If I Run Trilogy By Terri Blackstock

Summary

Casey knows the truth. But it won’t set her free.

Casey Cox’s DNA is all over the crime scene. There’s no use talking to police; they’ve failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she’s arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn’t matter anymore.

But what is the truth? That’s the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren’t adding up.
Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan’s skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn’t guilty, why did she run?

Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices: the girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.

Positives

First off, THOSE COVERS. That's worth getting the whole series just to line them all up and see the big picture.

This book has one of the most realistic and detailed representations of PTSD I’ve ever read. (Disclaimer: I do not have PTSD or know someone who does, so I don’t have first-hand experience.) Dylan was presented as a strong character even though he happened to have this struggle, but the struggle was also portrayed in a real-to-life and sympathetic way. These are the kinds of representations I aspire to.

Casey was actually smart. Strong female characters with both compassion and smarts are sorely lacking. You either have to settle for one of the other. Casey wasn’t just blindly running into situations and doing stupid things. She was thinking through her options, making plans, and pulling it off–while also caring for other people and usually saving them. XD

I could. Not. Put. These Books. Down. It’s a good thing I had all three on my hands! What did people do when only the first one was out? Yikes! They never slow down. I seriously struggled to put them down when I needed to go do other things. Perfect pacing, without sacrificing either action or reaction times. The characters had time to fight and to think. And so many twists! When I thought I had it all figured out, another layer or twist was thrown into the works and I was like, “OH NO THIS JUST COMPLICATES EVERYTHING”.

Negatives

None.

Conclusion

If I Run isn’t one to miss. Just make sure you have the entire trilogy on hand. ;)