Before He Kills (Mackenzie White, #1)

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⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Promising Start, But Lacked Depth

Before He Kills sets up a chilling mystery in the heart of Nebraska, with a disturbing murder that kicks off what seems to be the work of a serial killer. The concept is gripping, and Detective Mackenzie White shows promise as a strong female lead navigating a male-dominated force and grappling with her own past.

While the pacing was fast and the stakes kept rising, the writing felt a bit formulaic at times. Mackenzie’s backstory and the romantic tension with the FBI agent had potential, but it often leaned too heavily into cliché territory. The character development could’ve gone deeper—her brilliance was often told rather than shown, and the emotional arcs didn’t always land.

Still, the suspense kept me curious, and the killer’s twisted mind added a creepy edge. As the first book in a series, it lays enough groundwork to make me consider giving the next installment a shot—but I hope future books flesh out the characters and steer away from predictability.