Two friends track a lethal murderer As a childhood bond is put on the line Disgraced FBI agent Nolan Colton returns home to lick his wounds…only to find death on his doorstep. After a woman’s body is dug up in a parking lot, his longtime friend PI Summer Davies enlists his crime-solving expertise. Nolan can’t help but admire all-grown-up Summer’s tenacity, but new leads take their case in a … take their case in a killer direction–one that threatens the future of their entire case…and their own lives.
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Good book. The tension in Whisperwood continues to grow as the investigation into the death of a local woman goes on. PI Summer has recently opened her investigations business in town and is surprised when the woman’s father and brother hire her to find the killer. They are not satisfied with the lack of progress made by the police department.
Meanwhile, Nolan is on administrative leave from the FBI while he is investigated for sexual misconduct. A fellow agent with whom he had a brief encounter made the allegations against him, complete with pictures. Angry, hurt, and disgusted, Nolan heads to Whisperwood to spend time with family and wait for the decision that will affect his future. There he is surprised to run into a childhood friend he lost contact with years ago.
I loved Summer’s joy at seeing Nolan again. Her enthusiastic greeting took Nolan by surprise, at least until he recognized her. I ached for him because he first noticed her as a woman, then realized who she was, and pulled back because of the investigation against him. He wonders if he’ll always second-guess himself now, even with friends. I enjoyed seeing them catch up with each other at the diner, learning about what they’ve been up to. Summer was surprised, yet cautious, when Nolan offered to help with her investigation. She’s more than a little protective of her job, having suffered from sexist attitudes in the past. I liked how she laid out her conditions, making her expectations clear. Nolan did the same, determined to protect himself. Neither counted on the sparks of attraction that flew between them. Summer was more accepting of the feelings that grew between them. She worried about it changing their friendship, but she was willing to see where it would go. Nolan was far more resistant, both because of the accusations against him and because of his plans to go back to Chicago if his name was cleared. I ached for Summer when Nolan left without a word and wanted to shake him for treating her that way. Nolan’s return to Chicago included some interesting events, not the least of which were the changes he saw in himself. I loved his big moment at the end. It was sweet and romantic.
The suspense of the story was good. The tension has built through the three previous books as Patrice’s murder has gone unsolved. There were questions about whether it was related to a series of murders that had taken place years before. Each book has come closer to proving or disproving the connection. I liked seeing Nolan and Summer work together, balancing each other’s strengths and weaknesses. As they assembled various pieces of the puzzle, a clearer picture began to emerge. I was glued to the pages as Summer and Nolan found themselves in dire straits, caught by the killer as they searched for evidence. The final confrontation was intense, and hearing the killer talk so casually about what he had done was chilling. I loved seeing him get what was coming to him and how it came about.