Rage Against the Dying: A Thriller

Written by Becky Masterman

Narrated by Judy Kaye

You have never met an (ex) FBI agent like Brigid Quinn
"Keeping secrets, telling lies, they require the same skill. Both become a habit, almost an addiction, that's hard to break even with the people closest to you, out of the business. For example, they say never trust a woman who tells you her age; if she can't keep that secret, she can't keep yours. I'm fifty-nine."

Brigid Quinn's experiences in hunting sexual predators for the FBI have left her with memories she wishes she didn't have and lethal skills she hopes never to need again. Having been pushed into early retirement by events she thinks she's put firmly behind her, Brigid keeps telling herself she is settling down nicely in Tucson with a wonderful new husband, Carlo, and their dogs.

But the past intervenes when a man named Floyd Lynch confesses to the worst unsolved case of Brigid's career—the disappearance and presumed murder of her young protégée, Jessica. Floyd knows things about that terrible night that were never made public, and offers to lead the cops to Jessica's body in return for a plea bargain.

It should finally be the end of a dark chapter in Brigid's life. Except…the new FBI agent on the case, Laura Coleman, thinks the confession is fake, and Brigid finds she cannot walk away from violence and retribution after all, no matter what the cost.

With a fiercely original and compelling voice, Becky Masterman's Rage Against the Dying marks the heart-stopping debut of a brilliant new thriller writer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Mar 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9781427229632

Becky Masterman

Becky Masterman has worked as an actor, playwright, and an editor for a forensic science and law enforcement press. Her debut thriller was a finalist for the Edgar and the Anthony Awards for Best First Novel and for the CWA Gold Dagger, and her books have been translated into twenty languages. As well as four books featuring retired FBI agent Brigid Quinn, she is the author of standalone thriller Maternal Instinct. She lives in Tucson, Arizona, with her husband.

Reviews for Rage Against the Dying

[ahef1963 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Retired FBI agent Brigid Quinn is newly-married to a wonderfully kind man unaware of major elements of her past, such as the fact that she retired under pressure after killing an unarmed suspect. Now living in Tucson and trying to be a perfect wife, Brigid finds herself embroiled in the serial killer case she never solved. Delightful, engrossing, and poignant, Rage Against The Dying is not the average long-haul trucker/serial killer novel that it could have been. I read it all one day and one evening until I finished it, leaving it only at meal times, and was wowed by the way that Masterman transformed what is becoming a trope in serial killer tales into something unique, something that felt personal, a bonding to the agent who never tells her secrets to anyone. It's hard to believe that this was a first novel, and I've already ordered the second. Great book; I highly recommend it.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Brigid Quinn introduces herself to the reader by saying, "I've sometimes regretted the women I've been." Brigid is retired from the FBI and married but she still hasn't gotten over the secrets and the lying that were a major part of her life undercover. She fears that her husband Carlo—widower and ex-priest—couldn't deal with knowing about her past.Now a piece of her past is coming to her. One of her cases dealt with a serial killer called the Route 66 killer who killed one young woman a year somewhere along Route 66 and left their body displayed. Brigid became obsessed with the case and even more so when the last victim was Jessica Robertson—FBI Special Agent and Brigid's trainee—who disappeared without a trace. They had set up a sting that went horribly wrong and Brigid has been feeling the guilt for the past thirteen years. Deputy Sheriff Max Coyote comes to her to tell her that they have caught a serial killer who says he knows where Jessica's body is. She goes along with Special Agent Laura Coleman and discovers two mummified bodies. One is Jessica, the other is an unknown woman that the killer identifies as a Lot Lizard. The FBI is eager to close the case of the Route 66 killer but both Laura and Brigid note some discrepancies in the killer's story that the head of the FBI office is eager to downplay.Things heat up when Brigid is attacked near her home and kills the assailant. Panic—and a fear of blowing up her perfect suburban life—makes her cover up her involvement and stage the killing as an accident. Max Coyote is suspicious though and Brigid continues to lie. Things heat up even more when Laura goes missing but no one seems to notice but Brigid. The head of the FBI thinks she is off sulking because he closed her case and didn't consider the discrepancies she noted. This leave Brigid to search for Laura, find the real Route 66 killer, and stay one step ahead of Max and the unknown person who is trying to kill her. The story was tense, thrilling, and I had a hard time liking Brigid. I could understand her fear of destroying her new life with Carlo but I couldn't see how lying about her past would really help. I could understand that she had reinvented herself so many time when she worked undercover that she thought she could reinvent herself yet again to be what she thought Carlo wanted. I could understand that she was willing to do whatever was necessary to keep his love. I could also understand her guilt and obsession with finding out what happened to Jessica and bringing her killer to justice. I could not understand her lack of trust in the man she chose to marry.Fans of thrillers will enjoy this story and will enjoy the twists and turns of this investigation into a serial killer and the FBI agent who is determined to track him down.

