ONE SPLIT SECOND

5 stars out of 5

Seattle police detective Tracy Crosswhite has come a long way since I met her 11 books ago (My Sister’s Grave, 2014). Back then, her mission was to find out what really happened in the disappearance of her sister, Sarah. Fast-forward to this latest book, when Tracy – long since married to attorney Dan O’Leary and with a five-year-old daughter - works exclusively with cold cases.

But it’s a new case that has caught her attention this time; her old friend, Sheriff of Klickitat County Jennie Almond, has just been charged with the murder of local military veteran Anthony Alvarez, who apparently suffers from PTSD. Jennie swears Alvarez had a gun, but evidence – including a gunshot from another angle – tell a different story.

Tracy is sure her friend is innocent, but proving it is another issue entirely. Since she’s so familiar with cold cases now, this one reminds Tracy of one Jenny’s late father was involved in as a police investigator something like 45 years earlier. At that time, a teenage babysitter disappeared, and the prime suspect was – you guessed it – the man Jenny is charged with killing. Jenny’s father, though, always believed Alvarez was innocent.

From that point on, chapters shift from the time of the babysitter’s disappearance to the present, as Tracy tries to connect the dots and her husband prepares to defend Jenny in court. Helping out is young autistic girl Lydia, who has become a friend of Tracy’s because of her shooting and video game skills. She is, BTW, an interesting character whom I suspect readers will be reading more about in upcoming installments – and to which I’m looking forward.

The rest of the book follows Tracy’s investigations of both past and present – the latter of which put her in more than a bit of danger – and Dan’s very capable defense of their friend. Of course, I can’t provide details without spoiling things for other readers, but I can say thank you to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to catch up on the latest happenings in the life of a favorite character. Well done once again!

One Split Second by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, September 2026); 387 pp.

A DEAD DRAW

4 stars out of 5

Admittedly, for one reason or another I've missed at least a couple of books in this series - this is the eleventh - and for those I missed I'm sorry just because I enjoy them so much. Tracy Crosswhite, a detective in the Seattle Police Department's Cold Case Unit, is more like an old friend than a character in a book; I'm warming up to her husband, prosecuting attorney Dan O'Leary (their young daughter, Daniella, doesn't get anywhere as much page space as her parents, but she sounds adorable.

This one touches - no, make that pounds - on an old nemesis - the man who murdered Tracy's sister Sarah years earlier. As Tracy interviews Erik Schmidt, a nasty sort whom Tracy believes murdered two girls in one of the cold cases she's trying to heat up, believes Sarah's killer to be some kind of hero. Needless to say, that does not endear him to Tracy. 

But any charges against Schmidt go poof in the night following an evidence screw-up, and he makes it clear he's out to get Tracy. What follows is a whirlwind chase (in both directions, as Tracy tries to get to Schmidt before he can get to her and her family), plenty of head games and an action-packed finish. In some ways, Schmidt is almost too ingenious to be believed, but it makes for a fun  adventure anyway. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to be part of another exciting installment by way of a pre-release copy.

A Dead Draw by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, May 2025); 373 pp.

ONE LAST KILL

4 stars

It's hard to believe this is the 10th appearance by Seattle Police Department cold case detective Tracy Crosswhite - especially, perhaps, since it seems over the years her actions, even when she was in the right, have alienated just about everybody around her except a couple of loyal former partners, her husband Dan and their daughter Daniella. In this one, though, she gains at least one ally (or comes as close as she can given their former misgivings - and no, I'm not gonna tell).

This time out, Tracy - the sole member of the cold case task force - is taking another look at the so-called Route 99 serial killer, whose spree inexplicably stopped after 13 victims around the mid-1990s. The police chief, who shall we say is not a Tracy fan, assigns Tracy's old nemisis, now Captain Johnny Nolasco, to work with her instead of one of her former partners. Chapters shift from the events and investigation of the 1990s to the present. Back then, five potential suspects were identified; but once the killing stopped, so did the investigation.

