Tag Archives: Laura Griffin

Total Control by Laura Griffin – a Review

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Total Control by Laura Griffin – a Review

 

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Description:
Navy SEAL Jake Heath has his eyes on Alexa Mays. The FBI Agent is whip smart and hot as hell, but she won’t give him the time of day. So, when she calls him out of blue, he thinks his luck has changed.

But instead of meeting up for a romantic dinner, Alexa needs Jake for a very different reason. Her counterterrorism team is hot on the heels of the extremist that Jake’s task force has been tracking for months, and now he’s on American soil. The only way she can take him down is with Jake’s help.

Alexa knows Jake is tough and relentless…and that the chemistry between them is electric. Although she’s risking her heart—and maybe even her career—by bringing him onto the mission, she doesn’t have another choice. Together, they’re an unstoppable and powerful team.

As the hours tick by and a lethal enemy gets closer to launching an unimaginable attack, Alexa and Jake need to fight fire with fire before the clock runs out. The only question is: will their own flames get in the way?

 

 

Review:

Total Control by Laura Griffin is the 4th book in her Alpha Crew series.   Jake Heath, our hero, is a Navy Seal and after finishing up a tough case, Jake takes a short vacation; and is surprised when he is contacted by Alexa, an FBI agent he has not forgotten since he has not seen her for six months, after she never returned his phones calls.

Alexa Mays, our heroine, is one of the best counter terrorism FBI agents and is in the middle of a major case, and she tells her team that they need someone like Jake to help them, as he is the best at finding people.  At first Jake refuses to help, as he already has plans to be with his family.  But Jake decides in the last minute to help Alexa, as the stakes are high with finding the persons behind a terrorist attempt.  They begin to work together, with Jake using many of his contacts to get them closer to finding the leader of this terrorist group. 

Alexa was happy with Jake’s help, but she was determined to work more with her team, keeping some things secret.  Jake of course, has his own contacts and manages to be in step with her investigation. They continue to investigate together, trying to be a step ahead of the terrorist and the plot; during the off times, their romance heats up. I loved the chemistry between Jake and Alexa, as they were so good together; but Alexa knew Jake would be leaving in a few days doing what Navy seals do, and was determined not get hurt.

What follows is a sweet and sexy romance between Alexa and Jake, which had us rooting hard that they would find a way to stay together.  But the suspense and mystery of the story line remained on the forefront with non-stop action and excitement, keeping me on the edge of my seat.  Total Control was a novella, which seemed more like a short story, and amazingly Griffin gave us a bit of everything in this book.

Laura Griffin is an excellent writer, as I love her Tracers series.   She has created a great couple, as I really loved the chemistry between Alexa and Jake. This was an exciting action filled story that is a quick read, and sexy.  The last half of the book was suspenseful and thrilling as they raced to stop the terrorist.  If you enjoy mystery, suspense with romance, then you should be reading Laura Griffin.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Her Deadly Secrets by Laura Griffin – a Review

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Her Deadly Secrets by Laura Griffin – a Review

 

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Description:
Private Investigator Kira Vance spends her days navigating the intricate labyrinth of Houston’s legal world, and she knows all of its shadowy players and dark secrets.

On a seemingly normal day, she’s delivering a report to her top client when suddenly everything goes sideways and the meeting ends in a bloodbath. Twenty-four hours later, the police have no suspects but one thing is clear: a killer has Kira in his sights.

Fiercely independent, Kira doesn’t expect—or want—help from anyone, least of all an unscrupulous lawyer and his elite security team. Instead, she launches her own investigation, hoping to uncover the answers that have eluded the police. But as Kira’s hunt for clues becomes more and more perilous, she realizes that she alone may hold the key to finding a vicious murderer. And she knows she must take help wherever she can find it if she wants to stay alive.

 

 

Review:

Her Deadly Secrets by Laura Griffin is the 2nd book in her Wolfe Security series. I am a big fan of Laura Griffin and her Tracers series, which is great; and now with Wolfe Security, we have another suspenseful series to enjoy.

 Kira Vance, our heroine and a Private Investigator, finds herself in a dangerous situation at the start.  She arranges to meet her boss at their current client’s house to review findings from her investigation, and quickly is in the middle of a shootout, which kills her boss. 

