Author: T.R. Ragan
Genre: Mystery, thriller
Published on: August 4, 2015 by Thomas & Mercer
Private investigator Lizzy Gardner believed in law and order once. But after losing a loved one to a killer and watching too many vicious predators game the system and walk free, she’s traded flawed justice for perfect vengeance.
Together with her tough and trusted assistants, Lizzy is tracking down a list of Sacramento’s worst offenders and dealing out the payback they deserve. But she may be lethally outmatched by a new criminal, a murderer the papers have dubbed the Sacramento Strangler. This ritualistic serial killer is dropping corpses and cryptic clues at a shocking rate—and he’s growing bolder and bloodier the longer he’s at large.
In the suspenseful finale to the Lizzy Gardner series, bestselling author T.R. Ragan’s gutsy heroine lashes out against the relentless onslaught of evil as she desperately fights to hang on to her own humanity.
Over four years since determined PI Lizzy Gardner made her debut, the final book in her series is here. Lizzy has since become one of my favorite fictional characters. Although she’s pretty on the surface, she is rather damaged on the inside. When Lizzy was a teen, she escaped from the clutches of a twisted serial killer. The experience inspired Lizzy to become a private investigator and a self-defense instructor. She wanted to help other women defend themselves from the monsters of the world.
In Evil Never Dies, Lizzy is even more broken than ever. At the end of the last book, her would-be husband (FBI agent Jared Shayne) died. He got shot several times during a surprise attack. Since Jared's death, Lizzy hasn't been the same. Now she harbors a deep, powerful anger towards the criminals and wrongdoers out there. Seeming to cross over to the dark side, Lizzy partners with Hayley and Kitally. She's resolved to take justice into their own hands. The criminals they target become the main villains this time around. That means there are more than one or two bad guys in this book. One of these is the strongest, so he can be considered a main antagonist.
Hayley Hansen changes little in this book, compared to the previous ones. She doesn’t seem to be in danger of her dark side taking over, either. Despite that, Hayley is still willing to kill bad guys if necessary. She keeps this a secret from the others, knowing how they would react. Although Hayley is on the side of the good guys, she operates with the morals of a criminal. This time, Hayley seems to meet her match, in the form of one of the criminals she, Lizzy, and Kitally are targeting. Hayley's not all darkness, though, as she has a romance subplot. The hope for a normal life for her is there in the form of Tommy Ellis. He first appeared in Dead Weight. After so much time, Tommy has never wavered in his love and devotion for Hayley. Their romance is one of the more interesting parts of the Lizzy Gardner series.
Kitally rounds out the vigilante trio. Due to her family's wealth, she bankrolls their activities in part. Kitally isn’t as damaged as Hayley or Lizzy, so she assists them out of duty and loyalty. She has no reason to hate criminals despite having landed in dangerous situations before. Kitally also has as much intelligence as money. She's one of those genius kids who earned a university degree before even coming of age. Kitally could do anything, and yet she chooses to fight crime with Lizzy. I admire her for that. Using her intellect, Kitally develops a few novel weapons. They are a bit over the top to exist in real life, but still come in useful. The author didn't put these in the book for decoration.
Jessica Pleiss, Lizzy’s first-ever assistant, is also back. She is on the verge of completing her training to become an FBI agent. In Evil Never Dies, Jessica assists in the investigation to catch the Sacramento Strangler. Investigators are being spread thin, so they called upon Jessica to help them. They're having trouble identifying the killer, who leaves random clues behind on every crime scene. With Lizzy’s help, Jessica will be able to solve this enigma and prove herself as an investigator.
The journey that started in Abducted has led to this. Lizzy starts to feel guilty for some of the decisions she’s made. She believes they may have ended up causing her loved ones harm. Will Lizzy allow pain to consume her, or will she get the happy ending that seems so out of reach? Every loose end and character arc is wrapped up in this final book of the Lizzy Gardner series. Are Lizzy and co. going to find peace, or will they meet tragic ends? If you’ve enjoyed this series, as I have, this book will leave you satisfied. The ending is awesome and breathtaking. Evil Never Dies is a stunning conclusion to this amazing series. It’s bittersweet to say goodbye to these characters, though. Lizzy, Jessica, Hayley, and Kitally are unforgettable. I'll read these books again and again, for sure.
My rating:★★★★★
5 stars - Absolutely must-read. It's outstanding!!!
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