This is one of those novels where it's both a great novel, well written, good characters, very well plotted, as well as a seriously depressing novel.

There are two stories and two cases that Texas Ranger Sarah Armstrong is involved in. One is the killing and mutilation of very expensive and prize winning Longhorn bulls. The other is the kidnapping of a four year old boy. Of course, everything in the book is overshadowed with the fact that a hurricane plods towards Texas and Houston during the entire narrative.

It's an interesting way to give the story line a little extra oomph, because for the most part those who are reading The Killing Storm have either lived through, or at least seen on TV, Andrew, Katrina, etc. and the chaos that reigns afterwards. And so there's a countdown clock in Armstrong's head as well as the reader's head for how long she has to solve the mysteries.

There is one slightly unfortunate part of the novel though. The mystery was okay, but the story as it went along wasn't surprising to me, but, maybe I've just read too many mysteries. Despite that it was still a great book. ( )

This was a great book. I truly enjoy the strong character development of all the leads. ( )

A twisted case has Texas Ranger, Sarah Armstrong, baffled. Someone is murdering longhorn bulls and painting symbols on them. Sarah is almost one of a kind, being a woman in an almost completely male department, not only that, but she is also a profiler. She and her partner Buckshot are trying to find who is murdering the docile bulls and why, but the only leads are the unusual symbols left on the carcasses.
David, an FBI profiler and pseudo boyfriend of Sarah’s has his own problems. Someone stole a little boy, four-year-old Joey, from a park as his mother was preoccupied. He brings Sarah in as a consultant and the case haunts her to the point of distraction. She consults on her case with a creepy Dr. Beniot about the symbols and finds some answers but is really left with more questions than answers. The main question always in her mind is who stole Joey!
Their relationship is in limbo while David tries to decide if he wants to continue his relationship with Sarah or return to his ex-wife and help raise his teenage son, but they cannot let that distract them from solving the cases. With an uncooperative mother and a father who is convinced the mother took him, the abduction case is spinning in circles. Ranchers are up in arms about the murder of expensive cattle and impatient to get answers. Added to everyone’s stress, there is a hurricane headed straight for them and they need to solve these cases now before all the evidence is destroyed and the cases go cold.
This heart wrenching story will keep you engrossed until the last page and is a must read!
Reviewed by Ashley Wintters for Suspense Magazine ( )

The primary character is a female Texas Ranger assigned to a case involving long horn bulls that have been shot to death and odd markings painted on their sides. Her love interest, an FBI agent, is investigating the abduction of a small boy. When the Ranger has reason to believe the two cases may be related she begins to work the abduction case also. Excitement builds as the two determine who the abductor is just before a huge hurricane hits (the story takes place in Houston). An entertaining and fast read. ( )

Good mystery!!!!!! Not up to par with the books I have been reading ( Cutting for Stone or The Help), but still good.....Very transparent ending left open for a sequel. If you like mystery then it works. ( )