Kate’s partner, Sam Scolari, is late arriving at the scene, claiming he was tied up buying a car for his wife Dr. Patricia Mead-Scolari, a pathologist who often performs autopsies of homicide victims. They are separated, but Sam is hoping the car will encourage reconciliation. They investigate the warehouse but find no clues as to the identity of the victim or to his killer.

The homicide unit is also currently working on a series of murders by a serial killer nicknamed the SoMa Slasher. The only connection they have discovered between the crimes is the method of killing.

Several days later, Patricia’s body is discovered in the car Sam had bought for her. Is she another victim of the Slasher, or is Sam connected to her death? Because of Sam’s possible involvement, Internal Affairs starts to look into the case. The head of the division is Lt. Mike Torrance, known as “Lieutenant Torrid” because of his handsome appearance. When it appears that Sam has broken into Kate’s apartment and the threats continue, she is assigned a twenty-four hour bodyguard, which leads to closer contact and a gradual attraction between Kate and Torrance.

Kate is trapped in a dilemma. She wants to protect her partner, but Sam appears to be more and more involved. When two officers in Property are killed and evidence from Kate’s cases is burned, the case heats up even more. How are all these crimes connected?

Judging from a statement on the book’s cover, this is the first in a new mystery series. When reading the book, however, it is hard not to believe that this is the second in the series. The characters have a history in the not-too-distant past that is most relevant to the present action. The author, a police officer herself, has inserted the necessary background information into the narrative, but there’s still a nagging sense of having come into the story partway through.

There’s also a strong sense of a set-up for a future series. The book’s cover refers to this as a “smart and sexy thriller.” The sexy part is a stretch. Certainly the groundwork is laid for further involvement between Kate and Torrance, but not much goes on in this book.

Writing a brief synopsis of the plot of Every Move She Makes is not an easy thing to do. The multitude of characters, the multiple crimes, and the many plot twists and turns make this a difficult story to follow, much less summarize. I will confess that I did not figure out the primary whodunit, but the dearth of clues makes this a tough call for the most astute armchair detective. Frankly, I thought that several loose ends were left dangling and motives were not sufficiently established.

Kate is an appealing heroine. The first female Homicide Inspector in the department, she’s tough and committed. She’s aware of prejudice against her because of her gender and she walks a narrow line, determined to prove her abilities.

Mike Torrance has the potential to be a great personal and professional partner for her. He’s got hero written all over him, but I thought the “Lieutenant Torrid” was a bit much. Kate’s ex-husband has a secondary, mostly superfluous, role in the story, but their marital history is left undefined.

Every Move She Makes works better as the foundation of a mystery series than as a single title. It shows enough promise, however, that I intend to watch for future books.

--Lesley Lawrence