Endgame by Sarah Barrie

Publisher's Synopsis

Lexi Winter is studying for her detective exams but her nemesis Vaughn is out there somewhere and her concentration is fractured. Just as she's wondering if her hypervigilance is tipping over into madness, Vaughn resurfaces and issues a challenge. Five people will be dead by the end of the month. If Lexi can identify and save the last one before the deadline, he'll turn himself in.

As Lexi's colleagues scramble to untangle what it all means, Lexi is implicated deeper and deeper into the murders. On top of this, she begins to see a strange figure everywhere she goes. Branded as suffering from PTSD, Lexi's credibility is in tatters with her colleagues, but Lexi knows it isn't her mind that is the problem. A wicked game is afoot, and Lexi is just a chess piece in play - and she suspects that check mate will mean her death. There is only one thing that Lexi can do - play along, wait for the chance to strike back, and bring about the endgame...

My Review of Endgame by Sarah Barrie

The 4th book to feature Lexi Winter, a one-time escort, exotic dancer, paedophile victim and total badass. She has completely embraced her role in the police force and has the added responsibility of being carer for Caitlin.

This is expected to be the last book of the series and, consequently, we get a tense thriller that ties up some of the loose ends left during the course of the previous 3 books. The main loose end is Damon Vaughn who is a sick serial killer and peddler of kiddie porn. 

He emerges from the shadows in which he’s been hiding since Lexi beat him in (book 1) to propose a “game” with Lexi. He explains to her that he plans to kill 5 people before the end of the month, culminating in killing Lexi herself. He has given her the chance to solve the crimes, work out the pattern and stop him from carrying out his plans. If she’s successful he promises to yield to her. Failure, obviously, means Lexi’s death.

Finn, Lexi’s colleague and subject of a “will they or won’t they” type of relationship, is now dating Olivia and Olivia is clearly displaying obvious signs of rampant jealousy. I’ve got to say at this point, for a high-performing psychologist, Olivia’s a bit of a headcase. Needless to say, the atmosphere in the office and out in the field is somewhat tense. In fact, Lexi specialises in putting her colleagues on notice with her intensity and straight ahead approach to policing. It’s what makes her a pleasure to follow.

The ghost of a teenage rape victim who committed suicide many years before appears to be haunting the local population. Her appearance occurs just before one of the five proposed victims. This game that Lexi has agreed to play quickly becomes a very weird and very tense affair.

The murder count builds up, Vaughn’s taunting continues at a very annoying rate, and we’re clearly heading towards a monumental showdown between the two main antagonists.

Although this is ostensibly a police procedural type of thriller, there’s not a lot of actual police detective work done. Certainly, we don’t follow the nuts and bolts of an investigation to hunt down Vaughn. Not in any meaningful way, anyway.

In fact, the entire “game” contrivance is actually controlled by Vaughn himself and yet, he largely remains an enigma from start to finish. Rather than reaching the endgame through good, clever or insightful detective work, Lexi remains true to type and goes rogue, stepping outside of the rules to force the matter.

Endgame is the end of a strong police procedural series that manages to draw the reader in with a frank and clear descriptive narrative, well described characters and a devious criminal. There were times when the plot became slightly convoluted but this in no way detracted from the story which flies along at a brisk pace.

I’ve been there for all four of the Lexi Winter books and have enjoyed the development of all of the main characters. Personally, I think you’d be best to have read the preceding books to get the most out of Endgame or, at the very least, Unforgiven (book 1). This will provide a much clearer picture of the history between Lexi and Vaughn.