The third book ft. FBI agent Matt Costa and a key member of his team, Kate Quinn. A boat explodes killing 8 people including a retired FBI agent. Costa and his team focus on who was the intended victim in order to track down the killer. The story has Criminal Mind vibes. The focus on the interpersonal lives of the characters was repetitive and boring. Thx to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Allison Brennan is my kind of mystery writer. From page one, I am invested in finding out all the answers and the pacing is highway speed from beginning to end! In the first chapter a sunset charter cruise explodes and from the passengers to the operating company, there are many people who could be positively impacted by this tragedy. Brennan sets up a few culprits and the FBI and team spend the book trying to figure out who is involved and who is guilty.

While I may not have figured out all the details early, I could at least rule out a few people early in the book and it didn't ruin anything for me and my reading experience. I judge a mystery book by my ability to find out all the things and the speed at which I do and if it is too early, I have major judgie eyes!

The third in a series, this is a mystery series where each mystery is self contained, but there is some definite character development for the characters that are in each book and I highly suggest starting at book one to get the foundational knowledge and then be able to build as you read each book.

I am hoping for more from Allison Brennan, especially in this series and wouldn't mind more from her in general!

THE WRONG VICTIM (A Quinn & Costa Thriller Book #3) by Allison Brennan is another great addition to this this series. The Mobile FBI Team is back together for a for an investigation on the San Juan Islands that kept me turning the pages to the exciting conclusion. This book can be read as a standalone, but I believe the series is best read in order to completely understand the team’s dynamics.

An explosion on a charter cruise ship kills nine people. When the Mobile FBI Unit gets to the island, they have a multitude of suspects. The part-time captain is retired FBI and investigating an old case that he believes is not an accident, but murder, the charter company has daily environmental protestors, and the widow of one of the men killed is set to inherit millions with his death.

As the team investigates each lead, they are also dealing with tension within their group. Kara and Catherine are both on site for this investigation and they are having problems working together. With Matt’s history with Catherine and his secret personal relationship with Kara, everyone is trying to decide how and if they can work together.

The interpersonal relationships between team members are fully fleshed out with real issues and flaws that lead to believable characters that could walk right off the page whether you like them or not. The secondary characters on the island are also realistically portrayed. The individual plot lines are intricate and masterfully woven together into a storyline that kept me turning the pages all the way to the conclusion.

I highly recommend this crime thriller and the entire series! I am looking forward to more.

What's it about (in a nutshell):

The Wrong Victim by Allison Brennan is a crime thriller about a boat explosion that killed nine people, one of which is a retired FBI agent. When the FBI's mobile team comes to investigate, will they be able to find the culprit before more lives are lost?

Expectations before I began reading:

I've read the other two books in this series, so I was expecting something similar: a good complex mystery, some heartstring-pulling, and an update on the relationship status of the two main characters, Kara and Matt.

Actual Reading Experience

I loved every minute of this fast-paced thriller, from the case to the more personal interactions. The pages flipped quickly as I couldn't wait to make sure everyone came out of this dangerous mission in one piece and the culprit stopped. My heartstrings felt a tug more than once as the stories of those left behind were told. I have read the other two books in the series but noted that this installment, like the last one, can be easily read as a stand-alone novel.

I especially loved the unexpected conflict between Kara and another team member (not Matt). It brought an intensity and intriguing quality to a normally in-sync team. I'm a huge Kara fan, so the conflict did not endear me to the character that tormented her throughout the story, but it did add a lot of growth to many characters and the team as an entity.

I also found the case to be satisfyingly complex and challenging. There are parts that I could never have guessed and other parts that I did imagine but still found the investigation fascinating. The fact that I figured out part correctly only increased my tension as I waited for the team to figure it out before more lives were lost.

What I Wish:
I have no wishes. This book gave me everything I could have wanted – so many thrills and page-turning suspense, characters I loved and characters I didn't, and even bits of personal exchanges that brought growth and depth to specific team members.

