This is a great continuation of the Danielle. ‘Dani’ Vega story. The story is filled with background of
Special Agent Dani Vega’s life, along with the complicated family she will find herself back with as
she learns that there might be something to the suspicion surrounding the murder of her father when
she and her brother and sister were growing up…. And she will make great strides in her relationship
with her family, and her Mother and Aunt will feature in the storyline.
The FBI does not handle murder very often, but because Dani has some very special skills, and the
Agency would like her help, they have agreed to help her, or really, let her help them.
The best thing about this book is the accuracy of Police Procedure right alongside a few things that
would absolutely never happen, but make for a fantastic story. The information to be absorbed can
be cumbersome in the moment, but everything is well explained and each plot line leads to one even
more interesting, and sometimes more frightening. This is a book I could not put down.
My thanks to Publisher Thomas & Mercer, via NetGalley, for providing this book for review purposes.

The author, Isabella Maldonado, is a former law enforcement officer herself (a police captain, hostage negotiator, forensics investigator, and graduate of the FBI National Academy course for police officers), so she really has an authentic grasp of the police procedural and she creates brilliant and competent Latina female protagonists. She previously had series about Veranda Cruz, a Phoenix homicide detective; Nina Guerrera, a Phoenix FBI agent; and now Dani Vega, a New York FBI agent. “A Forgotten Kill” is Dani Vega #2, but like all of Ms. Maldonado’s novels, this can be read as a standalone.

Dani is unique since she’s a codebreaker, who entered the army after discovering her mother standing over her dead father with a bloody knife. Mom went catatonic and has been in a mental institution for the past decade, while Dani excelled as an Army Ranger and then entered the ranks of the FBI. After ten years, her mother is finally starting to talk in comprehensible tidbits, now declaring that she’s innocent. Knowing it’s a long shot, Dani contacts the NYPD detective who handled the case. He’ll let her review her father’s murder but only if she does a favor for him — see if there’s a connection between a second murder that occurred the next day also in her family’s apartment building and two others that have similarities. Dani does make connections that suggest a serial killer, but also sees a pattern that includes nearly 30 (!) other unsolved murders. That revelation calls for a full task force and the chase is on for a killer who had hidden his tracks for years. The narrative is action-packed and filled with palpable tension as Dani and the others recognize the killer’s patterns and realize another murder is “scheduled” in a few days.

I love police procedurals like these: the heroine is mostly believable (Dani does have some superhuman fighting skills, thanks to the Rangers), but she’s always reliable, knows her legal limits and has empathy for the victims. You can’t help but root for for her. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Just brown ones.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The killer “hides” behind a row of lush green plants, totally forgetting that the reflective wall behind him gives him away.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review. I was so excited when book 2 in the Daniela Vega series showed up on NetGalley! I read book 1 to fulfill the "Hispanic Heritage Month" Kindle Achievement and loved it. Very rarely does book 2 in a series live up to book 1, but in this case it far exceeded my expectations! Isabella Maldonado's A Forgotten Kill was a fantastic cat and mouse thriller!! I don't give out many 5 star reviews, but this was an easy 5 stars. Absolutely loved the book and will be seeking out all of Isabella Maldonado's other books.

A Forgotten Kill is book 2 in the Daniela Vega series by Isabella Maldonado.
This was a fantastic police procedural.
It is a fast-paced and intense read that didn’t disappoint.
The book is very well-written with plenty of action.
The story had great twists and turns and kept me guessing until the very end.
If you’re looking for an exciting, edge-of-your-seat suspense thriller, you won’t want to miss A Forgotten Kill.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Dani's next case hits close to home. She is a an agent who is very good at her job. This book grabbed my attention from the start.

Isabella Maldonado is one of my favorite authors. One of the things I like most about her books is the strong female leads. The TSTL main character gets so tiring, but you won't find that in these books! Ms. Maldonado has a law enforcement background, and you can tell that she draws on her experience to lend an air of authenticity to her books. The first book in this series, A Killer's Game was absolutely incredible. It had such a unique and exciting plot, so I was thrilled to be able to read the next book in the series. A Forgotten Kill allows Dani to use her cryptanalyst skills as she discovers and hunts a serial killer. A cat-and-mouse game begins as they try to outmaneuver each other. This book is full of suspense, twists and pulse-pounding moments as they race to stop the killer before he claims another victim. I absolutely loved this book and I highly recommend both this series and the Nina Guerrera series by the same author!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC!

A Forgotten Kill by I. Maldonado, published by Thomas & Mercer is the second book in the Daniela Vega Series. Every book can easily be read as a stand-alone.
Dani is a FBI Spec. Agent and her newest case leads is a family matter. Diiving in she discovers lies, betrayal, secrets.
A mystery/B thriller of its finest, excellent written. All I'm saying is be careful what you wish for. This is a masterpiece.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the gifted eARC!

𝑨 𝑲𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓'𝒔 𝑮𝒂𝒎𝒆, the opening book in this series was absolutely AMAZING—one of the best procedurals I’ve ever read. So obviously book 2 of this series 𝒉𝒂𝒅 to deliver, right?