[daftboy1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Brigid Quinn ex FBI agent investigates a serial killer. But they might have the wrong man.She also attacks and kills a man who tries to abduct her.Brigid works with a new FBI agent called Coleman who goes missing, Brigid then tries to help find her.There is a Cop bar nearby were all of law enforcement hang about, the owner of the Bar is actually the killer and has got Coleman as his hostage.Brigid saves the day. OK book bit far fetched.

[susandennis-139327 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book and am delighted to know it's a series and there are already two more written and waiting for me. There was almost too much froofroo relationship stuff driving much of the plot but it never actually crossed my put-this-book-down line and the rest of the plot was strong enough to overcome. I listened to the audio book and it was read by an actress - Judy Kaye - who sounds freakily like Kathy Bates. So I had the protagonist played by Kathy Bates in my head which actually kind of worked. The other two are read by other people so it will be interesting to listen to the differences.

[gpangel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterson is a 2013 Minotaur publication. This first book in the Brigid Quinn series grabbed my attention immediately. After I survived the first chapter, I was hooked. Brigid is a retired FBI agent in her late fifties. She finds marries later in life and loves her husband and enjoys living a peaceful life, trying to put her painful past behind her. Yet, her demons refuse to let her be. When the case that nearly broke her comes roaring back to life, Brigid becomes obsessed with preventing history from repeating itself. In the process, she puts her marriage on the line, and herself in imminent danger, in more ways than one. This is a very absorbing thriller, probably not for the faint of heart, though. It’s dark and gritty, edgy and suspenseful. I don’t know what I was expecting from a fifty-nine year- old protagonist, but one should not allow Brigid’s age to fool you. Dang! The story is superbly paced, and the plot is riveting- with a little bit of everything mixed in. Theirs is Brigid’s cold case, a new missing person, and of course a murder- but Brigid’s involvement, the personal ramifications and the fear of exposure kept me on pins and needles. The story is graphic, and the suspense is almost unbearable at times, but the well-drawn characters balance out the darker tones. I love the idea of a ‘mature’ woman fronting this series, something we don’t see a lot of in a story this intense. Brigid is a character I grew to like and am pleased that she plays against type- although some of her spurts of profanity seemed immature and out of context, as the story would have just as effective without it. Overall, though, I’m impressed with this first installment and will most definitely continue with the series! 4 stars*Content warning-I have many friends on Goodreads who read dark, graphic material. However, those of us who are a little more desensitized to graphic violence in books than others, may still find some passages in this book disturbing and outside of one’s comfort zone.

[dianekeenoy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ann Patchett recommended We Were the Killers, which is Becky Masterman's newest book. She also said while you're waiting for her new book to come out, to start with this book and read her previous books! So, I got this book from my library as well as book 3 and the new book as well. Book 2 just came in today! Well, she was not wrong! This first book about Brigid Quinn, a retired FBI agent in Arizona was incredibly good! I just cannot wait to read the rest of them! Highly recommended!

