A Killer's Code by Isabella Maldonado is the third installment in the Dani Vega series. While this can be read as a standalone novel, if you are a reader who loves the backstory of the characters you might want to read the first two before reading this.
Dani Vega is a genius at cracking codes and a former Army Ranger. Right from the start she is a capable, confident force to be reckoned with in her team. Hitman Gustavo Toro sends a message from the grave leaving clues about the buried evidence the team needs to bring down the people who had hired him. Vega and the rest of the FBI are on a cross country journey to try to decipher the clues left by Toro and uncover the mastermind behind the killings. The fact that the author was previously in the law enforcement field gives weight to this twisty crime thriller. This book had a bit of everything including great characters, twisty plot, action and the intricacies of family and relationships.
Thank you to NetGalley, Isabella Maldonado, and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC. Expected release day is January 21st 2025.

A Killer’s Code by Isabella Maldonado
Daniela Vega #3

Codes can be puzzles or ethics we adhere to ~ Once again Dani pits her skills against time to solve a puzzle and save lives ~ Great addition to the series!

What I liked:
* Daniela “Dani” Vega: Ex-Army Ranger, lethal, strategic thinker, decoding and deciphering abilities, brilliant, works for the FBI, protective, loves her brother and sister, concerned about her mother, intriguing, potential for a romantic partner in the next book?
* The way Dani tackles puzzles, family, and tactical situations
* The team: Sanjeev Patel – IT, Mark Flint – NYPD, Steve Wu – SAC, Thomas Franklin – Director
* Gustavo Toro – hit man, has his own code of ethics, catalyst for this book, intriguing man
* Getting to know more about Dani’s family and thinking about what parts they will play in the future
* The way the story moves between past and present seamlessly
* The way the team works together and has one another’s back while solving the case
* The way the bad guys were found and taken down and hoping that Karma would bestow justice on more than one of them
* The option that Director Franklin offered Steve Wu at the end of the book, the choice Steve made, and the impact it may have on the future
* The potential romance between Flint and the woman saved in this story
* Thinking about the drawing Dani’s mother gave her and what part it might play in the future
* That the author’s experience is noticed in the writing and much appreciated
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about how truly evil the corrupt corporate bad guy truly was
* That it was so easy for some in the book to torture, maim, and kill
* Having to wait for the next book

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

🤍Book review 🤍

A Killer's Code
by Isabella Maldonado


Isabella Maldonado delivers another gripping thriller with A Killer's Code. FBI Special Agent Dani Vega is back, and this time, the stakes are higher than ever. The story kicks off with an explosive undercover operation gone wrong, leaving hitman Gustavo Toro dead but not silent. His posthumous riddles send Dani and her team on a fast-paced, high-stakes chase across the country to unmask a powerful mastermind.
The twists and turns kept me on edge, and the puzzles added an intriguing layer to the story. Dani’s character remains strong, smart, and relatable, which makes her journey even more compelling. Maldonado balances the action, mystery, and emotional stakes perfectly, keeping the pages turning. The tension builds steadily, leading to a satisfying conclusion that left me eager for more.
Fans of the series and newcomers alike will enjoy this thrilling ride. A Killer's Code is a fantastic addition to the series!
NetGalley arc