And boy did it ever! I was hooked from the first page once again! In what I’ve come to learn is true Maldonado fashion, 𝑨 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝑲𝒊𝒍𝒍 is a fast-paced, suspenseful procedural that does NOT let up. Maldonado’s own training and expertise puts this series in a class of its own—and our leading lady, FBI Special Agent Daniela Vega is a top-notch female character you can’t help but root for. Absolutely loved this!

𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗬 𝗤𝗨𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗦:
“…[serial killers] don’t just wake up one morning and decide they’re done murdering people.”

Dani Vega is a badass! Loved this newest installment in the Daniela Vega series and I can't wait to see what happens next. Must read series!!!

Thank you #netgalley and #thomasandmercer for the eARC.

Spoiler alert
Took me 24hrs to go through it, would’ve been less if real life didn’t interfere too much…. But it was really hard to put the book down even when the culprit got revealed early, I just love the dynamics of the characters especially Dani… kinda wished for more puzzles but the story was solid and loved every bit of it.

Another well-written police procedural from Isabella Maldonado. Her prior experience in law enforcement makes her books not just thrillers, but technically sound -- I always know I am in for a great and interesting book and "A Forgotten Kill" was no different.

Dani Vega is back after her unorthodox last case has her under investigation by the Office of Professional Responsibility. While on leave, she connects with the retiring NYPD Detective who handled her father's murder case. It seemed like a cut and dry case of domestic violence, but her mother is slowly beginning to become more lucid and swears on her innocence. He agrees to help her uncover the truth about what happened that terrible day in her family's apartment, but he asks for assistance on another case he has been working on as a trade.

Famous for her uncanny ability to see patterns, Dani realizes the three cases with similar MOs the detective is looking at are just the tip of the iceberg -- they've uncovered a meticulous serial killer who has murdered women across all the boroughs of New York for over a decade. And finding the truth in this case could actually lead to new information in her father's case as well.

Highly enjoyable and already looking forward to the next book of this series! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

FBI Special Agent Daniela “Dani” Vega was seventeen when her mother murdered her father. Ten years after Dani’s own damning eyewitness testimony sealed her mother’s fate, she’s starting to have doubts.

A veteran NYPD homicide detective agrees to reopen the closed case on one condition—Dani must help him find a serial killer who’s been operating throughout New York City for the past decade.

A Forgotten Kill by Isabella Maldonado is so good. Dani Vega is a realistic, strong female protagonist. I love how the author weaves this realistic story and builds up the tension to the shocking twist at the end.

Quite the cat and mouse story that will have you on the edge of your seat. I would recommend this book and this author. I'm looking forward to checking out more books by this author.

A Forgotten Kill has solid characters, a solid mystery, and crisp writing.

#AForgottenKill #NetGalley @AmazonPub

So excited to have opportunity to read the second book in the Dani Vega series thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley. The sequel was remarkable and a great reminder as to why I've been reading through all the Isabella Maldonado books I've been able to get my hands on this year. So much fun as Dani is the perfect combo of intellectual with code breaking and pattern finding, a beast from having been in the Rangers, and all around bad*ss. Also was interesting with the perspective shifts from Dani to the criminal in the book and then going to the flashbacks. And the ending and closure came together perfectly in this story! Can't wait to see what Dani gets herself into next.

Simply terrific.
Another really great Dani Vega story from one of my favorite authors.
Danielle Vega's father was murdered 10 years ago and her mother has been confined in a physciatric facility ever since; accused and convicted, by mental default. of the crime. Incommunicado for all these years, her mother suddenly remarks to Dani that "she did not do it:"
Dani, an FBI agent, is off on the hunt now. The retired NYPD detective who worked the case offers to reopen it if Dani, a celebrated and highly respected FBI analyst and code breaker, looks at the murder of a strip club dancer to see if there is any hidden, similarity between it and past cases.
She agrees and the story takes off at warp speed.
As she starts to analyze and review the case and calls up past similar deaths within the area, a pattern emerges that she can identify and connect each to.
And as she hunts, she becomes the hunted/
Absolutely amazing story with great suspense, intrigue and pulse pounding moments of chilling apprehension.
Great read and I cannot wait for the next one.

(4.5) i was able to read an early edition of this book through NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, who i thank immensely.

isabella maldonado is easily becoming a favorite author of mine. dani’s story unfolds more intensely in this book as it focuses more on her past and her family, which i loved. i can’t wait to see where things go next, and the romantic in me is hoping for love in dani’s future…

Th and to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

FBI agent Dani Vega was the star witness for the prosecution, when she came home to witness her mother holding the murder weapon and her father dead. Ten years on her mother briefly comes out of her mute state to tell Dani she didn’t do it. This leads to Dani investigating three murders in return for viewing her father’s case file. Ever the code breaker, Dani sees a pattern and discovers more than 30 murders!

I really enjoyed this. We knew who the murderer was about halfway through, but I liked how there was still the battle of minds between them and Dani as she tried to prove things. The constant puzzles were great. I like Dani’s character and her relationship with partner Flint, despite him working for the NYPD.

