Riordan’s Revenge Summary, Characters and Themes

Riordan’s Revenge by Jolie Vines is a steamy romantic suspense set in the raw, moody Highlands of Scotland. The novel follows a fierce, impulsive woman named Cassie and the reluctant, brooding newcomer Riordan as they find themselves bound together by obsession, danger, and an escalating series of murders.

As part of the Skeleton Girls Detective Agency world, this story blends intimate emotional drama with a high-stakes mystery. It touches on themes of trauma, control, identity, and redemption.

With characters that are as emotionally layered as they are physically magnetic, the book offers both a thrilling investigation and a slow-burn romance that simmers into something much deeper.

Summary 

Cassie Sinclair is a complex woman—loyal, scarred, and fierce—who’s part of a secretive, tight-knit group working in the shadows of Deadwater’s underbelly. She begins the story by doing the unthinkable: kidnapping Riordan, a newly arrived recruit of the same crew.

Her reasons, though chaotic, come from a place of protectiveness. She’s convinced that he’s in danger—and more disturbingly, that someone is using his name to taunt her with deadly threats.

Riordan wakes up bound and furious in a secluded estate in the Highlands. He is unwilling to trust Cassie or her bizarre explanation.

But as more chilling evidence surfaces—including notes signed in his name and suspicious ties to recent killings—he begins to realize Cassie might not be wrong. Tension crackles between them, rooted in both suspicion and undeniable chemistry.

Riordan tries to maintain distance, but Cassie’s openness, her drive to protect others, and her vulnerability begin to unravel his defenses. Meanwhile, the serial killer case she’s working on tightens like a noose around them.

Cassie fears the danger is close—possibly even within their own network. She draws strength from her adopted parents, Sin and Lottie, and seeks support from the Skeleton Crew, who work behind the scenes to keep her safe.

Among them is Cassie’s brother, Struan, whose distrust of Riordan adds another layer of pressure. As the body count rises and the notes become more personal, Cassie suspects Bronson—second-in-command of a local gang—may be involved.

Clues point toward an internal conspiracy with roots in exploitation and human trafficking. She and Riordan question sex workers and old contacts, chasing whispers and half-truths.

In the midst of this, Cassie starts doubting her own motivations. Is her obsession with Riordan about love, trauma, or something darker?

She turns to therapy notes and brutal honesty, opening herself up to him even as fear keeps clawing at her. Riordan has his own demons—neglectful parents, a troubled past, and deep-seated trust issues.

Yet, Cassie’s presence begins to center him. Their connection evolves from friction to emotional intimacy, and finally, romantic closeness.

But their growing bond is tested again and again. Cassie tries to take initiative on the investigation, but her impulsiveness gets her into danger, and Riordan’s protective instincts clash with her need for independence.

Eventually, their emotional standoff gives way to something gentler. A first kiss that’s more about recognition than passion, and a decision to trust each other with the truth.

The murder mystery, meanwhile, takes a darker turn. Surveillance analysis, interviews, and pattern mapping start pointing toward something more complicated than a lone killer.

Cassie believes multiple players are involved—people with deep knowledge of the victims and their habits. A staged sting operation brings the danger to a boiling point.

The team, including Cassie’s allies like Tyler and Everly, works to draw out the killer using Riordan as bait. The plan works—too well.

The killer appears, delusional and obsessed with Cassie, believing her to be his kindred spirit. A violent confrontation follows, revealing Bronson was only partially involved.

The true danger is more unpredictable and deeply personal. The fallout leaves everyone shaken.

Cassie, nearly abducted during the sting, must reevaluate her place in the agency and her future with Riordan. The crew, while victorious, is scarred.

New truths about the trafficking ring emerge, pushing Cassie to take a leadership role in designing a new arm of their operation—one aimed at protecting the vulnerable.

She and Riordan choose to move forward not in escape, but in purpose. They build a future rooted in love and shared healing.

The killer’s arrest marks a turning point, but it’s their commitment to each other and their mission that defines the real triumph.

