They met in a war-torn city on the other side of the world and shared an anonymous night of passion. They didn’t intend to meet again. Nor did they think they’d be reunited by sinister secrets…
Five years later, FBI Agent Savannah Kane is headed to a small town in Georgia for the funeral of her best friend’s husband. Going home is fraught with complications, but Savannah never imagined one of … complications, but Savannah never imagined one of those would be Ryker Stone, the stranger she’d shared an unforgettable night with.
Haunted by an ambush that took the lives of two men in his unit, Ryker now copes by living a solitary civilian life. Attending the funeral of yet another soldier, this one lost to a senseless accident, he is shocked to run into the beautiful stranger he has never forgotten.
When another man in Ryker’s former unit dies under suspicious circumstances, he suspects that someone is targeting his team. He’s determined to get to the truth; Savannah is just as determined to get answers for her friend. Neither wants to work with the other, and as they struggle with trust and attraction, the truth grows murkier…and more dangerous. Will finding answers reveal secrets neither one of them is ready to know?
Don’t miss this twisting, suspenseful, romantic page-turner by #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy!
Also Available in the Off The Grid: FBI Series
Perilous Trust #1
Reckless Whisper #2
Desperate Play #3
Elusive Promise #4
Dangerous Choice #5
Ruthless Cross #6
Critical Doubt #7
What the readers are saying…
“Barbara Freethy writes a beautiful, edge of the seat story, full of intrigue, mystery and romance. This is my favorite FBI series! Can’t wait to read the next book!” Christine
“Count on Freethy to thrill your socks off, while running away with your heart. RUTHLESS CROSS had me holding my breath and biting my nails as I sat on the edge of my seat.” Isha
“PERILOUS TRUST is a non-stop thriller that seamlessly melds jaw-dropping suspense with sizzling romance, and I was riveted from the first page to the last…Readers will be breathless in anticipation as this fast-paced and enthralling love story evolves and goes in unforeseeable directions.” — USA Today HEA Blog
Wow! I truly loved reading this book! DANGEROUS CHOICE is a captivating, sexy and thrilling story. It grabs you from the beginning, wanting to know what happens next.” Doni – Goodreads
“You will love RECKLESS WHISPER. From the first sentence of the book until you end, you are on a suspense filled ride.” J. Stryker – Goodreads
“RUTHLESS CROSS is another adrenaline-filled story, with well written and developed characters, Barbara Freethy is a master of her craft!” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Booklovers Anonymous
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This is the seventh book in the Off The Grid:FBI series. This series by Barbara Freethy is phenomenal. It just keeps getting better. It is so very well written. Full of mystery, intrigue, suspense, a plot loaded with twists and this time the story revolves around Samantha Kane, who goes home to support her best friend Abby during her husband’s funeral. While there she runs into Ryker Stone, whom she hadn’t seen in five years. But things begin to happen as another member of the former Army Rangers team ends up dead. Again I was so caught up in reading this book, that I couldn’t wait to finish it. Well done Barabara! You definitely know how to weave a tale of mystery and suspense, along with some wonderful romance. Now I’m curious and looking forward to reading Jax’s story in Fearless Pursuit.
Would have given a 3.5 if I could. Good read. Entertaining.
This author is always entertaining with action packed stories. I would recommend .
I haven’t read any books from this author. I gave this book a 3.5 * in a Goodreads review. I enjoyed the book and thought the characters were well written. It was a good read.
Was a great book could not put it down until I finished reading it from beginning to end cannot wait until I read the next book
Loved Savannah and Ryker!
I left a review on iBooks, rated Barbara Freethy’s book with 5 stars & I highly recommend it to all readers who love mysteries.
It was a good read. Kept me
I WAS CRITICAL AT FIRST, BUT NOW I HAVE NO DOUBT. THIS BOOK DESERVES FIVE STARS!
OMG! I’m not a big fan of thrillers, but the blurb convinced me to give this one a shot. Because the author was new to me, I had no idea what to expect. I was definitely NOT expecting to go from disliking this book to loving it! (WARNING: Some spoilers ahead, but I won’t reveal the ending.)
To be honest, I almost quit reading at the halfway point. The plot moves slowly as our hero–former Army Ranger Ryker Stone–leaves his self-imposed solitary life to attend the funeral of one of his old teammates (Paul). As fate would have it, Ryker sees our heroine–FBI Agent Savannah Kane–at the funeral, which triggers memories of their passionate one-night stand five years ago. Sparks rekindle between them, but their romance is overshadowed by page after page of dialogue and descriptions of Savannah’s strained relationship with her father, the personal problems of Ryker’s former teammates, and his own struggles with a form of PTSD. (Loud bells frequently ring in his head, triggering violent reactions.)
The pace picks up a bit when another teammate (Todd) disappears and his house explodes. When Todd’s body is found, Ryker and Savannah suspect a connection between his death and Paul’s. Their ensuing investigation puts them in danger: a car nearly runs them down, a bomb destroys their rental car, and someone shoots at Ryker. When another teammate is reported dead, it seems that someone is targeting the seven former members of that failed rescue mission in Afghanistan. Ryker and Mason are still alive, but five are presumed dead. Are they really dead, or are they “ghosting” themselves for some unknown, nefarious reason? And if so, what evil plans are afoot?
As the plot thickens, Savannah brings in a team of FBI and CIA agents to help solve the mystery. The final 30% of the book is a nonstop ride with shocking twists and turns I never expected, and–here’s the astonishing part–it’s all so believable! The final chapters grabbed me and didn’t let go. There’s betrayal, revenge, a multi-million dollar cache of stolen weapons, an arms smuggler/terrorist, a breathtaking final confrontation . . .
And love, of course. Though the romance occasionally gets lost in all the drama, Ryker and Savannah do find time for a couple of semi-steamy sex scenes as their attraction grows. Do they achieve a lasting relationship? Read this book to find out. It definitely deserves five stars, because the final chapters more than make up for the slow start. Kudos also for professional proofreading and limited profanity. Will I be reading more books by this author? No doubt!
Savannah and Ryker met again after five years; both never forgetting their one night together. Great story that includes the struggles of many men and women who return from war damaged in some way. Soldiers such as Rangers work together, trusting their lives when working on missions. Sometimes things go so wrong. Great story of questions answered, choices made and lives changed forever.
This book was an fun easy read.
Love this series!
I’m loving the entire FBI series. Well written, page turner, enjoyable
I always like Barbara Freethy’s books. There is the romantic parts of her stories, but the details are not graphic, which is good for the stories. I will continue to read her stories about these interesting people who are helping others while dealing with their own issues.
I love her books. I never was fond of suspense, but hers are great. This one kept me up until 2:30 a.m. to see how it ended.
Wow! Barbara Freethy has once again delivered an incredible romantic thriller with Critical Doubt. Each book in Barbara Freethy’s Off the Grid: FBI series gets better and better, and I think that Critical Doubt is my favorite book in the series. I absolutely loved Critical Doubt, the seventh book in her Off the Grid: FBI series. Critical Doubt had me guessing throughout the story what was really going with the former Army Rangers and the other thrilling events. I could not put it down. I loved every page. I really enjoy how the book is told from the perspective of the main characters. I love getting the insight and feelings from the different characters. Barbara Freethy has once again proven that she is a master storyteller. Critical Doubt is the story of Ryker Stone, former Army Ranger and Chesapeake Bay fishing charters boat owner and Savannah Kane, an undercover FBI agent, former beauty queen, former Army Intelligence officer and daughter of Army Colonel Henry Kane. Ryker and Savannah meet again when they both head to Dobbs, Georgia for the funeral of Paul Hawkins, husband of Savannah’s childhood best friend, Abby and Ryker’s Army Ranger team member. Savannah and Ryker had originally met five years ago in a bar in a war zone and had a one-night stand with no names. Savannah discovered Ryker’s identity several years ago, when see saw a picture of Paul’s Army Ranger team at Abby’s home. After Paul’s funeral, another team member is involved in an accident, Ryker jumps in the river to save him. After multiple attempts on their lives, the relationship between Ryker and Savannah changes. Neither is sure if their relationship is just fueled by the adrenaline from the chase. I loved the relationship between Ryker and Savannah. Savannah reaches out to her team for help when things got complicated. I love how Savannah helps Ryker with the debilitating ringing bells that he suffers with. Eventually all clues lead them to what really is going on with Ryker’s former Army Ranger team member, I did not see that happening. That was such a surprise twist for me. I really enjoy the poignant and bittersweet moments, the plot twists and the surprises that I have come to love and expect in Barbara Freethy’s books and Critical Doubt did not disappoint. One of my favorite parts of the story are the poignant moments that Savannah has during conversations with her father, who she has been estranged with since the death of her mother when she was thirteen years old. I loved all the secrets that Ryker and Savannah shared with one another. I love that Ryker realizes Savannah’s vulnerabilities. I love that Ryker agrees to relocate to be closer to Savannah. I love that all the characters from the previous books were included in Critical Doubt. It felt like a family reunion and I loved catching up with the other characters from the series. I love how all Barbara Freethy’s epilogues, wrap up the ending of the story and are always my favorite part of her books. I love how all the loose ends got tied up. I love all the characters and the way Barbara describes the locations in and around Dobbs, Georgia, Washington, DC, Baltimore and Los Angeles. It was really an incredible story and I loved every page.
Critical Doubt is book seven in the Off the Grid: FBI series. I seriously enjoy this series, and this newest book was no exception. It kept me hooked from the get-go, and I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend it.
I always enjoy Ms. Freethy’s books and she certainly didn’t disappoint with this one! Savannah and Ryker had 1 night 5 years ago and parted without knowing each others names or anything about the other. Both are a bit surprised to see each other again at a funeral. They are immediately drawn to each other but find it difficult to let their friends know that they had that one night. But when another friend mysteriously disappears, they set out together to get answers. What they find was not at all what either expected! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Critical Doubt is a masterful story that delivers the perfect balance of action, intrigue, and romance. I enjoyed the story of Savannah and Ryker with their wonderful chemistry. The action started at the beginning of the book and didn’t stop until the end. It had many unexpected twists and turns. I really like having the previous team members being involved in the current storyline. This is another extremely captivating and suspenseful book that I highly recommend. I hope there are many more books like this coming from Barbara Freethy in the future.
Another winner in the FBI series! This one is about Savannah and Ryker. They met 5 years earlier and had an anonymous one night stand. Now, a personal tragedy brings them back into contact and they end up working together to try and unravel a mystery involving Ryker’s former team members. There’s a whole lot of twists and turns and suspense. I loved every minute of it. The characters were all really well developed, too. Really enjoyed this book!!