Only It was my first Lisa Gardner book. I chose to start with the DD Warren series because of the author’s youth. Sometimes reading an author’s first book can be great, but it can also turn you away from future talent. This was the seventh book of hers, but the first in a new series. And what can I say, I liked it.
Lisa Gardner introduces us to state trooper sniper Bobby Dodge after a long day that promises to be a never-ending chapter in his life. She takes down a man who is pointing a gun at his wife with his finger on the trigger ready to shoot. Did Catherine Gagnon manipulate him into killing her husband? Did Bobby shoot for the wrong reasons?
The book explores Catherine’s childhood background, when she was kidnapped and held prisoner in an underground shaft for twenty-eight days. It also explores Bobby’s family history, including a mother who left her drunk and abusive father without taking him or her brother away. The reason why Catherine and Bobby are together makes this an entertaining suspense story.
Surprisingly, Bobby’s one-time partner, DD Warren, for whom the mystery series is named, plays a minor role in the story. Bobby Dodge’s character seems to steal the show. We learn more about Bobby and his bond with Catherine through the police psychiatrist, who helps Bobby deal with taking his own life. As Catherine becomes a more likely suspect, Bobby understands her isolation and helps her figure out why those around her are being killed.
If you like psychological mysteries with character-driven stories, this is a series that will keep you on your toes. In the second book, Disguise, DD Warren plays a larger role as a homicide detective, while Bobby is now a state police detective and no longer a sniper. Because six bodies are discovered in a pit created to resemble Catherine Gagnon’s children’s prison, Bobby is invited to help on the case.
Lisa Gardner’s perspective in this second book in the series is through the eyes of a woman, who has been hiding and changing her identity all her life. Her father kept her in the dark, while he moved her family from one place to another. Somehow she is connected to Catherine and the six bodies, and Mrs. Gardner weaves an interesting thread of clues to tie it all together.
I highly recommend this series and look forward to exploring more of Gardner’s writing. So far we know little about DD Warren, the character for whom the series is named, and I hope it develops beyond the ambitious, impulsive and cantankerous counterpoint of Bobby Dodge.