Right Behind You is an awesome suspense. The book is very well written with such a good plot with that edge of your seat suspense. The characters are very well thought out and believable. So believable that I found myself feeling empathy for the villain. I was immediately pulled into the suspense of the book so many twists and turns. I highly recommend this book.

Psychologically rich. Meticulously researched. Thought-provoking. Edge-of-your-seat thriller. Emotional. Gripping. Suspenseful. Gardner’s Best Yet! Top Books of 2017. 5 Stars +++

The "queen" of crime thrillers, Lisa Gardner returns to Bakersville, Oregon, following Find Her (2016) and the latest tantalizing prequel teaser: The 4th Man (Quincy & Rainie #6.5) with RIGHT BEHIND YOU — with fan favorites, highly anticipated retired FBI profiler and former police officer Quincy & Rainie dynamic duo: A heart-pounding, emotional, and gripping suspense crime thriller.

Fans will devour. Humans are complex. Hearts will go out to this brother and sister duo. Professional and personal lives connect. Where nothing is as it appears.

"Had a family once. Father. Mothers. Sister. Lived in our very own double-wide."

The opening takes us to a scene of domestic violence, abuse, and neglect. Two siblings. A brother and a younger sister. A brutal murder. A troubled past. Childhood trauma.

Flash forward years later, we catch up with Quincy and Rainie, retired FBI agent and former police officer, called in on a case, working with the local authorities in Oregon.

With the past books, Quincy was an FBI profiler and met Rainie, a deputy in Bakersville while working on a school shooting case. Now, both retired, they work together consulting on cold cases, or murders outside the police department’s norm.

They are experts in monsters. Homes can be broken. Can the members be mended by the love of others?

When Sharlah (5) and Telly (9) spent day and night trying to escape the violence of their parents- subjected to the unspeakable. Not a life, for an innocent and helpless boy and girl. There was no one to protect them from harm. The kids had to fend for themselves.

One night things get heated and the father tries to kill them. Telly comes to his sister’s rescue and the parents are murdered. They wind up in foster care separated.

Of course, Sharlah knows all too well about monsters. Her parents are dead, with no surviving relatives. Just a brother, four years older than her. She has not seen or heard from him since. She was very young and does not remember a lot about the night her parents died. No one talks about her brother. She has post-traumatic stress, and continues to go to therapy.

She had come to Rainie and Quincy with a case history of antisocial tendencies. They had qualified as foster parents despite Quincy's advanced years, and Rainie's continued struggle with alcohol. They plan on adoption. There is always a pull here with three different personalities.

Quincy was considered an expert in bonding. Sharlah was not easy. She was a lost girl. Broken. One who had been subjected to hardship and violence and had built the corresponding protective layers. She did not trust easily, nor reach out, with a lack of faith. However, she bonded with their dog, Luka. They were inseparable.

She was broken inside. Sharlah had been in their home for three years and they were close to adoption. She respects her soon to be parents and the work they do. However, she does not realize, nor do they, how she is connected to the case. The meaning of family. Everyone involved is part of this family unit.

Quincy is the quiet one; and Rainie, the emotional one. Sharlah really loves them, but not quite sure how to express her feelings. She has her guard up all the time. She knows they are experts in monsters, like herself. If you have read the other books in the series, you know the difficult journey this couple has traveled.

They are giving back by being foster parents to teenage daughter Sharlah, and their dog Luka. Luka is a former police officer. A trained member of law enforcement. He had to retire at five with a bum knee and not strong enough for active duty. Quincy got him for a cop friend and now he is Sharlah’s best friend. She was ten when she arrived in their home and had already been placed in many others.

We also meet Shelly the local small town Sherriff and fugitive tracker, Cal - nice added characters. There has been a shooting at the EZ Gas station in Bakersville, a backwoods town between Portland and Salem. Three victims. Multiple gun shots. A killer is on the loose.

They soon discover as the investigation is underway; there is a foster teen boy, who appears to be the perpetrator on a shooting spree. Why? What set him off? Could it possibly be Sharlah’s brother? The evidence is pointing his way.

He had been so good with his little sister, had read to her, taken her to the library and caring for her needs. Protecting her. However, upon their parent’s death, the siblings had been separated.