Characters 

Cassie

Cassie emerges as a complicated and deeply layered heroine whose emotional volatility, fierce independence, and underlying vulnerability drive much of the novel’s tension and heart. At the start, she’s introduced in an almost anti-heroine light—drugging and kidnapping Riordan to protect him from a perceived threat.

This impulsive and ethically murky act reveals not only her trauma-infused logic but also the degree to which fear and obsession have shaped her worldview. Raised in the shadow of her powerful and protective siblings, especially Struan and Sin, Cassie struggles to assert her agency.

Yet she’s not content to remain a passive figure in the backdrop of male protectors. Her creation of the Skeleton Girls Detective Agency and her dogged pursuit of a serial killer underscore her intelligence, bravery, and refusal to be sidelined.

Cassie’s romantic trajectory with Riordan is defined by emotional transparency—her willingness to admit doubt, need, and love—even when those admissions risk rejection or chaos. Throughout the story, she transforms from a reactive woman consumed by past wounds to a dynamic leader who orchestrates her own safety and confronts darkness head-on.

Her emotional growth is perhaps best illustrated in her decision to choose partnership over protection, love over obsession, and justice over vengeance. By the end, Cassie is not merely a survivor—she’s a builder of futures, forging safe spaces for other women while finally embracing love that’s rooted not in fantasy, but in hard-earned trust.

Riordan

Riordan’s journey is marked by restraint, buried trauma, and an unexpected awakening into emotional clarity and belonging. Introduced as a physically capable but emotionally guarded man, Riordan initially views Cassie’s kidnapping as an unforgivable violation.

However, his slow-burning transformation begins as he confronts not just the external mystery surrounding the serial killings but also the internal labyrinth of his own identity and desires. Haunted by feelings of abandonment—especially due to a strained relationship with his biological father, the mayor—Riordan enters the narrative with a rigid emotional shield.

Cassie’s chaotic honesty and vulnerable intensity challenge that shield, forcing him to grapple with his own patterns of withdrawal and numbness. As their emotional intimacy deepens, Riordan becomes a protector, not in the traditional alpha male sense, but through acts of gentle care, understanding, and eventually partnership.

His arc is one of quiet evolution—from a man used to solitude and displacement to someone who not only finds but chooses a place within Cassie’s messy, loving world. Riordan also proves instrumental in the murder investigation, offering practical insights and physical bravery, but his greatest triumph is emotional—learning to love openly and building a life rooted in healing, not avoidance.

His final transformation into a mentor, partner, and co-architect of Cassie’s expanded mission marks him as a man who has come full circle—from lost to found.

Struan

Struan functions as both Cassie’s older brother and a representation of traditional masculinity that initially clashes with Cassie’s desire for autonomy. Protective to a fault and suspicious of Riordan from the start, Struan’s skepticism is rooted not just in brotherly concern, but in a fear of losing control.

His presence injects tension into early scenes, especially as he interrogates Riordan’s combat skills and questions his motives. However, Struan is not static—he evolves as Cassie proves her competence and strength through action rather than declarations.

Struan’s eventual acceptance of Cassie’s choices, including her partnership with Riordan and her leadership in the investigation, marks a significant shift in their sibling dynamic. He grows into someone who can support without dominating, protect without smothering.

This evolution reflects a broader thematic arc in the book about trust, especially between family members scarred by loss and trauma. Struan’s blend of fierce love and reluctant flexibility makes him an essential part of Cassie’s journey, embodying the struggle many protective figures face when learning to let go.

Tyler

Tyler plays the role of an anchor within the investigative team—intelligent, composed, and tactically savvy. His work alongside Cassie and Riordan is marked by a calm pragmatism that contrasts with the emotional intensity of the central couple.

As part of the intercept team, Tyler contributes significantly to the sting operation and the unraveling of the killer’s network. While not a central emotional character, Tyler offers moral steadiness and operational reliability.

His presence allows Cassie to strategize effectively, and his insights help unravel patterns within the serial murders. Tyler is the kind of character who doesn’t draw focus but enhances every scene he’s in, offering grounded wisdom and tactical brilliance.

