After thoroughly enjoying the first 2 books in this series, I found this one to be a bit meandering and drawn out.

One of the characters was the poster child for women who want to mold men to their liking; actually strike that, she was a manipulating bag of the first order. The 17 year old was just irritating and annoying. Combined, these two took a lot away from the plot for me.

This novel didn't keep me turning the pages, like the others, and at one point I just couldn't wait for it to end. ( )

As the third book in Candice Fox’s debut trilogy, Fall offers a riveting finale to the partnership of detectives Eden Archer and Frank Bennett.

Picking up a few months after Eden, Bennett and Archer, the latter of whom is still recovering from her injuries, are back on the job. A female jogger has been found brutally murdered in a park in Sydney, and she won’t be the last. The case is interesting, with the focus on the killer’s twisted motives.

The relationship between Eden and Bennett is no less complicated in Fall, despite Frank having saved her life in Eden. Bennett’s concern for his partner’s physical and psychological wellbeing is always tempered by the threat she poses. Bennett finally learns the truth about Eden in Fall, though it’s hardly a comfort.

“It’s always very present between us, the fact that Eden could at any time, and rightfully so, decide that killing me is the best thing for her future.”

Frank is less aware of the threat his girlfriend, police psychologist Imogen Stone, poses. Imogen, who solves cold cases in her spare time with less than altruistic motives, is investigating the twenty year old abduction of the Tanner children, an inquiry that will pit her against Eden, who will do anything to protect her secrets.

And then there is Amy ‘Hooky’ Hooku, a seventeen year old computer genius, who first came to Frank’s attention when her younger sister murdered their parents. As her father was a Detective, Amy enjoys a special relationship with the police department and is now a consultant of sorts, despite her tender age. Amy is an intriguing character who has an unexpected role to play in Fall.

“And if he couldn’t save her, he’d do the best he could to patch her up. The way he did with everything that came to him in the tip. She’d be crooked. She’d be hollow. But she’d be alive again.”

Fall is a gritty, compelling novel and provides a stunning climax to an outstanding trilogy. Candice Fox has proved herself to be a writer of remarkable talent and skill. ( )

Review to follow. ( )

I was so excited when I saw there was a third book in the Archer/Bennet Series but my excitement was dashed when I found it was unavailable in the USA right now. I wrote to a family member in Australia to send me a copy and I'm glad I did.

Eden and Frank's relationship is strained due to his growing knowledge of what Eden likes to do when she isn't working as his partner detective. Eden is struggling to recover from her near fatal injuries and fighting off growing suspicions that Frank's girlfriend is putting her nose where it shouldn't be. This book also introduces us to Hooky, a computer genius whose family was killed by her sister. Hooky is only 17 but helps the police investigate pedophiles on the internet. She also has a almost fatherly relationship with Frank and his girlfriend isn't too pleased with it.

Fox's characters are dark, dangerous and fantastic. There are so many layers to them. Just when you think you have one pegged something else happens to realize you may be giving them too much credit for being human.

This book leaves us with a doozy of an ending that leaves me really wondering what comes next for these characters. ( )

Candice Fox is on the verge of scoring a rare hat-trick at this year’s Ned Kelly awards with the release of the third book in her Frank Bennett and Eden Archer series. Full review at Newtown Review of Books with a bonus link to Lou Murphy's review of the first book - Hades. ( )