Quincy and Rainie fear for their daughter. Is Telly out to harm her? Where will he strike next? A psychotic break. A killer on the loose?

However, has Telly, the brother really killed his foster parents and the victims at the gas station? Or is it someone else? Why does he have photos of Sharlah?

As Quincy and Rainie fear for the safety of their own family and Sharlah, they also must dig deeper to understand what really happened all those years ago, at the murder scene to make sense of the events unfolding in the present.

The brother and sister duo have not seen or heard from one another for eight years. Why now? Did Sharlah have her own memories hidden away? Does she remember what went down that night so long ago? Is a brother trying to protect his sister, still today, after all these years?

One more person to kill. Secrets. Family is about trust.

The suspense builds as Gardner takes you back to the trailer, to the night it all began. The innocent lives of two young siblings and the painful cruel hand they were dealt. From tragedy, loss, pain, and trauma, to love, loyalty, and deep connections.

INTENSE! The author grabs you from page one (grabbed me with the preview included in The 4th Man) and never lets go, not even for a second. I knew I had to read this story. It is a "read in one sitting" kind of suspense. Psychologically rich, one of the best crime thrillers I have read this year. In addition, a vivid portrayal of the foster care system and the impact of both parents, and children have on one another.

With meticulous research and skillful crafting, Gardner combines law enforcement, profiling, cop procedures, domestic violence, foster care, social issues, juvenile system, adoption, alcoholism, at-risk kids, addiction, spree killing, fugitive tracking, crime, mystery, and suspense. It has it ALL.

In addition, to being a huge Quincy and Rainie and Gardner fan, (quickly going back to buy the previous audiobooks, to catch up); loved the relationship between Telly and Sharlah, and my favorite was the twist with Sandra and Frank (Telly’s foster parents), Sandra’s intriguing past and her relationship with Telly. Highly creative as the two families are intertwined. And let’s not forget the skill and love of a loyal dog.

Buy RIGHT BEHIND YOU, today! Gardner pulls out all the stops. Cannot wait for the next. Here’s hoping for more Quincy, Rainie, Telly and Sharlah. Gardner can flat out write complex crime, and spin a tale, like no one else.

A special thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

JDCMustReadBooks

"Right Behind You" continues one of Gardner's frequent themes: that danger often lies close to home.

Holy cow – my head is still reeling after reading this powerful story by Lisa Gardner. Now just for transparency sake I had a feeling I would like Gardner’s new book RIGHT BEHIND YOU. However like is just not a strong enough assessment. RIGHT BEHIND YOU generates a lot of energy in each and every page. It is a masterful who-dun-it by arguably one of the masters of this art – Lisa Gardner. Don’t believe me? – well – give her a try and I can’t think of a better vehicle to use to jump on the Lisa Gardner band wagon of fans than RIGHT BEHIND YOU.

Of course Lisa Gardner challenges all you arm chair detectives – that’s just her style. So as I delved into the story of Sharlah May Nash and her older brother Telly Ray Nash I revved up my investigatory engine and off I went. However – Gardner never makes it easy or apparent – so every chapter had me shaking my head when I realized once again I was following the wrong path. There were so many OMG moments that I lost count. That is the inherit joy of reading just about anything by Lisa Gardner. Those ah ha moments that ultimately fall by the wayside when still another facet is uncovered.

So expect the unexpected. Noteworthy is the absolute fact that Lisa Gardner does not waste words. So if it’s there – well it’s important and should be stored in the recesses of your mind. You will need to conjure up that image at some juncture in RIGHT BEHIND YOU.

It’s obvious from page one – sentence one – that we were almost voyeurs in the memories of some young boy – memories that made for nightmares that didn’t vanish with age. Question always is how these nightmare moments affect the young child. What kind of person do they grow up to be? So the prophetic first sentence is very telling – Had a family once.

The young Telly obviously realized that this moment in his life was going to cost him dearly but he had no idea of how correct he was. It cost him his mother, father and sister. And now we are going to watch the story of Telly and Sharlah unfold right before our eyes through their memories and whatever the present has in store for each of them.