[bjellis_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Written to be entertaining more than compelling. Plot is suspenseful but actions and characters not always credible. Metaphors are bright and original, but very often overdone, unnecessary, distracting. This is author's first book.

[romonko · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I particularly enjoyed this first in the Bridgid Quinn series. The series shows a lot of promise, especially with tough-as-nails, 59 year-old, ex FBI agent, Brigid Quinn! Brigid is retired and happily living in Arizona with her new husband Carlo. Brigid has not told Carlo about her former life and about the scrapes and close-calls, and most importantly the people she has had to kill in the line of duty, so when an old friend calls on her to tell her that the most important unsolved case of her FBI career has come close to her door, she tries to involve herself in the investigation, still without telling Carlo. Things go from bad to worse and Brigid is in fear for her life as this particularly malevolent killer comes way to close for comfort. This is going to be a great series, mostly because of Brigid herself. I am looking forward to readng book 2.

[icewineanne · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A crime blogger had written a terrific review of this book, and while I do not enjoy books about serial killers, the review was very persuasive. So much, that I placed a hold on the book at my local library.

I put off beginning the story for more than 7 weeks, but at that point I could not renew the book again, so I either had to start reading or give it back to the library. Well I began reading. The story is violent, too violent for my taste, but the characters are so well drawn that they kept me reading.

While I will still not seek out books about serial killers, I did enjoy this book, and look forward to reading the next mystery by Becky Masterman.

[toobusyreading · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm a fan of murder mysteries, and not just cozy ones, but when you combine especially gruesome murders with a protagonist who makes really stupid decisions, I can't love the book. Nor can I understand a supposedly smart woman who wears both a t-shirt and a long-sleeved denim shirt outside when the temperature is 105. There was mention of an especially painful and horrible murder of a child, not central to the story, as well as implications of a dog that was tortured. I can't handle either of those things. Kill off as many people as you like (and there were many in this book), but leave the children and dogs alone. I did like that Brigid Quinn was no young, red-headed cliché but instead a retired woman in her 50s. However, she got “drained” a lot. When I notice overuse of one word throughout a book, that means it really is overused, because I don't go looking for such things.This book of a series of (currently) two. So, given that I didn't love this one, will I try the second? That is a definite maybe. There is a lot of potential here.

[vicki_weisfeld · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Delighted to find this first-time mystery-thriller, which appeared on seven “best of” lists for 2013. At first, I thought, “Oh no, not another story about long-haul truckers and their women victims,” but the book soon took a sharp turn away from that tired track, and we discover the would-be victim is a retired FBI agent with certain skills.The agent is Brigid Quinn, asked informally to help put to rest an old case—the murder of her young trainee by the “Route 66 killer.” A man has confessed to this string of murders and told authorities where to find the agent’s body. But the FBI agent in charge of the case doubts the confession and persuades Quinn to doubt it, too. Meanwhile, the real killer is out there . . . and no one but the two of them appears to care whether he’s caught.The book uses its Tucson setting to advantage, and Quinn shines hard as a diamond in it. Her first-person narrative is “chilling, smart, funny, and what a voice she has,” said Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl. The narration was perfect. Cheers to both Masterman and Kaye. Looking forward to reading the second book in the series, out now!

[cathyskye · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Our introduction to Brigid Quinn in the prologue of Rage Against the Dying is a memorable one. When prologue flows into first chapter, we know we are embarking on a journey with an unforgettable character. Brigid Quinn is fierce, uncompromising, and unflinchingly original. She is as far from being a normal "woman of a certain age" as the Earth is from Saturn. She's seen too much, and she's done too much; but what put me firmly in her camp come what may is the fact that this intelligent, strong woman looking sixty straight in the eye is an almost complete novice at relationships with other people. Every hero should have a flaw, and Brigid's carries the potential for a lot of damage.The man she's fallen in love with is a wonderful character, and although we see him through Brigid's eyes, we're given hints that he isn't quite the man she believes him to be. This fledgling relationship adds so much to the story!Speaking of the story-- it's completely engrossing. Once I started reading, I didn't come up for air until I'd turned the last page. The hunt for the killer and the killer's final reveal? Fabulous. When I was finished reading, I sat for a few minutes with my eyes closed, simply holding the book and savoring what I'd just experienced. What fuels me as a reader are characters and stories. Becky Masterman has delivered both in superb style. Now I'm an addict and getting my hands on the next Brigid Quinn book has become a necessity!

[lostinalibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In the opening of Rage Against the Dying, an older woman is attacked by a serial killer who has a ‘thing’ for granny types. Thing is though this older woman isn’t your usual middle-aged victim – she’s 59-year-old Brigid Quinn, retired FBI agent, who is more than a match for any predator despite her gray hair. When the proverbial fan gets hit, Quinn is left with a dead guy and, although it was a clear case of self-defense, she is afraid that if she explains what happened to her new husband and ex-priest he couldn’t handle it. So she walks away hoping that somehow her role won’t be discovered – of course, this will come back to bite her.Then she receives a call from agent Laura Coleman about another crime, the Route 66 killer, ‘the one that got away’ in Quinn’s long career and who has haunted her ever since. A suspect has been apprehended who seems to have real knowledge about the murders, stuff that was never released to the public. However, Coleman doesn’t think he did it and, after meeting him, Quinn also has doubts. Now, Coleman is missing and Quinn is convinced that she is another victim of Route 66 but she can’t convince anyone of the fact. Worse, she is now a suspect in the murder of the man she killed and, since she not only didn’t report the incident, she has lied about her role, it’s going to be damn near impossible to claim self-defense. She is forced to go on the run from both the FBI and a serial killer stalker hoping she can solve the case before one or the other catches up with her. Rage Against the Dying by author Becky Masterson makes for some very fun reading mainly down to Quinn who makes it clear that older women can be just as interesting and feisty, not to mention hot, as the usual young heroines of thrillers – she is, by her own definition, a kick-ass-take-names kind of woman and she lives up to the hype. My one criticism - I admit I found the part about her doomed efforts to keep her encounter with the serial killer from her husband somewhat problematic – one would think that someone who is married to an FBI agent, even a retired one, would have some idea of what they do for a living. But that aside, Rage Against the Dying is a real roller coaster of a ride. Overall, a pretty decent read.3.5

[shelleyraec · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rage Against the Dying caught my attention when it was nominated for both The Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger and the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. I was further intrigued to learn the protagonist is a retired fifty something year old female FBI agent.Brigid Quinn is a women with a secret. She lives happily with her new husband, Carlo, and their two pugs, in a nice house in Tuscon, Arizona and spends her days combing the nearby wash for interesting rocks and learning to cook. Yet just a few short years ago, Brigid hunted sexual predators killers and human traffickers as an agent with the F.B.I. In Rage Against the Dying one of her past cases comes back to haunt her when a man is arrested and claims to be the ‘Route 66′ killer, responsible for the murders of a dozen women, including Brigid’s protegee, Jessica. Floyd Lynch’s confession is compelling, he is aware of details the FBI never released and leads them to what remains of Jessica’s body, nevertheless when Agent Laura Coleman voices her doubts Brigid feels she owes it to Jessica, and her still grieving father, to investigate.Fast paced, with plenty of tense, gritty, action, Rage Against the Dying is a complex mystery. The main plot centers around the confession of the serial killer and Brigid’s doubts about it, but is further complicated by attempts on Brigid’s life, another missing FBI agent and ‘office’ politics. The plot twists and turns, and though at times it relies on some contrivances that are a bit of a stretch, it offers an interesting story.I love that Brigid is an older woman who remains feisty, resourceful and even sexual. She is complicated, flawed, and damaged but I found I both liked and respected her. Her cynicism is offset by her emotional vulnerability, and her confidence by her past failures. On a couple of occasions though I thought the author allowed Brigid to make mistakes an experienced agent wouldn’t for the sake of the plot, which was a tiny bit disappointing.Rage Against the Dying is an introduction to a series I think has real potential and I am looking forward to reading Fear the Darkness

