Tropical Delusions……

Detective Inspector Gina Harte returns once more in her 4th novel. (And here’s a fervent prayer for many more!).

Still trying to get over her brief affair w/ DCI Briggs, Gina has taken to Tinder to meet some men. She’s trying to coax her latest date, Rex, out of her bed and home, when she receives a call – a young woman has been found murdered, sometime after leaving a party at a neighbor’s home, with signs of violence to her head. As the investigative team starts their work, they learn that the party involved couples swapping their partners for sex, and that Jade’s encounter was observed by an older neighbor, who seems to have a penchant for observing his younger female neighbors. They also learn that Jade’s encounter was a bit rough, and upon trying to locate her partner that evening, they learn he has disappeared. Gina also learns that one of the party-goers is none other than her ex brother-in-law, which complicates her ability to lead the investigation.

Nearby, an older woman, Diane, finds a birthday card that’s been slid beneath her doorway. Presuming it’s for someone else, she opens it and finds its for her friend Samantha – who disappeared with no warning over 7 years ago. Enclosed in the envelope, she also finds a fingernail, painted with the shade of polish that Sam always wore. Frightened, she calls the police. Gina responds to that call and takes the items for forensic evaluation. When forensics links the two separate cases together, the investigation shifts into high gear.

Meanwhile, Rex, Gina’s Tinder date, doesn’t seem to want to take no for an answer…. And then another woman disappears…

This was a great read!! Love to see these characters grow, and the appearance of the brother-in-law rocks Gina’s world and allows us to see her vulnerability. Full of all the action and suspense you’ve come to expect from Gina Harte, this book will keep you up all night, and leave you wanting for more!! Definitely worth the read and the lost sleep!! Highly recommend!!

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

Kira Vance is a private investigator, who works for fellow investigator Ollie Kovac. Having secured some info on a high-profile case that may help the defense, she’s enroute to Atty Brock Logan’s home, where a pre-trial meeting is ongoing, to drop off the file…information that may help clear Logan’s client, a respected physician accused of killing his wife. As she arrives and settles into the informal meeting, the doorbell rings – Ollie, expecting a food delivery – goes to answer, only to be shot point blank in the chest. In the ensuing mayhem, Kira dodges a bullet by diving behind furniture, and the killer is gone before anyone can react.

With Ollie dead, and Brock wounded, Kira is determined to find the person who killed her mentor. Assumed to be an attack related to the ongoing case, Logan’s firm hires bodyguards from Wolfe Security, and Logan hires Kira to replace Ollie. Kira’s bodyguard is Jeremy, a former military special forces soldier, who takes his job seriously. Too seriously, to Kira’s thinking…

As Kira investigates Ollie’s death, a visit to his office reveals little as they discover someone has been there before them. The office has been ransacked and little is salvageable. Kira does find a notebook with surveillance notes, but written in Ollie’s shorthand, they make little sense. As she and Jeremy attempt to identify the subject of Ollies interest, and his killer, neither can deny the growing attraction between them…

A solid storyline and two strong-willed leading characters, along with drama, suspense, sexual tension and hearty supporting characters make this book impossible to put down! Laura Griffin is an author whose work I will pick up immediately, without needing to read the back cover, as I know I’m always in for a great read!!!

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

Years ago, Maine State Warden Mike Bowditch was forced to provide testimony that landed his best friend, Billy Cronk, in prison. Now he receives a message from Billy’s wife, stating that Billy desperately needs to see him. Billy is asking him to investigate the background of a new prison guard, telling Mike that it’s a matter of life and death. Mike is reluctant to do so, and Billy ends the conversation telling his friend not to come back. Feeling a bit guilty, Mike does a cursory search on the prison guard, finding little information on her and heads back to the prison, only to learn that Billy is now in the hospital after being stabbed by another inmate. Upon arrival, he learns that Billy saved the life of the guard he had asked Mike to research and is in surgery. As Mike begins to learn of the events leading up to the stabbing, he feels that something is off with the situation.

Meanwhile, he receives an early AM call from an old Warden friend, Gary Pulsifer, who calls to tell Mike that Shadow, a wolf-dog hybrid that he’d had as a pup, has been mortally injured. Shadow had escaped confinement as a pup and has been running free in the woods of Maine for years. The vet fully anticipates Shadow’s death is imminent and gives Mike the crossbow that she removed from his body, Mike wants answers, and is hopeful that he can track the female wolf Shadow’s been seen with, to ensure her safety.

As Mike attempts to locate Shadow’s shooter, he meets resistance at every turn. He also manages to get on the bad side of the town terror, Gorman Peaslee, who wants nothing but revenge. Then Billy, who is awaiting a pardon from the governor, suddenly escapes prison, and Mike knows that there’s only one reason why – because his family is in danger…. As Mike rushes to protect the Cronk family, he puts himself right in the crosshairs of a dangerous gang that will stop at nothing to silence Billy – and Mike…

This is my second book in the Bowditch series, and I am hooked! I love Mike’s character and having spent some time in Central Maine, I love re-visiting that time in my life with all the familiar landmarks! Mike is a bit of a backwoods Lucas Davenport, mixed with a little Jack Reacher! Great read! You will NOT be disappointed!!

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

Rory Moore is a forensic reconstructionist. In addition to restoring old china dolls to their original perfection, she also has a unique ability to see crimes, patterns and offenders in ways that others cannot, which makes her a valuable asset to Detective Ron Davidson, who frequently utilizes her abilities. After a six-month hiatus, he’s tossed another case her way, in the form of a broken Kessler doll – who’s young owner was murdered. Shortly thereafter, she receives a call from her father’s assistant, informing her of his death that morning, at home.

As Rory struggles to come to terms with her attorney father’s death, she has to reassign all of his casework to other area attorneys. While doing so, she finds records of a client that her father has done over 30 years of work for – and his parole board meeting is coming up quickly – leaving Rory no time to reassign the case. A lawyer herself, she must assume her father’s role in the proceedings. In researching his case, Rory learns of a young woman, Angela Mitchell, who 40 years ago, diligently worked to gather evidence against a suspect known only as The Thief, submitting it to law enforcement, before she too, became a victim. Rory feels a strange kinship with the woman, who is the only victim that The Thief (and her present client) was convicted of killing. But no trace of her body was ever found.

As Rory works to secure her client’s release, she begins to explore the mystery of Angela Mitchell, The Thief, and the missing victims he’s believed to have killed, and in doing so, unwittingly opens the door to a past that was best left buried…

Told in excerpts from Angela’s life in 1979, the killers life and Rory’s investigation in the present, the storylines converge with wild twists and turns as Rory attempts to put the pieces together, and all lines converge in a surprising (or not so surprising, but no less thrilling) climax that will keep you turning pages well into the night! I very much enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery. Hoping that we’ll be seeing more of Rory Moore in the near future as well!! Great read!!

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.