We know their childhood was ripe with violence and an absence of love and caring with the exception of the closeness of the two of them. Telly had taken on the role of protector of his baby sister Sharlah at an unbelievable young age. He showed great foresight and courage. He used the resources available to keep the two of them afloat. There was no shortage of challenges. And ultimately Telly did what he had to do – no matter the personal cost. There was no choice.

Telly basically moved through the next several years again with no choices. The system didn’t give juveniles with a history of violence too many choices. And needless to say Telly’s past followed along with him.

They say don’t judge a book by its cover. Well perhaps they should also remind us to curtail judgement until all the facts are known. You know walk in the other persons shoes.

Sharlah is now living with foster parents looking to adopt her. Life is definitely looking up.

Telly finally wound up with foster parents trying to get him ready for life as an adult.

Neither could ever expect the forthcoming events. Suffice it to say – everyone seems to have a past to outrun.

Fabulous – simply fabulous. The vast cast of characters are so remarkable and unforgettable that it would be impossible to do them justice in this review. And it would be unfair to even try. I’ll let you have the enjoyment that comes with meeting them all, coming to conclusions, changing your mind, shaking your head – well you get the message. RIGHT BEHIND YOU by Lisa Gardner is as unpredictable as they come. Enjoy and pass this title along to all your friends. They will thank you.

I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Penguin Group, Dutton. Thank you.

Those of us with soft hearts will be troubled to read this novel with the backstory of how Telly and his young sister, Sharlah, survived in their horrible, abusive home. Until the one night when everything came together in an explosion of violence which sent these two children into a system just barely able to cope with their experiences. The truly sad thing is that even though this is a fiction novel, situations such as this do, regrettably, happen. The good news is that the evil doesn't have to win. So be warned, this book opens with a dark look into the brutality of parents against their children.

Lisa Gardner wrote two powerful characters in Sharlah and Telly because it really is hard to capture a maturity level which fluctuates seemingly by the minute with teens. They go from child to young adult in the blink of an eye and then right back to child and Gardner got that right on, especially when combined with the past history of this pair. This is my first time to read a Quincy and Rainie book, but I had no problems picking up on who they were, what they had done in the past, and what they mean to each other. This is a well written, tense, psychological crime novel that is absolutely chock full of surprises. Gardner leads readers by the hand down the path she wants them to take and then gives the story a twist to make sure you are paying attention. Just don't become complacent and think you are finished with the twists. No....more ahead so get ready. My mouth fell open when she revealed the baddest of the baddies. Frankly, I'm glad I was home alone.

2016 was the year I (finally) discovered Lisa Gardner. Throughout my years as a bookseller I became very familiar with her work, but never actually took the time to sit down and see what all the fuss was about. All that changed with Crash & Burn, a novel that was fun in a totally wacky, bonkers sort of way. After that, however, came Find Her, the novel that truly sealed the deal and had me eager for more. The awesome publicists at Dutton must have taken note of my fanatical flailing, because I received not only a copy of The 4th Man, a short story, but also a copy of Right Behind You. You know those books you are SO excited for that you’ll push everything else aside and dive right in? Yeah.

Eight years ago the lives of two children changed forever. Though Telly and Sharlah were loved by their mother, she was often too high to protect them from their father’s alcohol-induced rampages. One night he went too far, chasing the children throughout the house with a knife after stabbing their mother. Telly, only nine years old and terrified out of his mind, grabbed a baseball bat and swung. Years later the siblings are leading very different lives: Telly has bounced around from foster home to foster home and now he’s finally at the cusp of aging out, while Sharlah is well on her way to being adopted by Pierce Quincy and Rainie Conner.

After eight years of no contact with her brother, Sharlah’s past and present finally meet: a double murder at a gas station, the armed suspect mowing down anyone who comes near, two foster parents gunned down in their bed. Could Telly be responsible? Why would he kill again after eight years? Is he coming for Sharlah next?

Right Behind You is a doozy of a novel. From the first page I was hooked and if you’re at all worried about jumping into a series late in the game, don’t worry: Right Behind You is the seventh book in the Quincy & Rainie series, but I had no problem following along; each book seems to be able to stand on its own. That said, I’m now more eager than ever to go back to the beginning and really get to know these characters!

Quincy and Rainie are both, as Sharlah puts it, experts on monsters, and soon find themselves in the middle of the manhunt for Telly, not only because it’s their job, but also because they now have a personal connection to the case. Several recent photos of Sharlah are discovered among Telly’s belongings, but how does he know where his sister lives when they haven’t had any contact with each other in nearly a decade and, more importantly, what do those pictures mean? Is Telly trying to send them a message? Does he want his sister back? Eight years ago Sharlah said her brother hated her… Telly brutally attacked and murdered his father, his mother is dead, is he looking to finish the job and do away with his last remaining relative?

Diving deeper into Right Behind You, it’s evident that there’s SOMETHING going on, something far bigger than the local police department ever imagined and I was right. there. every step of the way. Saying anything more would be giving away massive spoilers – that’s all you’re getting from me, sorry!

While I absolutely loved this book, I had one teensy, tiny quibble. Sharlah is 13 years old. She’s certainly bright I’ll admit (and even ends up sitting in on meetings with Quincy and Rainie, going so far as to give her own thoughts) but one thing struck me as odd. Early on in the novel she’s talking about Quincy and Rainie’s house and she goes into architectural detail. At length. I was caught off guard that someone her age would be so familiar with building knowledge and the terms she was using – though if this is the biggest complaint I have about the novel, that’s definitely saying something!

Right Behind You is a lightning-fast read that kept me turning the pages until the very end. I love playing detective, trying to figure out what’s really going on, and this book gave me a run for my money! It’s a book that doesn’t give its secrets up easily, it makes you work for them, and I loved that. Although this is the seventh book in the series (and my first) it reads nicely as a standalone and I had no trouble following along – if anything it made me more curious about how these characters got to this point and now I’m dying to start the series from the beginning! My absolute favorite thing about Lisa Gardner novels is that, if you donate money to charities she supports (or win contest on her site) she’ll turn you into a character! Your namesake might die a gruesome death within minutes of their introduction, but how awesome is that? So, so cool. One of my favorites in Right Behind You is Molly, a rescue Pit who plays a pretty hefty role in the book.

Whether you’re already a dedicated fan of the series or are simply someone looking for an intense thriller, Right Behind You is a book you’ll definitely want to check out! I devoured it in record time and cannot wait to see what Lisa does next.

I didn't realize how much I missed reading about Quincy and Rainie until I started this book, just like coming home to old favourites. I hope we can get more stories about them and their daughter Sharlah. Such a fantastic book filled with twists and turns and the edge of your seat suspense that Lisa Gardner is known for.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

My thoughts: I've been reading Lisa Gardner for a while now, but I have not read any of her Quincy & Rainie Profiler series until I read the prequel/short story that Lisa wrote introducing this latest book. What intrigued me most was that a favorite character of mine was in that book, so after reading that one (and loving it!) I decided to give this one a chance...and I'm so glad I did!

First things first...as many of you know, I'm a stickler for reading series in order. Yes, I started this series at book 6.5 (with the prequel, The 4th Man) and then this one, but let me tell you, while I didn't have the complete background on the characters, I didn't feel all that lost. Lisa Gardner does a really good job of giving us just enough backstory so that those of us new to the series have a pretty good feel for who Quincy and Rainie are and what drives them. And, this is a good time to jump in as it's been a while since there's been a book out in this series - 8 years to be exact. So, don't be weary if you haven't read the previous books - now's a good time to jump in - you won't be sorry!

This book hooks you from the start and keeps you frantically flipping the pages until the very end. Every time you think you have it figured out, think again - nothing is as it seems, for good or bad. The characters are all well-drawn and I loved that not only do we see into the minds of both Quincy and Rainie, but also young Sharlah and Telly. It shows the connection made between the characters and to me, that's just as important as the action going on and the mystery waiting to be solved.

This book definitely has me wanting to go back to read the earlier books in the series...I need more of Quincy and Rainie...and now that Lisa Gardner has written a new book about them...hopefully that means there's more to come for them! Lisa Gardner has three series out there and now I'm a fan of all three!

I’m a huge Lisa Gardner fan and I love all three of her series, but Quincy and Rainie will always have a special place in my heart, so naturally I was thrilled to see her latest novel was bringing them back! One of my favorite things about getting attached to any series is feeling like I’m catching up with old friends and this dynamic duo is one of best to spend time with.

There’s a spree killer on the loose in Bakersville and Quincy and Rainie are both called in by the local sheriff, Shelly to consult. Things quickly turn deeply personal for them when they discover that the suspect is their soon to be adoptive daughter, Sharlah’s long lost brother, Telly. As they race to apprehend Telly, things become extremely complicated and highly volatile and their main goal is to keep their daughter safe. Is history repeating itself with Telly’s anger rising to the surface? Or is there more to the case than what meets the eye?

This was one emotional story for a crime novel! Gardner has the unique ability to make the reader forge fast and meaningful connections to her characters and I had emotional attachments to all of them, but especially to Quincy, Rainie and Sharlah. Each and every individual connected to the case narrates chapters which provides an overall look at what everyone is doing, feeling and thinking. It’s very clever and adds something special to her books.

This was a fast and furious read, one that kept me flipping pages late into the night. It all just flows so smoothly with fluid writing and plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes. This wasn’t a case that was so much about who the killer was, but the why? The motivation was tangled and fascinating and the truth was highly complex. The best way I can describe this one is to say it’s a thriller with a huge heart and a truly compelling read.

"Who am I who am I who am I?"

Much to my surprise, this wasn’t the dark and depraved story I was expecting. Considering Find Her was my first of Lisa Gardner’s work, and this only my second, can you blame me?

This story actually hit on the opposite end of the spectrum, in almost every way. Mild in comparison, it wasn’t the manhunt or the investigation itself that garnered my attention like before, but the HUGE throbbing heart at the center of the story - Quincy, Rainie and their little makeshift family. If you're anything like me, you'll find it's pretty easy to forge a connection with this cast of characters.

This being my first case with Quincy and Rainie, I had no history to fall back on and you know what, that was okay. In no way did I feel like I was missing out. Both retired, Quincy from the FBI as a profiler and Rainie from the police force, “they’re experts in monsters” and work together as consultants on special cases. This being the most special case of all.

Thirteen-year-old Sharlah and her constant companion, a retired police dog named Luka, have become the center of Quincy and Rainie’s world. Somehow, someway these two investigators found each other and were lucky enough to get a chance at a family of their own. Sharlah has a traumatic childhood to overcome, but with plans in place for the adoption, they’ve all settled in and have quite the dynamic. That’s all threatened when Telly, Sharlah’s estranged older brother, goes on a killing spree. Eight years ago, Sharlah watched Telly bludgeon their parents with a baseball bat, so it feels a little like history repeating itself. Naturally you have to wonder, is she his next target? Is this how he's going to end the pain of the past?

While I found this story enjoyable, I can’t hide the fact that I found the investigation and subsequent truth to be quite predictable. Maybe not every single detail, but I pretty much had the outcome pinpointed from the go. If it hadn't of been for the sheer likability and vulnerability of these characters, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it as much as I did. It was definitely light on the police procedural aspect, there's no intricate plot here, but big on heart and character connections.

I have heard amazing things about Lisa Gardner books so when I got a chance to read Right Behind You early I was thrilled and I dived into the story as soon as I could and I loved it .

In this story we mainly follow Quincy , Raine and Sharlah and OMG did I loved these characters. Sharlah's brother Telly is on the run because he is allegedly responsible for some shootings that left many people dead, so now there is massive man hunt for him as the evidence against him piles up, so we spend a lot of the story trying to figure out why is he doing this and who is he going after next . I loved that in this story we had some flashback sequences, it helped shed some light on so many things in this story .The minute I said to myself okay it has to this or this is reason why x and y has happen,I would turn the page its almost like it Lisa Gardner was whispering to me and saying 'Think again " lol this book did an excellent job at keeping me on my toes and took some twist and turns that I did not see coming and I loved that in my thriller .I thoroughly enjoyed this book the characters are all so intriguing , the setting was perfect and the plot kept my eyes glued to the page.

Right Behind You was a fantastic thriller . I could not put this book down is was so addicting . I cannot wait to get my hands on another Lisa Gardner book

I didn't want to finish this book, but I so badly wanted to know what would happen next...what an amazing dilemma to have when reading a book. 10/10 rating for me!

