Review: Love this series
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 11, 2014
Very brief synopsis - Jay Roberts, ex-FBI agent, currently employed by the Osbourne Group, is tracking down her "boyfriend", Linc Dawson, after he unceremoniously dumps her. Thing is, Jay and Linc have never actually met face-to-face. Jay's psychic talent makes in-person contact problematic. Her talent allows her to pick up echoes of emotions and events when she touches things. Or people. But Jay and Linc got close during their months of communicating via electronic means. And when they meet in person, Jay discovers that Linc is a psychic null, which means she can touch him without picking up his emotions.Anyway, Jay is convinced there’s more to the story than "This isn't working out", and heads to Linc's hometown of Hell to confront him. She gets a lot more than she bargains for. Hell harbors a wealth of dangerous secrets, and it seems Linc's missing daughter may have gotten caught up in the evil that permeates the town.What worked for me - Jay is a badass in pink and blue streaked hair.  I knew I was going to like her on page one when she reflected upon what her online dating profile would look like. The fact that she can touch Linc without repercussions is like a gift to her, especially as she is already attracted to the man she has come to know him to be. Jay is direct when it's possible for her to be, but she still feels vulnerable when forced to deal with Linc's distrust/disbelief of her abilities. Jay knows Linc thinks psychics are charlatans, and she is oh, so reluctant to share her truth with him. Linc’s unwillingness to accept Jay’s psychic abilities works to drive a wedge between them.Linc is Hell's ex-sheriff, having quit over allegations of evidence tampering in connection with his missing daughter. He is tormented by his daughter's disappearance 2 months ago. He is angry at the townsfolk for not helping solve the mystery. I loved his revenge tactics. Don't just get mad, make sure you get even. Linc is stoic, honest and determined. His conflict between his desire for Jay and his inability to accept her wholly was believable and felt real.No one writes anguished males as well as Ms. Walker. Linc's despair over his failure to find his daughter is heartbreaking.Taige and Cullen (The Missing) show up in the nick of time, and stay through the story. Since they are two of my favorite characters from this series, I count this fact as a total win. Linc is terrified Jay and Taige's appearance in his town means he is too late to save his daughter.In true Shiloh Walker fashion, the bad guys are creepy, awful, rotten-to-the-core malicious.The pace of the story is very fast. There is only one love scene, but the quality of that one scene is stellar. Most of the story is focused on solving the rash of disappearances plaguing Hell, and on Linc's reaction to Jay's abilities. The road to happiness isn’t an easy one for Jay and Linc. There is also the loss of a major character, which was surprising and sad.What didn't work as well - Not one thing.Bottom line - Time very well spent. If you are already committed to this series, you will definitely enjoy this entry.  Even though The Innocent is part of the FBI Psychics series, it can be read as a standalone. The worst that will happen is you will be intrigued enough to read the rest of the series. Your pocketbook may not thank you, but your romance loving heart will appreciate it! Highly recommend The Innocent and the entire FBI Psychics series.**A copy of this title was provided for the purpose of an honest review.