Samantha Goode’s new case hits too close to homeTexas Ranger Samantha Goode never backs down from a fight, especially one right outside her door. Settling into small town life after a long absence, she’s focused on second chances – for herself, for the town, and her renewed relationship with rancher Clay Barnett. But when a dead woman is found on her best friend’s property, Sam’s investigation … Sam’s investigation threatens her fresh start as the residents of Crystal Creek come under suspicion.
Soon, more bodies are discovered from San Antonio to Houston, and Sam realizes she’s hunting her most dangerous opponent – a serial killer. As she chases leads across the state, Sam follows the killer’s trail back to Crystal Creek and those she loves. She’s determined to protect the townspeople, but what if one of them is the evil she hunts?
When the case comes down to her badge or her friends, will Sam have what it takes to fight the Goode fight?
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Well, Leslie Marshman did it to me again! I picked up this second in the series, expecting to read a few pages, set it down, and go to sleep, but she had me turning pages well into the night. I love this feisty Texas Ranger with her smarts, savvy, and sexy vibe. And all the other characters are equally compelling, down to the small town’s regulars.
Intriguing mystery, witty writing, and great surprises. Another great story in the series! Can’t wait for more!
A mistress of mystery, Leslie Marshman writes the heck out of a book.
The Goode Fight is an intense page turner that keeps you guessing and wanting more.
I read Goode Over Evil, the first in the Crystal Creek series, and was so blown away by the immersive world that Marshman built that The Goode Fight was a no brainer, one-click buy.
If you love strong women, nail biting mystery with a kick of Texas, you will LOVE this book.
Make room on your ‘keeper’ shelf – new author Leslie Marshman belongs there!
Leslie’s debut novel, GOODE OVER EVIL introduced us to Texas Ranger Samantha Goode. If you missed GOODE OVER EVIL, I recommend you read it first, although the second book, THE GOODE FIGHT stands on its own! Both are 5 STAR, edge-of-your-seat, up-all-night adventures.
Newly returned to her hometown, Sam is enjoying a deepening relationship with her Grandfather, and rekindling flames with the boy she left behind twelve years ago when she slunk out of town. That boy is now a man in his own right, rejecting the life of privilege his father offers, while putting the needs of his autistic brother above all else. Can he accept the danger that comes with her job and learn to trust the woman who broke his heart?
Sam also reunites with her childhood BFF and when a woman’s body turns up on that BFF’s hunting ranch, Sam vows to bring the killer to justice. More bodies are discovered, and it becomes apparent they are searching for a serial killer. Can Sam protect those she loves until she finds this psychotic murderer? How many more will die?
DON’T MISS THIS ACTION-PACKED ADVENTURE!
Texas Ranger Samantha Goode has moved back to Crystal Creek and is finally getting settled in. She also hooked back up with her old boyfriend, Clay and things are going ok. They just have a few issues to work out. But then a girl is found murdered and dumped on Sam’s best friend’s property. Sam soon finds herself on the trail of a serial killer. When Sam is on the hunt, it is her first priority and Clay isn’t too happy about it. Will Sam’s job jeopardize their newly rekindled relationship?
This book had me sitting on the edge of my seat and I am ashamed to admit, a couple of dinners didn’t get made on time. I just couldn’t put it down. It was an exciting read. It was so good that I didn’t want it to end. But I was anxious to find out who the killer was. And boy was that a surprise. This book is the second in a series and it can be read on its own. But I would recommend reading Goode Over Evil first so you will be familiar with the characters.
I enjoyed every single minute of reading The Goode Fight. A spectacular follow up to Goode Over Evil and I cannot wait to read more in this series and from this author! Highly recommend for anyone who wants to read a fast-paced story of a Texas Ranger who likes to turn up the heat, catch the bad guys, and follow her heart.
Texas Ranger Samantha Goode moves back to Crystal Creek after solving a murder there that hit too close to her heart. Her life wasn’t easy growing up in this small town, but she’s fought to gain independence and respect in a job that brings her purpose. And now, finally beginning to believe in life’s possibilities, she’s giving both her hometown, and her first love, Clay, a second chance.
But once again, murder comes to visit. A woman’s mutilated body is found on Sam’s best friend, Nic’s, hunting ranch. Sam teams up with Sheriff Eddie Marshall on the investigation. At first it looks like a local incident meant to force Nic and her mom into selling the ranch, but when Sam locates other similar murders along the Interstate between San Antonio and Houston, it becomes evident there’s a vicious serial killer plaguing the area. It still feels personal to Sam, although evidence is unclear as to the killer’s location or motivations.
