Some things you can’t forget. A body hanging from the infamous History Tree unraveled their teenage love. Now Maura Antrim is again tangled up with Brock McGovern. Twelve years later, they’re back where that murder occurred–where Brock had been arrested and then released, where Maura had run, too scared to stand by his side. But with two women missing, and Brock now an FBI agent, Maura is … Maura is determined to help. Together, they’ll have to confront a threat that never died and see if their passion has withstood the test of time.
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With a flare of history, intense murder investigation, and reunited lovers Heather Graham delivers her trademark style of potent, fervent entertainment, that is hard to put down and leaves you craving for even more.
I enjoyed this story immensely, it had the vibes of Dirty Dancing (the movie) with the drama of the resort summer employees, it had the horrid crimes, it had the intriguing investigation, and the interplay of the cast of characters.
Maura Antrim and Brock McGovern were destined to be together, their connection, their energy, the strong attraction, it was all still tangible after twelve years of no communication. I loved how uncomplicated their relationship after all was, and I admired their honesty, openness, and loyalty to each other.
The murder mystery is a twisted tale of heinous crimes and sadness for the senseless loss of lives. There are many suspects, there are few clues, and to get all the puzzle pieces together, to figure out the case of disappearing and murdered girls, Maura and Brock risk their lives and future together to get the answers their need.
With each story I read by the author, I learn something new of the area the tale is located in with her compelling way to tie the local history to the events of the book. It is left to readers discretion to determine what is fiction and what is fact, and that in itself I find absorbing.
A mystery to be solved, an old relationship to be rekindled, and friends reunited… Another thrilling riddle told in the compelling and unique way only Heather Graham can do it
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
I enjoyed this fast-paced, intriguing, and suspenseful mystery by Heather Graham. It was well-written, appeared to be well-researched, and kept my interest from start to finish. I liked the main characters, Maura and Brock, and a few of the secondary characters, namely detectives Flannery & Lawrence, but honestly had a bit of difficulty keeping the rest of the characters straight. However, it didn’t bother me enough to take me out of the story. I liked the chemistry between Maura and Brock, and found myself pulling for them to have their second chance at a permanent relationship, since I thought they got a bum deal the first time around. I was hoping they would find the happy-ever-after that they missed as teenagers. I would have liked to see more of their relationship developed before the end of the book, but I was glad with the direction they seemed to be heading. I was totally surprised when the murderer’s identity was revealed. I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley, and these opinions are my own.
There’s nothing better than a twisty suspense, when the mystery goes back over decades and it’s a real second chance. Add in some supernatural elements, the possibilities of secret societies and cheating spouses, cavorting coworkers… what else can you ask for?
Maura and Brock were involved when they were 18 and worked together at a summer resort job, but a murder separated them.
Now, years later, they meet there again when murder brings them together. Will they mend fences and make things worse before the body count mounts? Or will they be part of it?
I love the twists and turns, the elements that are added as red herrings, and the things that you think are red herrings that really are clues.
What a great story! I have never read anything by Heather Graham but I can tell you that this will not be the last time I read her books. She writes a very exciting and thrilling story! Many twists and turns and a great ending! Thanks for such a great book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
The premise of this book was a good one and I so looked forward to reading it. I loved the twist at the end. I totally missed the person’s identity behind the kidnapping/murders. I did like the fact that the book was written in a dual POV format.
What I didn’t like though seemed to really outweigh the good to me. First of all, the dialogue between the characters threw me off several times. I would have to go back and re-read entire sections to really follow it along. Also I really didn’t feel the connection between the two main characters either.
This is the first time that I have read anything from this author and I was really looking forward to it. I don’t know if this is an anomaly for her or it just didn’t click with me. This isn’t the first mystery, intrigue romance that I have read either.
I did LOVE the cover though!
2.5 stars
This book was just okay for me. The ending felt very rushed and I knew who the killer was 1/2 way through the book.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this book.
Maura Antrim is a video producer working with blogger Angie Parsons when they head back to Frampton Ranch & Resort to investigate the disappearance of women and the scene of a murder from years ago when Maura worked there.
Brock McGovern is a FBI Agent who also worked at Frampton Ranch & Resort and was originally arrested for the murder of Francine Renault. Now he has been called in to work with Detective Michael Flannery to find the missing women.
As Brock tries to locate the missing women will he be able to solve the unsolved murder of Francine Renault and deal with how he feels about Maura after all this time?
I liked this book but there was a lot going on with lots of different characters.