[eesil-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I obtained a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. Masterman seems to be a new mystery writer. This is her first book and her next one is coming out soon. I really enjoyed a lot of things about this book. The best part is the narrator who --although somewhat familiar -- fits well into the tough middle aged female detective category. My main complaint was that there were many strands to the story that seemed very disconnected and a bit chaotic. They ultimately all came together nicely, but perhaps with too much reliance on an important coincidence. I chalk this up to this being a first novel. The detective is great and her personal story which forms a backdrop to the mystery is well done. I definitely look forward to reading the next book in the series.

[cainebooks · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I keep trying to get through this bloody book, haven't made it yet. (Finally slogged through the tedious mess.) "Oh, the protagonist is a woman in her fifties!" So what, there are a whole lot of us women in their fifties. Former FBI - boring. "Oh, she married an ex-priest! Oooh!" Oh please, so fucking what. The marriage is presented as being all surface, between two people who don't know one another, don't talk, and are content with that situation. The obsession with being a Stepford wife on the part of the protagonist is annoying as hell, too. Yeah, let's perpetuate the whole "this is a perfect wife" business. The writing, along with the characters, are stiff, tending more to cut-outs made up of cliches, rather than well fleshed out people. The whole book is a chain of bad cliches, awkwardly pasted together.

[daniel5estes · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A touch of verisimilitude: The story's villain is the Route 66 killer, and my wife and I were traveling while listening to the audiobook on the exact stretch of road where the fictional killings took place, between Albuquerque and Tucumcari.

[stefaniegeeks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this mystery on audio. Expertly read. Quinn is like a retired Kinsey (ala Grafton) and I love getting to know her and her hometown. Can't wait for the second book coming in 2015.

[perednia_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Rage Against the Dying is a debut thriller by Becky Masterman that is up for a Macavity and has been nominated for several other crime fiction awards. It's the story of a retired FBI special agent who killed an unarmed man, tracked down serial killers and who is now married to a former priest (who is one of the best spouses in crime fiction I have ever come across).Brigid Quinn cracks wise to keep from getting down to truths about herself but she's making do until bodies are found in the desert near her Tucson home. One might be the young agent she had trained and who she feels she let down the night they were tracking the Route 66 killer.The book has all the tropes of thrillers -- the ousted protagonist who figures out there is a problem before anyone else, the protagonist who is ignored when she is right, the villain who figures out she is a problem and a race against time.I like the whodunit way it played out, the repercussions (not all of which are answered here and should be taken up in a second novel) and that former priest.

[muddyboy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Well, I can certainly see why this book received all the acclaim that it did - Edgar Award. It is hard to believe that the book was written by a debut novelist - it is that good. Brigid Quinn is a "retired" FBI agent that gets drawn back into a case that she was working on before she retired. This book has twists, turns, a serial killer, mummified bodies of the young victims and a plot that is a major motion picture waiting to happen. The novel is not for the faint at heart but if you like a roller coaster plot with a satisfying ending and a frisky heroine, read this book.

[chatty_cathie-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fabulous book. Love that the heroine is an older woman. Can't wait for the next book!