It makes sense, then, to re-look at those who remain alive. In fact, some new evidence leads to a conclusion - but one with which Tracy isn't totally comfortable. Rather quickly, it becomes pretty clear her instincts are on the money, but that doesn't mean she and Nolasco will close the case - on which Nolasco worked 25 years ago - any time soon. In fact, some very powerful people are standing squarely in the way, desperate to protect secrets they still plan to take with them to their graves. And if the killer is still out there, how will he or she react to the renewed effort to bring closure to the victims' families?

It's another fast-paced adventure that series fans won't want to miss (although I admit to growing a bit weary of the near-constant emphasis on who feels wronged by Tracy and still carries a grudge). But I enjoyed it all the same, even to the point of taking it to bed with me to finish (something I rarely do). I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy, and now, as always, I'm looking forward to the next one.

One Last Kill by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, October 2023); 351 pp.

WHAT SHE FOUND

4 stars out of 5

Each time I open a book in this terrific series, I'm sure I'll be in for a treat. This one - the ninth - kept that streak going. Now the sole detective in the Seattle Police Department's Cold Case Unit, Detective Tracy Crosswhite is married to prosecuting attorney Dan O'Leary, and they share still-in-diapers daughter Daniella. She's still not popular with quite a few of her fellow officers in blue including her current boss; but overall, she's enjoying the relative solitude and independence of working alone and staying loyal to the few officers she's long respected and trusted.

That gets put to the test here, as she agrees to look into the 25-year-old disappearance and presumed murder of Lisa Childress, a hot-shot newspaper reporter who left behind a young daughter (and a husband who remains the prime suspect). Now grown, the daughter just wants closure - and, hopefully, restoring her father's once good name. Early in her investigation, she reasons that one of the stories Lisa was working on at the time she went missing might have triggered retaliation from someone who didn't want to be outed. The most likely possibility, it seems, was a suspected police drug task force scandal that could have brought down the entire department. If that's the case, there's a potential problem; some of her trusted friends were around back then. Is it possible they knew something, or worse, were in on it?

Still, Tracy perseveres, searching for and meeting up with some of the players mentioned in the meager police records of the task force's activities. Here and there, clues pop up to make her investigative nose start twitching, but there's nothing substantive that could lead to solving the case. Until there is; one big clue turns up in a California city - one that changes the intensity and course of the investigation as well as angers Tracy's boss and threatens a couple of long-standing friendships.

There's plenty of action throughout, although I did find the epilogue a bit abrupt as it brought an otherwise exciting story to a sort of "blah" end. Still, I'm already looking forward to the next installment - and I once again thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. Great series (start at the beginning and you won't be sorry), highly recommended!

What She Found by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, August 2022); 343 pp.

IN HER TRACKS

5 stars out of 5

When you've found a series you enjoy, opening the first page of the newest edition never fails to be a treat. That in mind, I set aside my practice of reading advance review copies from NetGalley in order of nearest release date and moved this one up a few notches just to make myself happy. Now I'm done, and yes, I am - in fact, I enjoyed this one a little bit more than most.

Detective Tracy Crosswhite, who's been on maternity leave and leave to deal with PTSD, gets back to work in the Violent Crimes Department of the Seattle Police Department. While she was gone, her much-disliked boss (the feeling is mutual) has brought in someone to fill in while she was gone and now claims her old job is no longer available. Instead, he offers her reassignment in the department's cold case unit, which he clearly hopes she'll turn down and resign. She's tempted to do just that, until she talks with the officer who's retiring and decides it might not be such a bad gig after all.

Immediately, she zeroes in on a case involving a five-year-old girl who disappeared in a Halloween corn maze while in her father's care. Both he and his ex-wife, the girl's mother, were suspects at the time (especially since the parents were almost vicious in their dislike of each other), but no charges were ever brought and the girl has remained missing. A second case, the disappearance of two local prostitutes, catches her eye as well. If those cases weren't enough, soon thereafter, Tracy's old partner Kinsington Rowe, asks for her help with  a current case of a female jogger who disappeared on or near a rather remote trail. It isn't long before her boss steps in and insists that she stick to her cold cases, but it's time enough for her to see some similarities between the missing jogger and the two missing hookers years earlier.

