Special agent Dani Vega is beginning to wonder whether she might have been wrong about her mother—long institutionalized for having killed Dani’s father after teenage Dani came home to find her near her father’s body holding a knife. Now her mother has broken her long silence to declare her innocence. Dani essentially barters her exceptional and highly trained codebreaking and pattern-recognition skills for a look at her mother’s case files. A seasoned NYPD detective agrees to let her see the records if she first helps him with several unsolved murders. Dani quickly sees a pattern indicative of a serial killer—and of many more victims than the detective’s case files would indicate. The rest is a thrilling investigation on multiple fronts involving Dani’s professional expertise and complex family relationships. This second book in the Dani Vega series can be read as a standalone. There are intellectual puzzles and plenty of action, with Dani beating up bad guys and also cracking codes because—as the author emphasizes a little too much—of her Ranger training. The conclusion is satisfying, promising definite changes for Dani’s family.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for a digital advance review copy.

Crime fiction written by someone with an extensive background in law enforcement is different level of amazing. OMG, I LOVE THIS!

At first, I had a hard time adjusting to the writing style because it was relatively new to me. But when I got to the core of it, I could not put it down.

The characters, the story from beginning to end, it's perfect. You know that the author knows what she's writing about.

Super excited for the next in the series!

I love Vega, so I was thrilled to get a copy of this book. I immediately dove in and loved every second of it. It was fun to reunite with Vega and the other characters from the previous book. This case was interesting, complex, and full of twists and turns. This was an excellent addition to the series and I look forward to reading more!

I really enjoyed the first book of this series, so when I saw netgalley had the next one I had to request it.
I really enjoyed this second installment. In this one we go back and learn more about Dani’s childhood and Maldonado does an amazing job with Dani’s character development. We also get the killer’s perspective, Connor, throughout the story.
Overall, this was another amazing read. You get tons of action, unexpected twists and turns, realistic story build up, and overall another amazing thriller.
I highly recommend this series and cannot wait for the next one.

LOVE Dani Vega's character. This one dives deeper into her past than Book 1 did. Also, I'm a hoe for a serial killer story and this one did not disappoint!

Not necessary to read book 1 first as all the pertinent details are explained here. But she's one of my favorite characters so I'd still recommend reading book 1: A Killer's Game to read more of Dani.

Dani Vega is a badass in so many ways. She is a character I want to read about and want to root for. When she discovers a pattern in murders across all boroughs of NYC over a decade it takes her down a path to uncover the Unsub who has killed 30 people (and counting)!

I thought this was super fast paced right from the beginning. This never slowed down or let up on the tension. Lots of thrilling moments when the FBI & police think they are close to catching the killer.

Would recommend if you love:
-Badass FBI FMC
-fast paced and high tension
-serial murders over a decade

The second book in the series is good. I love following how Daniela Vega works, the things that go thru her mind as she is working to put the pieces together. She is a strong but vulnerable character who doesn’t give up. This story takes you on a thrilling ride, starting off slowly and then increasing the speed until it depicts a whirlwind of experiences. The depictions of police procedure all additional depth to the story. I believe this second book in the series is even stronger than the first. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

At seventeen, it was Dani's testimony that convicted her mother of killing her father. As time passes though, she begins to question her version of events.

Now a codebreaker with the FBI, Dani decides to explore whether she got it wrong. To do this, she needs the help of a veteran NYPD officer who will only help in return for assistance in his own case: tracking down a serial killer who likes to sign off his work through a series of puzzles. This will require cracking these riddles, a task for which Dani is uniquely suited.

Dani is on a quest for the truth. But what she doesn't expect is just how dramatic and close to home the truth she is about to uncover actually is...

This is a great read, intelligent and well-plotted. Dani Vega is a character who's still just starting out, but what a great start!

The FBI and NYPD team up to track a serial killer stalking women for weeks before going in for the kill. Will they be able to find the murderer before he strikes again?

Isabella Maldonado does it again with Daniela Vega! This was a great follow-up to the first in the series. FBI Special Agent Dani Vega is quickly becoming my new favorite character.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

FBI Special Agent Daniela "Dani" Vega carries the weight of a chilling past—a mother who murdered her father, and Dani's damning eyewitness testimony that sealed her mother's fate. But what if she got it all wrong? As doubts creep in, Dani faces a chance at redemption when an NYPD detective reopens the cold case. The catch? Dani must help him track down a serial killer who has haunted New York City for a decade. The killer's riddles and patterns lead Dani into a dangerous game—one that hits too close to home. As secrets unravel, Dani's quest for justice becomes personal, and the truth threatens to shatter her world.