Characters:
The characters are incredibly well-developed with complex backstories, relatable interactions, endearing flaws, and nail-biting bravery.

Kara is my favorite. She grew up in Washington state with parents who were con artists. When her father went to prison and her mother left, Kara lived with her grandmother until deciding to go to the police force in LA after graduation. When her undercover work for the LAPD left her with a bounty on her head, a deal was worked out to loan her to the FBI and their new mobile team. She is determined, intelligent, observant, and good at what she does.

Matt is the leader of the mobile FBI team. He is a good delegator, well-respected by his team, and a thoughtful leader. I love that he stands back and lets his team play to their strengths, only stepping in when decisions are needed.

The rest of the team is intriguing, as well. They come from very different backgrounds, and each of them has fascinating specialties that all work together to make the team the success it is.

And, boy, what an update on the relationship between Kara and Matt. The relationship just gets more and more complex through no fault of their own, and I can't help but root for them and believe that they will find a way to make it work.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you love a fast-paced thriller with a complex case, characters that you can root for, and a bit of controversy, The Wrong Victim by Allison Brennan is just the book for you.

I'm a big fan of this series from the first book, it's like reading that TV Show Criminal Minds and this third book is no exception, I love it from the get go. I love everything, the suspense, the mystery, the chase, the action, the rescue, the internal conflict in the team, the relationship of Quinn and Costa and of course Detective Quinn herself, she's taking the center stage here.

The story started with a bomb explodes on a sunset charter cruise out of Friday Harbor at the height of tourist season and kills everyone on board. Mobile Response Team with Matthias Costa as the leader is the one in charge to find out who's the bomber and to prevent and stop the next attack. It's pretty intense from the beginning, from searching for clues and interviewing witnesses to all the actions that got me on the edge of my seat and when Detective Quinn suspicious of something, it put doubts in my mind too, it's just so captivating and engaging, then add the internal conflict in the team that got me pretty emotional, it's definitely like reading one of those Criminal Minds's episodes. It's multi POV from each of the team that we can see a glimpse of their story and how good they are at what they do and POV some of the victims that upped the suspense and pretty terrifying too. Everything is just sooooo good and I loveeee it.

It's a fast-paced captivating mystery thriller read with amazing characters and if you love Criminal Minds this one is definitely highly recommended.

Solid Mystery Deep In Series. While this is only book 3 in the series, as heavily as the first two are referenced it actually feels much deeper in. So up front, my recommendation is actually to go back to the beginning of this series and start there, if you haven't already. But once you get here... this is a solid mystery with a lot going on both within the mystery and town it is placed in - this band of FBI cops travels the country, and this particular mystery is set in Washington's San Juan Islands, familiar to many from Discovery Channel's long running Island Life show (which I watched - for months, over meals - on Discovery+, for those that may have missed it and want to get a feel for the real islands here). Both the islanders and the FBI team prove interesting characters, but the series depth *really* shows through in the interactions between the FBI team. The choice to almost go Disaster Movie-esque and show the victims of the murder first was actually quite bold and refreshing, and overall this book simply worked so much better than Brennan's previous effort I reviewed, The Sorority Murder - which worked well enough for what it was and had some unique things going for it, this was simply a better executed story here to my own mind. Overall a great story, and perfect for any fans of long running police procedurals. Very much recommended.

I really love to read books by Allison Brennan. This book has lots of action and great psychological suspense. I love getting to know each member of this team of FBI agents. The members of the town that might have planted the bomb are fantastic. I loved the twists and turns and I was not sure who the bad guy was for most of the book. I look forward to many more books by this author so we can learn more about each of the members of this team. I received a copy of this book from Harlequin for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I was excited to get to read The Wrong Victim by Allison Brennan. The third in her Quinn and Costa series, every book makes me feel like I get to know these characters even more. The level of detail in the crime and story creates an intense setting throughout that never lets up. I felt like I was reading an episode of CSI! I really liked how their was a romance but it never overtook the story and it was not the main focus. If you’re looking for a suspenseful series, this definitely fits that bill.