From that point on, there's plenty of action, twists and turns as Tracy and Kins do their investigative thing and bump up against some really nasty suspects. Tracy may be getting a little older (this is the eighth book in the series, after all), but she certainly hasn't lost her edge. If it matters, I think this one can be read as a standalone for those unfamiliar with the series - but I'll add, as is my custom, that it's always best to start at the beginning. As for me, I'll just say thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review another one. Good job once again!

In Her Tracks by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, April 2021); 383 pp.

A COLD TRAIL

4 stars out of 5

It's always a treat to dive into a new book in a favorite series, and it's even sweeter when it's another good one. Such is the case here (I even stayed up half an hour past my bedtime to finish it). This is the seventh appearance of Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite, but I warn other readers that near the end of the book, it was touch and go as to whether it would be her last.

Of course, no reader is likely to think she won't survive - this series is far too popular to knock off the lead character, for goodness sake; so the devil here is in the details. Tracy and her lawyer husband Dan have moved back to their home town of Cedar Grove, Washington, while their home in a Seattle suburb is being remodeled. They bring with them their two-month-old daughter Daniella and Irish nanny Therese (a likable character in her own right, a bit reminiscent of Mary Catherine, the very Irish nanny and housekeeper for James Patterson series character Michael Bennett). 

Tracy and Dan are living in Dan's parents' old house, but it is the small town itself that brings back the most memories - and not pleasant ones. This is the place where Tracy's younger sister, Sarah, went missing while she was in high school; years later, her body was found and the killer identified. Now, Dan has taken on the defense of a local man who's fighting the sale of his long-time family store to the city, which is buying up other small businesses and reselling them to buyers who pledge to remodel and reopen. Tracy is for the most part happy to be with her new daughter, but she also misses the fulfillment of her job (from which she's still on maternity leave). So when the local acting police chief makes her an offer she can't refuse, she doesn't - agreeing to help solve the murder of the current chief's wife, a reporter who was working on a story that someone doesn't want told.

As most readers will suspect, it's not long before parallels show up between Tracy's investigation and Dan's client's case; but the nearly impossible part is finding real evidence. A lot has happened in Cedar Grove over the years, much of which the locals don't want to revisit even if it means catching a murderer.

The action here is pretty much nonstop, although a few too many, and too lengthy, speculative discussions among the players about who may have done what to whom slowed the pace here and there. That aside, it was an interesting plot with plenty of twists and a satisfying conclusion, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-publication copy. Now all I can do is sit back and wait till the next one!

A Cold Trail by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, February 2020); 355 pp.

A STEEP PRICE

4 stars out of 5

In my little world of books, not much makes me happier than finding a dependably enjoyable series. And this one, featuring Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite, fills that description - I look forward to reading each installment knowing I won't be disappointed. This book, the 6th in the series, is no exception (and to that end, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance review copy).

Tracy, now married to Dan, an attorney, is expecting a baby. She's been keeping it a secret except for her partner, Kinsington Rowe (and well, her husband, of course). So when she comes back to the office after a day in court providing testimony to find a new female detective sitting at her desk, she's perplexed to say the least. When the woman offers no real apologies for taking over the spot - and asks Tracy about her pregnancy - Tracy wavers between fighting mad and concerned about her job.

All that takes a back seat, though, when a friend calls to report a missing woman. Nothing is official - the woman, who is from a traditional Indian family from whom she is for the most part estranged, hasn't been gone long and she's a competent adult - but concerns quickly begin to suggest foul play. Missing persons cases aren't in Tracy's bailiwick, but she convinces her boss to let her have a go at it.

As this plays out, Tracy's co-workers Del Castigliano and "Faz" Fazzio run to a shooting in a drug-infested part of town; the victim has been vocal about the need to clean the neighborhood swamp, so there's a good chance she was murdered simply to shut her up. Del and Faz will work the case as best they can, but the waters get harder to navigate when Faz gets some bad news on his home front that weighs heavily on his mind.