Isabella Maldonado's "A Forgotten Kill" is a riveting thriller that grips you from the opening pages. The author's background in law enforcement lends authenticity to the narrative, infusing it with gritty realism. But it's Daniela Vega who steals the show—a kick-ass heroine with a razor-sharp mind, a military past, and the determination to unravel the truth. Gotta love her!😘

Maldonado masterfully weaves suspense, psychological intrigue, and emotional depth. The pacing is relentless, propelling readers through twists and turns as Dani deciphers the killer's cryptic messages. The New York City backdrop crackles with tension, mirroring Dani's internal struggle.

Dani's internal dialogue - questioning her past, her mother's guilt, and her own role - is palpable. Her vulnerability makes her relatable, while her resilience makes her unforgettable.

The killer's riddles are a highlight. Maldonado crafts the ciphers with precision, challenging readers to solve alongside Dani. The tension escalates with each clue.

The exploration of family bonds, betrayal, and forgiveness adds layers to the story. Dani's relationships—with her mother, her colleagues, and her own conscience—are richly textured.

Just when you think you've cracked the case, Maldonado throws a curveball. The climax is a rollercoaster ride of revelations and heart-pounding action.

"A Forgotten Kill" is a must-read for thriller enthusiasts. Isabella Maldonado delivers a gripping tale of redemption, sacrifice, and the shadows that haunt us. Daniela Vega is the heroine we've been waiting for—a flawed, fierce force of nature. Brace yourself for sleepless nights; this one will keep you turning pages until dawn.

Note: "A Forgotten Kill" is the second book in the Daniela Vega series, but it stands strong on its own. Dive in, and let the chase begin.

5/5 stars

I was completely enthralled with this story and every little detail that unfolded. I really enjoyed the first book with Dani Vega and was looking forward to reading the next installment. Honestly, this one was even better than the first, and I'm really hoping there will be more with this character.

I highly recommend this book if you're a fan of crime fiction or watch a lot of crime shows.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

I had the same problem with this one that I had with the first in this series. Dani is portrayed as some kind of cross between a super computer and wonder woman. Meaning she can solve pretty much anything (a complex world phrase clue using cryptograms no problem, or a numerical password that the answer needs to be given within a minute , she's got it). But not only that, when it comes to getting physical? She can best anyone whether it be three hired thugs, or a serial killer who has operates for years without being caught.

And honestly, is no one talking about how there was a serial killer operating in New York for YEARS using the same M.O. but despite all of the other "high tech" equipment they seem to possess, these different boroughs were incapable of uploading information into the database that would have clued them all in to murders happening under their noses? And yet it takes Dani all of one night to see a random pattern and connect them all?

But of course, she has these skills because of her time in the Army as a Ranger. A fact that was repeated so often throughout the course of the novel that it lost all meaning. Dani is just unlikable. From the first to the last. She's too perfect, even when she makes mistakes. And that becomes a problem for the reader (at least for this reader). Three men attacked her, and yet she bested all of them with no real repercussions? Could she not have a sprained ankle/wrist or a black-eye that inhibited her in some way?

To give credit where it is due, the reveal of who was behind it was a bit of a surprise, and I was excited to see where that went considering how much of the book was left when it happened. But then he too, despite having no training whatsoever became a master of everything.

At this point, my experience with this author indicates their stories are mostly written as trilogies. And I don't know if I'm going to finish out this one or not. I feel like one of the main storylines was satisfactorily closed, so I'm not sure where the author could even take this character in the future.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

A Forgotten Kill is the second book in the Daniela Vega series. This was a wonderful follow-up to the first book of the series.

Daniela was seventeen when her father was murdered and her mother was institutionalized rather than going to prison for the murder of her father. She followed in her father's footsteps being a ranger. She was also a code breaker. But her strong suit is to see patterns that other people do not.

Dani is assisting two NYPD cops but she on leave while the FBI investigates her actions during a previous investigation. Dani quickly sees that there is a serial killer who has been murdering people for decades following the Julian calendar. Dani will find herself a target of the serial killer and be on his target list.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It is fast moving and very intense. It was great to learn more about Dani's past including her contentious relationship with her aunt. I highly recommend this series.

Ten years ago, seventeen year old Dani came home to find her father dead and her mother standing over his body with the bloody knife used to kill him. Her mother has barely spoken a word since and was sentenced to a mental institution rather than jail. The story begins as Dani is summoned to visit her mother, who is starting to have brief moments of lucidity, and during one of these she tells Dani that she didn't kill her husband. Not knowing if her mother speaks the truth or is delusional, Dani meets the detective who was in charge of the case and asks to see the files. He's less than eager to look back at a case he thought was closed, but offers to give Dani the files if she'll put her cryptanalysis skills to work for him first, to see if she can detect a pattern between several murders that he suspects are linked. When Dani discovers a connection not just between these cases, but tens more going back a decade, the pressure is on to find and stop the serial killer before he strikes again. If you like smart, tough, women protagonists, you'll love FBI Special Agent Daniela “Dani” Vega, and if you like fast-paced crime thrillers with an authentic vibe, you'll love A Forgotten Kill.