As things continue to escalate, Mark, Sam’s old partner, in town on a fishing vacation, joins in to help. Tension builds, threatening both relationships and careers, as Sam follows one lead after another in an intricate mystery plot that kept me turning pages late into the night.
If you’re looking for an excellent murder mystery, with complex and well-developed characters set in the heart of Texas, you’ll definitely enjoy this one. Thanks to the publisher for the advanced readers copy I received. It’s a winner!
The Goode Fight is Leslie Marshman’s second Crystal Creek mystery, continuing the adventures of Texas Ranger Samantha Goode, now stationed in her old home town. While Sheriff Eddie Marshall is out fishing one day, Sam catches a case too close to home: the body of a young woman, clearly laid out to satisfy some bizarre ritual, found on the hunting ranch belonging to Sam’s best friend, Army sniper Nicole Chance.
Does this murder, or the disposal of the body on the Chance ranch, have something to do with rather heavy-handed offers to buy the property, or is it part of a string of murders scattered between San Antonio, Houston, and Victoria over the last few months? Did some vagrant killer dump the body on the Chance ranch for no reason, or is the killer closer to home?
Marshman builds a complex mystery, layered with Sam’s personal relationships and ending with a solution I did not see coming. An excellent choice for readers who like a tough professional heroine and a gritty tale of obsession and murder.
Thanks to Tule Publishing for an advanced review copy. The Goode Fight will be released on June 9.
I think this author likes keeping the readers on their toes.. Don’t get comfortable with how you think things should be.. I was surprisingly happy with the personal changes by the end of the book.
Now to the guts of the story.. Texas Ranger Samantha Goode has now transferred to Crystal Creek and is settling into her Uncle’s place. No time for rest as a murdered woman is found on her best friend Nicole’s family land. The investigation stirs up a host of suspects in the town. But what Sam and Sheriff Eddie Marshall don’t realize is the murderer is a serial killer and very close to home. Sam is very good at her job and no nonsense on the personal front. I enjoyed the large cast of supporting characters. I’d even enjoy a book with Nicole and Texas Ranger Mark as the leads..
Very curious where things will go in future books but I liked where they were headed at the end of this one.
Ms. Marshman wrote another great book in the Crystal Creek Mystery series. Having read the first book in the series, even though it was not necessary, I could sense a lightness in Sam as she started to come to terms with her past. I loved that her relationship with the grandfather continued to improve and grow in love. I found myself laughing out loud at times. I was routing for Clay and Sam, but Clay was getting on my nerves. Sam is much more tolerant that I would have been. There were murders and I figured out who did it, but it did not ruin the story, partly because I could not figure out why the person was committing the murders. It was a great read, and I can’t wait for the next one. I won an ebook from the author.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Repost of my original review at Amazon.com.
I was excited to read the next installment in this series. Texas Ranger Samantha Goode is as tough as you get, but always hiding those broken pieces of herself. She is embroiled for the hunt of a serial killer that leads her down dark paths. I really enjoyed the fast paced tension filled plot. All of the secondary characters really added to the story and I felt like I was in Crystal Creek. Well rounded exciting adventure can’t wait for the next in the series.
I received this arc from Tule Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This is the second book in the Crystal Creek mysteries. The series features Texas Ranger Samantha Goode Or Sam, who had returned to her hometown in book one and solved the case of her uncle’s murder. She had gotten back together with her one love Clay, after his father paid her to leave after high school. Sam changed her work team location to be able to stay and work in Crystal Creek. I really enjoyed this book as well as the prior one.
Sam is to meet her best friend, Nicole at her family ranch but she is running late. Before she arrives, Nic finds the body On the grounds of a murdered woman dressed in a white nightgown and whose eyes have been removed. Sam calls her friend Eddie, the sheriff to report the finding and ask to help him on the case. Nic and her mom Maggie run the hunting ranch. They don’t recognize the dead woman so in addition to finding the murdered, they have to discover who the deceased was. Sam asks her former partner who is in town on vacation, to help them on the case. As Sam works on the case, she learns the victim worked as a dancer in a strip club. Sam and the other law enforcement officers do some research and talk to others in Texas and realize this is the work of a serial killer.
Her relationship with Clay seems to be on shaky ground. He is jealous of her former partner Mark who is working the case too and also wants her to stop working in a dangerous job. Mark has no interest romantically with Sam, but rather is interested in her friend Nic. Nic had a one night with Mark and says she doesn’t want to pursue it further.
