Book Review: The Rose Reaper | Jennifer Hunter

Jennifer Hunter’s thriller, The Rose Reaper, is not for the faint of heart. It’s technically the second book in the Ryan Strickland duo written by Hunter, the first being The Lost Victim. The opening scene of the latest novel is disturbing and has some content warnings (I don’t usually include those, but this one is unavoidable) that readers should be aware of, as you can’t get through the opening chapter without encountering one (content warning: sexual assault). The Rose Reaper can easily be read as a standalone book, but brief summary ahead for where we left off in book one.

Where did The Lost Victim leave off?

The Lost Victim introduced us to psychologist Ryan Strickland, who also serves as a consultant to the FBI. After his sister disappeared, Ryan did everything to find her, but the case went cold. Ryan has built a reputation around getting victims to share what they went through. When a witness is found who can identify a dangerous serial killer, Ryan is tasked with helping her find a way to share what she knows. The witness, Olivia, slowly builds trust in Ryan, and she reluctantly agrees to allow him to take her back to her escape from an abandoned farmhouse. The truth that is revealed as Olivia finally shares what has been locked in her memories shocks everyone. Ryan is left processing what he learned and the fallout.

What is The Rose Reaper about?

Kate Doyle is brutally assaulted by a serial killer but manages to escape when her abductor, Freddy Poole, goes on the porch to smoke a cigarette. Kate makes it to a highway where a couple stops to pick her up and bring her to the police.

Three years later, Kate is finally living her life again, though scarred by what happened to her. She has a handsome boyfriend named Reed who is caring and attentive to her needs. But when she receives a rose out of nowhere and learns another young woman has been abducted, her nightmares return. Who is copying Freddy Poole’s crimes?

As the killer continues to abduct and murder, he sends Kate roses corresponding with the number of victims. Often, the roses come before the victims have been discovered, leading the police to conclude they must be from the real killer. They bring in psychologist Ryan Strickland to speak with her, the person who originally helped her process the traumatic events three years earlier.

Will Kate be able to help them find out who the killer is before he takes her as his next victim?

What did I think?

The opening scene is violent and portrays a graphic sexual assault. I want to say that here because I think readers need to be warned. I’m able to take a lot in my books, but I skimmed past this chapter. In my opinion, it wasn’t necessary to the plot other than to understand the extreme trauma Kate endured. Let’s move on from that…

The bulk of the story outside of that first chapter focuses on the new killer. In this case, the reader doesn’t have to endure things from his perspective which went a long way toward steering away from the gruesome opening scene. The terror for me was psychologically seeing Kate receiving the roses each time the killer took a new victim. It’s clear that whoever the copy cat is, he’s obsessed with Kate and Freddy Poole.

While Ryan works with Kate to unlock more of her memories—any detail that might help—Agent Chapman is working to uncover who the copycat killer is. I enjoyed watching Ryan and Agent Chapman work together on the case. Kate’s story is one of resilience in many ways. Her boyfriend Reed may not be the supportive life partner she thought he was, and that’s something she has to process as the events unfold. Throughout the story she transforms to the victim who got away to a woman who won’t let fear control her life.

The ending had a strange vibe to it—after the reveal and capture of the person responsible for the killings, Kate is laughing about it in the hospital with another victim. I guess everyone processes grief in a different way, but it just was strange given what they went through. The book has such a dark tone, so Kate’s transformation—while lovely—is not entirely authentic to me.

Overall this is a quick, entertaining read. You don’t have to read the first book to enjoy this one. I recommend skipping the first chapter if violent sexual assault is a trigger (or even just an unpleasant topic) for you.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for my copy. Opinions are my own.