Blind Sight

3.5 stars Ordinarily, I insist on reading a series in order, but when I received an ARC of Carol O'Connell's Blind Sight, the twelfth book in her Kathleen Mallory series, with a September 20 review deadline, I had no other option but to dive right in. I am quite pleased to report that Blind Sight functions very nicely as a standalone novel. The plot is self-contained, with no connections or references to prior cases, and Mallory's relationships with the other characters are straightforward enough for a first-time reader. This is not to say that Mallory and O'Connell's other characters lack depth; in fact, I am anxious to learn more about Mallory, her partner Riker, and her psychologist friend Charles. Mallory is such a strong and intriguing person, however, that she is fully capable of carrying the book on her own. In this regard, she reminds me of Taylor Stevens's Vanessa Michael Munroe, another heroine whose dysfunctional, if not downright horrific, childhood has produced a psychologically fascinating adult. My only complaint, and the reason I gave Blind Sight 3.5 stars instead of 4, was that the plot was overly convoluted. The kidnappings and murders kept my attention, but the associated financial shenanigans almost lost me completely. Many thanks to Penguin Random House for introducing me to Kathleen Mallory (and for adding her 11 previous adventures to my already overburdened TBR shelf). I received a free copy of Blind Sight from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.