ended and you can only imagine what she is going thru.
A good friend talks her into becoming a police officer. From there she becomes a detective for the LAPD.
This is a must read if you love detective stories!
Keri never gives up trying to solve the mystery of the missing teenager in A Trace of Death even though at each turn more revealing facts put a new twist on the abduction causing her to doubt the girl’s complete innocence in the ordeal. The psychological suspense involving Keri’s own daughter’s still unsolved disappearance adds much to the plot.
I enjoyed the characters and plot of this books. It kept me guessing until the end!!
Wow, another fantastic book by Blake Pierce can’t recommend this enough.
Always enjoy this author.
This was an average book with several editing problems. I don’t think I’d read another in this series.
I really enjoy this author