Also in Austin are Dutch’s boss Brice Harrison and his new girlfriend, and Abby’s former office partner, PI Candice.  Abby is nervous about how her new colleagues will react to her abilities. When she and the team are charged with evaluating the cold cases and deciding which ones are worth re-opening, Abby uses her own methods and within a day or two, the office is well on its way to meeting its monthly goal. 

Another part of her job is to help the other agents develop their intuitive skills – a task that Abby knows is going to be difficult.  Abby manages to get herself suspended, and a fellow agent shot, as she follows her gut.  While she is waiting to hear of her status, and Candice is waiting for her Texas PI license to be approved, the two begin working on some cold cases of young girls missing from their homes in the past few years.  Abby knows there is a connection to someone she has encountered recently, but her crew isn’t providing all of the answers. Before she knows it she and Candice find themselves deep in an investigation they shouldn’t be anywhere near, angering both Dutch and Brice, and putting their operations in jeopardy.  

A Glimpse of Evil, the eighth mystery to feature Abby Cooper, is a bit of a transitional story as the gang relocates their lives and jobs to Austin. Abby takes a more structured job and relationships begin to take new forms.  Missing from this story are Abby’s usual clients and the readings she does for them, which provided good background stories, though the cold cases Abby is able to solve do help to fill that gap. 

Abby continues to prove to be a fearless heroine who will help whoever needs helping.  The mystery of the missing girls is a two-part puzzle that Abby and Candice are able to piece together easily, but with no real happy ending for anyone.  Now that everyone is settled into their new homes and jobs, life should be able to get back to normal for Abby and company, though they know it will never be boring and predictable.                                                                

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry