One Last Kill – Tracy Crosswhite Series #10

Author: Robert Dugoni
Genre: Crime Thriller
358 pages
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer, Seattle, 2023

Synopsis
Detective Tracy Crosswhite draws a long-dormant serial killer out of hiding in a nerve-shattering novel by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.

Tracy Crosswhite is reopening the investigation into Seattle’s Route 99 serial killer. After thirteen victims, he stopped hunting and the trail went cold, stirring public outrage. Now, nearly three decades after his first kill, Tracy is expected to finally bring closure to the victims’ families and redeem the Seattle PD’s reputation. Even if it means working with her nemesis, Captain Johnny Nolasco.

Lead detective of the original task force, Nolasco dares Tracy to do what he failed to: close the case. Forming an uneasy alliance, Tracy and Nolasco revisit old leads and pursue new evidence only to unearth high-level corruption and cover-ups as dangerous as the elusive killer himself. At the risk of being exposed, such deadly and powerful forces will go to extremes to stay in the shadows.

That’s just where Tracy and Nolasco are headed—to find the twisted truth behind a killer’s motives, his disappearance, and his chilling comeback.

My review
One Last Kill by Robert Dugoni is the tenth installment in the Tracy Crosswhite series. It’s the first book I’ve read in the series, and I’ll definitely be diving into the others, starting with My Sister’s Grave. One Last Kill is a solid, gripping police procedural set in Seattle, one of my favorite cities in the country. Dugoni’s legal background adds authenticity to the procedural elements and enhances the story’s realism. This novel is well-written, engrossing, and complex, making it a definite page-turner!

Tracy Crosswhite, the main protagonist in the story, is a strong, smart, and determined female lead. She is driven by facts and stands up for what she believes is right. I thoroughly enjoyed her interactions with Captain Nolasco as they worked together on this case. Dugoni brilliantly describes their mutual distrust and the uneasy truce they settle into before transitioning into a more comfortable working partnership.

When I picked up this novel, I didn’t realize it was the third book in a trilogy within the series. Dugoni did a solid job explaining the backstory, making it possible to grasp the political intricacies and departmental dynamics without having read the first two novels in the storyline. One Last Kill slowly gathers pace until it races along at full speed toward a climactic ending. I loved how Crosswhite used advances in DNA technology to help solve the cold cases, and the revelations it provided in this case were stellar. The case was a real puzzle, but what was most interesting was how Crosswhite and Nolasco navigated the traps set by the police chief designed to make them fail. Both demonstrated serious policing skills and got to see each other in action, fostering a different relationship and building a level of trust and respect.

One Last Kill is a fantastic police procedural crime thriller and Dugoni’s writing is straightforward, detailed, and relatable. I was immediately drawn into the intricate plot and well-developed characters and Dugoni’s ability to weave detailed forensic science and procedural elements into the narrative added a layer of authenticity that enhanced the overall reading experience. I’m excited to start with book one in the series to better understand the characters’ backstories, political complexities, and departmental dynamics.

My recommendation: read it!