Author: Melinda Leigh
Series: Morgan Dane (Book 1)
Publication: Montlake Romance (May 16, 2017)
Description: In a new series from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh, former prosecutor Morgan Dane faces the most personal—and deadly—case of her lifetime.
After
the devastating loss of her husband in Iraq, Morgan Dane returns to
Scarlet Falls, seeking the comfort of her hometown. Now, surrounded by
family, she’s finally found peace and a promising career
opportunity—until her babysitter is killed and her neighbor asks her to
defend his son, Nick, who stands accused of the murder.
Tessa was the ultimate girl next door, and the community is outraged by her death. But Morgan has known Nick for years and can’t believe he’s guilty, despite the damning evidence stacked against him. She asks her friend Lance Kruger, an ex-cop turned private eye, for help. Taking on the town, the police, and a zealous DA, Morgan and Lance plunge into the investigation, determined to find the real killer. But as they uncover secrets that rock the community, they become targets for the madman hiding in plain sight.
Tessa was the ultimate girl next door, and the community is outraged by her death. But Morgan has known Nick for years and can’t believe he’s guilty, despite the damning evidence stacked against him. She asks her friend Lance Kruger, an ex-cop turned private eye, for help. Taking on the town, the police, and a zealous DA, Morgan and Lance plunge into the investigation, determined to find the real killer. But as they uncover secrets that rock the community, they become targets for the madman hiding in plain sight.
My Thoughts: This whole story begins with a bang as we start out in the viewpoint of a young woman who is running through the woods trying to escape her attacker. She fails.
Tessa's body is found by Morgan Dane and Lance Kruger who begin searching when Tessa's grandmother calls her. Tessa is a widow with three young girls under the age of seven who is just getting ready to go back to work in the Prosecutor's office. She gets side tracked when her neighbor Nick Zabrowski gets arrested for the crime. Morgan can't believe that a young man who plays chess with her grandfather, reads stories to her girls, and is just starting his own landscaping business could be guilty of the crime.
She decides that she is going to take his case as his defense attorney and find out who really killed Tessa despite Nick being convicted by the court of public opinion and a mayor and police chief who want to railroad him so that they can benefit from the good publicity resulting from putting a killer behind bars.
Morgan recruits Lance to help her investigate. They had a thing when they were teens but life got in the way and they have just been friends since Morgan got back to town. Lance is a former police officer who was shot and is still rehabbing. Meanwhile, he is working with Lincoln Sharp who is a retired police officer who has started a private investigation business. Sharp has also been a mentor and father figure to Lance since his own father disappeared when he was ten and his mother spiraled into mental illness. Lance still has major responsibilities to his mother who needs his care.
The mystery was intriguing. The multiple viewpoints, including that of the killer, make the story tense. Lance and Morgan have a number of suspects who all seem to be possible killers. Even so, the identity of the killer came as a surprise to me.
This is a great romantic suspense title with plenty of suspense and a nice romance too.
Favorite Quote:
Lance scrubbed a frustrated hand down his face. "You know this whole investigation would be easier if everyone wasn't lying."I got this one in exchange for an honest review from You can buy your copy here.
Thank you for the review.
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