Day: January 22, 2018

A Steep Price – Robert Dugoni

Detective Tracy Crosswhite and crew are back in this fabulous new novel by Robert Dugoni

Asked by a colleague to assist in the investigation of a missing young college student, Tracy Crosswhite is only too happy to help. As she begins her investigation, Tracy quickly gets a sense that this is not just a co-ed on sabbatical – but a very driven student who has seemingly disappeared, and enlists partner Kins’s help. Meanwhile, Tracy is hiding a secret of her own – she’s pregnant. While returning to the station, Tracy unexpectedly meets Andrea Gonzalez, a new detective hired by Captain Nolasco to act as the ‘fifth wheel’, and Tracy fears is meant to replace her.

At the same time, Detectives Vic Fazzio & Del Castligiano catch a homicide involving the shooting of a young advocate, Monique Rodgers, in the South Park area of Seattle. While on the scene, a young drug dealer, ‘Little Jimmy’ does a drive by and mimes shooting a gun at Faz – Faz was the detective responsible for the incarceration of his father years ago. Coincidence? Or related? Faz has also just received devastating news from the home front – his wife Vera has just been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.

As these investigations continue, newly hired Andrea shoots an unarmed suspect, and Faz finds himself sidelined as stories don’t mesh, and he finds himself implicated in the shooting. Determined to continue investigating on his own, Faz finds more than he bargains for and disappears. Will his team get to him in time?

Nothing is at it seems, lives are on the line, and secrets are revealed, as both of these cases roll to stunning conclusions!

Another fabulous read by Robert Dugoni! I first discovered him, and the Tracy Crosswhite series last spring on a discounted book site. Liking what I read, I immediately bought the remaining books in the series, and was fortunate enough to receive this as an advanced reader copy. If you love mysteries and police procedural type books, the Tracy Crosswhite series is a must!!

Night Moves – Jonathan Kellerman

Milo Sturgis & Alex Delaware are back again, as they team up together to solve another perplexing case.

A family goes to dinner one night, only to return to find a corpse in their father’s study – and not just any corpse – there’s no blood, no clues as to his sudden appearance, and the victim is missing his face and his hands, making identification difficult. Milo Sturgis lands the case, and quickly asks Alex Delaware to assist. The family in question appears to cooperate, but reeks of dysfunction – the brash overbearing father, the meek timid mother, the quiet, reserved daughter, and the son who acts out loudly and inappropriately. But collectively, no one knows the identity of the body in their home, or has any idea who might have left it there…or why.

As missing persons reports eventually lead to the identification of the body, yet more questions arise, and the focus shifts to the reclusive neighbor, remembered for his unscrupulous cartoon drawings, yet rebuffs any interaction from his neighbors, or police. As Milo & Alex navigate each new lead, new motives, and long buried secrets are revealed, and the case reaches a stunning, yet unexpected conclusion! This is Kellerman in top form!