Category: 4 Star

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Kimberly reviews The Finders by Jeffery B Burton

TITLE: The Finders
SERIES #: Mace Reid K9 Mystery #1
CHARACTERS: Mace Reid
AUTHOR: Jeffery B Burton
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/30/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
What happens when the hunter becomes the hunted?

Jeffrey B. Burton’s The Finders marks the beginning of a fast-paced new mystery series featuring a heroic golden retriever cadaver dog named Vira and her handler, Mason Reid.

Mason “Mace” Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection. He trains dogs to hunt for the dead. Reid’s coming off a taxing year—mourning the death of a beloved springer spaniel as well as the dissolution of his marriage. He adopts a rescue dog with a mysterious past—a golden retriever named Vira. And when Reid begins training Vira as a cadaver dog, he comes to realize just how special the newest addition to his family truly is…

Suddenly, Reid and his prize pupil find themselves hurled into a taxing murder case, which will push them to their very limits. Paired with determined Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm, Mace must put all his trust in Vira’s abilities to thwart a serial killer who has now set his sights on Mace himself.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts I am so in love with this story. Not for Mace (or Kimmy) but for all the dogs. I have never read this author before but when I saw the cover and read the synopsis I had to read this story. And it helped it was the first in a new series.

In short Mace trains dogs and it is amazing how Burton writes different personalities for each dog just like each dog in your family has their own personality. But these are working dogs. And they know their business. And when Mace, as the trainer, and Kimmy as the detective use Vira (the dog) to track a serial killer the story amps up.

I really enjoyed this new series and look forward to the next in series which I think will be even better because there is always a lot of time spent meeting the characters in the first of a series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Daddy’s Girls by Danielle Steel

TITLE: Daddy’s Girls
CHARACTERS: Caroline, Gemma & Kate
AUTHOR: Danielle Steel
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/09/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
IN DANIELLE STEEL’S RIVETING NOVEL, THREE WOMEN RAISED BY THEIR FATHER ON A SPRAWLING CALIFORNIA RANCH NOW CONFRONT DIFFICULT TRUTHS ABOUT THEIR PAST.

Decades ago, after the death of his wife, Texas ranch hand JT Tucker took his three small daughters to California to start a new life. With almost no money, a will of iron, and hard work, he eventually built the biggest ranch in California. but when he dies suddenly at the age of 64, the ranch is inherited by his three daughters – each of them finding it impossible to believe this larger-than-life figure is gone from their lives.

JT’s relationship with each daughter was entirely different. Caroline, the youngest and most reserved, was overlooked by her father for her entire life and fled to become a wife, mother, and writer in Marin County. Gemma, his declared favorite, sought out Hollywood glamour and success and became a major television star. Kate, the eldest, stayed at home with her father to do his bidding as a ranch hand, without thanks or praise, forsaking marriage and a family of her own for the love of him.

Now, upon JT’s death, the paper trail he leaves behind begins to reveal much more than the three sisters ever guessed about who he really was. It will turn their world upside down, and each of them must grapple with a new reality, strengthening their relationships with one another and discovering who they are now as grown women, in spite of him.

Set against the magnificent backdrop of the West and the drams of a family in turmoil, ‘DADDY’S GIRLS’ is the story of three remarkable women and their unique bond to each other – the daughters of a complex, many-faceted, domineering father who left his mark on each of them.

REVIEW:
4.25 Hearts So it’s Danielle Steel, if you are a fan of the genre of course you know the story is great.

This story is about family and the relationship dynamics between sisters and the different relationship they have with their father. How can three girls grow up with the same dad and have completely different feelings towards him and about him?

As with every Danielle Steel book there is real life thrown into her stories. You will definitely connect with at least one of the girls and maybe all of them in some form or another.

Steel is the queen of her genre and any fan grabs her stories as soon as they come on the market and this is one you will love adding to your collection.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Fallen Girls by Kathryn Casey

TITLE: The Fallen Girls
CHARACTERS: Clara Jefferies
AUTHOR: Kathryn Casey
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/03/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
She didn’t notice the corn stalks shiver a few feet to her right. By the time she looked up, the man towered above her. In a single movement he wrapped one thick hand around her waist, the other he clamped over her mouth, muffling her screams.

Detective Clara Jefferies has spent years running from her childhood in Alber, Utah. But when she hears that her baby sister Delilah has disappeared, she knows that the peaceful community will be shattered, her family vulnerable, and that she must face up to her past and go home.

Clara returns to find that her mother, Ardeth, has isolated her family by moving to the edge of town, in the shadow of the mountains. Ardeth refuses to talk to the police and won’t let Clara through the front door, believing she and her sister-wives can protect their own. But Clara knows better than anyone that her mother isn’t always capable of protecting her children.

When Clara finds out that two more girls have disappeared, all last seen around the cornfields near her family’s home, she realizes it’s not just Delilah who’s in danger. And then she gets a call that a body has been found…

Clara will have to dig deep into the town’s secrets if she’s going to find Delilah. But that will mean confronting the reason she left. And as she gets closer to Delilah, she might be putting her more at risk…

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts So here is the deal. I will admit I hate when a book that is first in a series takes forever to tell you who the characters are and the book seems to take forever. And then we have books that do not tell you much about the characters at all. This was one that told us a lot. And while it wasn’t my favorite part it was very thorough. And Detective Jeffries has had a lot of backstory for us to get to know. Maybe even a bit too much but it was fine.

The suspense part was finding Delilah. The suspense part was very well written. I enjoyed the mystery. However I will say that I figured it out, actually I think one of the characters gave it away or maybe I am just that lucky. But even knowing I still enjoyed the story.

I will certainly pick up the next in the series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Summer Deal by Jill Shalvis

TITLE: The Summer Deal
SERIES #: Wildstone #5
CHARACTERS: Brynn, Kinsey & Eli
AUTHOR: Jill Shalvis
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/02/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Brynn Turner desperately wishes she had it together, but her personal life is like a ping-pong match that’s left her scared and hurt after so many attempts to get it right. In search of a place to lick her wounds and get a fresh start, she heads back home to Wildstone.

And then there’s Kinsey Davis, who after battling serious health issues her entire twenty-nine years of life, is tired of hoping for . . . well, anything. She’s fierce, tough, and pretty much the opposite of Brynn except for one thing: they’re half-sisters. Kinsey is keeping this bombshell, and a few others as well. Long time frenemies from summer camp, there’s no way she’s going to tell Brynn they’re related.

But then Brynn runs into Kinsey’s lifelong best friend, Eli, renewing a childhood crush. He’s still easy-going and funny and sexy as hell. When he gets her to agree to a summer-time deal to trust him to do right by her, no matter what, she never dreams it’ll result in finding a piece of herself she didn’t even know was missing. She could have a sister, love, and a future―if she can only learn to let go of the past.

As the long days of summer wind down, the three of them must discover if forgiveness is enough to grasp the unconditional love that’s right in front of them.

REVIEW:
Oh how I love Jill Shalvis! I have never been disappointed in what she has written and this is another story I just enjoyed. There were characters that drove me nuts but somehow that just made them family. There is a bit of weird dynamics here so let me see if I can help a reader out. Brynn and Kinsey are frenemies for childhood but actually they are half siblings. Brynn had a crush on Eli who is now Kinsey’s boyfriend and more like bro/sis with Brynn. Brynn has a sorta boyfriend in Deck. Brynn knows she is half siblings but keeps it and so much more from Kinsey but tells Eli and makes him promise not to tell his girlfriend because she has been through health issues.

Caught up? Yeah it can be confusing but Jill Shalvis writes it so perfectly that you just fall into her writing and enjoy.

Grab this book and bring it along this summer to where ever you are going…. Ok you can read it at home since we are mostly stuck here… but no matter where you are it will be a read you will enjoy every word of.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Always The Last To Know by Kristan Higgins

TITLE: Always The Last To Know
CHARACTERS: Barb, John & Sadie
AUTHOR: Kristan Higgins
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/09/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sometimes you have to break a family to fix it.

From New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins, a new novel examining a family at the breaking point in all its messy, difficult, wonderful complexity.

The Frosts are a typical American family. Barb and John, married almost fifty years, are testy and bored with each other…who could blame them after all this time? At least they have their daughters– Barb’s favorite, the perfect, brilliant Juliet; and John’s darling, the free-spirited Sadie. The girls themselves couldn’t be more different, but at least they got along, more or less. It was fine. It was enough.

Until the day John had a stroke, and their house of cards came tumbling down.

Now Sadie has to put her career as a teacher and struggling artist in New York on hold to come back and care for her beloved dad–and face the love of her life, whose heart she broke, and who broke hers. Now Juliet has to wonder if people will notice that despite her perfect career as a successful architect, her perfect marriage to a charming Brit, and her two perfect daughters, she’s spending an increasing amount of time in the closet having panic attacks.

And now Barb and John will finally have to face what’s been going on in their marriage all along.

From the author of Good Luck with That and Life and Other Inconveniences comes a new novel of heartbreaking truths and hilarious honesty about what family really means.

REVIEW:
This might be one of my favorite Kristan Higgins books ever. The reason why is that it is so real. I kept seeing myself in a number of characters at different times. And I love that kind of story.

I want to tell you that I connected more with one character but I didn’t. I connected with all of them. I guess because the family dynamic can be really anyone’s family. We all have ups and downs in our life and this story shows that we are not alone.

Higgins has really grown as an author since I have been reading her books. And I can’t wait until her next book and every one after that.

This is a great beach read. Just fall into the story and relax.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Crimes And Survivors by Sarah Smith

TITLE: Crimes And Survivors
CHARACTERS: Perdita, Alexander & Gilbert
AUTHOR: Sarah Smith
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/15/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Titanic was a white ship–once. Now? Rock the boat.

It’s 1912, the era of Jim Crow and lynchings, and a young society woman learns that her grandfather, the grandfather she barely knows, may be passing for white.

She has a family. She has a child. She can’t be black. She doesn’t know how.

She follows him onto the newest, safest, biggest ship in the world to find a truth she can live with.

But after the iceberg, she has to find the truth from his whole family. And it’s more complicated than black and white. More loving, more inspiring…and far more dangerous.

REVIEW:
The Titanic is the ship of dreams but the irony is if it had never sunk most would not even know the name. And certainly only been a footnote as being the biggest ship of it’s time a century later. But because the ship did sink the world still stays entranced by it.

So here is the thing. Do not take this as fact of events on the Titanic. This is a story of the time that just happens to be set on the Titanic. A story of racism and family drama.

Reading other reviews it seems that Sarah Smith has written other books with these characters but nothing is missed by not having read the other books. You do not need to be a fan of the Titanic’s story but it helps.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Southern Spirits: 5th Anniversary by Angie Fox

TITLE: Southern Spirits: 5th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set
SERIES #: Southern Ghost Hunters #1-3
CHARACTERS: Varied
AUTHOR: Angie Fox
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/17/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
New York Times bestseller Angie Fox celebrates 5 years of the USA Today bestselling Southern Ghost Hunter series with a limited edition boxed set of the first three stories in the series, along with never-before-seen additional content including: deleted scenes, original art, an inside look at the characters, and a behind-the-scenes peek at how the series came together.
Southern Spirits
When out of work graphic designer Verity Long accidentally traps a ghost on her property, she’s saddled with more than a supernatural sidekick—she gains the ability see spirits. It leads to an offer she can’t refuse from the town’s bad boy, the brother of her ex and the last man she should ever partner with.
A Ghostly Gift
Verity Long doesn’t want to see ghosts, and she’d rather not let anyone know her little secret, either. But when a restless spirit stirs up trouble in her friend’s resale shop, Verity and her very new, very dead gangster friend team up to learn what is really happening.
The Skeleton in the Closet
A haunted library is no place for a girl who can see ghosts, but when Verity Long stumbles on a dead body in the middle of the main reading room, she has to believe someone…even a dead someone…must have witnessed the crime.
*This edition contains more than 50 pages of never-before-seen material and will be available for a limited time.

REVIEW:
This is an anniversary release of books 1-3 in the series which I have never read. But now I understand why this was such a beloved series. It is great.

I was going to review each book individually but to be honest it is easy to say that while each of these books has their own story they are equally as great. I guess there are 9 books in the series now and I can’t wait to have the time to catch up with all of them.

If you are a fan of paranormal with a sense of humor then this is most certainly the series for you.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Close Up by Amanda Quick

TITLE: Close Up
SERIES #: Burning Cove #4
CHARACTERS: Vivian & Nick
AUTHOR: Amanda Quick
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/05/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Welcome to Burning Cove, California where 1930s Hollywood glamour conceals a ruthless killer…

Vivian Brazier never thought life as an art photographer would include nightly wake-up calls to snap photos of grisly crime scenes or headshots for aspiring male actors. Although she is set on a career of transforming photography into a new art form, she knows her current work is what’s paying the bills.

After shooting crime scene photos of a famous actress, the latest victim of the murderer the press has dubbed the “Dagger Killer,” Vivian notices eerie similarities to the crime scenes of previous victims—details that only another photographer would have noticed—details that put Vivian at the top of the killer’s target list.

Nick Sundridge has always been able to “see” things that others don’t, coping with disturbing dreams and visions. His talent, or as he puts it—his curse—along with his dark past makes him a recluse, but a brilliant investigator. As the only one with the ability to help, Nick is sent to protect Vivian. Together, they discover the Dagger Killer has ties to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood royalty and high society. It is a cutthroat world of allure and deception that Vivian and Nick must traverse—all in order to uncover the killer who will stop at nothing to add them to their gallery of murders.

REVIEW:
Oh how I love Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick. And I really am enjoying this series. This is the 4th in the series but can be read as a stand alone. In this story Vivian is a photographer who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth but wanted to be her own person so she went into the photography field. And she also photographs crime scenes and something about her latest one has her looking into the crime a bit more than she should. But then all of JAK/AQ women are independent and strong so we couldn’t expect anything different.

Nick is brought in to protect Vivian as a bodyguard since she has been put into the crosshairs of the Dagger Killer.

Another great story by JAK/AQ. She always goes above and beyond.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Shadow Flight by Christine Feehan

TITLE: Shadow Flight
SERIES #: Shadow Riders #5
CHARACTERS: Nicoletta & Taviano
AUTHOR: Christine Feehan
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/05/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Chicago’s Ferraro crime family will do anything to protect one of their own in this thrilling entry in the Shadow Riders series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

Nicoletta Gomez was a terrified teenager when Taviano Ferraro and his brother saved her life. Ever since, she’s been trying to rise above what was done to her, molding herself into a survivor under the protective eyes of the Ferraro family. All the while, she’s been falling hopelessly in love with the man who knows her darkest secrets.…

With one look, Taviano knew that Nicoletta was his, just as he felt their shadows connect. But no matter how much he wanted to claim her, he knew she needed time to become her own woman. When Nicoletta once again finds herself in the sights of dangerous men, a split-second decision has Taviano breaking all of the Ferraro family’s rules to keep her safe. And as far as he’s concerned, the reward is more than worth the risk.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Another incredible book from Christine Feehan. Ms Feehan has a way of writing that makes you want to climb into the story and meet the characters in person. In this case Nicoletta needed a hug and I just wanted to jump in and do it. Don’t get me wrong Nicoletta is STRONG! She has been through hell and every woman’s worst nightmare but not only has she come out of it but she has come out of it with strength that I found palpable.

Taviano is just so sweet. Ok maybe not sweet but you just got to love a guy who is a diamond in the rough and realizes that Nicoletta needs time. And is willing to give her all the time she needs. That is until time is up and she is in danger again.

I adore Christine Feehan. I have never been disappointed in a book and this is no exception. This is the 5th in the book and while it can be a stand alone I am not sure why anyone wouldn’t want to devour any book Feehan writes.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Little Whispers by K.L. Slater

TITLE: Little Whispers
CHARACTERS: Janey & Tanya
AUTHOR: K.L. Slater
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/21/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
You shared a secret with the wrong person.

Janey Markham is thrilled to be moving with her family to Buckingham Crescent, the smartest address in a desirable suburban town.

Worried she’ll be excluded by the glossy local mothers, Janey is thrilled when she meets Tanya, the kind of woman she has always looked up to. Tanya takes Janey under her wing, and her teenage daughter Angel is amazing with Janey’s little boy. As Janey and Tanya grow closer, Janey feels she can finally leave her troubled past behind.

But then everything changes…

In a weak moment over a bottle of wine, Janey finds herself telling Tanya her most shocking secret. Why wouldn’t she trust her new friend?

The following day, Janey sees Angel, with a man old enough to be her father, pushing someone into a car. The next day a body is found and police appeal for witnesses – and share a picture of the same car…

When Janey tells Tanya she is going to the police, Tanya turns threatening. She’ll stop at nothing to defend Angel, even if her daughter is guilty. If Janey says anything, Tanya will make sure that her dark secret gets out.

Janey faces an impossible choice. Stay quiet about what she saw that terrible day. Or speak up, and destroy the family she has worked so hard to protect…

REVIEW:
Trust is a difficult thing and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Janey has been taking care of her mother and on her death bed she tells Janey a horrific secret. But soon Janey and her hubby are moving to a better address where she can relax after taking care of her mother for so long. Janey soon meets Tanya and they become fast friends… or are they? When Janey tells the secret to Tanya she realizes she has made a mistake. Because of all the people she trusted Tanya should not have been one.

I will say that I thought this book was a bit slow. It just spent a bit too much time before the move but once the move happened and Janey was in the new neighborhood the story picked up.

I liked that we didn’t know the secret throughout the book. We were guessing and trying to figure it out while reading.

I can’t recall reading other books but Slater but this will not be my last one.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Broken by Rebecca Zanetti

TITLE: Broken
SERIES #: Deep Ops #3
CHARACTERS: Wolfe & Dana
AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/26/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Dangerous: Former Navy SEAL Clarence Wolfe’s unit was taken out with a land mine. Injured and devastated, he hasn’t been quite right since. Worse, the tragedy was no accident. All Wolfe wants now is to take down the man responsible. In the meantime, he’s good with being the muscle for the Deep Ops team –and leading a steamy no-strings-attached personal life. Until one intriguing woman changes everything . . .

Determined: Reporter Dana Mulberry is on a mission to avenge the death of a fellow journalist. She’s finally hot on a trail–right to a sex club–where she runs into . . . Wolfe? It seems both their leads have led to the same spot. To keep from blowing their covers, they’ll have to at least pretend to have a little fun. Trouble is, they genuinely like each other. And that’s way too risky for Wolfe, especially when, to his surprise, Dana agrees . . .

Complicated: Drawn to each other in ways they can’t understand, Wolfe and Dana keep it professional–until they’re shot at one night. And when their adventures land them both at the heart of corruption in D.C.–and at odds in their missions–they’ll have to dig deeper than ever to succeed in their quests–and with each other . . .

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts It’s Rebecca Zanetti of course the book was great! Zanetti is easily one of my favorite authors. She has written all genres except historical (I believe) and has never once disappointed me. And this one is no exception. I have been waiting for Wolfe’s story and it was worth the wait.

Wolfe is the epitome of a Gemini. Wolfe can be deadly and focused. He can kill you practically with a look and then get a super sweet latte with whipped cream. He would do anything for his friends and those he cares about but if that means burying a body he will bring the shovel. Oh how I want a Wolfe of my own!

But in this care he has found Dana. Dana is a reporter determined to bring to justice the person who killed her friend. And when Dana and Wolfe combine forces they are unstoppable. And quite a story!

I loved the background characters of this story. Wolfe’s “family” of guys is who he cares about most and they care for him as much as he loves them.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews What You Don’t See by Tracy Clark

TITLE: What You Don’t See
SERIES #: Cass Raines #3
CHARACTERS: Cass & Ben
AUTHOR: Tracy Clark
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/26/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Former cop Cass Raines knows the streets of Chicago all too well. Now she’s a private investigator and getting an exclusive glimpse into how the other half lives–and how they die . . .

Wealth. Power. Celebrity. Vonda Allen’s glossy vanity magazine has taken the Windy City by storm, and she’s well on her way to building a one-woman media empire. Everybody adores her. Except the people who work for her. And the person who’s sending her flowers with death threats . . .

As Vonda’s bodyguard, off-duty cop Ben Mickerson knows he could use some back-up–and no one fits the bill better than his ex-partner on the police force, Cass Raines. Now a full-time private eye, Cass is reluctant to take the job. She isn’t keen on playing babysitter to a celebrity who’s rumored to be a heartless diva. But as a favor to Ben, she signs on. But when Vonda refuses to say why someone might be after her, and two of her staff turn up dead, Ben and Cass must battle an unknown assailant bent on getting to the great lady herself, before someone else dies.

Cass finds out the hard way just how persistent a threat they face during the first stop on Vonda’s book tour. As fans clamour for her autograph, things take an ugly turn when a mysterious fan shows up with flowers and slashes Ben with a knife. While her ex-partner’s life hangs in the balance, Cass is left to find out what secrets Vonda is keeping, who might want her dead, and how she can bring Ben’s attacker to justice before enemies in the Chicago Police Department try to stop her in her tracks . . .

REVIEW:
I honestly can’t recall ever reading this author before but maybe I have. I feel like the character of Cass has been introduced before and I feel like I missed a bit by not having read them. But as I did the book can be read as a stand alone but I do feel like having read the character before would have helped.

Now that being said I really liked the story. It kept me intrigued and wanting to read more. The suspense was most certainly there and each time I thought I figured it out something would send me in a different direction until I looped back around. And I love that kind of who-dun-it.

Great book to take you out of your own head and enjoy a good mystery.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts