Read As A Stand Alone: Yes
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: Feb. 4th, 2020
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository |
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Blurb from goodreads:
In New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni’s riveting series, Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite returns home to a brutal murder and her haunted past.
The last time homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite was in Cedar Grove, it was to see her sister’s killer put behind bars. Now she’s returned for a respite and the chance to put her life back in order for herself, her attorney husband, Dan, and their new daughter. But tragic memories soon prove impossible to escape.
Dan is drawn into representing a local merchant whose business is jeopardized by the town’s revitalization. And Tracy is urged by the local PD to put her own skills to work on a new case: the brutal murder of a police officer’s wife and local reporter who was investigating a cold-case slaying of a young woman. As Tracy’s and Dan’s cases crisscross, Tracy’s trail becomes dangerous. It’s stirring up her own haunted past and a decades-old conspiracy in Cedar Grove that has erupted in murder. Getting to the truth is all that matters. But what’s Tracy willing to risk as a killer gets closer to her and threatens everyone she loves? (less)
My Thoughts:
Tracy Crosswhite, her husband Dan have returned with their daughter Daniella to their hometown of Cedar Grove, a place that holds as many bad memories for Tracy as good ones. They are living in the house that belonged to Dan's parents. It's a temporary stay while their home near Seattle is remodeled. Tracy is on maternity leave but she can't help getting drawn into a case at the request of the interim sheriff, who was the sheriff in the first book, My Sister's Grave. In my review of that book, I said that I wished he'd been more fleshed out. I got my wish in this book as we more of him this time around.
Both Tracy and Dan, but especially Tracy, have grown so much during the series. Tracy is coping better with what happened to her family, has become more emotionally secure, and has gotten better, though not perfect, at communicating. Now she has to learn how to be a mother, a parent, and a working parent. Helping the sheriff allows her to test drive the latter. It also puts her in conflict, again, with some of the townspeople. Meanwhile, Dan has taken a law case representing a local businessman who is suing the town. Oddly, that doesn't put him at odds with the townspeople the way that Tracy's poking into murders new and old does.
Dugoni slowly brings these storylines together. At times I was sure I knew where he was going with the story, and then he'd surprise me. One thing that delighted me was seeing the family that Tracy has created for herself and how they fit with her marital family. She and Dan, like most parents, have to figure out their new life and the necessary changes and they get advice and help from friends and colleagues. I also liked that Dugoni didn't gloss over the difficulties, not just in adjusting to their changes, but also returning to one's hometown. Reconnecting with people you grew up with can be challenging even without a murderer on the loose. Add in a new murder, possible connections to an old murder, and the challenges of a small town adapting to a changing economic landscape and all together, and Tracy and Dan have their hands full.
"A Cold Trail" was a solid and satisfying story. Full of character development, action, emotions, surprises, layered story lines, and atmospheric writing, it's entertaining and engaging. If you haven't read the earlier books, this one will stand on its own just fine. But you'll better appreciate the growth and development of the characters if you start at the beginning.
My reviews of previous books:
Book 1, My Sister's Grave
Book 2, Her Final Breath
Book 3, In the Clearing
Book 4, The Trapped Girl
Book 5, Close to Home
Book 6, A Steep Price
I remember My Sister's Grave! I knew this author's name seemed familiar but I couldn't place it at first. This sounds good and I should probably pick up the other books too.
ReplyDeleteIt's an excellent series.
DeleteSounds like a nice series! I like the idea of returning to a hometown, with a murder added in (well maybe not in real life haha but in the context of a story- why not?). :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not in real life, lol, but it makes for a good story.
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