Tuesday, January 21, 2025

SERIES REVIEW - Daniela Vega




Title:  A Killer’s Game
Author Isabella Maldonado
Series:  Daniela Vega #1
Publisher:  Thomas & Mercer
Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers
Format: Audiobook (KU)
No. of Pages:  365
Date of Publication:  June 1, 2023
My Rating:  5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:

An FBI agent with a background in cryptography. A brilliant game maker bent on revenge. A deadly battle of wits and wills. An ingenious thriller from the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Cipher.

FBI agent and former military codebreaker Daniela “Dani” Vega witnesses a murder on a Manhattan sidewalk. The victim is chief of staff for a powerful New York senator. The assassin turned informant is Gustavo Toro. His code: hit the target and don’t ask questions. When Dani suspects a complex conspiracy, the only way to take down the mastermind is from the inside, forcing her to partner with Toro. Together they must infiltrate the inner circle at a remote facility.

Except it’s a trap. For all of them.

Locked in a subterranean labyrinth and held captive by an unseen host, Dani, Toro, and others must fight for their lives. Now Dani must stay undercover, unravel a bizarre conspiracy, and survive lethal puzzles. But will Toro be friend or foe? Because in this killer’s game, everything is real: the paranoia, the desperation, and the body count. And only one person can make it out alive.

MY THOUGHTS:

Daniela Vega, an avid reader, effortlessly mastered languages, anagrams, codes, and logic puzzles. Her exceptional verbal skills earned her a perfect score on her verbal SATs and beyond. With numerous military branches vying for her, she had the freedom to choose. However, this involved even more rigorous training. Dani’s remarkable performance in a grueling course propelled her forward, and she continued to excel. Now, as a Special Agent with the FBI, her expertise is frequently sought after.

Dani’s upcoming collaboration with Gustavo Toro, an efficient assassin who has since become an FBI informant, promises to be perilous for all involved, particularly Dani. They will embark on a deep undercover mission, infiltrating a remote facility that locks them in. Moreover, the facility is a labyrinth, amplifying the challenges they face. Dani’s unparalleled skills are tested as she navigates through this intricate environment.

Their adversary is a formidable adversary, but Dani’s brilliance matches their cunning. Puzzles and danger await them, and Dani’s readiness for battle remains uncertain. However, her intelligence is matched only by her strength and resilience.

This captivating introduction to Isabella Maldonado has left me eager to delve into the subsequent books in the series. I have already added her entire backlist to my TBR list.

While Dani embodies the essence of an FBI agent, she is also a daughter and a sister. Her unfailing love for her family is a secondary theme throughout the series, adding depth and emotional resonance to her character.

I highly recommend starting this series with this exceptional first book. As a bonus tip, they are available on Kindle Unlimited, a subscription service that has never been more valuable to me. 

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Title: A Forgotten Kill
Author Isabella Maldonado
Series:  Daniela Vega #2
Publisher:  Thomas & Mercer
Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers
Format:  Audiobook 
No. of Pages:  361
Date of Publication:  March 26, 2024
My Rating:   5 stars
DESCRIPTION:

An FBI agent tracks a brilliant serial killer in New York—right back to her own cold-blooded past in a riveting thriller by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Cipher.

FBI Special Agent Daniela “Dani” Vega was seventeen when her mother murdered her father. Ten years after Dani’s own damning eyewitness testimony sealed her mother’s fate, she’s starting to have doubts. What if she got it all wrong?

A veteran NYPD homicide detective agrees to reopen the closed case on one condition—Dani must help him find a serial killer who’s been operating throughout New York City for the past decade. If anyone can decipher his patterns, and his riddles, it’s a trained codebreaker like Dani. The killer knows this too. And his next riddle—and victim—is meant just for her.

For Dani, stopping a killer—and learning what really happened to her father—becomes more personal and more dangerous with each new twist. As secrets of the past are unearthed, the truth could forever change Dani’s life…and the lives of everyone she loves.

MY THOUGHTS:

FBI Special Agent Daniela Vega, haunted by memories of her father’s murder, grapples with her mother’s confinement to a mental institution after ten years. Her siblings and she moved in with their aunt, but suspicion lingers that her mother may have been responsible for their father’s death. In a rare moment of lucidity, despite her fragile mental state, she assures Dani of her innocence.

Meanwhile, a brutal serial killer is on the loose, and his actions seem to be connected to Dani’s tragic past.

As if that weren’t enough, a stalker is targeting women, and Dani, a brilliant cryptanalyst, is drawn into the case. Her exceptional intelligence and ability to recognize patterns make her the perfect candidate, even though the case hits close to home.

Beyond her intelligence, Dani is empathetic, authentic, and dedicated to seeking justice for those who have suffered horrendously due to others’ actions.

This second book in the series is a fabulous continuation of the addictive narrative. With her background as an FBI agent, the author writes these stories with exceptional efficiency and authenticity. 

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Title:  A Killer’s Code
Author Isabella Maldonado
Series:  Daniela Vega #3
Publisher:  Thomas & Mercer
Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:  344
Date of Publication:  January 21, 2025
My Rating:   5 stars
DESCRIPTION:

A dead man’s riddles—and secrets—thrust an FBI codebreaker into a deadly cross-country race for justice in a propulsive thriller by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Cipher.

During a recent undercover sting gone bad, hit man Gustavo Toro died in the arms of FBI Special Agent Daniela “Dani” Vega. But Toro had secrets he refused to take to the grave.

In the event of his death, Toro left behind a video that promises to expose a mysterious mastermind who has been operating with impunity for decades. But there’s a catch. Dani’s team must follow Toro’s cryptic clues on a cross-country hunt for justice, and piecing together his past is more twisted than Dani could have imagined.

But as Dani and her team race to gather the evidence, it’s clear this powerful adversary will stop at nothing to keep their secrets—including eliminating those who threaten to reveal them.

MY THOUGHTS:

If you’re watching this, I’m dead. 

Daniela Vega, an incredibly busy FBI agent, intends to take time off to help her mother, who is slowly recovering from mental illness. This gives Dani and her siblings hope. While their mother has begun healing, it is believed that she has acquired something rare—synesthesia. This, along with other factors, gives Dani hope. However, a phone call from the her boss changes Dani’s plans. 

What makes Dani pull out all of the stops when she is called back into her demanding job? The FBI’s former informant, a well crafted assassin named Gustavo Toro has been murdered. Toro left behind a video with cryptic clues that only Dani can decipher. 

Dead men tell no lies, and the video, filled with intricate puzzles, pits Dani and her boss, Special Agent in Charge Steve Wu, against a race against time as they strive to apprehend a ruthless killer.

Multiple perspectives and flashbacks propel this fast-paced novel forward, creating a suspenseful narrative where former FBI Agent Isabella Maldonado’s expertise undoubtedly intensifies the compelling story. I particularly admire Dani’s human side, especially her unwavering devotion to her family. Even amidst the action and danger, Dani consistently prioritizes her family’s well-being, striking a perfect balance between her human nature and her business acumen. This unique blend of qualities truly balances the incredible heroine in this series. 

Maldonado’s narrative is a near-perfect gem that readers should not miss. 

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Isabella Maldonado wore a gun and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in the Fairfax County Police Department just outside DC, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During more than two decades on the force, her assignments included hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and precinct commander. She uses her law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing, which includes the bestselling FBI Special Agent Nina Guerrera series (soon to be a Netflix feature film starring Jennifer Lopez), the award-winning Detective Veranda Cruz series, and the FBI Agent Daniela Vega series. Her books are published in 24 languages.

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