I wish this was a book that I would have loved. But the story fell flat and I lost interest really quickly. Finishing the book felt more like a chore instead of a treat

Really enjoyed this book. I didn't realized that it was part of a series but I will be for sure going back and reading the first two and then anything else that comes out after that. I thought I was going to have a problem with the "secret" ability that Magnus has but after a bit I found that I enjoyed it and I think it really added to the book. This was a great book and I can't wait to read more by this author! Thank you NetGalley for a free book, I am giving my review entirely on my own.

One of the best murder mystery/serial killer police procedurals I’ve read in a while.

I did not know this was part of a series when I picked this up. That being said, it worked pretty well as a standalone read. There is a bit of backstory that was quickly explained in as much detail as was necessary to get the story going, as well as existing relationships, but it was enough to not be confused jumping in at book three. I do want to go back and read the first two books so I can get the whole picture of the main character's past.

This story follows the Special Tracking Unit, a special unit of the FBI for tracking missing people and criminals, as they track a serial killer and try to stop him before he strikes again. The mystery behind what drives the killer and how he chooses victims was not what I expected and very intricately planned that I was on edge with the characters as they tried to catch up with the killer and save his latest victim.

The relationships the characters have are interesting, and there is a certain level of humour written in, despite it being a pretty bleak topic. An added bonus was that this book was set in Washington state, which is just south of where I live, so the terrain was familiar, something that I always enjoy in a book.

I look forward to going back to book one and learning about Magnus “Steps” Craig and his special tracking abilities, his backstory, and just diving into more of the mysteries by this author. The writing was spectacular all around: great characters, well-developed believable plot, and intriguing mystery. A great read after a bit of a dry spell in the mystery/thriller genre.

Thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my advanced reader copy.

Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mystery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the 3rd of the series, but can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I enjoyed it a lot, probably more than the other two if I’m being honest. FBI mixed with a supernatural layer… count me in!

I typically don’t read mixed genres but the crime and supernatural elements paired well together. This story kept me on my toes and engaged throughout the entire book. Well written, full of suspense and just the right amount of otherworldly.

What a unique, interesting book! At first, I was unsure what to think about the protagonists "special ability", but as the story went on I found that it really added something special to the usual police procedural. The characters were extremely likable, and I enjoyed how the epilogue was a teaser for the next in the series. I am a new fan!

I'd been on a kick of K-9 mysteries, and thought that Shadows of the Dead would fit perfectly. I was unprepared for the supernatural element of the main character. Having synesthesia I could deal with and if it had stopped there, I would have thought it was a creative element for a police procedural. Once it morphed into a super-power, I wasn't able to relinquish reality. Not a bad book, and if you like a bit of supernatural with your mysteries, then you'll probably enjoy this. Thanks to St Martin's Press for letting me read an ARC on NetGalley, but this wasn't my cup of tea!

I love detective mysteries and I am always trying new ones. I will admit somehow when I requested this book I didn’t fully grasp that there was a supernatural element to this book. I liked that it was a dark mystery with disturbing elements. The crimes and the killers kept me captivated through out.. I would have preferred it without the supernatural part, it didn’t add anything to the story. The book would have been just as good if not better without it. I found the two main FBI agents to be a bit too judgmental for my liking. For me if I really like the main detective it pushes the book to the next level, and this did not happen here. I would rate it about 3.5 stars, but I’ll round up and click 4.

