Truth Catcher: A Novel of Suspense

I discovered the talented Ms. Salter just a few weeks ago ("Prison Blues")and wanted to read every book she's written after that first one. This new book is not a part of the former series. The mysterious loner who lives on an island on the Outer Banks, Breeze, is a force to be reconned with and after she discovers her best childhood friend is being maliciously abused by her devilishly handsome and manipulative husband, she sets out to help her and her daughter and thus begins the meat of the plot. Breeze has a special gift and can see auras around people and the colors help her judge the characters she comes in contact with as an independent forensic psychologist. There's a subplot involving two violent murderers that just makes the story even more riveting. This book was a delicious thriller and I highly recommend it along with all of her earlier books.

I've read all of Anna Salter's previous fiction, as well as some of her non-fiction. Truth Catcher is the best work of fiction she's written thus far. I highly recommend it!

Is what I'd have to say about this novel. I've read other Anna Salter books and liked them all, including this one. Truth Catcher introduces us to forensic psychologist Breeze Copens who steps into a bit of trouble while interviewing prisoner Daryl Collins. During the interview she knows he's lying, she can "see" it in his voice. He's not born again into the Lord, no big surprise there. What is a surprise is the four-year-old girl in a blue dress with yellow daisies that appears at the corner of her eye. The response Breeze gets when she mentions the child to Daryl starts off a chain of events that she's not prepared for. Added to that is Lily, the teenage daughter of an old friend. After trying to help her friend out of a bad situation she ends up having Lily to look out for, at the worst possible time. Lily is complicated in her own right, not to mention having Daryl and his murderous drug dealing brother Trash gunning for her. Having read Salter's other books, also with a main character that's a forensic psychologist, I thought I knew what to expect. But Breeze is a very different character from Michael Stone, softer some how. Breeze is a synesthete. She doesn't just hear sounds she sees colors and designs that add layers to her perceptions. She sees when people are lying by the changes in those colors and designs when they are talking. She gave up working with victims because their pain affected her so deeply. Since she feels little sympathy for offenders that's the arena she chose to work in. But somehow with all her training, and all the things she's seen, she still manages to be surprised by the threat these type of people pose, to her personally. She's not as damaged or as cynical as Stone but she's still a smart strong character. This book opened up a door into new and different world then Michael Stone lives in. With interesting new people, I really liked Betsy for one, but it isn't fully realized. I'd like to see more of these people and hope she continues this series. Because even with the different storylines, this book felt unfinished. I'd like to see these people fleshed out more in another book.