Becky Masterman’s series featuring Brigid Quinn has always been consistently engaging and deeply layered. The aging former FBI agent now devotes herself primarily to assisting women who are abused or in trouble. Unfortunately, there is never a shortage of cases for her to take on.

IF A FACE COULD KILL focuses on a moment from Brigid’s past that she is not proud of involving Nicole Gleason, who came to her for assistance with an abusive husband. When Nicole is later convicted of manslaughter for defending herself from him using the tactics that Brigid had taught her, she cannot live with Nicole’s imprisonment. Now, following her incarceration and release, Nicole is living in a group home for felons in Brigid’s neighborhood, much to the dismay of many of her neighbors.

"Another solid entry in this series, IF A FACE COULD KILL is so much more than just a domestic thriller, and the mystery at the heart of it will keep readers guessing all the way to the end."

The most vocal of these critics is Dorita Gordino, whom Brigid lovingly refers to as “Dorito.” When an attempted burglary takes place at the group home, with Nicole at the center of it, Dorita is forcefully moving towards an active protest to have the house disbanded. Nicole is the home’s darling, and no one there suspects that she had anything to do with the crime. However, everything changes when Dorita’s severely burned body is found outside her house. It has been disfigured and posed in a horrific manner.

Brigid immediately inserts herself into the investigation that is being led by Sheriff Max Coyote as she is determined not to let Nicole down again. As Brigid does her own work, all of her previous FBI instincts are at play. I enjoyed the shout-out that Masterman gives to the late Ken Bruen when she indicates that Brigid was settling into Bruen’s latest Jack Taylor book.

Our protagonist is indeed a force to be reckoned with, and nothing will keep her from clearing Nicole of any suspicion. The novel continues to replay Nicole’s trial from years earlier, detailing how she might have been unjustly found guilty.

Assisted by Brigid’s niece, Gemma-Kate, who is interested in a career in the forensic sciences, everything about Dorita’s murder is placed under the microscope as it becomes obvious that someone not only planned to kill her but expected the residents of the community home to be easy targets for the police.

As much as Brigid Quinn is a complex character, Masterman presents Nicole Gleason in a similar manner, and we really feel like we know her. I particularly liked that Nicole took an interest in the history of The Elephant Man, comparing his appearance on the outside to the monster she has been called in --- and out of --- the courtroom.

Another solid entry in this series, IF A FACE COULD KILL is so much more than just a domestic thriller, and the mystery at the heart of it will keep readers guessing all the way to the end.