See
Her Die by Melinda Leigh is another winner. What makes
all of her series interesting is the intertwining with her
older series. Known for her interesting characters, intricate
relationships, and a riveting mystery, this book falls in
line with the rest of her novels.
“They
are in the same genre, a law enforcement type mystery crime
fiction. The biggest differences are the characters’
personalities. Bree is more interesting because Morgan is
too perfect. Bree is a lot more flawed and has a lot more
to overcome. Morgan has had a lot more support while Bree
is on her own a lot. Readers get to see Stella Dane from an
outsider’s perspective, Bree and Matt. They learn to
understand she is a dedicated detective. In this one, Stella
gets a little frustrated because she is not in control like
she wants to be. I provided a different viewpoint for an old
character.”
The
novel opens shortly after the first book has left off. The
protagonist, Bree Taggart, still battles the memories of her
father killing her mother and then himself and her younger
sister being murdered more than two decades later, which has
Bree as the guardian of her niece and nephew. Bree is now
the sheriff of a department where some are unhappy with that
choice, and to make matters worse, there are budget constraints.
There is a relatable quote. “You are referring to the
quote, “You can’t stop feeling emotions, but you
can stop acting on them. Or worse even yet— reacting.
We are supposed to be professionals. If we can't keep control
of ourselves, we lose control of the situation. We need to
keep a clear head. Sometimes that is damned hard, especially
when some scumbag spits in your face or urinates in the back
of your patrol car… But we are in a position of authority,
and that comes with the responsibility to never abuse it."
Bree was saying nobody is perfect and that every set of humans
have good and bad people. There is always a shade of grey.
Just like characters, humans are more complex with flaws and
faults. Bree understands that she works with professionals
and have situations which are complex with a split second
to make a decision."
The mystery opens with Bree being called to a shooting in
a campground surrounded by cabins. A young woman, Alyssa,
swears to her she has heard a gunshot and that her friend
has been killed. She explains that they were squatting in
one of the campground cabins because they are homeless and
needed to get out of the cold. Bree is perplexed because there
is no body, no blood, and no evidence.
To get to the bottom of what happened, Bree calls in former
deputy Matt Flynn and his K-9 to track the killer and find
the supposed victim's body. They discover the battered corpse
of a missing university student under the ice in Grey Lake,
but it's not the victim they were looking for. After more
bodies are found, Bree and Matt must find the link between
the victims. After Alyssa disappears, Bree knows she must
find her before she is also murdered.
This is an excellent story with plenty of edge of your seat
action and suspense, including several twists that keep the
reader guessing. All the characters are relatable and realistic,
with an intense narrative.
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