Review: fair  short
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 06 30, 2012
This is a short that continues where something left off or is intro to something coming.  Or, perhaps a little of both.The story (due to prequel status and also as after status) is not a complete story.  The characters were fleshed in prior story and are pretty unknown to any not reading first.  The end is not a finish - but a "cliffhanger" to be continued next book. Is outlined as prequel in description so fine.Still, the character fleshing could have been better for any not reading first.  As one is expecting cliffhanger due to description - the rest could have included a bit more back story.  So that any wishing to read this and one following could read as stand alone (when combined).  Without having to read first one to have running start when going to next.  Even in series types stand alones are stronger in my opinion.  I don't mind reading serials - but prefer NOT being beholden to reading entire an series to gain characterizations of intergral players.  A good example is the "In Death" series of books. One can read them in any order and still have a full sense of the major players as there is always some backstory to provide basis so a reader knows the characters right off.  This short hinted at some, but left one wondering where some thought processes came from and what happened prior. Which can be great inducement if the writing is done well enough to pull reader to go back and start at beginning and purchasing that book too.  I did not find the writing in this short particularly strong inducement to purchase further books by this author.The reasoning is due to some of the writing was disjointed and jumped about without smooth transitions.  Dialogue did not seem natural (to my ear) in some cases.  The overall plot was not cohesive due to the jumps between past cases of dead fellow, Roark's wife's past case, the case for the hiding agent or former agent, the disconnected thoughts between all that plus the human trafficking (though it appears is all supposed to be related - if so?  Poorly relayed in less than cogent manner).The premise is a good one (really quite good) but this preview is not a good showing of ability.  Story arc development and pacing need a lot of work.  Though was fairly well edited.Christine