The investigations bring the usual excitement and twists (although I'm proud to say I guess one correctly). But this book pokes a number of emotional hot buttons as well, such as arranged marriages and other Indian traditions, working women and pregnancy, prostitution and adult "dating" websites and dealing with life-threatening illness. Collectively, it creates an engaging and thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. Well done once again!

A Steep Price by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, June 2018); 380 pp.

THE TRAPPED GIRL

5 stars out of 5


In the endless sea of oysters stocked with "girl"-titled books, this one's a pearl. In fact, despite my vow to eschew any and all with that word in the title for at least the next three years, I couldn't wait to dive into it. So what turned the tide? Well, it was a can't-miss combination: Favorite author, favorite series, and the chance to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author and publisher for that invitation, BTW.

This is the fourth in the author's Tracy Crosswhite series, and like the others, it's a winner. I polished it off over the course of two days - not an easy feat when you've got a part-time editing job and a husband who could burn water if given half a chance (put another way, unless we eat out, dinner is on me).

Crosswhite, for those who don't already know, works at the Seattle Police Department's Violent Crimes Section and partners with Kinsington Rowe, aka Kins. She's in a serious relationship with Dan, an attorney, but psychological baggage carried over from her sister's death and the end of her first marriage keep her on the skittish side of any kind of formal hook-up. All that baggage also creeps into her work, as happens in this book.

It begins with the discovery of a female body in a crab pot - accidentally pulled out of the water by a kid trying to circumvent crabbing laws by placing and retrieving his pots under the cover of near-darkness. Identifying the victim, however, proves challenging; clearly, someone - perhaps the victim herself - has gone to great lengths to conceal who she is. Eventually, though, evidence points to a woman who went missing while mountain-climbing with her husband (a rather unsavory character who remains a person of interest in her disappearance but hasn't been charged as yet).

Needless to say, there's far more to the story. Quite a bit more, in fact; the intriguing plot, and the well-developed characters, seem a tad more complex than in previous books, with a few surprises (a couple of them whoppers). Failure to nail down what really happened and find the killer reminds Tracy of her own sister's murder, prompting her to keep plugging away when the going gets especially tough.

For those who already love this series, there's a downside; this latest installment isn't scheduled for release till January 24, 2017. But for anyone else, here's a suggestion: Although reading the first three books isn't a requirement for enjoyment of this one, why not spend the time reading the first three? In order of appearance, they are My Sister's Grave, Her Final Breath and In the Clearing. You'll be glad you did! 

The Trapped Girl by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, January 2017).

MY SISTER'S GRAVE

5 stars out of 5

Always on the lookout for a good series, I found this book on sale at Amazon and zeroed in on it. Now that I've finished it, I'm almost sorry to learn that there's only one more that's currently available (the next is Her Final Breath, which I definitely plan to read). Yes, there's also a short story (Kindle Single), but I've said on many occasions I have zero interest in those things no matter how much I love the author's work. If that practice brings in some extra bucks for the authors, so be it, but suffice it to say none of those bucks will come from me.

This one introduces Tracy Crosswhite, a Seattle homicide detective who (understandably) never got over the murder of her younger sister Sarah some 20 years earlier - her body never found. A suspect who confessed to the murder was tried and convicted and remains incarcerated, but Tracy has had doubts about his guilt and some of the evidence that was presented all those years ago. 

As she investigates another case involving the death of a young stripper, her sister's body is unearthed - literally - so she returns to her former home in the Washington State mountains. Discovery of the body brings even more into question, and with a little help from an old but rediscovered attorney friend, she focuses on getting to the truth no matter who gets hurt along the way. 

This certainly isn't the best murder mystery I've ever read - I've gone through so many that I'm not even sure what is - but it certainly held my interest throughout; I was even a bit annoyed that I was forced to put it down for two days when good friends from out of town popped in for a visit (good thing I love them dearly). But the minute they left  - well, as soon as we'd washed the wine glasses and put away the leftover pizza - the first thing I did was open up my Kindle to see how the story ended. And for the record, it got even more exciting the closer I got to the finish line.

Now I'm off to see about getting my hands on the sequel, and after that I'll just have to wait till May 2016, when the third is slated for release (In the Clearing).

My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, November 2014); 418 pp.