Honestly this was a fun read in between lots of romances. I think it was a great continuation to the series. I liked how the plot played out, the mystery had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't wait to see how it played out.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was concerned going into this book. A young female FBI agent getting unprofessionally close to her own parent's murder often derails into a mess that requires other, usually male, older colleagues turning up just in time for a rescue. Thankfully, this is not one of those overdone and rather annoying stories. Dani, the young FBI agent, is a highly trained Army Ranger, and fully deserves the responsibilities she has. Is she tempted to act unprofessionally? Of course. But while the situation she finds herself in during this book is not made more dangerous for her lack of discipline or dumb moves.. It took me a while to really get into this book, but once I was hooked, I really enjoyed it.

BOOK: A FORGOTTEN KILL
AUTHOR: ISABEL MALDONADO
PUB DATE: MARCH 2023
👮🏼‍♀️👮🏼‍♀️
REVIEWThanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
👮🏼‍♀️👮🏼‍♀️
For me, this book had a slow beginning and it took me a long time before I reached even 30%. But, once I passed that, I was unable to stop. I wanted to understand why the perp was committing all those acts and their connections. At first, I was still wondering what would happen next when the perp was discovered in the middle, and I thought it would be boring again. But, there were just more mysteries to unfold. I liked this book, the characters and the storyline. I'd definitely read thr next book in the series
👮🏼‍♀️👮🏼‍♀️
Our FMC, SAC Dani Vega was amazing and she was facing a lot of trauma. It was nice to see her heal after going through so much trauma as a teen. I'm in awe of her strength and abilities.
👮🏼‍♀️👮🏼‍♀️
This book was a good one and I'm glad I read it!
👮🏼‍♀️👮🏼‍♀️

I enjoyed reading this second book in the Daniela Vega series from the very beginning until the end. I finished it in almost one sitting because the story didn't let me go. Just wanted to see how this game of cat and mouse would end. Daniela is a fantastic well-developed character who is a great opponent of the bad guys with an excellent and sharp mind that solves code and sees patterns when others don't. The story itself is like a fast train that starts at a somewhat normal speed and goes faster and faster while keeping you on the edge of your seat. I wished my eyes were trained to read faster just to see what would happen next. The personal connection with the other cases was a nice touch and gave more depth to the story. While reading I was impressed by the explanation of the procedures for solving the cases, even though this is not my first book by Isabella Maldonado, this is the first time I've searched her background and found out that she worked at the FBI, and she knows this from her own experience. I highly recommend this book and the other ones by this author to everyone who wants to read fast-paced procedurals with strong female characters who are fighting against serial killers and other criminals.

A Forgotten Kill by Isabella Maldonado is the second book in the Dani Vega series, but I didn't read the first one and I had no problems picking up on the characters or the plot. There are a few references to events in the first book, but nothing substantial and nothing that would leave a reader scratching their head.

A Forgotten Kill is a garden variety police procedural with two cases taking Dani's attention. One is personal and in trying to gather information from the presiding detective, Dani makes a deal to look at his current cases using her codebreaking skills. She soon discovers that an unknown serial killer has been terrorizing NYC for a decade and that his current kill count is set to increase immediately. From here the plot moves at a brisk pace until about the 58% mark in the arc. Then it feels like the action is supposed to keep increasing, but Maldonado doesn't really sustain the pace and I felt like the climax occurred too early in the book.

This is probably a solid three star book for me. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I did like the characters, but they didn't really feel like real people so to speak. Maldonado feels like her writing relies on stock characters and Dani didn't feel that different from Nina even though their backgrounds and whatnot were totally different. The vibe just felt the same. The plot hinges on hitting certain types of parameters and when the unexpected occurred, it didn't quite hang together for me. By the end, I was ready for the book to be over.

Title: This book was made for the Criminal Minds girlies!

When she was 18, Daniela Vega came home to find her father bleeding out and her mother clutching the knife. Dani was the one who tried to save him, called 911, and spoke with detectives. Her mother has been comatose ever since. Fifteen years later, Dani has followed in her father’s footsteps to become a decorated Army Ranger and works as a special agent for the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. And she’s finally equipped to take a deeper look into her father’s death when she discovers that her neighbor was killed the very next day. What are the odds of two murders in two days in the same building? Her mother couldn’t be responsible for the second death, so what if she was innocent of the first?