[susiesharp_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book, even though I didn’t understand Brigid’s decisions some of the times, I really liked her and will definitely read the second book in this series. I was impressed to see this was this author’s first book and think she has a good career in front of her.From the moment we meet retired FBI Agent Brigid Quinn we know she is no shrinking violet ready to buy a walker and toddle on into retirement, oh no Brigid Quinn is a badass no matter what her age is. There are times though that I was wondering about her decisions, there is actually many of them that make you go hmmm, however, I needed to know what happened next, I also needed to know why she made the decisions she did, there had to be a reason behind it. The more I learned about Brigid and why she does the things she does made me like her more and more as the book went on.All the secondary characters are fully fleshed out and I really hope that certain people will be back, okay that was ambiguous I know, but there are characters you need to worry about to enjoy this book and I don’t want to spoil it for you.This book is a thrill ride from beginning to end, it is a hard book to put down I didn’t ever want to stop listening. It starts out with a bang and doesn’t let up to the crazy conclusion. It kept me guessing all the way through I never had an inkling who the serial killer was and the reveal was edge of your seat screaming at Brigid get out of there, get back up, Ahhhh look out!Judy Kaye’s narration was fabulous all of the characters and accents were very well done. She did a few different accents which felt authentic especially since the main accents were male characters it was very impressive. She brought Brigid to life flawlessly and I hope that she will continue to narrate this series because I will keep listening, I see she narrates Sue Grafton’s series and I have been meaning to re-read those so may have to start them on audio.If you haven’t already surmised I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to this series continuing. This would be a full 5 stars but there are times you have to suspend a little belief (which stems from Brigid’s decisions) but this is a solid 4 ½ Stars.4 ½ Stars 5 Star narration

[zoomball · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed the protagonist. However some of the plot elements were just a bit too far fetched for me. I hope this becomes a series.

[chive_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I hated this book. It felt like a pastiche of a crime novel. Nothing in it felt original, every page, idea and twist seemed to come from others in the genre. Yes, I know this is a crowded genre, but other writers make their novels stand out. This only stood out as a result of its banal drivel.

[auntmarge64 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very fast read, super suspense, but the main character doesn't really ring true, so I was arguing with the whole premise of the book the entire time I was reading it. Still, it was fun.

[blockbuster1994 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This author blew me away. I thought I would have no interest in the storyline of a grey haired, middle aged retired FBI agent. But within minutes I felt connected to the novel that made me sad every time I had to put it down for real life. The style of writing was simple and straight-forward, making it feel real and personable.The plot was well constructed as the lead character has a lot of background that is instrumental to understanding how damaged she really is and where her pain comes from. I will read more from this series and this author.

[kraaivrouw · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

How lovely to read a book with a competent older woman as its hero. A crime book. With really scary sexual predators and a woman who uses all her knowledge and skills (physical as well as intellectual) to get to the bottom of a mystery from her past. There are no gardens. No cups of teas nor tea cosies. In fact, nothing about this is cosy - far from it. How nice is it to see a woman with some age and experience get to utilize that without the requisite house coat, gardening gloves, and reading glasses? Really wonderful and it really sucks that this is so unusual.Ms. Masterman's debut novel follows the story of Brigid, a former FBI agent, forced into early retirement who is trying to have a life outside of her previous experience. Trying is the operative word here since her past has made it very difficult for Brigid to trust anyone and withholding is as second nature to her as breathing. When an opportunity comes to discover who killed her former student, to find her body, and to revenge her killing Brigid rises to the occasion with relentless tenacity.Despite the familiar tropes of serial sexual predators/killers, determined FBI profilers/hunters, and the tragedy of the trainee agent cut down before her/his time, Rage Against the Dying manages to rise above. The writing is sharp, the characters well thought-out and entertaining, and the plotting first-rate. Ms. Mastermen makes what could easily be old and familiar fresh and new and worth the read. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in what looks to be a series. Most fun.

[grigoro_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great debut from Becky Masterman, RAGE AGAINST THE DYING begins with an incredibly chilling prologue and doesn't stop galloping until the final Tarentino-esque end. A thriller involving a serial killer (not for the faint of heart) and the no-nonsense (and loose cannon) ex-FBI agent, Brigid Quinn, who lost her protégée to him thirteen years ago during an ambush that went terribly wrong. Lots of twists and tension (false confessions, police mistakes) made this book hard to put down, and the first person narration by a damaged, 59-year-old, tough as nails Brigid is full of self-deprecating humor, sarcasm and honesty about her feelings with her new marriage and her guilt about the death of her rookie agent. Recommended.