There are many questions Sam faces. She is trying to determine a motive and pattern for the killings. Also, there is a fire at Nic’s bunkhouse and she isn’t sure if the crimes are related, also going back to the motive. In addition, she also has the problem of her deteriorating love life with Clay. Lastly, when she angers one of her suspects, he causes problems for her with her boss and she is pulled off the murder case. Although the book ends with the murder case resolved, I don’t think that Sam and Chase are finished in their relationship. Hopefully I can look forward to another book in the series.
The Goode Fight the second book in the Crystal Creek Mysteries Series by Leslie Marshman is just as impressive as the first book. With the background of Texas Ranger Samantha Goode explored in the first book which I can highly recommend this story focuses on others in the small town where she lived as a child.
Suspenseful, thrilling the murder investigation catches and holds your attention. Still exactly how to classify this story has given me some thought. It has an element of romance but it is not a traditional romance at all, without the happily-ever-after at the end. True I never thought her love interest was the man for her but I may be narrowing down my choice for her now at the conclusion of this book. Now back to how to categorize this series. It is a mystery but by no means is it a cozy mystery. Also there is another element of police procedural thriller to it but that is not exactly it either. What it is, is a marvelous read with twists that I never expected. Along with a villain I did not guess right off the bat. In fact he walked right in and I didn’t give him any more notice than Sam did until it was almost too late.
Highly recommend this series but especially The Goode Fight which can be read as a stand-alone.
An ARC of the book was given to me by Tule Publishing which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
First I will tell you that I started reading this book and had to stop but don’t worry it was only so I could buy book 1 in the series to get the full impact of the story and believe me I would recommend that you do that as well if you haven’t read the first book
Samantha Goode is one strong woman well she has to be after all she is a Texas ranger and now she is back in her old home town of Crystal Creek and believe me it isn’t a walk in the park. Someone has killed a woman and left her strategically positioned on the property of Samantha’s friend Nic’s place Is this a way to drive Nic off her property after all some one has been making bid to buy it or is it actually part of a much wider case a serial killer who has left bodies all across the south west or could it be something else entirely You will have to read to see just as you will want to know how Samantha romance with Clay is blossoming Now waiting for the next great book in this series
The Goode Fight by Leslie Marshman
Crystal Creek #2
Texas Ranger Samantha “Sam” Goode always gets her man, or so the saying goes. In book one we met her, and the series began. In book two she has moved home to Crystal Creek, is working on a second chance with Clay Barnet, has reconnected with her good friend Nic, and is working cases from a new office, The case Sam is in charge of in this book is the finding of a serial killer that leaves posed mutilated female bodies in a variety of locations.
What I liked:
* Sam: I liked her when I met her in book one and admire her even more after reading book two. She has worked hard to achieve the position she has as a Texas Ranger and is good at her job. She is a good friend, good at her job and tenacious. I would love to have a woman like this as a friend.
* Nic: another strong woman that excels as an Air Force Sniper on sabbatical to help her mother out with their property. I hope to see more of her in future books of the series.
* Eddie: a good man with a sense of humor and a great police chief. He is a good friend.
* Mark: the ex-partner that Sam worked with before she moves to Crystal Creek. He impressed me in more ways than one.
* Clay: a good brother to Jordan and in love with Sam and yet I am not sure he is the best man for Sam.
* The plot, pace, and writing
* The tension within the story
* The police procedural aspects of the story
* The solving of the mystery of who the killer was
* Knowing there is another book to look forward to reading in the not too distant future.
What I did not like:
* The people I was meant not to like
* Being reminded that there are whack job killers out there and innocent lives are lost daily.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely!
Thank you to the author and Tule Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
A damn Goode read! Yeah, you guessed it. I got a chance to read and review the book BEFORE it was released. How cool is that? THE GOODE FIGHT was as enjoyable for me as author Leslie Marshman’s first Sam Goode novel, Goode Over Evil. I simply cannot resist a kick ass heroine in a male dominated field. In the second Crystal Creek Mystery, Sam is still back in her hometown where she must also content with the goode and the bad of small town living while dealing with a few lingering ghosts. Throw in a little male rivalry and my enjoyment only increased. Did I forget to mention the story starts with Sam investigating a ghoulish ritualistic murder on the ranch of her dear friends? Leslie Marshman is already an accomplished writer and now she is an emerging voice in the suspense genre. Grab both Crystal Creek Mysteries. I promise you won’t regret it.