I was delighted when Himself got hold of this sequel to the first book, Telepath, which I really enjoyed as I was looking forward to catching up with Amber and her adventures.
Becoming a telepath was hard. Being a telepath is harder. Eighteen-year-old Amber is the youngest of 
the five telepaths who protect the hundred million citizens of one of the great hive cities of twenty-sixth century Earth. Her job is hunting down criminals before they commit their crimes, but this time her team arrive too late. Someone is already dead. Someone that Amber knows. Amber is determined to catch the murderer, but she doesn’t realize who she’s up against, or the true danger of opening her mind to the thoughts of others.
The first book is a coming-of-age science fiction story featuring Amber when her telepathic abilities first manifest, so I was keen to see how Edwards would develop the story. I was also interested to discover if I liked Amber as much in this novel as I had in Telepath. Well, there were no worries there as Edwards is very good at writing engaging and positive young protagonists. The pacing is excellent and while I have read the first book, I don’t think anyone who hadn’t would have any difficulty in quickly getting involved in the story. So what about the crime aspect? As this is essentially a science-fiction whodunnit, the plot has to reflect that, with a suitably shocking crime and a tricky villain who is able to pose a real problem for someone who can read his mind.
I was impressed that Edwards managed to provide all these requirements with a fast paced, tight-knit storyline that once it took off, made it difficult for me to put the Kindle down. I also very much enjoyed how Amber is jeopardised by the very process of reading minds. This nicely upped the stakes both for herself and her team, which really mattered because I have grown to like the group of people who support and protect her. As she tries to grapple with this situation without sinking into permanent mental confusion, we also gain some intriguing insights into the rest of the world. I really appreciated being able to meet another telepath and it was reassuring to discover there is a high price to possessing such a talent, which gives the story a harder edge, which I appreciated.
The final denouement was suitably thrilling and once I reached it, there was no way I could stop reading before discovering how it all went down – I was already aware that Edwards is quite capable of killing one of her supporting characters, so I was fully invested in the story and genuinely concerned on behalf of the team. If you enjoy your crime with a futuristic twist, I highly recommend this series and while you can read this book as a stand-alone, I do think it would be a shame to miss out on Telepath goodness.
9/10
Brainfluff 
Is this the same Janet Edwards that wrote the Earth Girl series? This sounds pretty good! I love the idea of telepathy as main characters.
Yes, it is. She is writing a number of series, all science fiction and all very well done.
This seems to be a series that is developing extremely well. Glad you’re enjoying it so much.
Lynn 😀
Oh yes – she’s a really talented author:)
The cover alone drew me in.
This is a series I’ve really enjoyed and I think you would like it too. It’s fun, full of adventure and well paced.
I remember you recommending me the Earth Girl series (still haven’t gotten around to it and it’s been YEARS…), and I think I’ll start with it. The book doesn’t sound bad, but a coming-of-age story might discourage me from reaching for other books by this author.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy your review – especially that it reminded me of yet another book I was meaning to read.
Yes – this is great fun – but my favourite book by this author is Scavenger Alliance, which I absolutely loved. And while it is coming of age, it isn’t so plainly YA.