Magnus "Steps" Craig has a secret ability. He has a type of synesthesia. Developed as a child when he was lost in the woods. Found "dead" and brought back to life, he is able to see a "shine", the aura or essence a person leaves on things they touch or places they go, unique to each individual.
He and his partner Jimmy, and their research assistant Diane Parker make up the skilled Special Tracking Unit of the FBI.
Only his father and Jimmy are aware of Steps special ability.
When an abducted woman found in the trunk of a car after a high speed chase crash reveals that the driver of the car is not the man who kidnapped her, and she is not the first victim, Steps and Jimmy are brought in to track the driver who escaped into the woods.
They find the driver, raving about the "Onion King" and how he must fix "eight".
When another woman goes missing, time is short. They must learn who the Onion King is, and find his secret lair before it's too late.
This police procedural/mystery was suspenseful and captivating. The characters are distinctive and I enjoyed the humorous touches throughout that lighten some of the grimmer aspects.
An extremely entertaining series, especially if you like something a little different.
Thank you Minotaur Books for the e-ARC via NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this third installment of Kore's series that features "Steps" and his partner, Jimmy. This one immediately thrusts them into a new mystery that makes use of Steps' ability to read the "shine" left by each person as a unique signature. Here, they start off tracking a man who was stopped with a woman in his trunk. The woman is saved, and when the suspect is finally cornered, it leads to only more questions about what was actually happening. This turns into more victims and an even larger mystery.

Unlike the second book that bopped around quite a bit, this one sticks all within Washington state. The pacing is quick and this one is hard to put down. It's definitely more plot-centric and I enjoyed it. The mystery takes some surprising turns (though some readers may see a few more familiar turns coming). The series continues to slowly build up more on the Leonardo killer - which I must admit, was what I originally thought that the focus of this book would be. Again, like its predecessor, there's not a real need to read these in order, so you can start here, but I would, of course, recommend reading them in order. And I am definitely excited to see what the fourth book will bring!

DNF at 20%. I may have picked this up at the wrong time but it just isn’t working for me. There are plenty of weird details but I am not hooked or interested in finishing the story. I think this is about me not being the right reader at this time and not about the book. Thank you to Minotaur and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

I love this series so I was excited to read this book. Shadows of the Dead is the 3rd book in the series. It can be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading the previous books first. This one started off slow but the ending was thrilling. I still love the relationship between Steps and Jimmy. This book wasn't my favorite but I am definitely going to keep reading more from this series.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Spencer Kope for a copy of "Shadows of the Dead" in exchange of an honest review.

The third novel of this series follows Magnus Craig aka Steps and his partner, Jimmy, as they track down a serial killer. Steps can see the essence of where someone has touched or walked and each person has a unique “shine” of colours that they leave behind as a trail. After tracking a deranged man into the forest using Steps’ gift, they find out he is an accomplice to another man who is still on the loose. They are racing against the clock to save the Onion King’s latest victim after they learn of another abduction in the Seattle area. @netgalley and @stmartinspress gave me my review copy!

The camaraderie between Steps and Jimmy sets this FBI duo apart from other detective mysteries I’ve recently read. The supporting characters lend warmth to otherwise very dark subject matter. The author makes the point that being unique is a positive thing as Steps uses his talent to help the world. Kope explores the importance of mental health care as well as we see how the system has failed some of the characters. As I was reading this, I could almost envision it as a Criminal Minds episode which I used to be obsessed with. Steps was believable and likeable and I am a fan for sure. I read this as a standalone and I would love to go back and read the others in this series.

Absolutely loved the book! The MC Magnus has a unique talent that he uses to solve crimes. Magnus can read aura’s he calls it shining and he hones his gift with expertise and precision becoming an exceptional tracker who can read crime scenes by the aura’s left by both the victims and perpetrators.

Such a good book I could hardly put it down and I highly recommend it!!

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

A brilliant read and a refreshing new storyline! I loved this book and took my time reading it.

Magnus Craig or Steps to his friends and colleagues have a very special ability that he calls "shine". He can see human residue. He can see every touch and footfall; any bodily fluids left behind by people. This is a blessing and a curse in 1. Because of this ability, he works for the FBI's special tracking unit. This is where all the fun for us as readers start. In this book, he is up against the seriously sick (in the head) and elusive Onion King.
The action is fast and keeps you on the edge of your seat  With the authors background as a crime analyst and intelligence operations specialist with the Office of Navy Intelligence the information on procedures are very interesting.

I also loved the bits of humour!
" She is twenty years, seven teeth, and two hundred pounds past average, so sexy is a hard goal to hit."