A hit man's secrets didn't die with him

In life Gustavo Toro thought of himself as a fixer, but in reality he was (more often than not) a killer for hire. Several months ago he had made an enemy of one of the powerful people who frequently hired him and knew that his days were numbered. He had accrued over the years a trove of evidence detailing his many assignments as a form of insurance policy against retribution, and had set in place a mechanism by which should he be killed a recording would be sent to the one person he felt could be trusted to take action on the damning information he left behind....the current Director of the FBI Tom Franklin. But to find this evidence those assigned to the case need to crack the codes that Toro has left behind as breadcrumbs to lead to its hiding place. The FBI has no better cryptoanalyst than former Ranger turned Special Agent Daniella Vega, who has an innate gift for solving puzzles and has had that talent further honed along her career path. She also had worked undercover with Toro before he died which, combined with her relevant skills, makes her an obvious choice for the small group the Director is assembling. Her boss, Special Agent in Charge Steve Wu, wants her on the case (he appreciates her many skills and values her input), while Wu's supervisor ADIC Hargrave does not (he feels threatened by Wu and considers Vega an undisciplined time bomb waiting to go off). Wu's decision carries the day, and he and Vega together with cybercrime analyst Sanjeev Patel and (on loan from the NYPD) Detective Mark Flint set out to unravel the clues in order to bring to justice the powerful people who have gotten away with all manner of crimes for too long. From Las Vegas to NYC, a cruise ship to the Caribbean to the arid wilderness of Arizona, the team works feverishly to decipher the puzzles left behind but seem to always be one step behind whoever is seeking out the same cache of incriminating information before it falls into the hands of law enforcement...and people will die if the FBI team is too late yet again.
In this third installment of the series (which can easily be read as a standalone) Daniella Vega is a female Jack Reacher or Orphan X....an intelligent and lethal elite warrior with the training and skills to be a formidable opponent and possessing a drive to protect others. She's a challenge to supervise, but in Wu she has someone who is neither intimidated by her capabilities nor afraid to utilize her to the fullest extent. There are elements in her personal life that also weigh upon her...her mother, long believed to have committed a horrible crime and just now coming out of her near-catatonic state and her brother whose talents with computers are next level just for starters...as well as traumatic emotional scars from her military deployments. There is a budding attraction between Vega and Wu, which given their positions is a major no-go scenario, and outright hostility from Hargrave towards Wu and Vega which complicates their ability to get their job done. It's refreshing to have a female character so strong and capable that she regularly takes charge of dangerous situations and the men with whom she is working realize that she is the best person to do so regardless of rank (the bad guys tend to underestimate her, which she uses to her advantage). The mystery of Toro's "treasure"...what is it, where is it, and what role a missing scientist plays in the situation...is intriguing, and the hunt on which Vega and team embark moves at a brisk pace. Readers who enjoy FBI thrillers and analyzing cryptic puzzles will enjoy A Killer's Code, as will fans of author Isabella Maldonado's other books and of series by Tess Gerritsen, Catherine Coulter and Lisa Gardner. My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me access to an early copy of this latest in a great series by someone fast becoming one of my favorite new authors.

Gustavo Toro and Daniela Vega lives are intertwined even after his death as he left a treasure to be hunted hidden under various difficult to decipher clues. He wants to expose those who hired him to kill and through the FBI search for his secrets they'll discover that Toro had a gentle and honorable part well hidden inside him and that he lived and died by that set of parameters. A Killer's Code is fast-paced, full of action, and a little bit of romance. Entertaining and easy to read!
I thank Ms. Maldonado, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I’ve been really enjoying this series and have loved getting to know Dani and her team as well as her family. Dani is my favorite type of character: a fierce and fearless bad@$$ woman as well as a seasoned and decorated FBI agent. Unfortunately though, Maldonado loves her trilogies and this is probably the end of the Dani Vega series. The start of a new series (Sanchez & Heron) was also a pretty good clue too. From pretty much the get-go, there were the clues; Dani needing to take time off from her career to take care of her mother and don’t even get me started on SAC (Special Agent in Charge) Steve Wu’s weird behavior regarding Dani and any man who got near her and/or showed any attention towards her.

Anyway, the book summary lays out the primary storyline of Dani and Steve and later, Flint (from the previous installment) following the clues that Toro left for her and her team before he was killed. What the book summary doesn’t mention is that one of Toro’s last requests was to protect a Dr Tina Castillo and he leaves some clues as to where to find her. It’s a wild goose chase back and forth across the country following the clues and every lead they follow almost gets them killed. There is someone else following the same leads and is beating Dani and the team to the source and killing them.

Most of the story has Dani and the team running down the leads that Toro left for them and trying to get ahead of those who are doing the same thing. The storylines were weaving around each other for the entire story, so it was nice to finally see them collide and combust. It got pretty scary and intense for Dani and the team, with Dani doing what she does best: being a total bad@$$!!! The prologue was……………well I’m just going to leave it at that.