Kira continues to work on the investigation for the client, who is a lawyer working on a high-profile case, and because of the situation and possible danger, she is assigned a bodyguard to protect her from Wolfe Security.  

Jeremy, our hero, works for Wolfe Security, who are protecting the lawyer, the law firm and now Kira.  Kira is very independent and confident, as well as smart and savvy.  She at first tries to do her own thing, but Jeremy refuses to let her be alone, which works out as Kira becomes a target, putting her life in danger; especially after she continues to come up with more clues as to who and what is behind the murders.  Jeremy slowly finds himself attracted to Kira, which is something he is trying to avoid, as it would affect his job.  This romance is slow build, and more in the background to the story line.

There is also another POV of the female detective, Charlotte, who is on the case.  She is tough, but she is also as independent as Kira, and is willing to work long days without rest to find the murderer.  She suspects Kira is keeping secrets, but in the end, both will help each other with their findings. This was very well done, as we got to see two different perspectives for the same crime, and the clues begin to tie in.  

What follows is an exciting, tense, suspenseful adventure, with two great female leads. I loved Kira, and really liked Jeremy too; though the romance remained in the background til closer to the end, they did make a great couple.  Wolfe Security has a lot of wonderful characters, which we will get more stories from them in future books.  Her Deadly Secrets was very exciting, edge of your seat story; as well as tense, especially as the danger for our heroes escalates.  If you enjoy mystery, exciting suspense with romance, then you should be reading Laura Griffin.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

“Excuse me?”
“You’re Kira Vance?”
She stood up, which put her eye-level with his neck. “Who are you?”
“Jeremy Owen. Wolfe Security.”
Kira stepped back to look at him. Shaggy brown hair, tanned skin. He had a square jaw covered with at least a week’s worth of beard.
“I’m head of your security detail,” he said. “We were supposed to meet upstairs at the briefing. Which you skipped.”
His blue eyes looked irritated and bloodshot and together with the scruff made him seem like he was coming off a weekend bender. Except for the gun. He wore jeans and an untucked black T-shirt that did little to conceal the holster at his hip.
“My detail?” she asked.
“That’s right. I’m—”
A jackhammer sounded nearby, drowning him out. Kira waited patiently until the noise stopped.
“Look, Mr. . . .” What had he said?
“Jeremy.”
“Not to be rude, Jeremy, but I don’t have time for this now. I have a police interview, and I’m late to pick up my car.” At least some of that was true, but he looked unmoved. “Let’s reschedule for tonight. Maybe around six? I should be clear by then, and we can go over whatever it is.” She stuffed the chain into her bag and jerked her bike from the rack.
He plucked it out of her hand, holding it by the frame.
“No deal.”
“Excuse me? You want to put that down, please?”
“No.”
“No?”
“Come with me.”
He turned and walked back to the building, carrying her bike like it weighed nothing. He held the door open and waited, clearly expecting her to follow him.
She snatched up her helmet and complied, ducking under his arm into the air-conditioned lobby, where he guided her out of the traffic flow and set down her bike.
“Rescheduling isn’t an option,” he said as she glared up at him. Damn, he was tall. “But I’ll make this quick if you want, and we can get to your interview.”
She crossed her arms.
“Let’s start over.” He held his hand out. “I’m Jeremy Owen, lead security specialist with Wolfe Security.”
It seemed petty not to shake his hand, so she did.
“Kira Vance.”
“Good to meet you.” He rested his hands on his hips and gazed down at her. “I understand you’re on the defense team that was targeted yesterday evening.”
“Yes and no.”
His eyebrows tipped up.
“It’s a long story.” She huffed out a breath. “Look, is this really necessary? I don’t need a bodyguard, and I’m very, very late for something, so can we—”
“If you don’t like the arrangement, take it up with your boss.”
“Brock Logan is not my boss.”
“His law firm, then. They hired us to protect Logan’s team, and I was told you’re on it. Or am I wrong about that?”
She thought of the wire transfer hitting her account right about now. By taking the money, she’d tacitly agreed to all this.
And she thought about the likelihood that Jeremy had driven himself here.
“No, you’re right, I’m on it.” She blew out a sigh. “Sorry, it’s been one of those mornings.”
“No problem.”
“Hey, so Jeremy, any chance you have a car here?”
“Yes.” He picked up her bike again. “Tell me where we’re going.”