Thank you to NetGalley St Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fast paced and unputdownable...with a fascinating lead with an unusual ability. "Steps" Craig is an elite tracker with the FBI. He can find people when no one else can...but he has a secret. He's able to see the essence that they leave behind...he calls it their "shine". He and his partner Jimmy are an enjoyable unique team that work well together. They are called in on a case of a young woman found abandoned in the trunk of a car and the hunt begins. Though they have found her it appears that there are more missing. This book has everything I love in a good crime fiction/suspense/ mystery. It's exciting with an unusual premise. I loved it and can't wait to read the two that came before.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really tried with this book, but I found it to be very disjointed. It started off promising and then the stakeout was interrupted by some flashback to the main character, Steps, dying as a child and since then he can see people's shine, which helps him track people for the FBI. What? It's just too unbelievable for me. I am not a fan of science fiction, I love a great police procedural, but this plot point just did not work for me. Then the constant going on about the Onion King and all the random tangents. I just could not focus on the plot with all the constant tangents and the "shine" was just not believable. This is the third in a series and maybe if I read the other two it would make more sense? I am not sure, but I did give it a try. Thank you Minotaur for the opportunity.

My Review:⭐️⭐⭐️/ 5 stars

This is the 3rd installment about Magnus “Steps” Craig who is one of the best trackers in the world due to a very special set of skills he got as a child. I did not read the first 2 books, which is why I did not understand fully what these “skills” were… but that’s when it got a little strange and hard to believe. This special skill is nicknamed “shine” or an aura that everyone leaves behind. In this case, since he is a part of the FBI special tracking unit, the skill helps “Steps” and his partner Jimmy figure out if a killer/suspect was at a location. Not everyone knows about this special skill he has, only his partner and the head of the FBI. In this novel, a woman is found bound in the back of the trunk and her kidnapper is not the same as the one who captured her and held her captive for weeks. Also she is number 8. This leads them to the Onion King who is the mastermind - and who they are and why. Who are the other 7 victims and where are they? First off, the villain is so good. Spencer Kope is clearly very knowledgeable about crime scenes/investigations and it shows… the crime scenes are even creepier. I loved the friendship/relationship between Jimmy and Steps, the banter between Diane is average. Also I think the mention of Step’s gf Heather was not even needed, she was a blip in the book. The focus should have been more on the case. There were parts of the book that kept me on the edge of my seat and then the momentum would dwindle… so it did not feel very consistent throughout. A nice read if you want a good creepy killer/villain and a thorough FBI investigative fiction, but I would recommend reading the first 2 books first.

A unique story summary drew my attention to this book. While I did not realize there were two previous books, I never felt lost as the author provided enough backstory to the characters. Magnus “Steps” Craig died as a young child and was brought back to life with a unique ability. He is able to see the essence that humans leave behind or as he calls it the “shine”. Only his father, his partner and the director of the F.B.I. are aware of his special skill. His latest case working with the Special Tracking Unit of the F.B.I., is to find out who kidnapped the woman who was found alive in the trunk of a wrecked car. The woman survived her kidnapping and was able to tell them that there was another man, other than the driver of the car, involved in her near death. Follow along as the hunt is on to find the second man and any other possible victims. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Spencer Kope's Special Tracking Unit series has become a favorite of mine. I enjoy young Steps Craig's world-weary voice and (sometimes unintentional) humor. He's been "blessed" by a sort of synesthesia after a childhood trauma; he can see a person's "essence" on everything they've touched. This is what makes him an exceptional tracker, but it's made this young man old before his time. His blessing is also one that must be hidden at all cost.

Shadows of the Dead isn't the strongest book in this series, but it's still good. Cliffhanger haters, beware: this book ends on a doozy, so gird your loins. As much as I did enjoy this book, I have to admit that I was irked a few times. Have you ever found yourself reading a book that, when an important clue was slipped into the story, it seemed to be announced with a blazing neon sign? Well, that happened a few times in this book, and-- of course-- the experts were too dumb to pick up on them. Perhaps writers purposely do this from time to time to make readers feel like Sherlock Holmes. I don't know. I do know that it irritates me. But I digress.

Shadows of the Dead is a solid entry in Spencer Kope's Special Tracking Unit series, and after reading that cliffhanger, I'm certainly looking forward to the next book!