Last Mission - Lisa Childs (HRS #2292 - Sept 2024)

Series: Hotshot Heroes (Book 12)
 
Even the best-laid plans
can go up in flames…
 
Mack McRooney is retired from military special ops, but there's one final mission he has to take on -- catch the saboteur targeting his brother-in-law's firefighting team…even if that means becoming a firefighter himself. Partnering with state trooper Wynona Wells, however, was not part of the plan. Mack and Wynona are fighting their fiery attraction to one another and a deadly saboteur. And if they lose this fight, they might just also lose their lives…
 
Fantastic conclusion to the series. Throughout the series, the hotshot team has been plagued by a saboteur who has caused many dangerous "accidents." Though the field of suspects has diminished, team leader Braden Zimmer is frustrated by the inability to identify them. As a last resort, he asks his brother-in-law Mack to join the team and investigate.
 
Mack recently retired from a career in military special ops. While deciding what to do with the rest of his life, he trains as a hotshot and takes a place in the team. Mack is suspicious of everyone, including local state trooper Wynona. He feels she is hiding something. Wynona is equally distrustful of Mack. He isn't law enforcement and has no business interfering with her investigation.
 
With their mutual distrust, neither is happy about the sparks of attraction that affect them. They fight against them, but ultimately, their feelings are too strong to resist. However, each has baggage from their past, making it difficult to open their hearts. I enjoyed seeing them get past each other's walls and take a chance at love.
 
The suspense of the story was terrific. Mack has a target on his back from his first day as a hotshot. Only his quick reflexes saved him from being crushed by a falling tree. Wynona also finds herself in the crosshairs when someone shoots at her and Mack. There are scenes from the saboteur's point of view where we see his frustration at Mack and Wynona's ability to escape his attacks. There are also hints of his motivation. The attacks intensify as they begin to close in on his identity. The final confrontation was a nail-biter and kept me glued to the pages until it was over.
 
The epilogue was an excellent wrap-up for the books and series. I liked catching up with the couples from earlier books. 

Campus Killer - R. Barri Flowers (HI #2234 - Aug 2024)

Series: Lynleys of Law Enforcement (Book 5)
 
The stakes of this case were intense.
And the killer was closing in.
 
Deep into the investigation of a serial killer at her small town's university, Detective Paula Lynley can't refuse the help of a renowned profiler. Special Agent Neil Ramirez's expertise could help catch the Campus Killer before another woman falls victim. Though Neil is deeply talented and easy on the eyes, Paula senses the profiler has his own dark secrets. Getting close to Neil might be good for the case, but what will it do to her heart?
 
Good action-packed mystery and romance. Paula is a campus detective at a small college. There has been a series of murders of female professors that they believe is the work of a serial killer. Neil is an ATF profiler working as a visiting professor in their Criminal Justice department. Paula decided to take advantage of Neil's presence and ask for his help in profiling the killer.
 
I liked Neil and Paula. Both are dedicated to their jobs. Paula is recently divorced. She isn't bitter about the end of her marriage but is cautious about getting involved again. She has noticed Neil and is intrigued by him. Neil is on hiatus from the BATF. Between the death of his partner during an op and the end of his relationship with his girlfriend, he wanted some time to clear his head. Besides his gig as a professor, Neil also aids in investigating weapons trafficking. They work well as a team while they attempt to identify the killer.
 
I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Neither Neil nor Paula is actively looking for romance, but when they realize they are drawn to each other, they don't shy away. I liked seeing them get to know each other and discover how much they have in common. I loved that Neil greatly respects Paula and her abilities while still being protective of her. The progression of their relationship was realistic and involved no silly games. The only obstacle/question was what would happen when Neil's stint as a professor was over. I liked the way their future worked out.
 
The suspense of the story was fantastic. I was fully involved in the search for the Campus Killer from the prologue to the epilogue. I could feel their frustration at the lack of clues and the intensity of their desire to stop the killer before he claimed another victim. The occasional glimpse into the killer's mind was chilling and added to the growing tension. The author kept me guessing about the killer's identity until that final twist. 

Last Chance Investigation - Tara Taylor Quinn (HRS #2252 - Nov 2023)

Series: Sierra's Web (Book 12)
 
Haunted by his last case…
And his first love!
 
When a message in a bottle points to the possible copycat case of a just-solved crime, Detective Levi Griggs is determined to find closure and the potential new victim. Even if at the case's center lies Kelly Chase -- the woman who shattered his heart.
 
Renowned psychiatrist Kelly certainly doesn't expect to find herself pursuing a mystery with the high school love she left behind. But as she and Levi untangle the past, they're running out of time in the present…
 
Good book with an unusual storyline. Levi was the detective who solved a fifteen-year-old case, ending the life of a man who had kept a woman prisoner for many years. Unfortunately, the man killed his victim before Levi could free her and shot Levi. As the book opens, Levi is recovering from his injury and dealing with the guilt he feels about the victim's death. He's surprised when the sheriff shows up with a new clue like the ones in the case he just closed. He's stunned when he finds out who discovered it.
 
Kelly returned to Idlewood for the first time in thirteen years to clean out and sell the cabin she inherited from her grandparents. She has mixed feelings about the house, many tied up in the memories of her high school boyfriend, Levi. Kelly left the town and Levi behind when she went to college and pursued her dream. Now, she is a psychiatrist who works with law enforcement in Arizona. The last thing she expected was to get involved in chasing a mystery with Levi.
 