I feel like thrillers tend to be somber or subdued but this series is sexy and explosive. It feels weird to say that since Dani is hunting down terrorists and serials but… the reading experience felt like the book equivalent of watching Criminal Minds (tv). But instead of profilers, Dani is a codebreaker. She recognizes patterns and makes connections that others cannot see. Whether it’s untangling secret messages or realizing a string of unrelated cases are actually the work of the same perpetrator. I love that her POV is focused on the case and it's everyone else around her that’s wrapped up in the drama. You also get the POV of the unidentified perpetrator and that was thrilling and engrossing. Glimpses of his childhood, his past crimes, him watching the authorities try to track him down. And then the moment Dani catches his eye! THE CHILLS I GOT!!!

The continuing storyline of her childhood trauma, taking care of her siblings, and her hateful Aunt, fulfills my hunger for drama and enriches Dani’s character. If you’re looking to branch out from your usual reads, this is the series for you!

A Very Elusive Serial Killer

Conner meets Angela at an elevated subway station every night at 2 am. While walking to her apartment, a mugger threatens him. Conner dispatches him quickly. He wants to call 911, but she tells him her papers are not in order. As they walk off, she slips her arm into his arm. They continue to her apartment. She asks him in and goes into the kitchen to make coffee. She stops when she notices that a stalker has been back. He had rearranged and organized her coffee and tea in her pantry. She tells Conner that this had happened four days earlier. She asks him to stay, but he won't. Outside, the mugger meets up with him and demands more money because a broken nose is not part of the deal. Conner tosses a few $100 bills on the ground. He had it all planned down to the minute. Angela only had a few days left on this earth. This ten-year-old murder and two others have plagued NYPC Detective Chapman until FBI Special Agent Daniella Vega helps him. From this start, an action-packed hunt starts.

This novel’s main storyline has three threads. The first thread is Vega’s unofficial investigation into her father’s murder. Her mother was the only suspect and had been institutionalized for the past ten years because she could not stand trial. She has just started talking and tells Vega that she did not kill her husband. To access the Murder Book, she goes to the detective who inherited the cold case. He doesn’t want to make the effort to reopen it, so he asks Vega to look at three cases going back ten years that he believes are connected. If she does find a connection, he will provide all the information that he has. This is the start of the primary thread of the main storyline. The serial murderer narrates the third thread. While Vega’s boss was very supportive, his boss, the Assistant Director in Charge, is upset that the Office of Professional Responsibilities had cleared Vega for her last case.

This novel pits a combat-experienced Army Ranger and a cryptologist against a killer who has remained below the radar for ten years, plans down to the tiniest detail, and does not leave any forensic evidence behind. Vega and the rest of the joint task force filter through the victimology, trying to find patterns to catch the killer. This investigation led to many twists and turns that kept me engaged with the main storyline. When Vega is attacked, the tension ratches even higher. My interest was maintained to the end.

This novel has much more about Vega's background than the first novel. Most of the background is provided in Vega’s professional relationship with her boss and the NYPD detective, again her partner in this novel. The reader will learn about Vega’s life, hopes, and desires. Most of this is seen in her interaction with her younger brother and sister, especially with her father’s sister, with whom Vega and her siblings lived after their father’s death. The Vega’s sour relationship with her aunt also affects the main storyline. I enjoyed seeing what makes Vega tick. Conner's background is also very deep. Understanding how his personality became so twisted also enhanced my reading enjoyment.

Some aspects that can cause some readers to stop reading are present in this novel. While there are not any intimate scenes, the murderer is a voyeur and abuses his victims before killing them. There are references to other intimate scenes. Most of the violence is portrayed in a more edgy way as it occurs. There is a noticeable but not excessive use of vulgar and rude language. Lastly, adequate information is provided in all references to events in the previous novel. If any of the first three categories are issues for you, be forewarned.

I particularly enjoyed the complexity of the investigation. I like it when I must think along with the protagonist. This novel kept me interested and engaged throughout the whole read. I even reacquainted myself with the Julian dates. Because of how the murder dates were predicted, I saw a better algorithm that fits the murderer’s personality and would be easier to explain to supervisors and fellow team members. This is just a minor issue.

This is the third novel by this author and the second in this series I have read. I have also purchased three previous novels. Based on the last two novels, I rated this author as a Will-Read. If her novels continue to be compelling reads for me, I will up the rating to Must-Read. I have already received an Advanced Reading Copy for her next novel. I do recommend reading this novel. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and rate it with five stars.

I received this novel's free prepublication e-book version through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer. My review is based solely on my own reading experience of this book. Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.