His unwavering support of Cassie’s mission—combined with a clear sense of justice—cements his role as a trustworthy ally in a story rife with betrayal and uncertainty.

Sin and Lottie

Sin and Lottie, Cassie’s adoptive parents, offer contrasting emotional energies. Sin is a brooding, fierce protector, often caught in a quiet tug-of-war between control and care.

His protectiveness mirrors Struan’s but is tempered by age and deeper emotional insight. Lottie, by contrast, brings a nurturing warmth that balances out the high-stakes environment.

She offers emotional counsel and maternal grounding for Cassie, never dismissing her daughter’s fears or passions. Together, Sin and Lottie represent an unconventional but deeply bonded parental unit.

Their willingness to listen—even when confused or frightened by Cassie’s decisions—provides a backdrop of unconditional love. Importantly, they do not eclipse Cassie’s agency but serve as emotional scaffolding during her most vulnerable moments.

In doing so, they become emblematic of chosen family—flawed, protective, and ultimately empowering.

Bronson

Bronson is a sinister presence in the narrative, a looming figure whose potential culpability keeps the characters—and readers—on edge. While not the primary killer, his involvement in the trafficking and manipulation of women positions him as a critical enabler of violence.

His connection to the murders is built slowly, through Cassie’s investigations and chilling clues, including drugging patterns and insider knowledge. Bronson represents the kind of systemic evil that operates under the radar—men who may not wield the knife but make the stabbing possible.

His final revelation as an accessory rather than the mastermind adds depth to the antagonist structure of the novel. It shows that evil often hides in plain sight, and justice requires uncovering not just individuals but networks of complicity.

Themes 

Trauma and Emotional Healing

Both Cassie and Riordan are scarred by past experiences—Cassie by the violent loss of her mother and the overprotection she endured from her makeshift family, and Riordan by years of emotional neglect and rejection from a toxic stepfather.

Their paths intersect at a moment when both are wrestling with their own pain in isolation. Rather than being immediately cured by love, their journey is filled with mistrust, defensive behavior, and frequent emotional misfires.

Cassie’s kidnapping of Riordan is not just a narrative hook; it is a desperate act born out of emotional volatility. It illustrates how trauma can drive someone to make reckless decisions under the guise of self-preservation or affection.

Riordan, in turn, doesn’t simply forgive or dismiss her actions. He questions them, resists, and slowly decides to stay not out of obligation, but because something in Cassie’s vulnerability mirrors his own.

Their healing is not linear. It requires moments of brutal honesty, physical closeness that isn’t sexual, and a mutual willingness to confront internal fears.

What ultimately anchors their healing is the decision to build something forward-facing. Cassie’s revamped mission to help other women and Riordan’s choice to support her show a desire not to dwell in the past but to repurpose their pain into something actionable.

The book illustrates that recovery is not about erasing scars but learning to live in spite of them. Eventually, it becomes about living because of them.

Obsession, Consent, and Power Dynamics

The novel explores complex layers of obsession and consent, beginning with a situation that challenges typical romantic expectations. Cassie kidnaps Riordan.

This initial act disrupts traditional gender and power dynamics, immediately posing ethical questions about control and autonomy. Cassie’s obsession with Riordan is portrayed not as a romantic quirk, but as something rooted in psychological instability, influenced by therapy notes and internal confusion.

The story does not excuse her behavior but contextualizes it within her trauma. This adds nuance to her lack of boundaries.

Consent becomes a major concern—Riordan is held against his will at first, and his reactions, ranging from outrage to reluctant acceptance, are portrayed with sensitivity. Over time, as their relationship transforms, so do their power dynamics.

Cassie moves from a place of emotional desperation to one of responsibility. She actively shifts her role from captor to protector.

Riordan’s initial helplessness turns into agency as he chooses to stay, not because he has no other options, but because he grows to believe in Cassie’s sincerity. He sees a version of himself in her struggles.

The eventual romantic relationship that unfolds is built on reestablishing boundaries, mutual emotional labor, and a rebalancing of control. The theme highlights that obsession can be toxic and that trust must be earned through accountability and consistent effort, not impulsive affection.