The continuing character development for Dani and her team as well as a couple of the other FBI characters was pretty good. The pacing was steady to fast, especially in the second half. The writing was classic Maldonado with Dani and the FBI being the reigning victor in the battle between the good guys and the evildoers. I’m going to miss Dani. However, I remain a devoted Dani Vega, and this will give me even more incentive to finally start Maldonado’s Vera Cruz trilogy. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.25 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #Thomas&Mercer #AKillersCode

Hit man Gustavo Toro, who had died in the previous book, sends a message from the grave. He leaves a video with cryptic clues about buried evidence that would bring to justice to people that hired him to do the killings. The FBI are on a cross-country hunt to decipher Toro's clues. On the team is FBI Agent Dani Vega, a former Army Ranger with significant code-breaking skills, her supervisor, Special Agent in Charge Steve Wu, civilian analyst Sanjeev Patel, and NYPD Detective First Grade Mark Flint.

Their search for a female scientist who disappeared 5 years ago without a trace leads them to Denver and then the remote retreat in the Arizona desert. But it becomes clear that powerful well-funded people are determined to find the missing woman first at any costs.

This was another thrilling read in the Daniela Vega series.
I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer. All opinions are my own.

Once again I was too busy turning pages to take any notes but suffice it to say that this third installment in the Daniela Vega series is another fast paced, well thought out thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Knowing that Ms. Maldonado was in police work reinforces the situational drama as well as basic law enforcement procedures. This story also involves a look at office politics in the higher echelons of the FBI which may not look much different from other office workplaces with the exception of the consequences. And as always, there is the rub.

This book has everything - great characters, a plot that will twist you around and around, familial situations that are tender and brutal, and so much action. Maldonado is at the top of her game in this installment.

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a copy

Love the series

I enjoy reading the Dani Vega series and seeing how she is developing as a FBI agent and an adult. After a difficult childhood through no fault of hers or her family's, things seem to be getting better for all of them.

Dani's exceptionally good at decrypting codes. In this installment she needs to travel around the US, solving puzzles left by a contract killer to catch a bad guy.

I liked this and am eagerly awaiting another in the series.

Isabella Maldonado does it again! A great addition to the Dani Vega series. A fast-paced, great read! Highly recommend reading this series in order.

Thank you #netgalley and #thomasandmercer #apub for the eARC.

I requested A Killer's Code because my goodreads tracking showed me I had read the previous book in the Dani Vega series. I had a few memories of that book, but I also had it confused with Maldonado's other series, which illustrates the main issues I had with this book.

Maldonado does a good job with setting up the plot and keeping it moving. However, I feel nothing with her characters and I had no sense of Dani Vega as an actual character, just a device for Maldonado to move the plot along. Her background and abilities are used to spearpoint movement, but it all felt hollow in tone. I never rooted for her to figure out the puzzle or stop the bad guys or save the day because I didn't care if she succeeded or not. The other issue I had with her character is the massive "I am Celaena Sardothien, the greatest assassin the world and I'm so young" vibes. Very pick me girl. She's the only woman in a man's world, other female characters are either the damsel in distress,, or related to Dani, or just not even named. For a female reader, it's just so off-putting. And the male characters. They either act like her brother or they want to screw her because she's so hot and smart, and young, and this bothered me throughout my entire reading experience.

I did like the plot, but I thought some of the puzzles were a bit of a stretch and for seasoned FBI agents, I thought they should have been better at making some of these connections. They were fairly obvious. But the ending couldn't come soon enough.

I don't think I'll be reading any more of Isabella Maldonado's work. She's just not an author that works for me.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for the arc for review purposes.

This book was very interesting and entertaining, you clearly can tell the author has a background and expertise on this field. Dani our main character is so well built, she's complex and feels very human.
The pace of this book is also very good, it moves on a comfortable speed although it can get a bit boring towards the middle of the thrid act. I read this book not knowing that it was the third installment on a series but it works so good as a stand alone and made me interested in reading the previous books.

