Two Good Men

Known for her poignant stories (No Ordinary Life, In an Instant, Where Butterflies Wander ..), author Suzanne Redfearn is branching out into intense thriller territory in her latest book and does so with great success.

Two Good Men is a dark, fast-paced read about two men who are on a quest for justice, each coming from different sides of the law - one an FBI agent and the other a vigilante. 

FBI agent Steve Patterson's job is to investigate crimes committed against sex offenders after they've done their time, a niche job developed for him that isn't well received by the public or child victims' families. 

Dick Raynes is a chemist at a pharmaceutical company whose life is mess. When his sister Dee calls him frantic that their neighbour Otis, a convicted pedophile, who has taunted Dee and her 11-year-old son in the past, has been released, her brother comes to their aid. Dick uses his skills as a chemist to determine the risk of recidivism in recently released sex offenders and then acts on his findings. Steve and Dick's lives suddenly intertwine and are connected by their commitment to protect those who are vulnerable.

This is a thought-provoking story that tackles different viewpoints of criminal justice and while the story deals with child sexual abuse, Redfearn handles the seriousness of the crimes without being gratuitous. Told with short chapters, this cat-and-mouse story has many layers and is filled with moral implications and will provide readers with fodder for book discussion. 

Redfearn pulled this book from the vault as it was the second book she had ever written, and I hope she continues to write within a variety of genres.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the author for the complimentary copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 4 stars

Author: S.E Redfearn

Genre: Suspense

Type and Source: Trade Paperback from author

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

First Published: October 8, 2024

Read: Sept 7 - 10, 2024

Book Description from GoodReads: From the internationally bestselling author of In an Instant and Hadley & Grace comes Two Good Men, a searing drama about two men on a quest for justice—from opposite sides of the law.

Dick Raynes feared this day would come. Otis Parsons, a violent pedophile, has been released from prison, and Dick’s sister Dee is the one who helped put him behind bars. Dick’s marriage is over, and his career is in shambles, so with nothing to lose, he sets out to do whatever it takes to keep Dee and her son Jesse safe. But Otis is just the beginning. Dick quickly discovers the dark truth about repeat sex offenders and finds himself unable to turn away. Using his knowledge as a scientist to develop a formula able to predict those most likely strike again, he sets out to protect future victims the law is powerless to defend.

FBI agent Steve Patterson investigates crimes against sex offenders, running a department he created after his son was killed by a vigilante mother who targeted the wrong person. Recognizing a disturbing pattern of untimely deaths in recently released felons, he sets out to figure out who’s behind it. What he doesn’t expect to find is another chance at love—with the sister of the man he is chasing.

Dick’s strong sense of right and wrong is tested as he pursues and neutralizes the most dangerous threats, while Steve makes it his mission to stop this vigilante serial killer before he is labeled a hero. Both men’s pursuits may be noble, but only one can prevail.