Title: Penumbra
Series: Spook Squad Book #3
Author: Keri Arthur
Genre: Paranormal
Blurb: TWIN KILLING…Agent Sam Ryan wants out of the Special Investigations Unit. She’s sick of the attitude from her partner, Gabriel Stern. She’s sick of the paperwork. Most of all, she’s sick of feeling lonely. But her boss isn’t about to let her go that easily. He gives Sam a choice: either stay stuck in her office or guard a clone replacement of Dan Wetherton, a government minister. Sam reluctantly chooses the latter—even though she suspects she’s being used as bait to draw out the SIU’s elusive nemesis.
Gabriel would like nothing better than to be on his own, without a partner to hold him back. Then he learns that Sam has been assigned to protect Wetherton—or whatever it is that’s replaced him. Wetherton’s clone could have come from only one place: Hopeworth, the military base that contains the secrets of Sam’s past. Determined to protect her, Gabriel is drawn into a fight against unspeakable evil. And all too soon, Sam and Gabriel discover that the connection between them is far more powerful than anyone could ever have imagined.
Thoughts: The talent of Keri Arthur constantly amazes me, and the Spook Squad series proves to be no different. I have rated both prior books with an A (you can check out both of those reviews here: Memory Zero (Book #1) Review Generation 18 (Book #2) Review
Once again, we pick up on the adventures of Sam and Gabriel, this time with Gabriel actually getting his way – for Sam to request a transfer. But is that really what Gabriel wants?
I loved this addition to the series – we finally see a chip made in Gabriel’s defenses against Sam – which is what I have been waiting for throughout all the previous books. We get a LOT of answers in this book, particularly regarding Sam’s past and who and what she is. I am going to say again how much I absolutely love this series – before I also admit that I am utterly disappointed. Not in the book itself, but in the way this series has ended. The book is left off with the obvious intention of writing and revealing more in the world of these characters – with even the author’s own webpage revealing that there was a fourth book planned. Yet it is also revealed that she has no plans to write anymore on this series! I have to say I am bitterly disappointed. They way it was just left hanging has me feeling very, very dissatisfied. I have to say that it is rare for me to be so unfulfilled by a series – I honestly feel a little cheated.
Because of that, I honestly wavered on my rating of this book – should I mark it down because of my dissatisfaction with the author’s decision to not finish up this series? In the end, I felt that the rating was just that – a review on this book. And it deserves an A. But I am disappointed in the series – and with the author – with the way that it is being left unfinished. I respect the author and her muse, but I can’t see how she can be fine with just leaving this series so obviously undone. Such a disappointment to fans. And that’s really hard for me to say, since she is one of my favorite authors – but it just has to be said…:(
Rate: A
**Penumbra is the third in the series, with Memory Zero (Book #1) and Generation 18 (Book #2) being the prior ones in this series)**