This was an intriguing story. As Levi and Kelly get into the investigation, they explore multiple possibilities. The notes could be from a copycat, with another victim hidden in the hills. It could be a stalker focused on Kelly, either by chance or as retribution for a case she has worked on before. It could be another victim reaching out for help. Levi and Kelly have differing ideas of who it is and must keep their minds open as they work together to uncover the truth. The conclusion had a twist I didn't see coming and had me on the edge of my seat until it was over.
 
I enjoyed watching the rekindling of Levi and Kelly's relationship. Neither had forgotten the other, and their chemistry was evident from the moment they met. However, Kelly has her life and career far from small town Idlewood, and Levi has never wanted to live elsewhere. They couldn't deny the attraction that still flared between them or the connection they felt. Both fight their feelings, knowing nothing can come of it. I liked seeing them get to know each other as adults, and especially liked Levi's growing respect for Kelly's abilities. I ached for them both when the case was over, knowing they each had lives that were far apart. I loved the ending and their plan for the future. 

Hotshot Hero for the Holidays - Lisa Childs (HRS #2257 - Dec 2023)

Series: Hotshot Heroes (Book 9)
 
Is a fake holiday relationship…
The perfect bait for a killer?
 
When firefighter Trent Miles responds to a fire just weeks before Christmas, he can't believe it's his own house -- and there's a body inside. Detective Heather Bolton has a plan to smoke out the killer, but it's risky. Not only does it put both Heather and Trent in the crosshairs of a murderer, but it means fanning the flames of an incendiary chemistry that threatens to consume them…
 
This was a fantastic, fast-paced, and action-packed story. Trent arrived home from his latest hotshot mission and immediately responded to a fire call. He was shocked to discover that the house on fire was his and that there was a dead body inside. Complicating matters, he had just received a letter threatening harm to someone he cares about. Trent is on edge because the hotshot crew has been dealing with sabotage and other attacks. He is also angry at his sister Brittney, a journalist, who caused problems with one of his teammates.
 
Heather is the detective assigned to identifying the body and investigating the death. She is determined to solve the case and prove her naysayers wrong. Though initially suspicious of Trent, she soon clears him. Heather and Trent pretend to be a couple to draw out the threat and are a little too successful.
 
I loved following the investigation. The twists and turns and the escalating attacks on Heather and Trent kept me glued to the pages long into the night. By the time the final confrontation occurred, I could not put it down until I finished. The conclusion was partially a surprise, as I suspected one connection but not another.
 
I enjoyed the developing relationship between Trent and Heather. It started a little rough as Heather initially suspected him of the fire, the murder, or both. Neither expected the sparks of attraction that flared between them despite that suspicion. Both Trent and Heather are protectors, and each worries about the other's safety. They enter a fake relationship to draw out the attacker and find that it quickly feels real. Thrown together by their deception and the investigation, neither expects the depth of the connection they feel. One of the things I liked best was that both respect and admire the other's capabilities. But it takes nearly losing each other to admit the depth of their feelings.
 
The search for the identity of the saboteur plaguing the hotshots is ongoing. With each book, it becomes more likely that one of the hotshots is behind the attacks. I'm looking forward to the next books and finding out more about who and why. 

 

Hunted Hotshot Hero - Lisa Childs (HRS #2273 - Apr 2024)

Series: Hotshot Heroes (Book 10)
 
A killer's after the man
…he used to be
 
Who's more dangerous: The saboteur targeting Rory VanDam's hotshot team or Brittney Townsend, the hot reporter asking too many questions? Maybe the secrets Rory has had to keep since he survived a plane crash are more dangerous than both of them. When a killer pursues the guarded firefighter and relentless journalist, it's Rory's past that could cost them their lives. And his reluctant attraction to the newswoman could make him expose the shocking truth.
 
Fast-paced suspense with nearly nonstop action that kept me glued to the pages well past my bedtime. I could not put it down until I had finished reading it. This book has two targets. Rory, as a member of the hotshot team experiencing attacks by a saboteur, and Brittney, a reporter determined to unearth the truth behind the plane crash that only Rory and Ethan (Hotshot Hero in Disguise) survived. The book opens with Rory in a coma because of an attack at the firehouse, followed by Brittney receiving threats to stop her investigation.
 
Brittney is like a dog with a bone in that she refuses to back down. Despite the threats, she heads back to Northern Lakes to try to talk to Rory and Evan again. She is shot at and wrecks, ending up in the hospital just as Rory is being released. Instead of avoiding her like he intended, Rory is talked into watching over her until her brother arrives. That includes keeping her from haring off to investigate her crash. Rory has good reason to avoid Brittney. He has secrets that could get him killed if they come out. He also can't deny the unexpected and unwelcome need to protect her.
 
I loved watching Rory and Brittney team up. Initially, there is some distrust between them. Brittney knows Rory is hiding something big and won't give up until she uncovers it. Rory believes that Brittney would sell her soul for a story without regard for its consequences. As they worked together to identify the attacker, Brittney and Rory became closer and protective of each other. The attacks escalated in frequency and intensity, leading Rory to take desperate measures to keep them safe. Rory's confession was not what I expected and added to my respect for him. The final confrontation was intense and had me on the edge of my seat until it was over. I could feel Rory and Brittney's fear for each other's safety as they faced their unexpected foe. I loved the ending and seeing them admit their feelings for each other.
 
The book begins and ends with scenes involving the saboteur targeting the hotshot team. It is now clearly a fellow member, but we must determine which one. The pool of possibilities is shrinking, and I can't wait to discover who it is and why they are doing it.