Traffic (A Ronnie Lake Mystery, Book 5)
Niki Danforth
Pancora Press (2021)
ISBN 9781946403179
Reviewed by Diana Coyle for Reader Views (01/2022)
In Niki Danforth’s book, “Traffic,” readers are taken on a roller-coaster ride of emotions when Ronnie Lake witnesses the violent kidnapping of a wealthy, high profile woman. Being a private investigator, Ronnie will stop at nothing to solve her cases, and this one is no exception. When she is dragged into the murky world of human trafficking, she is determined to solve this mystery and hopefully find the missing woman in time to save her life. But with all the twists and turns she has to maneuver, the question remains: Will she be able to solve this case in time?
I absolutely loved this women’s crime mystery and I couldn’t help but fall in love with Ronnie Lake. She seemed like a no-nonsense type of woman and I thought that being a P.I. was the perfect career choice for her. She stopped at nothing to solve her past cases, so I knew that this case wasn’t going to be any different. From the very first page, I felt the roller-coaster gear up, climb that mountain slowly, and then release me into a fast, action-packed thrill ride. I was eager to become more engrossed in the storyline as I continued to turn the pages.
Ms. Danforth’s characters were extremely believable and I felt as if I was witnessing everything firsthand through Ronnie’s eyes. This novel was full of action, drama, and heart-pounding moments that carried me from one page to the next. It definitely had me sitting on the edge of my seat when I was reading certain scenes because it felt like this story was actually quite real and playing out in front of me. I became invested in the characters as if they were real people I just met. The author seemed to do this seamlessly because I wasn’t aware just how invested I was in the characters until I realized I was nervous for everyone’s safety and well-being, as if they were my best friends. When an author can sell their characters to you that well, then it’s easy to say they’ve succeeded in telling an entertaining story!
From what I read, this is the fifth book in the Ronnie Lake series, but it stands alone perfectly fine if you are starting off late, as I have. If you’re looking for a mystery with a great plot and memorable characters that take you on a journey of monumental proportions, then look no further. Since this story was based around the crime of human trafficking, however, I’d say it would be a better fit for mature teen readers and adult mystery lovers.
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