Book Review: SIGHT UNSEEN by Iris and Roy Johansen

I’ve been reading Iris Johansen’s books since the 1980s and enjoyed every single one of them. Sight Unseen is my first introduction to her collaborations with Roy Johansen and it’s no surprise it hit the New York Time’s bestseller list right out of the gate.

Kendra Michaels is a recurring character in a number of previous novels (written by Iris solo and in collaboration with Roy). One of the traits that makes her a unique and appealing character is the fact that after the once-blind Kendra underwent surgery that restored her sight, her heightened senses made her acutely observant–a quality much appreciated by law enforcement. What I really like about Kendra and her superpowers is that they aren’t outside the realm of possibility. They make me wonder…

When watching a news clip on television, Kendra realizes the tragic traffic accident isn’t really an accident–it’s a murder. She rushes to the  scene and reports her suspicions to the police. Kendra winds up being drawn into the investigation, which grows to include a number of other murders that initially masquerade as accidents, because they all contain copycat qualities of cases she’s worked on in the past. While the killer taunts Kendra, she attempts to protect her loved ones from the killer’s gruesome game as she and the authorities track him down.

Sight Unseen blends the authors’ writing styles seamlessly and the  pacing and suspense won’t let you put the book down. I read Sight Unseen straight through, unable to tear myself away from the action and the questions about what was going to happen next … and who was going to do it. As a mystery/thriller addict and author, I seldom read a book where I can’t figure out whodunnit. I’m very pleased to report this book stumped me.

Run right out and buy Sight Unseen – I can’t recommend it highly enough! (P.S. I just purchased two previous  Iris/Roy collaborations.)

Sight Unseen by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen

St. Martin’s Press, released July 2014

ISBN:

  • 978-1-250-02052-9 (hardcover)
  • 978-1-250-05053-6 (ebook)