Maggie Wells (1)

Terrific conclusion to the series. We met Kayla in the previous book, Ozarks Double Homicide, as the widow of one of the victims. Much to the dismay of her husband's other family members, Kayla inherited his entire estate and the family law firm. As this book opens, it is a few weeks later, and Kayla has taken time off from the business to grieve. Her friend Michelle, also from the previous book, is running the company.

Besides the death of her husband, Kayla has had an emotional few weeks. She spent time in rehab to overcome her alcohol problem, dealt with the scandal of a money-laundering associate, and is fending off challenges to her husband's will. Spending time at the family's lake house is all that's keeping her on an even keel. That serenity goes up in smoke when someone shoots her while she's out on a walk. Michelle and detective Ethan Scott insist that she needs 24/7 protection, and Ethan calls in his friend to do the job.

Ryan is a member of the Arkansas State Police Protective Services Division, currently on desk duty as he recovers from an injury. He's happy to return to the field until he runs up against the stubborn Kayla. The sparks flew between them as Kayla resisted every suggestion Ryan made for her safety. Kayla is strong-willed and used to making her own decisions as an attorney. Allowing someone else to take control is difficult; the push-and-pull over that control creates interesting situations.

I enjoyed watching Ryan and Kayla learn to deal with each other. Ryan respects her intelligence and resilience while frequently frustrated by her stubbornness and impatience. Kayla respects Ryan's experience and abilities but is frustrated by what she feels is his overprotectiveness. Underneath the contentiousness is a simmering attraction that both try to resist. Ryan won't let personal feelings interfere with his duty, and Kayla feels guilty about her interest in Ryan so soon after her husband's death. I liked the ending and the prospect of a relationship between Kayla and Ryan. I wish there had been an epilogue showing the three couples further down the road.

The suspense of the story kept me hooked from start to finish. This book carries on with the investigation into the murders from the previous book and adds the question of whether the attacks on Kayla are connected to the murders. A leading suspect is identified early in the book with the action involving trying to find him. The tension increases as the threats continue to pile up. Kayla's desire to end the search runs up against Ryan's need to keep her safe. It wasn't a surprise to see Kayla take matters into her own hands, and I felt Ryan's frustration and worry when she ditched him. The final confrontation was a nail-biter. I loved seeing Kyla pull off a terrific set-up and bring the bad guy down.

My favorite quote from this book is this one:
"Mrs. Powers, you have to know by now the case involving the deaths of your husband and his son are the criminal investigation division's number-one priority at this time. If Ethan Scott told the higher-ups he needed a purple unicorn with a polka-dotted mane to close this case, they'd be out spray-painting a horse as we speak."… (más)

Terrific book that kept me reading all night. I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it. This book picks up where the first book, Ozarks Missing Person, left off. In that book, young and prominent attorney Trey Powers was arrested for the murder of a young woman. As this book opens, Trey and his father, Tyrone, are victims of a double homicide, rendering the murder case against him null and void. The immediate suspect in the murder is Tyrone's young and beautiful wife, Kayla, who also discovered the bodies. The lawyer previously assigned to Trey's defense, Michelle Fraser, now becomes Kayla's lawyer.

Criminal Investigation Division investigator Ethan Scott is new to the local office. As the division chief, he is assigned to the high-profile case. From the get-go, Ethan feels that there is far more going on than there appears to be on the surface. That goes double for the lawyer, Michelle, who he senses is hiding something.

This was a complex and fascinating book to read. The lead suspect, Kayla Powers, is open and cooperative, insisting she has nothing to hide. Michelle, who believes her client is innocent, wants to help Ethan with the investigation, as that would prove Kayla is telling the truth. But Michelle is more than a hot-shot lawyer - she is also an undercover FBI agent investigating the law firm where she works. Are the murders connected to her investigation? And should she trust Ethan with the truth of who she is in the interest of furthering the investigation? And finally, what to do about those sparks flying between them?

I was glued to the pages as I followed the twists and turns of this investigation. I mostly believed in Kayla's innocence, but now and then, something would seem a little off. But were those things her doing, or is someone setting her up? The death of Tyrone Powers puts Michelle's investigation in danger, and there are some tense moments as a late-night trip to the office brings both success and danger. Further investigation reveals other people with hidden secrets and the motivation to kill. The confrontation at the end is intense and answers the questions Michelle was sent to investigate, but leaves the question of the murderer hanging for the next book.

The romance of this book takes a back seat to the case. That's not to say there are no sparks. I loved watching the interactions between Ethan and Michelle. Something about her has Ethan's instincts aroused. She may claim to be a lawyer, and the background checks out, but Ethan could swear she's a cop. As he says, "Like recognizes like." I liked the teamwork, cooperation, and respect that developed between them, even as they put their growing attraction on the back burner until they were done with the investigation. I liked the ending and the promise of further romantic development.

I felt terrible for Grace, the agent in the first book who had been investigating Trey for the murder of the young woman. All the work she did was for nothing once Trey was dead. Fortunately, Ethan greatly respected her abilities and put her to work on his investigation. I could feel the same intensity she had in that book carry over into this one. I'm looking forward to the third book and finding out the truth about what is going on.… (más)

Good book that kept me hooked from start to finish. This was a book that focused more on personalities and attitudes than on action to bring about the resolution to this investigation. The prologue sets the scenario that brings Special Agent Grace and prosecuting attorney Matthew together.

Grace has become her office's go-to on missing person cases. She is thorough and determined and tends to take the cases personally. As the book opens, she's working on a case involving a missing child about to be moved to a different office. She gets a call about a missing young woman, Mallory Murray, and through her interview with Mallory's roommate, learns of her brother's existence. She tracks him down to inform him about Mallory's disappearance.

Matthew is six years older than Mallory, and they have never been close. Mallory grew up never satisfied with her life and believed she deserved more, and her constant demands of Matthew caused a rift between them. When Grace informs him of Mallory's disappearance, he feels guilty about the estrangement, even more so when they find her body. He feels compelled to stay involved in the investigation into her death.

I loved the teamwork that developed between Grace and Matthew. They had the perfect pairing of experience to go up against the power and privilege they ran into. I liked Grace's empathy for Matthew and the emotional rollercoaster he was on during their investigation. It's easy to see that they are growing closer, but no apparent sparks are flying, just an increasing feeling that there could be. They maintain their professionalism throughout the book, and it isn't until the end that they admit their interest in each other. I hope to see more of them in the following books.

The suspense of the story was excellent. From the prologue's allowing the reader to "witness" the murder to the twists and turns of the investigation, I was glued to the pages as Grace and Matthew searched for the truth. I was initially concerned about Matthew's concern about offending the Powers family, but his desire for justice won out. I could feel Grace's frustration at their stonewalling and loved her poise during her meetings with them. Several twists kept me guessing whether they would get the break they needed, and I did not expect the one that did it. I was a little disappointed at the lack of a definitive ending, but with a powerful family, it makes sense that it may take several books to resolve the issues. I can't wait for the next book!

#netgalley… (más)