the setup…
Detective Tracy Crosswhite and attorney husband Dan O’Leary have returned to their hometown of Cedar Grove, Washington for a couple of months. She’s on leave and he’s representing one of the town’s long time merchants who’s being forced to give up his property as part of a revitalization plan. The former sheriff has approached Tracy for help with a cold case that’s resurfaced because the current sheriff’s wife was recently murdered. Sheriff Finlay Armstrong has claimed his innocence but optics are terrible because he was one of the prime suspects in the cold case murder of Heather Johansen thirty years ago and most believe they are connected.
the heart of the story…
There’s so much to sink into here that I quickly engaged and became immersed in Tracy’s investigation, Dan’s case and the inner turmoil for both of them by her working as she considered her next steps in her career now that she’s a mother. I also love cold case investigations as they’re harder to resolve but old secrets seem to be more prone to being revealed over time, as was the truth here. Dan’s case was a bit more technical with lots of data needing to be synthesized but it wasn’t hard to keep up. I knew that somehow these two cases would intersect and when they did, things just got even more intriguing. It was all fascinating, capped with the best in courtroom drama, which is like catnip for me. It had so many popcorn worthy moments.
the narration…
I’ve made it clear in earlier reviews of this series that Sutton-Smith’s performances make these exceptional listening experiences. Nothing’s changed with this installment and she continues to make these great stories even more exciting.
the bottom line…
Tracy’s acceptance of what could possibly be a dangerous assignment while she was on maternity leave raised issues that were handled intelligently and thoughtfully. There were no predictable paths taken and I loved this aspect of the story. The cases were highly intriguing and difficult to resolve as there were so many angles you could explore. I correctly guessed some aspects, including the villain, but there still some revelations that surprised me. The courtroom scenes were riveting and they alone made this story a win. And, it was fun seeing Dan in action. This series just gets better with every story and I’m looking forward to what’s next for Tracy as she returns to Seattle and her job.
Book Info
- Release Date: February 4, 2020
- Series: Tracy Crosswhite #7
- Narrator: Emily Sutton-Smith
- Audio Length: 10 hours, 31 minutes
- Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Blue Mood Café 
I love mysteries that tackle cold cases too. There’s just something so satisfying about having them finally wrapped up and justice served. This series continues to sound incredible! Excellent review, Jo!
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Thank you, Tessa💜 I think you’re going to love it as much as I do if ever you start it.
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I do love this author too!
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Yes, he’s one of my auto reads now.
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Yay, another Tracy Crosswhite! It was fun to return to Cedar Grove and see another cold case… I think part of the reason this series stands out is its focus on cold cases in general. It’s like one big puzzle nobody can solve, and then Tracy and her team come in and BAM. 😉
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It’s taken me this long to see this pattern and get that I’m drawn to them! You hit the nail on the head, Yvo💜
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I’m so glad you’re reading these now. They are just exceptional. I love them so much. Excellent review!
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Thank you, Anne💜 I’ll be forever grateful to you for featuring this series.
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Wonderful review, Jo. I love when cold cases are involved. It is fascinating to see how they are finally solved. I am looking forward to the new Tracy Crosswhite book when I get time for it.
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I’m a big fan of stories that focus on cold cases. This sounds like a fantastic installment in the series.
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It’s the kind you love sinking into and losing yourself in the story.
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