Colby Marshall (The Trade) introduces a promising series starring a forensic psychiatrist who has a neurological condition that causes her to see colors in relation to personalities and actions (grapheme-color synesthesia).
When two serial killers go on a killing spree at a theme park, the FBI captures the one calling the shots. Without losing his composure, the gunman announces he will speak only to criminal profiler Dr. Jenna Ramey, who has had psychopaths request her presence before. Using her synesthesia as a profiling tool has won Jenna minor fame in certain circles, and long ago, her gift allowed her to save her own family from her sociopathic mother. During interrogations, the killer keeps his true name a secret and dances her through frustrating mind games. Jenna realizes getting captured was actually a step in his much larger plan, and if she can't uncover his identity and find his at-large partner, more innocent people will die. With the help of an FBI agent--her former lover--and a sarcastic amateur investigator, Jenna races to stop another massacre.
Although Jenna's synesthesia helps the investigation, Marshall never uses it as a convenient shortcut or superpower. As she matches wits with a criminal genius, Jenna relies on her training and powers of deduction. High stakes and frequent setbacks keep the action taut and demonstrate Jenna's human frailties. Readers will eagerly await Jenna's next adventure, and with an imminent sequel, their wishes will quickly come true. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads