New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin “delivers the goods” (Publishers Weekly) again with the eleventh title in the gritty, heart-pounding Tracers series. When a lakeside tryst ends in a double murder, police detective Daniele Harper arrives on the scene determined to get answers. Clues are everywhere, but nothing adds up. Dani turns to the Delphi Center crime lab for help, but soon … crime lab for help, but soon regrets it when her secret attraction to their chief firearms examiner threatens to distract her from the most important case of her career.
As a ballistics expert and former Navy SEAL, Scott Black knows firearms, and he knows he can help Dani unravel her case. Scott has managed to hide his interest in his best friend’s younger sister for years, but when her investigation brings them together, the sparks between them quickly burn out of control. Scott resolves to keep his hands off Dani and his eyes on the goal–identifying a killer. But when that killer zeroes in on her, all bets are off. There isn’t a line Scott won’t cross to convince Dani to trust him so that he can help her take down a ruthless murderer who has her in his sights.more
At Close Range by Laura Griffin is book number eleven in the Tracers series. This is police detective, Daniele “Dani” Harper and former Navy Seal, Scott Black’s story.
Wow! From the start you will stay on the edge of your seat. The author delivers a story with suspense, twists, surprises, and steamy scenes with an unpredictable ending.
FYI, includes mature content. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Pre ordered. Can’t wait to read it.
So much action! Steamy as all get out but it also has a potential great love story. I was confused as all get out about the bad guy and why he was killing people but after I slept on it I figured it out. Science wasn’t my strong suit in school. I was drawn to the book by the best friends little sister attraction but I got to say the whole book was Great. I had to order Sean and Brooke’s story and I am very anxious to get it! Love when a author draws you to another story with a teaser.
Loved it!!
Oh my words, people, I am not sure if I have eloquent enough way to express how much I loved absolutely everything about this story, and admire the way it is written.
The pictures the author paints for us are so clear and vivid, so real, that it was easy to get lost in the pages of the book. The tale itself has a rhythm and flow that are natural and engaging. There’s no shortcuts, no easy solutions, or rushing to the end, but beautifully written story that I wanted to hang on to every word. I loved how the technical details were delivered. The balance of the information was perfect, not underestimating the reader, but not overflowing so that it would be tedious. The case is complex, and there’s no way to figure out who truly is the mastermind behind the attacks that just keeps coming and soon turns personal towards the investigators.
And the characters! Detective Daniele Harper was a true heroine. She is tough, reasonable, smart, and capable, she feels she is over her head, challenged to the core by her first case as a leader, but she doesn’t give up, she doesn’t complain, or look for a way out, but goes forward and is determined to find the criminals and stop the insanity.
The ballistics expert and former Navy SEAL, Scott Black isn’t just sexy as one can be, but he has honor, loyalty, need for justice to be done, and mostly a need to protect Daniele. He doesn’t use a pet name to her, but while everyone else calls her some version of Dani, at the perfect moments he says ‘Daniele’ and I swear I swooned every single time.
Daniele and Scott have a sizzling, energetic connection from the start. The turbulence of their desire boiling inside of them for each other is as explosive as the action in the book and twined into the story seamlessly. The ‘best friend’s baby sister’ angel has just enough drama to my liking and the way they navigate the fragile beginning of their relationship, how the feelings develop and grow, was delightful and charming.
This story is filled with unpredictable action that had me holding my breath, moments of danger and fear that felt so real I had to check my locks and windows. The romance is not only beautiful and adorable but sensual and swoon-worthy. The characters are charismatic, and the secondary characters benefit the story and help to develop the plot into the absorbing puzzle that it turns out to be. This story is everything I want in a romantic suspense and I highly recommend it to all fans of the genre!
~ Five Spoons!
Welp, it looks like my TBR just grew by TEN books. Why is that you ask? After reading At Close Range, I have a new to me series to binge read!
I’ve read only two other books by Ms. Griffin, her Alpha Crew series, and I really liked those. So, when I stumbled upon this book, I was intrigued and I figured it was time to jump into the Tracers series. Yes, I’m a stickler for reading a series in order but I can assure you that you can safely jump into this series, even at book number ten. Isn’t is fun to read a book in a series and know that there are NINE more that you get to read? I know I’m excited.
So after saying all of that, you can assume that I liked At Close Range and that would be true. For me, the test of a good romantic suspense book is how the romance and the suspense are balanced. If it’s too heavy on the romance/erotic side, the suspense plot becomes secondary. Some rom/suspense books are too light on the romance and those are not my preference. I think there are many romantic/suspense readers that prefer more suspense and less romance. So, it’s a very delicate balance.
Dani is a rookie detective and the little sister of Scott Black’s best friend. Can I just add here how overprotective her brother is? It’s actually kind of funny and if his book has been written, I can’t wait to read it and if it hasn’t been written, I hope it’s on Ms. Griffin’s to-do list because I’d love to see him taken down a peg or two by love. Anyhoo, Dani and Scott have known each for a very long time and she’s had a crush on him forever but he has always kept his distance especially after his last SEAL deployment. So, yeah, Scott Black has some issues and I’ll admit that those issues made it a little harder for me to understand him, to connect to him as a character. Even though Dani ends having to investigate him as a possible suspect in a double murder, their attraction finally reaches its tipping point. Because let’s face it, Dani knows Scott and she knows he couldn’t have committed the crime. Now, they have to solve a double murder. The procedural aspect of At Close Range was fascinating and that’s another reason I want to catch up on this series, those details fascinate me.
Dani and Scott are an interesting couple, Scott has always been a love ’em and leave ’em kind of guy but Dani brings out feelings in him that he’s never had before. Dani is a great character, she’s a badass and is dedicated to her job. I liked her a lot! I have to say that I’d like to read more about Dani and Scott, I think I wanted a little bit more from them after they got together, that’s just me though.
At Close Range was a great read, it was a pulse-pounding thrill ride with a side of passion and intrigue.