 


New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Laura Griffin started her career in journalism before venturing into the world of writing romantic suspense. Her books have won numerous awards, including two RITA Awards (for Scorched and Whisper of Warning) and a Daphne du Maurier Award (Untraceable). Laura currently lives in Austin where she is working on her next book.

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Stone Cold Heart by Laura Griffin – a Review

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Stone Cold Heart by Laura Griffin – a Review

 

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Description:
When local rock climbers stumble upon abandoned human bones in a remote Texas gorge, Sara Lockhart is the first to get the call. She has a reputation as one of the nation’s top forensic anthropologists, and police detective Nolan Hess knows she is just the expert he needs to help unravel this case. Although evidence is scarce, Nolan suspects the bones belong to a teenage climber who vanished last summer.

But as Sara unearths strange clues, she finds chilling similarities to a case from her past—a case that now threatens to rock Nolan’s community. While Sara digs deep for answers, the stakes rise higher as another young woman disappears without a trace. Investigators work against the clock as Sara races to discover the truth, even if her harrowing search brings her face to face with a stone-cold killer.

 

 

Review:

Cold Stone Heart by Laura Griffin is the 13th book in her fantastic Tracers series, which is one of the best romance suspense series.  Each of these books do read very well as standalones, but it is always better to start from the beginning and understand about the Tracers (Delphi Center- forensics, etc).  The heroes in this series are usually different members of the Delphi Center and a detective working on the case, though on occasion it is different, but its fun to get glimpses of some of the characters from previous books.    I love this series, and Laura Griffin continues to amaze me on her overall knowledge of forensics, and how well written the stories are.  I always look forward to reading each new book in this series.

In Cold Stone Heart, we meet Sara Lockhardt, our heroine, a forensic anthropologist for Delphi; and she is the one who goes to the scene of the crime.   Sara and some of her team, meet the lead detective, Nolan Hess, our hero, as he pushes to get fast results.  In a short time, Sara and Noah work together, bring them closer, as a slow built romance begins.  However, as is the norm for Laura Griffin, the story revolves around finding the killer; the romance elements are always part of the background, with the story fully in the forefront.  As the story progresses, it will be discovered that this is a serial murderer, and the case escalates as one victim is still alive.  There is also the case of a local girl missing for a few years, whom they suspect is dead and perhaps one of this murderer’s victims, but the family and local residents are desperate to help find closure for everyone.

Sara and her team manage to find clues on the bones they recovered, which also helped the police to look for more victims in the different parks. Sara was a very active participant in going to the scenes to try and find more evidence, which made Noah nervous; and rightfully so, as Sara did find herself in danger a couple of times.  I loved how informative and interesting how the different departments in Delphi Center were able to recover clues from almost anything.  We also got to see the POV of Grace, the most recent missing girl, who was kidnapped by the killer, with the race to find her before he kills her.

 The last half of the book was extremely tense and exciting, as I was on the edge of my seat and could not put the book down.  I do not want to give spoilers, as it would ruin it for you; since this was a thrilling and suspenseful mystery.

As I said before, I am a big fan of the Tracers series, which has a bit of everything; intricate mystery, murder, suspense, exciting,  great couple & secondary characters, as well as a sexy romance in the background.  Laura Griffin does such an amazing job detailing all the aspects of looking for various things found at a murder scene….truly awesome.   What follows is an amazing intense mystery that has you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book.  What also makes this series so great is all wonderful dynamics of the Delphi Center (Tracers) that give us a look at the different ways to look for clues

Cold Stone Heart was an amazing intense mystery that has you on the edge throughout the entire book.   If you enjoy a true murder mystery, with lots of action, suspense, intense situations and a touch of romance, then you should be reading the Tracers series. Bravo to Laura Griffin for another fantastic story. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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Desperate Girls by Laura Griffin – a Review

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Desperate Girls by Laura Griffin – a Review

 

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Description:
Defense attorney Brynn Holloran is right at home among cops, criminals, and tough-as-nails prosecutors. With her sharp wit and pointed words, she has a tendency to intimidate, and she likes it that way. She’s a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom, but in her personal life, she’s a mess.

When a vicious murderer she once helped prosecute resurfaces and starts a killing spree to wipeout those who put him behind bars, one thing becomes clear: Brynn needs to run for her life.

With no help from the police, Brynn is forced to take matters into her own hands, turning to a private security firm for protection. But when Brynn defies advice and gets involved in the investigation, even the former Secret Service agent assigned to protect her may not be able to keep her safe. With every new clue she discovers, Brynn is pulled back into the vortex of a disturbing case from her past.

As the clock ticks down on a manhunt, Brynn’s desperate search for the truth unearths long-buried secrets and reignites a killer’s fury.




Review:

Desperate Girls by Laura Griffin is the 1st book in her new Wolfe Security romance suspense series. I am a big fan of Laura Griffin, especially her fabulous Tracer series; and after hearing about this new series, I knew I had to read this book.   I am happy to say to that I really enjoyed Desperate Girls, and look forward to more books to come in this series.

Brynn Halloran, our heroine, is a very successful defense attorney, who is preparing for an upcoming murder case.  Brynn is well respected, strong, tough, a workaholic and does things her way; she can be very intimidating.   She and her co-counsel Ross are called into a meeting by the head of the law firm and they learn that a high profile case they both worked on a few years before, when they were prosecutors has put them in danger.  The man they sent away has escaped, and he has already killed the lead prosecutor and a detective.   Their boss, who is worried about their safety, hires Wolfe Security to protect both of them while they start their new case; neither one of them are happy about this.

We meet Erik Morgan, a member of Wolfe Security and leading the security for both Brynn and Ross.   Erik is very serious, and determined to make sure his team is there for every possible change.  Brynn at first doesn’t take the danger seriously, insisting to do what she wants, causing frustration between her and Erik, and the team.  Erik knows danger, and will force the issue with Brynn, though she is very stubborn & foolish.  In a short time, since they are spending a lot of time together, both Brynn and Erik are finding their attraction to one another very difficult to avoid. Their slow built romance will heat up, though Erik tries to fight it off, since he needs to be fully focused on what is happening around Brynn and Ross.

There is also a side story about Brynn’s murder case, with a young teenager accused of murder, which Brynn feels he was framed.  It did add an element to the overall storyline. 

What follows is an exciting, tense, heart pounding adventure, with Erik working with cops and US Marshals, as the murderer keeps escaping them.  Brynn will also try to investigate more about the escaped murderer, going back into details of that case, and working with a female cop, Lindsay,who comes up with why the murdered is acting out his revenge.  There will be some stressful situations that will escalate the danger, with some twists, and surprises as we race to the climax that will throw us for a loop.

Desperate Girls was an excellent tense, suspenseful, edge of your seat story. Laura Griffin did a great job keeping us engrossed in the story from start to finish. I also liked the characters we met, especially those who are part of Wolfe Security, whom I expect we get their stories in future books.   If you enjoy mystery, exciting suspense with romance, then you should be reading Laura Griffin.

Reviewed by Barb

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Touch of Red by Laura Griffin – a Review

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Touch of Red by Laura Griffin – a Review

 

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Description:
When crime scene investigator Brooke Porter arrives at the home of a murdered woman, the only thing more shocking than the carnage is the evidence that someone escaped the scene. But where is this witness now? A thorough search of the area yields more questions than answers, and before Brooke even packs up her evidence kit, she’s made it her goal to find the witness and get them out of harm’s way.

Homicide detective Sean Byrne has seen his share of bloody crime scenes, but this one is particularly disturbing, especially because Brooke Porter is smack in the middle of it. Sean has had his eye on the sexy CSI for months, and he’s determined to help her with her current case—even if it means putting his attraction on hold so he and Brooke can track down a murderer. But as the investigation—and their relationship—heats up, Sean realizes that keeping his work and his personal life separate is more complicated than he ever imagined; especially when the killer sets his sights on Brooke.

 


Review:

Touch of Red by Laura Griffin is the 12th book in her terrificTracers series, which is romance suspense at its best.  This series reads very well as a standalone, as in each book, the heroes are different members of the Delphi Center (forensics lab) and usually a detective working on the latest murder case.  It is always fun to get glimpses of some of the characters we have met previously. 

Touch of Red starts off with a violent murder, and we meet our heroine, Brooke Porter, who arrives on the gory scene to investigate for any clues.  Sean Byrne, our hero, is a homicide detective who also arrives on the scene.  Sean has been eying Brooke for awhile, and now they will be working on the same case.  Both are appalled at the scene in front of them, and soon Sean notices that Brooke left in a hurry to bring some evidence to the Delphi Center lab.  She discovers that there may have been a witness to the murder, and surmises by her forensic tests that it is a young child.  The race is on to find the witness before the murderer finds out that someone was watching.

What follows is a very exciting adventure with so many twists and turns, it was important to not miss anything.   Brooke and Sean’s relationship escalated into a sizzling romance, with their chemistry together off the wall.  However, despite this sexy romance, the murder investigation is always the main focus of the story.  Sean becomes unnerved when he finds Brooke taking a personal approach to find the child, and he tries to tell her it is his job to investigate, and she should stay only with deciphering the evidence.

Brooke despite Sean’s warnings continues to get herself into situations that are not her job description, and puts herself in danger.  The last half of the book is an edge of your seat thriller that will not allow you put the book down. To tell too much more would be spoilers, which I do not want to do.   I loved Brooke and Sean together, and did think that Brooke went too far, and Sean was such a great hero, and perfect for Brooke.

I am a big fan of the Tracers series, which has a bit of everything; intricate mystery, murder, suspense, exciting,  great couple & secondary characters, as well as a sexy romance in the background.  But the best thing about this series is how Griffin uses her knowledge of forensic anthropology and police procedural throughout her books.  It is amazing to see how they can use different things for the clues they find; on just about anything.

Touch of Red continues the Tracers series with an amazing intense mystery that has you on the edge throughout the entire book.   If you enjoy a fast paced romance suspense, a murder mystery, with lots of action, intense situations and a touch of romance, then you should be reading Laura Griffin’s Tracers series. This is a wonderful series you should not be missing.

Reviewed by Barb

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Cover of Night by Laura Griffin – a Review

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Cover of Night by Laura Griffin – a Review

 

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Description:
Journalist Karly Bonham is on her first overseas mission, covering the new United States ambassador to Thailand, when she is taken hostage by terrorists, with only her wits and courage to keep her alive—until help arrives in the form of Navy SEAL Ethan Dunn.

As part of an elite SEAL team called Alpha Crew, Ethan has been on countless harrowing missions, but he knows this one is different the instant he meets Karly—the sexy young reporter who somehow managed to escape the terrorists’ clutches. Ethan is impressed by her, especially when he learns she has intel that could be the key to a successful rescue op. Ethan knows working with a civilian raises the stakes on an already dangerous mission. But with the clock ticking down, he enlists Karly’s help to thwart a vicious plot and bring a terrorist mastermind to justice.

 

Review:

Cover of Night by Laura Griffin is the 3rd book in her Alpha Crew series.  The story begins with a bang.  Karly Bonham, our heroine, is on assignment as an entertainment reporter to interview the Ambassador in Thailand at an exclusive resort. On Karly’s last day, she enjoys herself with all those she has met.  When she is on a boat, she sees an attack happening on the beach, with gunfire everywhere, including terrorists heading for the boat she is on.  After seeing a few of her new friends get killed, Karly panics and jumps into the ocean.  She will try to use her phone to call for help.

Ethan Dunn is an elite member of the Alpha Crew Seal team.  He and three of his team hear the call for help, and go to the island to assess the situation before the rest of the rescue team arrives.  They find Karly alive, though a bit injured from her desperate swim back to the island.  Karly is relieved to have help, but is worried as there are only 4 members to fight off a large group of terrorists.  It will be Ethan who will take Karly under his wing, and immediately the two are attracted to each other.  Karly refuses to stay back alone, while the men go in to try to rescue the ambassador and his daughter;  she manages to use the communications equipment to warn them of what is happening while they attempt the rescue. 