Maura was a good character yet she almost seemed reluctant to accept praises that were headed her way from her job. She had never heard from Brock from that night years ago but never sought him out either. It was interesting that she came back to work with Angie and she seemed to let Angie control everything on the trip.
I liked Brock and his determination to discover where the missing girls were and also to try and solve the murder of Francine as he didn’t believe that the chef was responsible. He had feelings for Maura still and wanted to keep her safe from everything that was going on around them.
I liked the mystery surrounding the History Tree and how it dated back for so long and also seemed to be a bit of a drawing point to people who came to the Ranch and Resort.
There was a list of possible suspects and I was correct with one aspect. The other part seemed to come out of nowhere and definitely surprised me with the revelation.
Graham is among one of my favorite authors – I own quite a few of her works
Tangled Threat was written by her for the Harlequin Intrigue series
It has a solid story line though it gets slow in some scenes. It was a bit of mystery blended with a bit of history.
This one was not a big hit for me but it was not a major miss either.
I just did not find the characters that inviting – I didn’t connect with them the way I normally would like.
Maybe if the story had been a bit longer? IDK – truthfully it just felt a bit rushed. A little incomplete?
This is me though and I like the twists and the near misses as well as a lot of detail to my reads.
The heat level is around a 1 then again it is more of a mystery with a second chance romance slipped in there so ..
Overall it was an enjoyable read just not one of my favorites
#TangledThreat #NetGalley
I am a big Heather Graham fan as her stories are usually one clicks and must reads. Unfortunately, this story was a tough one for me. I really love the historical aspects and enjoy the research and details she puts into each story. However, I had a lot of trouble with the plot and character connections. It felt flat and then rushed at times. While this is not one of my favorites by her, I do encourage others to read as they may find it to be one their favorites.
Maura and Brock were two teenagers in love, when something horrible happened at the Frampton Ranch and Resort in North Central FLorida, where they were both working for the summer, and Maura’s parents kept them apart, making each believe that the other broke off their relationship. Twelve years later they meet again at Frampton, and quickly put their hurt feelings aside to see that they still cared. But evil is still lurking at Frampton. Maura, like the author is a talented storyteller and video producer while Brock, as planned became an FBI agent. Murder, suspense and romance are all woven into this “can’t put it down” page turner. The author always incorporates her books with fascinating history, engaging characters and intriguing plots, making her one of my favorite authors. This one also gets tangled with another series.
I read an ARC from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
Tangled Threat is a Romantic Suspense novel that is heave on the Suspense. From the first page, I was sucked into the storyline and held in fascination until the very end. This second chance romance had just the right balance in true Heather Graham style. Excellent read.
Suspenseful
Brock and Maura were in love once but events beyond their control sent them in different directions. Years later, they are back at the resort where they fell in love and the place that is believed to be associated with a serial killer. Other individuals that were there years ago are back as well. Could that mean that one of them is the killer?
This book has a little of everything and I really enjoyed it.
FBI agent with something extra teams up with a former love interest to find a twisted evil criminal and a very special romance amid the dangerous hunt!
My reviews are different than most. I assume you’ve read a synopsis of the book, so I tell you what I like or dislike about the story. This is also my opinion. My taste in stories may be entirely different than yours.
I have been a fan of Heather Graham’s writing for a very long time. In the past few years, her style of writing has changed and she writes more, what I call, light stories.
TANGLED THREAT is one of her “light stories”. The plot seemed disconnected to me. I don’t think there was much depth to the characters or the story. In the book, Heather gives a lot of historical information about Florida that had more in depth information than the basic story. It IS a mystery but not a thriller.
This story could have been great! If only the author could have stayed on track. It was so long and drawn out, not to mention all over the place. We really didn’t need all the fillers with the history of buildings in a different town. I was bored. I needed to finish it to see who done it. But by the time we got there it was wham, bam and done.
3.5*
Tangled Threat had just enough suspense to keep me flipping the pages. Mysterious tales told through time suddenly become a reality.
Over a decade has passed when teenage flames, Brock and Maura, are reunited at the campgrounds where they both met and worked. Despite being accused of murder as a teen, Brock, now a FBI agent, is sent back to the camp to investigate the sudden disappearance of women in the area. Everyone is a suspect.
When old wounds are cast aside, Brock and Maura are determined to solve the murder mystery that has plagued the campground forever.
Twelve years ago, a brutal homicide happened on the Frampton Ranch and Resort in North Central Florida. Maura and Brock were teenagers at the time, both working at the resort and both in the throws of first love. After that night, the lovebirds never talked to each other again. That murder was never solved and added to the long list of mysteries that happened at the History Tree, which is actually two trees that grew into one twisted tree on the property.
Now it’s happening again. There’s a list of missing girls who all fit a similar description, and a skeleton has just been discovered nearby. Brock, an FBI agent now residing in NYC has been sent to the area at the request of the detective working the case. Not only has Brock been brought back to the scene of that crime, but Maura is there as well. As soon as the pair sees each other, you can feel their tension through the pages. While this is a good story, it could be so much more. The writing didn’t feel like the Heather Graham novels I’ve read in the past. Parts of this story was rushed, yet other parts go tediously slow. The chemistry between Maura and Brock isn’t really there, not two people who thought the other was their world. As a Floridian, living in the area described in this story, I can vouch for the fact that Ms. Graham described some of the areas so well that I could visualize them. It really felt like she had been to the area and had first hand knowledge. As far as the mystery goes, I could figure out who it was before the big reveal. That happens for me with most books so I don’t dock for that. The reason for only four stars is that the main characters for me didn’t have the depth that I’m used to with Ms. Graham’s stories and the writing itself didn’t feel up to her previous works.
*I received an ARC of this story from NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Sarah –
3.5 stars
This is a slightly spooky murder mystery and second-chance romance. Ten years ago, Maura and Brock were witnesses to a grisly murder at a Florida resort. Now they’re back at the resort and Brock has to solve a new murder and a string of disappearing women that may be linked.
As a murder mystery, this resembles a classic Agatha Christie or Sherlock Holmes story more than it does most modern crime thrillers. The suspects and investigators are all living in close quarters at the resort and the ending is classic Christie. The result is a mystery that is slower and less bloodthirsty than most modern crime writing. It’s a relaxing read but I’m not sure the writing is quite strong enough to support the leisurely paced, character focused story. None of the characters or suspects ever really came to life for me and the suspects were a little too bland for this style of murder mystery. I like to keep guessing until the end with whodunnit stories but this one doesn’t really allow readers to solve the story alongside the detectives. Even when the whodunnit is explained at the end, I didn’t get the ‘Of course!’ moment I’d been expecting. I like that I didn’t guess the ending, but I always like to know I could have guessed the ending if I’d put all the pieces together correctly.
As a romance, this falls a bit flat. The focus is definitely the murder mystery, and the romance isn’t paced very well. Brock and Maura feel much older than thirty – there is a formality to their relationship that suggests a much older generation. The gentle, low heat, fade-to-grey scenes will appeal to some readers, but I really wanted something more to make me believe in these characters.
This is the kind of murder mystery I’d happily lend to my mother or grandmother. I’m guessing it will appeal to more conservative readers. There is a gentle Southern charm to the story and the characters, but it failed to keep my attention at times and I personally prefer more action in my crime thrillers.
Avid Reader –
2.5 stars
M/F Thriller, Romance
This all started with a murder when Maura and Brock were much younger. Almost headed off to college, they are working at the same resort when a member of the staff is murdered. Jump ahead several years and everyone is back, but for different reasons.
Maura and Brock were the “it” couple. But when tragedy strikes, Maura is whisked away and Brock is arrested. Now, all grown up and in their own careers, they find themselves back at the resort with another murder looming overhead.
That’s pretty much the story. Even the romance within the story just didn’t really develop. It was a flat romance with little to no dialogue and only after they rehashed the original crime for several chapters. The main characters danced around each other and the past, but seemed to be “over it” when they saw each other.
I liked the mystery within the book, but it ended so abruptly. I wish there had been less talk and description about the original crimes and history and more put into the ending. It was almost anticlimactic. I was kind of disappointed in the story because it had such potential. And despite its exhaustive descriptions of the past, it was a fast read (meaning it didn’t take long). Overall, I was underwhelmed and kind of bored.
Potential Triggers: Murder, Stalking
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Heather Graham is a fantastic author. I’ve read a lot of her books and been very satisfied with the writing, the story telling, the characters. This one, however, was below her usual standards.
Maura and Brock were high school sweethearts years ago, A woman had been murdered, Brock was arrested and then released, and Maura left town, too scared to stand up for him.
Today … two women are missing. Brock is now an FBI Agent and he and Maura are now in the same place at the same time. Both are them are wary, but they regret that things hadn’t worked out when they were kids.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, it has all the criteria that I look for first. But the characters were like cardboard cutouts .. not much depth or credibility to them at all. The story was okay, but i didn’t find it all that suspenseful. Conversations seemed to be a bit rambling and at times, nonsensical.
Many thanks to the author / HARLEQUIN – Romance (U.S. & Canada) / Harlequin Intrigue / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this Romance. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.