Title: Hindsight
Author: Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen
Series: Kendra Michaels
Genre: Mystery and Suspense
Format: Kindle Arc
No. of Pages: 368
Date of Publication: January 7, 2020
Description: Dr. Kendra Michaels, blind for the first twenty years of her life before gaining her sight via a revolutionary surgical procedure, is a renowned investigator known for her razor-sharp senses -- honed during her years in the dark -- and keen deductive abilities.
Now her skills are needed uncomfortably close to home. Two staff members have been murdered at a school for the blind where Kendra spent her formative years. But the murders are puzzlingly dissimilar: one victim was brutally stabbed, while the other was killed by a bullet to the head. Are the crimes related? Or is Kendra on the hunt for more than one dangerous killer?
With the killer (or killers) still on the loose, Kendra must put her life on the line to unravel a terrifying conspiracy. But Kendra soon discovers that she herself may hold the key to the deadliest secret of all.
My Thoughts: I love Iris Johansen books, specifically those about Eve Duncan, Catherine Ling, Kendra Michaels, and Margaret Douglas. Hindsight is all about Kendra Michaels with our favorite returning characters: Metcalf, Griffin, Jessie, Olivia, and of course Lynch. The sexual tension between Kendra and Lynch is stronger than ever in this book, which is definitely to be expected.
The story briefly starts out with continuing the story that was left, unfinished when it comes to Brock Limited in Double Blind. But as I said, it is very brief and still leaves you hanging. It starts with Kendra in Afghanistan with Lynch and Jessie trying to take Brock Limited down, but than Kendra is sent back to the States and is manipulated into a case with the FBI and Metcalf and Griffin. Once Kendra starts working on the case with the FBI, Brock Limited is only briefly mentioned here and there throughout the book and still leaves you hanging on what is going to happen next with them. Maybe the next Kendra Michaels book will complete the Brock Limited story.
The case that Kendra takes on with the FBI provides more insight into Kendra and makes the title of "Hindsight" so perfect for the book. The case takes place at Woodward Academy at Oceanside, which is the Academy for the blind that both Kendra and Olivia attended and sometimes visit for presentations. There were two victims, Mr. Kim who was the gardener at Woodward Academy, and Elaine who was a teacher. Both Kendra and Olivia had known Mr. Kim and Elaine from when they had attended the academy.
Kendra is seen as a "superstar" at Woodward Academy because she gained her eye sight back through surgery and what she has since done with her life by working with special needs children and helping the FBI. Kendra's life, according to Layla (current PE teacher), has caused the children to have what she considers to be unrealistic life goals and hope. This causes quite a bit of tension between Layla and Kendra when Kendra goes to Layla with questions about Elaine.
The story has some action and some of Kendra's deduction skills, but not as much as I am used to with an Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen story. Kendra's use of deduction during cases with the FBI is usually used quite frequently during past books. You really see her use her deduction skills in about three different instances and the first instance is quite funny with the "red briefs".
There are some new characters that are introduced in the book and hopefully the character of Harley will be reoccurring. Harley is a failed seeing eye dog that Elaine was trying to train and help find a new home with. Harley has a traumatic past and a bark that sounds like a Lion. He is a gentle giant but his bark makes him seem more aggressive than he is. Harley turns out to play a pretty prominent role in this story. I actually ended up falling in love with his character the more he became important to the plot. He adds some great humor which helps break up the sadness and hurt that Kendra are going through with the loss of Mr. Kim and Elaine. There is one part of the story though that involves Harley that I felt was left unfinished when Olivia, Kendra, and Harley were meeting with Praxidice (Goddess of Justice) at Woodward Academy.
Rating: I often times give Iris Johansen books either a 4 or a 5 and I so want to give this book at least a 4, but my instinct says I should give it a 3. So, I am rating this book a 3 because I felt that there was part of the story that was left unfinished with Harley. I also feel like bringing Brock Limited into the story and than not completing it was not necessary and that Kendra could have gotten involved with the FBI case another way other than through manipulation. I am really hoping that the next Kendra Michaels book completes the Brock Limited story that was started back in Double Blind.
About the Author: Iris Johansen is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 30 consecutive bestsellers. Her series featuring forensic sculptor Eve Duncan has sold over 20 million copies and counting and was the subject of the acclaimed Lifetime movie The Killing Game. Johansen lives near Atlanta, Georgia.
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