This FBI agent has come to expect almost anything—just not this… murdered. It was a slaughter—a rage kill like no one on the Crimes Against Children team had seen before. But they’re going to see it again. An avenging angel is meting out savage justice, and she’s far from through.
One by one, more children arrive at Mercedes’s door with the same horror story. Each one a traumatized survivor of an abusive home. Each one chafing at Mercedes’s own scars from the past. And each one taking its toll on her life and career.
Now, as the investigation draws her deeper into the dark, Mercedes is beginning to fear that if this case doesn’t destroy her, her memories might.
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I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. For a very honest review. And let me just be straight it will be honest review. This book is amazing I was never bored or felt ugh about reading this. Agent Mercedes Ramirez is a very strong female character and her story had me in tears. Vic you are my hero. All the agents have a very close relationship and I love how they become family over the years. Blood doesn’t define family. And these agents I feel the best. Agent Ramirez is having these children drop off at her house with nothing but a bear and the children saying her name. And someone killing their parents who have caused pain to these kids. Ramirez and the others have to figure out who is doing this and why. I highly recommend this book and the other two books. I have already preordered the fourth book. Again if you haven’t read these books you should. Thank you Goodreads for this amazing book.
Loved as much as the first two, with one single exception. All the Spanish. It just interrupted my reading flow. I had to either translate or not know what was said. In some cases I don’t think the translator even helped, because some of the sentences weren’t much more understandable.
Other than that, holy wow! I know it’s supposed to be a trilogy but I’m hoping for more.
I found this third book in the series to be amazing! I love the camaraderie between Mercedes, Eddison, Vic and Sterling. The inclusion of the girls from the previous books was wonderful and hearing Mercedes background story brought everything together. The story line kept me wondering and was fast paced. I had a hard time not finishing it in one day!
I really like the FBI agents in this series. They are presented as caring people who truly feel the pain of the children they rescue. In this installment, abused children are brought to Mercedes by “an angel” who first kills their parents, making them watch. The angel promises they will be safe now. Mercedes and the team have to find out who is doing this – and how it relates to Mercedes.
Characters are back from the previous 2 books, and it is like visiting old friends.
#TheSummerChildren #DotHutchison
Such a great series but this particular book I read in about a day and a half. Could not put down, even at work (shhhh) The writer just sinks you into the stories. Must read for sure, along with the entire series.
I find Dot Hutchison’s books cannot be put off. I usually get so entangled in the story that I have to stick with it long through the night to get to the end and see how she recounts her troubling and haunting stories, and book 3 was no exception to that rule.
This is another compelling story with the usual cast of characters: Vic, Mercedes and Eddison. In this book, we get to know more about each of them and how they work together so well. We also get better acquainted with Sterling and find her fitting right in on the team.
I like Mercedes’s character a great deal. She has suffered so much in her life, and yet, she isn’t hiding from her past. She’s embracing it by choosing to work with those who are also broken and in need of saving. Having lived through years of abuse, she is more than capable to build trust with these children that need someone just like her to tell their stories to.
The author also brings back the butterflies from book 1 and Priya from book 2, and so we don’t lose track of how those prior crime victims are faring. Yes, it is a bit quirky to be honest…these odd, twisted characters coming together time and time again in these books, and yet, somehow it feels natural and meant to be. Despite their horrific experiences together, they are still mesmerically drawn to one another. It’s as if when someone sees you experiencing the worst, you have been set free – free to be real, free to struggle, free to be. There is no pretense, no more fine or just OK.
Yes, they are going to struggle and forever carry their scars, which helped shape and make them who they are. But despite their brokenness – seeing them all together, you see them as whole again. They may be battle-scarred and weary, but they are a family – a family of survivors that have formed a beautiful unit of haunted brilliant souls.
This trilogy was lovely. It was twisty and dark and I wanted it to keep going.
If you loved the first two books, book 3 does not disappoint. The subject matter is a little hard to digest at times but it didn’t distract from the story. Another great read from Dot Hutchison!
Dot Hutchinson has fully redeemed herself in the final book of the Collector Series, The Summer Children. I was fully captivated by The Butterfly Garden and I couldn’t get enough. So when Roses of May came out, I was beyond excited. While RoM was enjoyable, it just didn’t have the same “grip” factor.
With all of that being said, The Summer Children had me hook, line and sinker. I was addicted. One of the most notable differences between this book and the other two is that it is being told in the POV of Mercedes and not the victim. This book was all police procedural, told from the side of CAC. Not that that is a bad thing, it is just different from the other books and weird to me to stray from the formula of the other books in the trilogy.
However, this book is engaging and past paced and I enjoyed every minute of it. It’s not dark and creepy like Butterfly Garden, but it is a well told story and I was very into it. I highly recommend reading this entire series, although you could read any of the books as a stand alone.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for my copy of this book via NetGalley