I usually find Maldonado's books to be "un-put-downable" and this book was no exception. It was great to return to the character of Daniela Vega and see how her story continues to unfold. A Killer's Code was exciting, suspenseful, and just plain fun to read. I couldn't stop, and when it was over, I was sad.

Vega as a character is a great blend of inspiring strength and frustrating stubbornness. But that's what makes her such a real character. Maldonado pays tribute to strong women with her storytelling. I appreciate the depth of background and personality she gives her characters.

Maldonado is one of those authors I will always read and recommend to others. This was a fantastic read!

Hit man Gustavo Toro left behind a cryptic treasure hunt for the FBI to follow in the case of his death. Toro's video message sends Agent Dani Vega and her colleagues around the country to uncover his secrets. Unfortunately, they are not the only ones following the clues - someone else is reaching their contacts before Dani can get the answers they need. Can they reconstruct Toro's past and find the messages he left for them before they become the targets themselves?

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I found this book stood okay as a stand-alone for the plot, but there were gaps in building out the characters. Reading book 1 first, which also featured Toro, might have helped fill in the character for me. Same for understanding Wu & Vega's interactions.

I appreciated the author's thoroughness throughout the book - the descriptions and details for agency-specific procedures truly immersed me in their world. Reading the Author bio afterwards confirmed that the author has experience with law enforcement and is writing about areas she has experience.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC for this early review.

Book Title: A Killer’s Code
Author: Isabella Maldonado
Series: Daniela Vega #3
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: January 21, 2025
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages: 344

Daniela ‘Dani’ Vega was a code breaker as an Army Ranger and now an FBI agent. She is now utilizing her cryptanalysis and international counterintelligence experience.

This story is sooo Isabella Maldonado. Although it wasn’t as fast paced as I expected – perhaps it was me and me and reading it during the hectic Holidays. It grabbed me at page one and to me slowed down a nit in the middle but certainly picked up and continued to the very end.

In this story FBI Special Agent Vega went undercover and barely survived when hit man Gustavo Toro was killed and died in her arms
He apparently had secrets he refused to take to the grave and left a video with a message – “If you are watching this- I am dead and others will be soon if you don’t act fast.”
Dani and her team are given a puzzle to solve – which will lead to the identity of a man responsible for serious crimes which have been ongoing for some time.
Vega and her team are required to interpret clues, which will lead them to another place and further interpretive challenge until they find what they’ve been looking for- this of course sounds similar to the code in Dan Brown’s The da Vinci Code.

Of course there is a time limit with lives in danger.

Author, Isabella Maldonado| is an interesting person as she wore a gun and badge in real life before becoming a crime writer. She graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in her police department; she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics.

Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for granted me the pleasure of reading this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 21, 2025.

If you’re watching this, I’m dead.

Daniela Vega, an incredibly busy FBI agent, intends to take time off to help her mother, who is slowly recovering from mental illness. This gives Dani and her siblings hope. While their mother has begun healing, it is believed that she has acquired something rare—synesthesia. This, along with other factors, gives Dani hope. However, a phone call from her boss changes Dani’s plans.

What makes Dani pull out all of the stops when she is called back into her demanding job? The FBI’s former informant, a well crafted assassin named Gustavo Toro has been murdered. Toro left behind a video with cryptic clues that only Dani can decipher.

Dead men tell no lies, and the video, filled with intricate puzzles, pits Dani and her boss, Special Agent in Charge Steve Wu, against a race against time as they strive to apprehend a ruthless killer.

Multiple perspectives and flashbacks propel this fast-paced novel forward, creating a suspenseful narrative where former FBI Agent Isabella Maldonado’s expertise undoubtedly intensifies the compelling story. I particularly admire Dani’s human side, especially her unwavering devotion to her family. Even amidst the action and danger, Dani consistently prioritizes her family’s well-being, striking a perfect balance between her human nature and her business acumen. This unique blend of qualities truly balances the incredible heroine in this series.

Maldonado’s narrative is a near-perfect gem that readers should not miss.

