HER DEADLY TOUCH

5 stars out of 5

Denton Police Department Detective Josie Quinn has a trauma-filled background that's left her with nightmares and regular meetings with a psychologist, but ready or not, she's back on the job after a four-month suspension. Thoughts of tiptoeing in are stomped by the discovery of a dead woman in the local cemetery; she was found next to the headstone of her daughter, who was one of five children killed in a school bus crash two years earlier. A suicide? Doubtful, since the woman's lips are sealed with some kind of wax and the body appears to have been carefully positioned there.

Although clues are few and far between, Josie and her team, including her husband, police Lt. Noah Fraley, suspect the murder is somehow related to that bus crash; the driver, who's in jail, will go on trial shortly. As they follow leads - some going absolutely nowhere - they begin to realize that most of the parents of the dead children have secrets that could be related to the crash. Then, the worst happens; the body of another mother is discovered near the crash site - her mouth also sealed with wax.

Throughout the story, Josie continues to grapple with her emotions following the death of her beloved grandmother - a death  for which Josie feels responsibility. Noah, and her department friend Gretchen, remain supportive, helping her deal with her loss while staying focused on solving the horrific crimes (and, hopefully, preventing even more from happening).

I've read some of the more recent books in this series (this is the 12th) - all good, but IMHO, this is one of the best. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Recommended!

Her Deadly Touch by Lisa Regan (Bookouture, August 2021); 1686 KB.