It also flips the script on gendered power dynamics. The book shows how both individuals can possess and relinquish control in the name of a deeper, more ethical connection.

Found Family and Belonging

One of the more emotionally resonant themes in Riordan’s Revenge is the idea of found family and the human need for belonging. Both Cassie and Riordan struggle with fractured or absent biological families, yet they each find something sustaining within a chaotic yet deeply loyal network.

Cassie’s adoptive family—Sin, Lottie, Struan—are layered figures who sometimes act more as obstacles than supporters. Yet their concern for her is unquestionable.

Their presence underscores Cassie’s ongoing fight for autonomy. She wants to be seen as a competent adult, not a fragile sister or daughter who needs to be constantly protected.

Riordan, meanwhile, starts as a loner with no close familial bonds, but slowly gets drawn into Cassie’s world. Through his interactions with her family and the extended Skeleton Crew, he begins to experience inclusion and connection.

The found family is not idealized. It’s loud, opinionated, and sometimes emotionally clumsy.

That’s what makes it believable and powerful. The theme becomes especially poignant in the final chapters and epilogue, where both characters actively choose to build a future grounded in this new family.

They transform the estate into a safe haven, not just for themselves but for others. They extend the warmth and belonging they’ve found to those who need it.

Belonging is not something either of them is born into. It is something they have to fight for, define, and nurture.

This evolution from isolation to community is one of the story’s most emotionally satisfying arcs.

Justice and Moral Ambiguity

Justice is another core theme, not only in the context of the murder investigation but also in how characters navigate right and wrong on a personal level. The search for the killer is riddled with moral complexity.

Cassie, Riordan, and their allies operate outside formal law enforcement structures. They rely instead on insider knowledge, manipulation, and at times, questionable tactics.

Cassie’s decision to withhold information, interfere with protocol, or even confront the killer herself raises ethical dilemmas. Riordan’s lethal intervention in the climax is framed as both necessary and harrowing.

It underscores the idea that justice is not always clean or satisfying. Furthermore, the killer is not a simple monster but a deeply disturbed person who rationalizes his acts through a warped lens of intimacy and moral correction.

This forces the protagonists to confront uncomfortable truths. Evil can be familiar, even seductive, and identifying the guilty does not always bring closure.

Beyond the primary antagonist, the exposure of a broader trafficking network adds another layer. Justice must be systemic, not just targeted.

Cassie’s decision to expand the agency’s mission to help victims is her way of addressing this complexity. She chooses prevention, empowerment, and long-term change over retribution.

In this sense, justice becomes less about punishment and more about systemic repair. The book doesn’t offer easy answers but shows the difficulty of navigating a world where legal and moral lines often blur.

Romantic Love as Partnership

While Riordan’s Revenge begins with heightened, unconventional romantic tension, its most profound commentary on love lies in the evolution from chaos to partnership. The relationship starts in a messy, ethically questionable place—fueled by obsession, lust, and mistrust.

Gradually, it unfolds into something far more mature and reciprocal. As the danger around them intensifies, both Cassie and Riordan begin to drop their performative masks.

The book doesn’t shy away from portraying how love can often stem from dysfunctional beginnings. But it also refuses to romanticize those origins.

What stands out is how their romantic arc is interwoven with personal growth. Cassie learns to see Riordan not as a fantasy or savior but as a flawed human who deserves real connection.

Riordan moves from a place of guarded detachment to one of emotional transparency. Their intimacy is built not just on desire but on showing up for each other during their lowest points.

They are present through nightmares, self-doubt, and moments of despair. In the final chapters and epilogue, love is no longer about declarations or sex, but about shared goals, aligned values, and creating a safer world together.

The transformation of their relationship from explosive attraction to steady alliance emphasizes that true romantic love isn’t just about chemistry. It’s about consistent choice, emotional labor, and mutual respect.

This shift from intensity to intentionality makes their love story resonate more deeply. It provides a satisfying emotional payoff.