A relatively good mystery. I'm irritated by the angst the female protagonist has ... all this anxiety and emotional weakness drives me crazy. ( )

It's been sometime since I was lucky enough to win PD Martins [b:Kiss of Death|7975977|Kiss of Death (Sophie Anderson, #5)|P.D. Martin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1280898964s/7975977.jpg|9636582] , the fifth book in her Sophie Anderson series. It is unfortunate that it has taken me so long to get my hands on the first books in the series.Body Count introduces Sophie Anderson, an Australian working in the FBI profiler unit at Quantico. Her job is interpret the minds of criminals around the country but their latest case is hitting too close to home. Not only is the serial killer murdering in their own backyard, he targets one of their own. Sophie is determined to help the FBI capture the man using the clues the profile can provide. But not all of her information is coming from her analysis of his victims or the crime scenes. Sophie is having dreams that show her small details that she must piece together to save the life of her colleague and her lover.Martin develop's the mystery surrounding the identity of the serial killer well. I had a strong suspicion from early on but I never really felt like I could be sure as there were plenty of distractions and twists to create doubt. There was one main expectation I had as I read that truly suprised me when it fell through, it's not often that happens. Overall I felt the plot was tight and the pacing picked up as the story progressed.I was less enamoured with the characters. Sophie is depicted as self contained but that sense of detachment bleeds into the relationship with the reader. She may be sympathetic but I found it difficult to empathise with her. For me even her relationships with Sam and Josh don't seem warm or comfortable. The first person POV is well handled (I found it more awkward in the Kiss of Death) and there are some creepy passages from the killer. The style of writing can be a little clinical but is accessible. The Body Count is a strong start to the series that has, at the current time, 5 published installments and a 6th collaborative ebook available on the author's website[b:Coming Home (Sophie Anderson, #6) - FREE ebook|9176577|Coming Home (Sophie Anderson, #6) - FREE ebook|P.D. Martin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1283233096s/9176577.jpg|14055857]. The Sophie Anderson series is a satisying crime and mystery series with an engaging premise. I hope to read the next installments soon. ( )

First Line: The house is quiet. It's 3:00 a.m.

Aussie transplant Sophie Anderson has been working as an FBI profiler at Quantico for about six months. She's made a home for herself as well as several friends-- especially fellow profiler Samantha Wright. The only thing in her life that she's not sure how to deal with is her psychic ability. When she was a child, she had dreams that presaged the disappearance and murder of her brother. She's had occasional visions and dreams ever since.

Sophie may feel uncomfortable with her gift, but she's smart enough to use it in her career. When women begin to die and the media dubs the latest serial killer the "D.C. Slasher", Sophie's unit goes into high gear trying to put together a detailed profile of the killer that will lead to a swift arrest. When Sophie's friend Samantha is abducted, the FBI closes ranks and works desperately to find one of their own before it's too late.

I really enjoyed this book. Martin knows how to plant subtle clues and set a fast pace to keep the suspense cooking. Sophie is a multi-faceted character, and her desperation is palpable as she tries to find her friend Samantha.

I was afraid that Body Count might descend into "fem jep" (the female lead character willingly putting herself into deadly situations), but it didn't. All the female characters were cautious and didn't take silly chances-- especially Sophie and Samantha. Unfortunately they weren't cautious enough for a particularly wily killer.

For readers who prefer a book to be spiced with a bit of romance, there is a touch of that in Body Count, but not enough to bother those who prefer to do without it. Another aspect of the book that I enjoyed was watching the profilers work to piece clues together in order to identify a killer.

One thing that bothered me a bit was the rather weak portrayal of Tucson. (So weak that I wonder about the author's sources.) And although I slapped my forehead when the Slasher's identity was revealed, it made me wonder if such a person really could stay unidentified for so long.

But both of those things are minor quibbles. I enjoyed the plot, the pace and the characters so much that I'll be continuing on with the series. Sophie is one FBI profiler on whom to keep an eye! ( )

Sophie Anderson is an Australian profiler working in the USA for the Behavioural Science unit with the FBI. She is also psychic, she sees through the eyes of the killer, and sometimes the victim, in her dreams. She is currently based in Washington DC and soon makes friends with fellow female investigator Sam who is the only person who knows Sophie's abilities. Sam is assigned a case of a serial killer who has murdered two women and soon makes it clear that he is after her. When Sam disappears the investigation team know they have between 3 and 5 days to catch the killer.

Sophie is assigned the case - along with her new love interest, Josh Marco. Together they and the other team members spread their hunt through several US States trying to track down the killer. Sophie try's frantically to use her talents - but she can't control them - and can't quite get the whole picture from them. She uses the investigation to hone her skills - can she get control of them to save Sam?

I really enjoyed BODY COUNT. It is different to the other mysteries because of the "woo woo" (paranormal) element. PD Martin also wrote from the killers perspective from time to time giving the reader another insight into the plot. I didn't suspect who it was until the same time as Sophie - in fact my main suspect was in another direction completely.

A well written page turner - there are two more in the series , THE MURDERS CLUB and FANMAIL. Book number 4 is with the publisher, with a contract for at least one more after that. ( )

As a child, Sophie Anderson had prophetic nightmares of her brother's kidnapping and murder. Recently, she's moved from Australia to take her dream job and join the FBI as one of their top criminal profilers. Sophie is actively re-establishing her life, making friends, and tracking down killers. But then there are the nightmares. While her life is about hunting the hunters, her dreams cast her in the role of the hunted. Once again, the nightmares seem almost prophetic. When a serial killer targets the Behavioral Analysis Unit itself, it will take a mix of hard scientific detail and intuitive psychic clues to crack the case. The short paragraphs from the killer's journal at the end of each chapters heighten the suspense. Sophie Anderson's third and latest chronicle, Fan Mail, is due out in December 2008.