[schatje_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Brigid Quinn, a 59-year-old former FBI agent, is haunted by a case she left unsolved, that of the Route 66 sexual predator whose last victim was Brigid’s young protégée. Floyd Lynch, a truck driver, confesses, but even though he knows unpublicized details of the killings, Laura Coleman, Brigid’s successor, suspects a false confession and appeals to Brigid for help. As they investigate, Brigid not only finds herself using the not-by-the-book tactics that got her into trouble with the FBI in the past but being stalked as well. To complicate matters, Brigid is a recent newlywed whose husband, an ex-priest, knows nothing about her career as a homicide investigator.Brigid is the narrator and her point of view is certainly necessary to understand some of her actions. Though she was an undercover agent only in the first half of her career, she lives her life as though she were still undercover. She begins her narration by stating that “Keeping secrets, telling lies, they require the same skill. Both become a habit, almost an addiction, that’s hard to break even with the people closest to you.” We soon see that Brigid is so addicted; even with her husband, she finds herself emotionally distanced because of her secrets and lies. In her defense, she is terrified that Carlo will leave her if he learns the truth about her past: “I thought about losing Carlo, and thought I would not, could not, survive the loss of the one happy thing in my entire existence. I’d waited too long for him and I would not drive him away the way I’d driven away every other civilian in my past.”I appreciated reading about a female protagonist of an age not often found in many thrillers. My problem, however, is that Brigid does not always behave as one would expect someone of her years to behave. There is no stereotyping of menopausal women as suggested by Brigid’s sexual appetite, and that is a positive, but it is some of her decisions that are questionable. Trying to cover up a killing is not a believable move; likewise, her actions at the end in confronting the Route 66 killer are those of a rookie agent. (The amount of access she is given to the case, given that she is retired, stretches credibility as well.)Despite the flaws, this is still a good read. To use a cliché, Brigid is a bit of a loose cannon who crosses the line more than once, but one cannot but cheer her on. The plot is fast-paced and there is plenty of suspense. Should there be a second novel featuring Brigid Quinn, I would probably pick it up.

[pattylouise_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Rage Against The Dying ByBecky MastermannMy " in a nutshell" summary...Serial murders...a complex FBI agent...and tons of questions...My thoughts after reading this book...Wow...this was truly a fast paced thriller with a fabulously chilling ending. I loved it all.I was hooked just by reading the prologue and from that moment on I had a love/ hate relationship with Brigid. Seriously...she could be so annoying that I wouldn't want to be anywhere around her...yet she is the FBI agent you would want on your side in a crisis. All that I will tell you is that Brigid is damaged and complicated. Anyone...fellow agent or sexual predator...and by the way that is her specialty...who gets in her way...is in deep trouble. This book was about unsolved past crimes and even though Brigid was out of it...she ended up back in the midst of it. There were scary situations...so scary that I read at a knuckle biting fast pace...and an unbelievable ending...I see a movie in this more than any book like this I have read this year...Brigid is tough and Irish...and older...casting would be fun!Oh...she is also married to an ex priest...I did say her life is complicated...lol...and then there are Pugs...two of them!What I loved about this book...I loved the main idea of this book...the unsolved crime...the confession...the damaged people. So deliciously good... The setting was awesome, too...dry hot dessert...heat waves, rocks...and great food descriptions...ordinary food but the kind that left me with cravings...for meatloaf, burritos, a taco salad. What I did not love...While I admired her tremendously...I did not love Brigid. She was far too strange for me.You will get what I mean as you read this book. Or...you may have a totally different feeling about her. That's what is fun about reading a book like this.Final thoughts...I found this to be an absolutely astonishing and captivating book...I loved it and I will search for more by this author!