This is book 2, and I hope book 3 follows soon!

I’m going to kick off this review by stating how much I LOVE this author. The way she weaves a story is absolutely gripping. Like I had anxiety for Dani. And like her Nina series Dani is fierce, loyal and totally a bad
a$$. Her books literally have you hanging on the edge of your seat. They are detailed, twisted and so engaging. I’m serious…it only took me so long to read (for me) because I was stressed for the character. The killer was CREEPY. I can’t wait for more. I also just want to say this in case the author sees this.

Come on Wu, get it together. 😉

Great plot

This book captured me from the start and I read it in a day. Dani Vega is an FBI agent who specializes in seeing patterns. She teams up with a NYPD detective and notices a pattern in some unsolved murders of single women over the past decade. The first one happened one floor above her family's apartment the day after Dani found her mother holding a knife over her dead father.

This was the first book I think I read from this author. Although the writing was not quite 5 stars, the plot was so good that I am still rating it highly and am immediately looking for more of the author's work.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "A Forgotten Kill", the second book in the Daniela 'Dani' Vega series. Vega is a cryptanalyst for the FBI, and is a former member of an elite force with extraordinary training (the only female ever).

There's a lot to unpack in this one, and at the risk of letting anything slip, I'm going to be brief.

During a visit with her mother - who years ago was convicted of killing her husband and Dani's father - a moment of lucidity on her mother's part leads Dani to the unthinkable; did her mother really kill her husband? To get answers, Dani goes to the detective who had investigated the original murder, but before he will open the investigative files to her, he has a request: take a look at recent murders, and see if there are any connections.
Using her skills as a cryptanalyst, it doesn't take long for the FBI agent to find the pattern - and oh, what a pattern it is, unlocking what seems to be one of the most prolific serial killers in New York history, 31 and counting!

Thus begins a cat-and-mouse game with an unsub who thinks he's invincible and whose obsessive-compulsive behaviour keeps him one step ahead until the very end. An ending loaded with revelations.

Highly recommended. Can be read as a standalone, but with only one previous book in the series you really should go back to the beginning.

The search for a serial killer leads an FBI agent to revisit a violent tragedy in her past.

FBI agent Daniella Vega is a formidable opponent to the criminals she pursues. With her background as an Army Ranger, she has substantial abilities both physical and mental to analyze a situation and pursue, attack and defend when needed. After a violent but successful end to her most recent case, some higher up in her chain of command are concerned about tactics she used and want her sidelined for a time. Seemingly out of the blue, Dani receives a call from a doctor supervising her mother Camila’s care at the secure psychiatric ward at Bellevue, where she has been committed since killing Dani’s father in an apparent psychotic break. It was Dani who found her father’s dead body with Camila bent over him, the bloody knife still in her hand, and Dani’s testimony that was largely responsible for the police determining her mother’s guilt. After years of being either catatonic or incoherent, Camila has started having moments of lucidity and, during one such occasion asked to be able to give Dani some important information directly. As Dani is on the sidelines at work she goes to see Camila, who tells her that she didn’t kill Dani’s father. It is far from clear whether Camila is telling the truth or has reimagined what happened to absolve herself of guilt, but Dani is troubled enough by those events and her own role in the matter to decide to look into things. When she contacts the NYPD detective originally in charge of the case, he is reluctant to open up the files for Dani to see. A deal is struck….if Dani can use her known skill at determining patterns to see if several of the detective’s unsolved murder cases are, as he has always suspected, connected he will let her see his case files on her father’s murder. When Dani not only is able to connect the detective’s cases but dozens of other unsolved murders as well, it becomes clear that a serial killer has been operating undetected for years. Dani is asked to be part of a joint task force to try to identify the killer and stop him from killing again. It soon becomes personal….not only is the killer focusing on Dani, but there may be a connection to her father’s death. Dani and the rest of the team will need to be at the top of their game to identify the killer and take him off the streets before he kills again.
Dani Vega is a fantastic new protagonist, first seen in A Killer’s Game. She is not only able to kick ass in the physical sense, she is also possessed of a natural talent for breaking codes and seeing puzzles that was further honed during her time as a Ranger. Her immediate supervisor values her abilities and tends to give her leeway in her pursuit of targets, but there are those above him who see her as a loose cannon and want her muzzled or transferred out. She is close to her younger siblings, but is a pariah in the eyes of the paternal aunt who took them in after their father’s death and mother’s commitment to Bellevue. Her life is a continual struggle between opposing forces; in A Forgotten Kill Dani has to balance her need to determine the truth of her family’s past with a fast moving investigation in the present that needs her complete focus, knowing all the while that one misstep could mean not only an innocent person’s death but also give the nervous powers-that-be the opportunity to remove her from the job that is the driving force of her life. With a fast-paced plot and well-developed characters, this latest installment of the Dani Vega series is a great read….I highly recommend it! Fans of Lisa Gardner, Tess Gerritsen and Kendra Elliot should give Ms Maldonado’s new series a try, as should anyone who is looking for a fast moving thriller with a strong female lead. Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercier for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.