I would like to thank you Lisa Gardner, Penguin Group Dutton and Netgalley for giving me this book for my honest review.
Review By Stephanie
5 Stars
I am a little bummed! Right Behind You is the 7th book in the Quincy and Rainie series and this is the first time I am reading it! Each book can totally be read as a stand alone but Right Behind You was AMAZING and I wish I have read the 6 others in this series. I was hook line and stinker at 1% and I did not put my kindle down until the very last word.
Quicy and Rainie have Sharlah living with them and they hope to make their home her forever home. Sharlah's older brother Telly killed their abusive father with a baseball bat after they witnessed their father kill their mother.....oh yeah all that happened in first 1%. It has been 8 years since that horrible day and Sharlah has not seen Telly. Then two people are murdered and Telly is marked at the killer....or is he?
This book was AMAZING! Lisa took me on a wild ride and I did not want to get off! The writing was on point and it kept me guessing. I love Quincy and Rainie so much through out this book and I will be one clicking all 6 prior books. This book is a must read!

I've got great news ...Lisa Gardner is back. Where did she go you might be saying? Well, for me, a long time reader and lover of all books by Lisa EXCEPT Find Her and Crash and Burn...I thought she was lost. I have read every single book Lisa Gardner has wrote...every series...every standalone...and I just didn't enjoy Find Her or Crash and Burn which were her last two releases. It pains me to say that believe me. I wasn't ready to give up on her books or writing though, especially since I always enjoyed Quincy and Rainie from years past. I'm so happy to report I felt like this book was very reminiscent of her earlier works which, for me, is a strong selling point.

The prologue starts this story off with a complete bang! You are there with poor Telly and Sharlah as they have to do the unthinkable in order to survive being killed by their own parent. Heartbreaking! What's to become of nine year old Telly and four year old Sharlah after such trauma? We find out as the story jumps ahead several years and both kids are living completely new lives. The question soon becomes, has one (Telly) resurfaced and gone completely off the deep end with a major killing spree? Or is someone else pulling the strings?

One of the best things about this book is the return of Quincy and Rainie who feel like old friends I hadn't seen in so long but who I was eager to catch up with. They are in a quiet, peaceful place in their lives, settling down in the small coastal Oregon town of Bakersville with their foster daughter Sharlah and dog Luka. Soon, however, their lives are in chaos when a double murder at the local gas station points very clearly to Sharlah's brother Telly. When another murder scene is discovered, it becomes an all out manhunt to track down Telly and bring his killing spree to a close. But did he really kill all those people and if so, was he acting alone?

The story is told in alternating viewpoints between Telly, Sharlah, and various law enforcement including Quincy and Rainie which I have to say worked perfectly to give each person's perspective and create enough tension and suspense that I just kept turning the pages at lightning pace. That's what I love about Lisa Gardner's books...she writes in such a conversational style but at a breakneck pace so that when you finally look up, 2 or 3 hours have gone by. The only thing that somewhat slowed my pace down in a couple sections was the detailed descriptions of certain types of crime and criminal personalities. Lisa Gardner does her research, no doubt about it, but (for me) there were times the sharing of the research weighed down the plot.

I'm very happy to report that I put my detective skills to serious work on this book and while my initial instinct about what was really happening proved correct, my theories about who, what, and why were completely wrong and that's just how I like it! If you like your thrillers with a dose of good police procedural, along with likable characters you'll root for, this book's for you.

I loved everything about this novel. If you are looking for a book that has got a little bit of everything;this is it. Heartfelt family dynamics, suspense, mystery and a twist at the end. I highly recommend.

Another Winner from Lisa Gardner. I can never get enough of her books and it was great to visit with Rainie and Quincy once again.

Sharlah and Telly were awesome characters and there is so much to love and hate that it's a fast paced read that leaves you guessing a bit as it goes.

Right behind you by Lisa Gardner. I grabbed this eARC from NetGalley-- I have so much great stuff I want to read from my regular orders that I tend to forget about NetGalley and it only comes to mind when I've maxed out my OverDrive checkouts.

