A warmhearted procedural about some ice-cold crimes.
Returning to active duty, Seattle Detective Tracy Crosswhite gets shunted off to cold cases just in time for a fresh series of disappearances to spark her interest in a five-year-old kidnapping.
Now that she’s recovered from childbirth and PTSD, Tracy’s eager to resume her position in the Violent Crimes Section. But Detective Maria Fernandez, her temporary replacement in VCS, has nowhere else to go, so her slimy boss, Capt. Johnny Nolasco, invites Tracy to replace retiring Detective Art Nunzio as the one-person Cold Case Unit. Even though she’s been reassigned, Tracy’s old partner, Detective Kinsington Rowe, wants her to join him in working the disappearance of receptionist Stephanie Cole from a jogging path in North Park, near the places where two prostitutes nobody much cares about were last seen. Tracy agrees even as she’s getting invested in her first cold case, the vanishing of Elle Chin from a corn maze her father had taken her to during the weekly outing his estranged wife allowed him with her. “My counselor thinks I have an obsession to save young women,” says Tracy, and readers will see the counselor’s point even if they’re not familiar with Tracy’s previous history. Since Dugoni reveals early on that the three missing women are being held by Franklin Sprague and his two brothers, only two big questions remain: What’s the connection between Elle Chin’s kidnapping and the three present-tense abductions, and how many surprises can the author tease out of a setup that seems to have left no room for them? One of these questions is answered a lot more satisfyingly than the other.
A warmhearted procedural about some ice-cold crimes.Pub Date: April 27, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5420-0837-2
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Review Posted Online: Dec. 25, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021
In a world of cozies, an older male investigator stands out.
The Athena College library’s new employee seems to be harboring a secret that the longtime librarian and his Maine Coon cat are eager to crack.
The doldrums of mid-January can’t keep Charlie Harris down, particularly now that he’s only a month away from his long-anticipated wedding to Helen Louise Brady. His workload at the library has recently been lightened with the hire of hardworking Tara Martin, an odd duck who’s weirdly reclusive and prone to fits of rage. Charlie and his frequent feline co-worker, Diesel, have long experience when it comes to dealing with mercurial moods, so they’re more than capable of handling Tara, though it’s doubtful whether her blend of hard work and challenging temperament is a fit for her other part-time job at Helen Louise’s bistro. With someone so clearly on edge, it’s only a matter of time before the dam breaks, and Charlie wonders if that’s what he’s seeing when Tara darts off in the middle of a housewarming party for his son, Sean. Even though Charlie’s right on her heels, no one knows where she went until Charlie spots her, shivering and obviously terrified, hiding out in the property’s root cellar. What’s spooked her so badly? Charlie’s determined to find out, but before he can convince her to divulge whatever’s under her skin, Tara goes more seriously missing. Expecting the worst, Charlie enlists Diesel’s help in his investigation. He’s determined not to stop until he learns the truth—as long as it doesn’t interfere with his upcoming nuptials.
In a world of cozies, an older male investigator stands out.Pub Date: June 25, 2024
ISBN: 9780593199527
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024
An anodyne visit with Tricia and her friends and enemies hung on a thin mystery.
Too much free time leads a New Hampshire bookseller into yet another case of murder.
Now that Tricia Miles has Pixie Poe and Mr. Everett practically running her bookstore, Haven’t Got a Clue, she finds herself at loose ends. Her wealthy sister, Angelica, who in the guise of Nigela Ricita has invested heavily in making Stoneham a bookish tourist attraction, is entering the amateur competition for the Great Booktown Bake-Off. So Tricia, who’s recently taken up baking as a hobby, decides to join her and spends a lot of time looking for the perfect cupcake recipe. A visit to another bookstore leaves Tricia witnessing a nasty argument between owner Joyce Widman and next-door neighbor Vera Olson over the trimming of tree branches that hang over Joyce’s yard—also overheard by new town police officer Cindy Pearson. After Tricia accepts Joyce’s offer of some produce from her garden, they find Vera skewered by a pitchfork, and when Police Chief Grant Baker arrives, Joyce is his obvious suspect. Ever since Tricia moved to Stoneham, the homicide rate has skyrocketed (Poisoned Pages, 2018, etc.), and her history with Baker is fraught. She’s also become suspicious about the activities at Pets-A-Plenty, the animal shelter where Vera was a dedicated volunteer. Tricia’s offered her expertise to the board, but president Toby Kingston has been less than welcoming. With nothing but baking on her calendar, Tricia has plenty of time to investigate both the murder and her vague suspicions about the shelter. Plenty of small-town friendships and rivalries emerge in her quest for the truth.
An anodyne visit with Tricia and her friends and enemies hung on a thin mystery.Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-9848-0272-9
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
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