By Any Means Necessary

The suspense novel “By Any Means Necessary” introduces readers to one of the most exciting female protagonists to come along in the thriller genre. Kiera and Kelly Dunaway are identical twins. Kiera is a captain in the Special Forces, and Kelly is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. Both are beautiful and smart and each other’s best friend. Kiera Dunaway is serving in the Middle East when tragic news from home forces her to leave. Kelly was viciously murdered in a hotel room in their small Maine hometown and Kiera is determined to track down her killer. She sidetracks a useless police force and begins to uncover secrets about Kelly’s work. Kelly’s most recent undercover story examined murders of prostitutes along the coastline, crimes most likely carried out by the same person. Kelly had been close to finding the killer, and posed as a prostitute to capture him, but this act of bravery left her dead. Now Kiera is determined to see her sister’s work through to the end.

Kiera is a complicated character: brave and strong, with the appetite of adolescent boys, more comfortable in sports bras and sweatpants than dresses. Kiera is tough on the outside, but vulnerable on the inside. She is a virgin, and has never been in love. To make matters worse, Kiera falls for Kelly’s boyfriend, Seth, and she explores her long suppressed sexuality. Kiera’s guilt over Seth only fuels her drive to capture Kelly’s killer. Seth stays by Kiera’s side as she goes in search of the killer, and rounds up local prostitutes to offer them safety during the investigation. As the search for Kelly’s killer quickens, Kiera begins to realize that the killer is playing games with her. He is just as well trained as Kiera, which heightens the intensity of the cat and mouse game he has created.

The novel covers events over the course of a couple of weeks, and in this time span numerous characters get grilled: Seth, the police chief, a retired Special Forces captain, Kiera’s father. Rollins builds solid momentum in his writing, with well-paced scenes, believable dialogue, and complex characters. “By Any Means Necessary” is a stealthily crafted, fast-paced thriller, with just enough red herrings and dead ends to keep the reader guessing up until the very end. Kiera Dunaway is a fierce female protagonist, both gritty and charming, and hopefully this is a first of many Kiera Dunaway novels to come.