Cold Cold Heart by Tami Hoag
Mystery/Suspense
Ebook, 390 Pages
Dutton Press
January 13, 2015
Reviewed by Tori
Favorite Quote: “Where there is life, there is hope.”
Dana Nolan, a young budding TV reporter, was kidnapped and emotionally, physically, and mentally tortured by a vicious serial killer until a chance of fate allowed her to escape. Suffering from TBI (traumatic brain injury) and devastating injuries, Dana heads back to her hometown in order to attempt to piece her life back together. But home doesn’t hold the same appeal as it once did.
Dana is now on the other side of the camera as her harrowing story is broadcasted coast to coast. Her ordeal revives interest in an old unsolved case of Dana’s missing high school friend, Casey Grant. Casey disappeared right after graduation and was never seen or heard from again. Dana’s flashbacks to the past, seen through the eyes of her PSTD, has her questioning what happened that last year of high school. Friends and loved ones all become suspects as Dana struggles to separate fact from fiction. Questions begin to build and Dana is forced to open the lid on long buried secrets. When the truth begins to surface, Dana will have to dig deep and find that last bit of strength in her troubled mind if she is survive what will happen next.
Tami Hoag’s newest suspense thriller, Cold Cold Heart, pairs with Hoag’s previous release, The 9th Girl, though it is not officially part of the Sam Kovac/Nikki Liska series. In Cold Cold Heart Hoag divulges into the mind of a sadistic serial killer’s only surviving victim, Dana Nolan, gifting readers with an intimate view of the hardships one faces when trying to recover from a harrowing ordeal from their point of view. Special attention is paid to PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury); both of which are two very serious conditions that the medical field is still trying to identify and treat. Smooth steady pacing, intriguing character dynamics, and minefield of twists and turns give readers a nostalgic taste of the Tami Hoag of yesteryear.
Dana Nolan should have died at the hands of her tormentor. Brutally beaten, tortured, and raped for months, only her indelible will to survive granted her the strength to persevere. But the Dana from before is nothing like the Dana we see now. She has changed in every way possible. Gone is the sunny princess of the past and left behind is a hodgepodge of anger, grief, fear, and confusion. Hoag is incredibly empathetic and blunt with Dana, neither glorifying her injuries for shock value or glossing over the bad parts. We see the good, the bad, and ugly parts of Dana as she struggles to re identify herself. Short and long term memory problems coupled with anger and impulse control, she no longer trusts herself or anyone around her. It’s heartbreaking to observe.
Coming home after a long extensive rehabilitation, Dana begins to remember her best friend Casey and the surrounding events that led up to her disappearance when she sees Casey’s ex boyfriend-John Villante. John was the prime suspect in Casey’s disappearance. He left soon after her disappearance, joining the army. Now a veteran, his injuries in battle left him with TBI and PTSD. Coupled with an abusive childhood, John struggles just to survive day to day. Dana’s memories and questions place John back into the spotlight-the last place he wants to be. The reappearance of Dana’s ex boyfriend, Tim, further complicates the situation. Tim is now with the police department-a huge step down from the plans he had after high school. While he sympathizes with Dana, he warns her not to reopen old wounds.
There are two plots running simultaneously through here, intertwining and adding to the suspense of the storyline. Though I guessed who the villain was, I found the path Hoag takes to be a tension filled suspense brimming with action and intrigue as we watch all the pieces fall into place. The balance between the mystery and the personal journey Dana is forced to take only adds to the sticky anticipation. Fierce characters from Dana’s protective mother and aunt to John’s abusive father add to the drama that surrounds this small town and it’s hidden secrets.
Tami Hoag’s talent shines bright in Cold Cold Heart. Fans old and new will enjoy this riveting thriller that explores the penchant for violence that resides in us all and the courage it takes to confront it.
RATING: B+
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