Brennan has returned with the third book in the Quinn and Costa series, The Wrong Victim. This was an explosive and twisted read that will boggle the mind and keep readers guessing until the big reveal.

I have been following the series from the beginning and I could hardly wait to dive into The Wrong Victim. Curious about the new case that landed in the laps of the Mobile Response Team and that state of Kara and Matt’s relationship, I quickly slipped into the story. The story gripped me with its intense storyline, tightly woven plot, interesting but flawed characters, the many clues which kept me guessing with each page turn.

This is one of those mysteries/thrillers where the who is not easily surmised and the motive is crazier than a loon. Wow! Who can ever understand the mind and the actions of a psychopath? With its many suspects and the potential clues popping, the MRT had their work cut out for them. The fact it occurred in a small town added to their challenges.

Tension filled the pages of this thrilling story. Not only we have in relation to the case, there is also tension between two of the members of the MRT. The team’s psychologist feels Kara’s is not a good fit for the team and questions her judgement. She does everything to make Kara feel uncomfortable in her attempt to have her removed from the team. Discovering Kara and Matt’s secret romantic involvement provided her with added ammunition. I lift my hat to Kara. She held her own and proved that despite her lack of a degree; she possessed the instincts and the experience the MRT needed.

Brennan intricately wove several threads throughout the story, which culminated into one big finish. Initially, uncertainty existed regarding the connection of these threads, but throughout the progression of the story, the connection gained clarity. The last few pages of the story had me on the edge of my seat. I am a disappointed with the outcome. Thankfully, it did not detract from my enjoyment of the story.

The Wrong Victim, which works well as a stand-alone, was a great addition to the series. Fans of police procedurals would find this series entertaining.

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is the third in series with Detective Kara Quinn and Special Agent Matt Costa. They are part of a special FBI team that travels to difficult crime scenes when asked in by local police. I really enjoy the chemistry between Kara and Matt that Brennan has been developing in these three stories. You can see the trust building plus personal relationship between the two. They have come together on this scene when a bomb goes off blowing up a boat that kills everyone on board, especially a retired FBI agent and a wealthy business owner. Both of these men could be the reason for the bomb or it could be a environmentally group targeting the West End Charter company because of an oil leak that had caused damaged last year. Quinn and Costa are interviewing and investigating all of the leads as to who blew up the boat when another explosion happens on the docks and a security guard is killed. Kara is also having issues with Catherine, the profiler of the group. This is the first case that they have met in person and Catherine wants Kara off the team and lets Matt know this. So, not only are they trying to solve this case but Matt needs to make a decision about both Catherine and Kara and whether or not he is jeopardizing the team because of his relationship with Kara. Pick up this book to see whether or not Kara and Matt solve this case, keep their relationship going, or does Matt decide to listen to Catherine and have Kara taken off the team. Brennan keeps us on the edge of our seat with this crime and also the relationship between Kara and Matt.

This is the third book in the series. I have not read the first two but didn’t really feel lost. This is the second book I’ve read by this author and I enjoy her writing style. She has solid characters and a really good plot. I loved the beginning of the book but thought the last quarter of the book dragged on a little. After the big crime is solved there is a lot of character discussion that maybe because I’ve not read the series, I had a hard time getting into. I enjoyed the book and thought the plot was excellent.

Title: The Wrong Victim
Author: Allison Brennan
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5

A bomb explodes on a sunset charter cruise out of Friday Harbor at the height of tourist season and kills everyone on board. Now this fishing and boating community is in shock and asking who would commit such a heinous crime—the largest act of mass murder in the history of the San Juan Islands.

Forensic profilers know there are two types of domestic terrorists: those who use violence to instill fear for political purposes but stop at murder because it detracts from the cause, and those who crave attention and are willing to maim and murder for their own agenda.

