Book Review: The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

The Last Echo
The Body Finder #3
Author: Kimberly Derting
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Release Date: April 17th 2012
Review Source: HarperTeen
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) In the end, all that’s left is an echo.

Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice.

When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye....

I loved the first two books in The Body Finder series, but I loved this one even more. The first thing that grabs your eye with each of the books in this series is the cover-a different, beautiful and vibrant colored flower on each cover against a black background with white text is just striking. If that in itself wouldn't have you reaching for this off the shelf, the storyline certainly will. This book had me from the first page and didn't let go.

The Last Echo is written in third person and rotates between Violet's story and that of a very troubled young man, the Girlfriend Collector. I applaud Kimberly's imagination when writing these stories from the killer's point of view-creepy and scary and you don't want to read it but you just can't help but turn the pages to see what he will say or do next. We pick up where Desires of the Dead left off. Violet Ambrose has begun working with Sara Priest and her team of "gifted" psychic teens at the Center. We get to know the members of the group (Sam, Rafe, Gemma, Krystal, and of course Sara is the leader) and what their special gifts are throughout the book. I love how Kimberly gave them each a unique gift, and we learn what they each can do. Violet has a hard time feeling like she fits in at first because she cannot do what the others in the group can. Her talent is really only helpful AFTER a murder has been committed or a death has occurred. The others have talents that could possibly help stop those horrific incidents before they occur. Yet, she feels like this group is the first place she really belongs because she can talk about her gift openly with them and not feel different or an outcast. The only one of her "normal" friends who knows what she can do is her lifelong friend, and now boyfriend, Jay.

Violet seems to be spending more and more time with this new group of friends than her friends at school. She feels more comfortable with them because she doesn't have to hide anything from them. But these friends and her new job put her in some pretty dangerous situations. Some are very life threatening and you begin to wonder why Violet hasn't learned from past experience to stop going around town "investigating" things by HERSELF! **sigh**

There is some romance in this book, mostly between Violet and her beau, Jay. I really enjoyed the scenes with these two together. You can tell just how much they care about each other and what they mean to each other. We also get to learn a lot more about Rafe, and begin to wonder if friendship is the only thing in store for Rafe and our dear Violet.

The killer in this book is just as disturbing as those in the previous two books, if not more-so. He preys on college age girls in his search to find one who will love him forever. My skin crawled as I read his chapters and I couldn't believe what I was reading much of the time. Pure crazy! Sara's team tries to use their varied talents to help find the next girl who has gone missing, and they fear the Girlfriend Collector has her.

So if you are a fan of this series, you are absolutely going to love this one. If you are not a fan yet, go ahead and pick up the first two books in this series (The Body Finder and Desires of the Dead), you won't be disappointed I promise. Love, laughter, friendship, mystery, death, creepiness, twists and turns, danger...that's what you'll find in the pages of these books. And one last thing about The Last Echo--you will be left wishing you had the fourth installment right next to you when you finish. Yep, you guessed it-cliffhanger! But it is so worth it-go get your copy as soon as its available in stores or e-readers.