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

A dead man’s riddles and secrets force an FBI task force to chase clues across the country. What a thriller! A Killer’s Code by Isabella Maldonado is filled with suspense and danger. Featuring FBI Special Agent Daniela Vega, her supervisor, Special Agent in Charge Steve Wu, civilian analyst Sanjeev Patel, and from the New York police department, Detective First Grade Mark Flint, this novel starts with an intriguing prologue and builds to an action-packed finale.

During a recent undercover operation, hit man Gustavo Toro died in the arms of Vega. In the event of his death, he left behind a video that promises to expose a criminal mastermind. As Vega, Wu, Patel, and Flint traverse the country following Toro’s coded clues, they start to piece together his past. However, there are others working to stop them from finding the evidence.

Vega is a former Army Ranger and has significant code-breaking skills. She’s strong, loyal, intelligent, cunning, brave, and has excellent reflexes. However, she isn’t very tactful, seems to attract danger, and has an unconventional way of thinking that others don’t always understand. Wu is courageous, analytical, capable, has vision, and is a great leader. Patel specializes in cybercrime and all things technical. He’s not a fighter, but is extremely intelligent. Flint has previously worked with the FBI and is trusted by Wu.

The author brings her law enforcement experience to the page, adding realism and grit. While this book has flashbacks, it didn’t distract me or slow the pace for me. The multiple points of view also worked well. In fact, this is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in 2024.

The storyline is gripping and immediately grabs a reader’s attention. This riveting thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Along with a solid and thrilling plot, relatable characters, and excellent world-building, the twists, surprises, action, and suspense demanded my attention. I also enjoyed learning more about the personal life of Vega and how it has shaped her as a person. Themes explored include justice, power, greed, corruption, murder, secrets, codes, family, a hint of romance, and much more.

Overall, this engaging book has twists, tension, violence, and was hard to put down. It’s also thought-provoking and suspenseful. While this is the first book I’ve read in the series, I want to go back and read the first two. It worked as a stand-alone novel for me, but does have a spoiler or two for the earlier books. I recommend reading the series in order and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Thomas and Mercer and Isabella Maldonado provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for January 21, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

Maldonado's investigative background shines in the 3rd installment of protagonist Agent Daniela Vega’s action-packed career. If you love a good mystery, with a fast paced story this one’s for you.

Promptly after clearing her mother’s name in “A Forgotten Kill” Vega hopes for a little down time. Unfortunately the crime world, as it often does, has other ideas and Vega is thrust back into the complex world of Gustavo Toro (Book #1 A Killers Game). This time, she races around the country following cryptic clues. Fake names, local lore, and high tech gadgets will leave you scrambling to put it all together before they’re revealed.

Liked: fast paced, coded clues, captivating characters, surprising romance

Disliked: Some of the clues were too easy to guess and I was left wanting more from the local lore.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for allowing me to review this ARC!

Anticipated pub: Jan 21, 2025

I have been loving the Dani Vega series. This one was no different. I loved the characters and the storyline and read this in a day! This series is so bingable!
Dani's character is fun to read; I love the way her mind works.
This mystery takes the agents all across the country. There were lots of thrilling moments. Lots of tension. The pacing was good for this as there's certainly a time crunch to find the missing woman that is in danger.

Technically the series doesn't need to be read fully or in order but for MAXIMUM enjoyment do yourself the favor and start with Dani Vega book 1: A Killer's Game, then try A Forgotten Kill. But this one stands alone as a great police procedural thriller too.

A last random note I will ALWAYS comment on. My oddly specific bookish ICK is when an author uses the word "chopper" to refer to a helicopter. Being the wife of a helicopter pilot I've NEVER heard any of the people in his community use that word. I'll always notice and always comment on that word usage, LOL.
THIS AUTHOR NEVER USES THAT WORD. It made my little heart so happy. Helo, copter, bird. Never "chopper" and I'm so thankful for it!

Another fast paced and twisty novel about FBI SA Dani Vega-and one that will be most appreciated by those who have read the earlier novels on which it rests. Dani and her colleagues are on a treasure hunt set up by a villain- a treasure hunt which is supposed to lead to information about the identities of even more villains. Maldonado makes good use of her law enforcement background (even though at times this is quite implausible.). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.