Accused of putting profits before people after leaking fuel that caused a massive fish kill, the West End Charter company may itself have been the target. But as special agent Matt Costa, detective Kara Quinn and the rest of the FBI team begin their investigation, they discover that plenty of people might have wanted someone dead on that yacht. Now they must track down who is responsible and stop them before they strike again.

I really enjoyed reading these characters again. I like Kara, although she’s a touch too brash and in-your-face for me. I loved the small town setting and even the supporting characters were well-done and vibrant. There’s a lot going on here, but the author handles it all so skillfully, I never got confused at all.

Allison Brennan is a bestselling author. The Wrong Victim is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 4/26)

This series is becoming a favorite: I wasn't a fan of the first story but the characters grew on me and I was glad to catch up with them.
Allison Brennan delivers another excellent thriller, one that starts with a bang and kept me hooked till the last page.
There's plenty of unexpected twists and surprises, I was on the edge till the end and I liked the solution.
Great pacing, storytelling and plot.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

“The Wrong Victim” is book #3 in the Quinn & Costa series by Allison Brennan. I have not read the first two books in this series, but after reading this one, I will definitely go back and read them!
The book follows LAPD Detective Kara Quinn and FBI Special Agent Matt Costa, along with the rest of the mobile FBI team as they investigate a boat bombing in the Pacific Northwest. Is this the work of an environmental group or was someone on the boat the specific target?!

Thank you @netgalley and @_mira_books_ for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

When you say a book starts off with a Bang The Wrong Victim is that book. The readers are given seeing life from the people on the boat before a bomb kills everyone on board.

The story brings to life what real police work is like vs TV where everything is solved in an hour. The times it takes to process the information and the amount of people the police and FBI have to talk to will seem endless. Each person has their own story and reason for being in the story.

You can't miss a single section of the story because everything is so intertwined you might reread if you skip any section. The story moves at a balanced pace giving readers the right about of background for each major character. Allison Brennan is a talented author who gives readers a well-developed story that no one will be able to put down.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for advance copy of Allison Brennan the Wrong Victim

This book could have also been called Tension because that is what there is throughout the entire book. Tension between Kara and Charlotte, tension between Kara and Matt, tension between the family members of one of the people blown up on the boat, tension between the pub owner and his daughters, tension between.......well, you get the picture. And all this tension equals big blow ups on a little island off the coast of Washington. What is the connection between the bombings and what do several cold cases being investigated by a retired FBI agent have to do with them? I liked how the plot(s) developed and intertwined. I did not like all the internal hemming and hawing Kara did about her relationship with Matt. It detracts from the strong female we are supposed to believe she is. But, another strong read that keeps readers on their toes! Just make sure you've read the first two already. I don't think this works well as a stand alone.

The Wrong Victim by Allison Brennan is a very highly recommended procedural and the third book in the excellent Quinn & Costa series.

In Friday Harbor on Washington’s San Juan Island a bomb explodes on a charter cruise killing 9 people. The boat was piloted by retired FBI agent Neil Devereaux. FBI special agent Matt Costa and LAPD officer Kara Quinn, who’s on loan to the FBI, along with other members of his Mobile Response Team are on the scene to investigate the bombing and try determine if one of the passengers was the target or if it was an action planned by a local environmental group who has been protesting the charter boat company.

The Wrong Victim is another winning procedural in the Quinn & Costa series which started with The Third to Die and Tell No Lies. All have been five star reads. Everything I love about a great procedural is here. The writing is exceptionally good and will hold your attention throughout the whole novel. The action-packed plot presents a detailed, intricate and engrossing investigation that follows the clues and discoveries as they are found. Readers get to follow along with the investigation as the agents and detective uncover more information. Yet again Brennan has written a sophisticated novel that demands you closely follow the clues and action in the plot.

