Raquel Byrnes
Thriller Author
Ava Cortes
Crime Thrillers
Special Agent Ava Cortes knows about monsters. She hunts like one. Methodical, ruthless, and unrelenting.
The past made her a survivor. This case will make her a target. After surviving a violent childhood tragedy and building a career hunting the monsters who shaped her past, one reckless night nearly ended everything. Now, two years later, Agent Ava Cortes is buried in the CBI’s white‑collar division—until her former boss pulls her back into the world that almost destroyed her. Special Agent August Blake has four victims and no leads. Desperate to stop the next murder, he turns to the one person he trusts to see what others miss. Brilliant, relentless, and infuriatingly intuitive, Ava can crack the case. But will she be fast enough? The investigation turns into a deadly race for survival when an early snowstorm traps everyone in the small town of Black Oak. Including the killer. But they're not the only hunter on the mountain.
The symbols point to a killer. The truth points to something far worse. Back on the CBI’s Priority Investigations Team, Ava is settling into her new position when she gets a call from an old colleague with the Oceanside Police Department. A former confidential informant of hers was found murdered, his body stuffed into a blue oil drum. In Ava's home turf. When she arrives at the scene, the strange symbols etched onto the body seem to connect to two other victims found months prior. As the tendrils of the case pull Ava further into the fray, she discovers a tangled web of psychological warfare, gruesome rituals, and murderous beliefs that put the beach city’s most vulnerable at risk. With tourists flooding in for the Fourth of July holiday, the press creating panic, and the killer two steps ahead, Ava must fight the ghosts of her past to save the next victim. But what if there’s more than one killer at work?
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He stalks them. He takes them. Now he’s setting his sights on Ava. Ava’s first case as acting leader of the CBI’s Priority Investigations Team takes her to the dark heart of Los Angeles. A series of bizarre deaths hit the team's radar after a fourth victim is dragged behind a horse in the middle of a crowded park. A horrifying spectacle that is only the beginning. Ava and her team race to find the connection while the killer taunts the public with promises that he’s just getting started. With the killer barreling toward a spectacular finale, her team in shambles, and another victim hanging in the balance, Ava must decipher the clues that set the murders in motion before their final act. This killer doesn't want Ava on his trail. He wants her in the front row.
DIVE INTO AN EXCITING NEW CRIME THRILLER SERIES...
After surviving the violent loss of her family, Ava Cortes forged a path that ultimately led her to the California Bureau of Investigation as an agent for the elite Priority Investigations Team.
Using her Constellation of Crime theory, Ava is convinced she can track down the killer who took her family, one case at a time— hopefully before losing herself in the process.
This series combines elements of police procedural and thriller genres, showcasing the relentless and unpredictable Agent Ava Cortes as she locks horns with the most vicious criminals, often using psychological warfare, trickery, and tiptoeing around the rules to take down her prey. Justice, revenge, and the murky chasm in between come into play as Ava plunges into the dark to chase the very kind of criminals who destroyed her world.
If you enjoy fast-paced crime thrillers with riveting characters, intricate plots, and exciting action, the Ava Cortes CBI Thriller series deserves a spot at the top of your TBR.
Meet Raquel
Raquel is the author of edge-of-your-seat crime thrillers. She loves tech and space and often posts about stargazing. Her blog, Electric Dreams, explores the wonders and dangers of emerging technology for the average citizen.
