CBR4 #5 The Innocent - Taylor Stevens

Eight years ago, a man walked five-year-old Hannah out the front doors of her school and spirited her over the Mexican border, taking her into the world of a cult known as The Chosen. For eight years, followers of The Prophet have hidden the child, moving her from country to country, shielding the man who stole her. Now, those who’ve searched the longest know where to find her. They are childhood survivors of The Chosen, thirty-somethings born and raised inside the cult who’ve managed to make lives for themselves on the outside. They understand the mindset, the culture within that world, and turn to Vanessa Michael Munroe for help, knowing that the only possibility of stealing Hannah back and getting her safely out of Argentina is to trust someone who doesn’t trust them, and get Munroe on the inside.

Tautly written, brilliantly paced, and with the same evocation of the exotic combined with chilling violence that made The Informationist such a success, The Innocent confirms Taylor Stevens’ reputation as a thriller writer of the first rank.

 I received an ARC from Random House at ALA Midwinter in Dallas.

This book was on my list of most anticipated to read this year.  I simply fell in love with Vanessa Michael Monroe reading Stevens' first book The Informationist.  This book was just as well written as the first.  I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.  I cannot recommend these books enough.   

There were some interesting parallels between the plot of this book and The 19th Wife which I read in December. I appreciated that the characters from the first book had more of their background explored in this book.  It was also good to see Munroe fight through her demons in her own way of course.  I'm not sure the Gideon & Heidi characters added much to the story after being introduced as the funders of the mission.