The characters are all written as real people with their own issues and flaws. There are plenty of suspects and tension among team members. The Wrong Victim does require that you pay attention while reading to keep track of all the characters and their actions. This would also work as a stand alone novel as enough backstory is expertly included to provide the information you need. Another winning procedural that is sure to make my list of top procedurals of the year.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of MIRA.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, Google Books, and Amazon.

The Wrong Victim
Allison Brennan
April 26, 2022

The Wrong Victim is Brennan’s 3rd in her Quinn & Costa series. It finds them in the San Juan Islands. This novel begins with retired FBI Agent Neil Deveraux living in a cabin along the bay. It’s a short walk to the West End Charter Fleet where he takes tourists out once or twice a week. Much of his retirement is spent investigating the cold case of 2 young men that drowned. It was a work that he was sure was not an accident. He has put much work into the case, yet has found nothing sound. The book begins with him readying the ‘Water Lily’ for a brief journey around the islands. Tourists and a few business associates had booked the boat for the weekend. The crew was loading refreshments, dinner supplies, and all of the other fine things required aboard ship for a cruise.
The plot of this suspense novel finds the West End ownership riding against the small local group called IP, an environmental domestic group that protests cruelty to whales, pollution and just about everything else the Charter organization does.
This long documentary-style narrative is full of many characters and intense plot. There were times it was difficult for me to follow. Brennan writes a great mystery, just very long and extremely detailed from start to finish. The Wrong Victim follows that path. It will be published on April 26, 2022 by MIRA of Harlequin Digital Sales. I appreciate their allowing me to read and review Brennan’s latest book via NetGalley.
For those of you who follow Allison Brennan, I am certain you will be pleased with this new publication. If you are new to her suspense, be aware you have a lengthy journey ahead. I enjoyed the book and just should have mapped out more time for reading.

Tension. Holy sugar, things are tense in the San Juan Islands. Allison Brennan takes us on a mystery that has a really solid red herring mixed into the mystery.

The Wrong Victim is a solid mystery. I will confess that the beginning has so many characters it is as if you are strolling around a park before a bomb goes off and you are trying to remember everything you read to see who is important. Mind you, people probably don’t have this problem if they aren’t trying to solve the crime before the author does (chuckle, guilty as written). Then the bomb explodes and our team arrives.

Quinn and Costa are back, but Catherine (our forensic profiler) brings lots of tension to the team with her feelings regarding Quinn. Huge props to Quinn for being to hang in during the investigation because I felt just like her and wanted to walk (not away from the story (chuckle)). Egos get caught up in the mystery and damn it is not pretty.

The mystery takes us across two mysteries, one from the past and the bombing in the present. Are they tied together? Brennan keeps everything on track and it works.

I really enjoy Quinn and Costa and the team. Not a huge fan of Catherine at the moment and I am holding a definitive opinion until I read more books in this series. I cannot wait for the next book in the series because I can already tell you that it is a must read. Love this series!

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

I've really liked this series so I was excited to get an early copy of this. Out of three so far published, this is my second favorite and I'm excited to see where the rest of the series goes. Thanks to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for a copy! 
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Synopsis: A bomb goes off on a charter sunset cruise off a Washington state island, killing all nine on board. Quinn, Costa, and the FBI mobile response unit are desperately trying to figure out who was responsible--was it the local environmental group that was protesting the cruise company, the woman who didn't board at the last second but let her much older and richer husband go, or was someone worried the retired FBI agent got too close to the truth investigating a cold case?
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I really like this series - it's exciting, the characters are fun, and at least this one didn't leave me lost in financial terms :) I like the team environment for this type of mystery, that there's not one person who's the superstar, but they all work together, they all make mistakes, they don't always get along, and that makes it feel real. *I will say that I'm not a fan of the romance between Quinn and Costa, I don't think it adds anything and just gets annoying the constant debate about its appropriateness. I also thought the last 50 pages or so dragged a bit, and there were a few implausible twists. 
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But overall, I really liked it and can't wait for the next one!