The Prey by Allison Brennan

The Prey by Allison Brennan

Year Published: 2005

My Rating: 5 stars

416 pages

This is the first book in The Predator trilogy.

First, she imagined it. Then a killer made it real.

Rowan Smith is an ex-FBI agent who had a traumatic past. When she was faced with a crime that hit very close to home a couple of years ago she quit her job and started writing crime novels.. Four published and the fifth coming out soon!

Then the murders begin!! The first one taken from her first novel.. exactly the same.. then from the second book.. and the next .. so she knows it no coincidence!!

Her ex-boss hires a security company to protect her, so she has a bodyguard "Michael" at all times. Then her bodyguard's brother and partner in the security company "John" shows up and the attraction is almost instantaneous!! Now the two brothers are trying to protect her in addition to competing for her attention. But john knows that Rowan is keeping a secret that could help them solve this case before more murders happen.. something from her past.. and he tries to make her talk.. for a price!

This was an amazing book!! The murders are so gruesome, the murderer is merciless and the characters and so real!!
I was so captivated by this book, it kept me on the edge with unexpected twists and turns..

Very highly recommended book for crime/thriller readers :)

Quotes I enjoyed in the book:

“He found a woman with the same name and occupation as one of my characters and killed her in the same manner in a similar location. Did a lot of planning and research to get all the details just right. Perfection. Next, he leaves my book with her body. Arrogance. He’s smart, but he thinks everyone else is stupid and he has to give you the why or you’d never figure it out. This wasn’t a crime of passion or a crime for money… it was a crime of opportunity.” She realized, as she spoke, it was the name of her book.

Her face was as blank as when she’d pointed that damn gun at him. But her stormy eyes stopped him from walking out the door. He finally understood the phrase “eyes are windows to the soul.” Rowan Smith’s eyes told him she was scared but strong, troubled but defiant. A captivating combination.

The book. Rowan. Shit, he’d fucked up. I’m sorry, John. You were right.
A flash of light-a camera? Maybe it was a tunnel. Yes, a bright tunnel.
Then the world was gone.

She stared at him, her face firm, a slight frown pulling down the corners of her lips. “I can’t live with another death on my conscience.”
“Nothing is going to happen to me.” He took her by the shoulders. He didn’t mean to shake her so hard, just give her a little jolt so she’d know he was serious. But her head jerked forward and he saw some of the fire back in her eyes.

A knife twisted in his heart. Don’t worry about me. She said it as if she suspected he wasn’t worried. And the irony was, when he set this up, he hadn’t been. He hadn’t cared what it would do to her.
Now he did.

Her inner strength began to melt. The carefully constructed wall that had protected her for so long crumbled at her feet. She was a trapped animal, pacing, pacing, pacing. Waiting for someone to come and shoot her. A mouse being toyed with by a cat. As soon as the mouse lost hope and cowered, the cat killed its prey.

He stared at her for a long time and she couldn’t read his expression. Was he angry? Upset? She didn’t want to hurt him, but it would hurt more if she lost him. Yes, she was being selfish. But the great strides she’d made at putting the past behind her would be shattered if she cared too much and the worst happened. No plans for the future, nothing to wrap her heart around, not now. Maybe not ever.
In the back of her mind, a whispered thought murmured It’s too late. You care. You love him. But she didn’t-couldn’t-acknowledge it.

“Typical spring wedding for a boring couple. He had a future, could have gone places and done things with his life, but the bitch kept him tied to home with a bunch of brats.”

“No buts, I said.” He leaned over and lightly kissed her. “Together, Rowan. We’ve been loners for so long, both of us. But together we’re stronger.”
Together we’re stronger. She smiled weakly. “Yes, we are.”