Julie's Review: The Catch

Author: Taylor Stevens
Series: Michael Munroe #4
Publication Date: July 15, 2014
Publisher: Crown Publishing
Pages: 368
Obtained: Amazon Vine
Genre:  Thriller
Rating: 3.75/5
Bottom Line: Not my favorite of the series but still a solid thriller.
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Library

Summary: Vanessa Michael Munroe, chameleon and information hunter, has a reputation for getting things done—often dangerous and not quite legal things. The adrenaline-fueled work has left her with blood on her hands and a soul stained with guilt. Having borne the burden of one death too many, Munroe has fled to Djibouti, Africa. There, where her only responsibility is greasing the wheels of commerce for a small maritime security company, she finds stillness—until her boss pressures her to join his team as an armed transit guard on a ship bound for Kenya. Days into the voyage, Munroe discovers the security contract is merely cover for a gunrunning operation of which she wants no part. The ship is invaded off the Somali coast and in a moment of impulse while fighting her way out, she drags the unconscious captain with her. But nothing about the hijacking is what it seems. The pirates were never after the ship; they’d come for the captain. In chasing him, they make their one mistake: targeting Munroe raises the killer’s instinct she’s tried so hard to bury. Wounded and on the run, Vanessa Michael Munroe will use the life of her catch as bait and bartering chip to manipulate every player with a stake in the ship’s outcome, and find a way to wash her conscience clean. ~amazon.com

Review: I always highly anticipate the new Michael Munroe book, so when I found out I could get The Catch early, I jumped on the chance. While I enjoyed Michael's newest journey, it wasn't my favorite of the series. I understand why Michael left the U.S. and needed this respite to figure out what she wanted. I think I just don't like her as a lone wolf. I know she can take care of herself but we all need backup and people to trust.

On the other hand, maybe she needed this respite to understand what it is she wants and needs. Maybe she needed to see that it's OK to rely on other people and not just herself. She has survived the past 6 months by disguising herself as a man, which she does easily, and working with a small, maybe not so legit, security company. It's obvious that the owner, Leo, can't stand him but his wife, Amber, does find her useful.
So when the chance comes to be an armed guard aboard a ship to Kenya, she jumps on it. Little does she know that this decision will have her gunning for her life and those life of the innocent crew aboard the ship.

While I enjoyed the story, I did get lost a couple of times in the details of putting together this rescue effort. I have no doubt that the pirating that happens off the coast of Somalia is financed illegally for profit, but I got lost in the maze of the underworld.

While I would love to see another book in the series, I am totally OK with the ending of this novel. It gives me hope that Michael might finally be able to have some peace.

If you haven't read any of the Michael Munroe series, I highly recommend them.


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