This is an author name I recognized immediately and I frequently order her titles. Based on the sheer number of titles she has published, I was expecting so much more. The characters were so thin that it telegraphed what was really going on. The "bad guy" was so one-dimensional that the reader can tell, way in advance, that something else, something more, has to be going on. Even in recovering-from-vacation mode I ran through all the possible scenarios and figured out the real bad guy pages before the law enforcement characters did. It wasn't hard, it didn't keep me on my toes. Not impressed with the mystery-writing-element at all.

Additionally, the only two characters who spoke from first person were both teens of different ages, and that writing also fell completely flat. No teen is that self-aware. They both came off as canned, unrealistic.

Apparently, this is actually the most recent of a series, but it felt like a stand-alone. It certainly doesn't inspire me to follow-up with the series characters.

An exciting read with lots of suspense. Plenty of action to keep the pages flipping. What a twist at the end. Enjoyed reading this book.

I’m a huge fan of the Quincy/Rainie series and have missed them so much, so I was SO HAPPY to find that the new novel from Lisa Gardner revisited that pair and now they have a family…

Obviously they are not going to have a traditional one, in this case they have fostered and are adopting Sharlah, a girl who has a difficult and emotionally traumatic past to deal with. When her brother returns to the scene things get dangerous, luckily for her, she has unequally qualified parents.

This was brilliant – just as addictive for me as the previous books in this series and reading Right Behind You has sent me on a mission to read the previous stories again. Quincy and Rainie have come a long way over the years and whilst I do love the DD Warren series and the rest, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for these characters and Lisa Gardner has not let me down in the new novel, weaving a tense and fast paced tale with the usual twisty goodness and her intuitively great eye for dramatic character development.

Whether Telly is saint or sinner makes up a big part of the mystery, we hear from Sharlah and it is cleverly engaging and emotional stuff. Meanwhile Rainie in her new role as mother and mentor tries to keep her family safe and Quincy in his usual style sets off to solve the dilemma that is Telly’s character and motivation. It is gripping stuff from first page to last.

Highly Recommended. As are all the others. I have not had a bad read from Lisa Gardner yet.

3.5 Stars

This is the first of Gardner's Profile series I've read. I don't think it's necessary to read the previous books to enjoy this series.

I really enjoyed this book. The story was very fast paced and exciting and I didn't call the twist at the end! I really enjoyed all the characters and will definitely pick up the earlier books in the series.

This book includes a 13 year old narrator, which can be the kiss of death if not done properly. Sharlah's chapters are fine, but they don't really read like a tween voice. Sharlah makes the hasty decisions of of an abused young girl, but the way she speaks and thinks sound like an adult. I think this is fine. Sometimes when an author tries too hard with a young narrator it comes off as forced an annoying. Sharlah's chapters are fine to read.

It's been eight years since Sharlah, now 13, watched her brother, Telly, kill their father with a baseball bat - saving their lives, but then turning that bat on her, breaking her arm and inevitably leading to their placement in separate foster homes. Sharlah has spent 3 years foster living with FBI profilers, Quincy and Rainie and the adoption process has been started. Can Sharlah become part of a new family while what's left of her old one is still out there somewhere? Telly, also struggling with belonging to his new foster family, is now shown on a security camera where two civilians have been shot down, shortly after his foster parents have been found murdered in their bed. Evidence? Telly's face staring straight at the security camera right before he shoots it. What prompted this spree of killing and will it stop? Is Sharlah in danger? Telly - hero or zero?

First, let me say that I had no idea this was part of a series. This can absolutely be read as a stand alone - I never once felt lost or felt like I was missing something from the first 8 books and I'm that person who just has to read things in order or it drives me crazy. Luckily I actually didn't even realize I was walking into this one as part of a series. Never would've known! Second, let me just say that I LOVED this book. As an avid Criminal Minds fan, I kept picturing it as Hotch and JJ adopting a kid and then solving a case. A little out there? Maybe, but I don't care.

A quick and easy read - a little bit of who.did.it strung in with some why.did.any.of.them.do.what.they.did. I love Sharlah and her family - I want to go out and adopt a dozen retired police dogs now. Five full sheriff badges for this based on entertainment value and my love for behavioral analysis.