Book Review: First Touch

Title: First Touch

Author: Teyla Rachel Branton

Date: 2017

Publisher: White Star

ISBN: 978-1-939203-99-1 

Quote: "I'm not psychic. I only read imprints."

Autumn Rain, whose late father changed his name from Douglas to Winter when he married Summer, sees vivid moving pictures of the memories other people have left on things they've touched. In this novel, a police detective enlists her in the search for a serial murderer. 

This is not a pleasant story to read but, for somebody Out There, it may address post-traumatic stress. I hope so. I didn't enjoy it because it's far too well written for its subject material. If you are at a point in therapy where you want to think and talk about the details of how someone goes about torturing and killing children, this book is for you. It's intense. Your therapist should probably agree to talk to you at any time you feel a need during the week or so after reading.

There is, by now, a series. Autumn travels with the detective, pointing out the site where her psychic imprints tell her crimes occurred, and they bond by cornering criminals together. They have a slow-burn romance--slow because their involvement with horrific crimes distracts them from wanting to start new relationships. This series was published with the name "Teyla Branton" on the cover, and there's another series of more readable fiction published with the name "Rachel Branton."

I tagged this one "Women's Issues" because hatecrime against women and their children seems to be the most urgent "issue" of concern to women these days.