What follows is a slow build romance between Karly and Ethan, as they both are drawn to each other after their narrowing rescue.  The story moves to California, with Karly emotionally recovering from her adventure and back on the job.   She avoids calls from Ethan wanting to continue to see her, but she knows there can be no future for them, since he is always on assignments.  But Ethan’s persistence will allow him to be near Karly, when the FBI enlists her help in trying to find the mastermind, behind the terrorists, who have struck again elsewhere.  The wild exciting suspenseful climax will find Karly’s life in danger, and Ethan desperate to save her life.  

The romance between Karly and Ethan was sweet and sexy. I really liked them together.  Cover of Night was a very good suspenseful story, with a great couple.  I did feel that the ending was a bit abrupt.  However, this is an excellent series by a wonderful author. If you enjoy mystery, suspense with romance, then you should be reading Laura Griffin.

Reviewed by Barb

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At Close Range by Laura Griffin – Review & Giveaway

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At Close Range by Laura Griffin – Review & Giveaway

 

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At Close Range
Tracers series – Book #11
by Laura Griffin
Release Date: January 31, 2017

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Description:
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 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 get 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 Dani, 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.

 

Review:

At Close Range by Laura Griffin is the 11th book in her fantastic Tracers series.  This series reads very well as a standalone, though in each book you get to see glimpses of some of the previous characters, especially those from Delphi Center.  One of those characters, Scott Black, who is a ballistics expert for Delphi, is the hero in this book.  Daniele (Dani) Harper is our heroine, and she is a local detective.  Dani knows Scott very well, as he is her brother’s best friend.  She has always had a crush on him, but he has never shown any interest.  

At Close Range begins with a double murder of a man and woman, who were in their car, in what was to be a romantic encounter.  When Dani arrives at the gruesome scene, she takes control, and eventually she will become the lead detective in the murder case.  Scott is also on the scene, representing Delphi, as he looks for ballistics clues.  A short time later, during their investigation, the murder weapon is discovered, and Scott fingerprints are all over the gun.  Needless to say, he is now a suspect.  Dani, now in control, has to prove that Scott couldn’t have done this, and together with Ric and other detectives they begin to discover there is a frame up and conspiracy.  But who and why is the major mystery that takes us on an exciting suspenseful wild adventure, which will have so many twists and turns.  There is no way we could figure out who is behind this, at least not until we reach the end of this fabulous story.

Dani is very good at her job, and besides her detectives, she works well with the many workers that work at Delphi.  A few times we worry, since Dani finds herself in a few dangerous life threatening situations.  When she is finally able to clear Scott, he will go out of his way to work with her, and also help protect her.  Within the mystery, a romance will develop between Scott and Dani.  He has been attracted to her, but because she is the younger sister of his friend, he has always stepped away.  But now with them working so closely together, the chemistry between them heats up. 

There were so many twists and revelations along the way that saying anything more would be spoilers.  What follows is an amazing intense mystery that has you on the edge throughout the entire book.  What also makes this series so great is all wonderful dynamics of the Delphi Center (Tracers) that give us a look at the different ways to look for clues.  Laura Griffin does such an amazing job detailing all the aspects of looking for various things found at a murder scene….truly awesome.   If you enjoy a true murder mystery, with lots of action, suspense, intense situations and a touch of romance, then you should be reading the Tracers series. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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Laura’s publisher is offering a paper copy of AT CLOSE RANGE to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

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8. Giveaway runs from January 30 – February 3, 2017

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Deep Dark by Laura Griffin – Review & Giveaway

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Deep Dark by Laura Griffin – Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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DEEP DARK
Tracers #10
by Laura Griffin
Release Date: May 24, 2016
Genre: mystery, suspense

 

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Description:
The moment detective Reed Novak steps onto the crime scene, he knows the case is going to rock his world. A beautiful young woman murdered at home. No sign of forced entry. No motive. She’s obviously not the killer’s first victim, and Reed’s instincts tell him she won’t be his last. Reed’s first clue comes via a mysterious text that links to a dating profile, but even more intriguing than the clue is the person who sent it.

As a white-hat hacker in the Delphi Center’s cyber investigation unit, Laney Knox sneaks into some of the deepest, darkest corners of the Internet looking for predators. Laney would prefer to stay away from Austin PD’s most recent murder case, but she can’t ignore the chilling similarities between that crime and her own brutal attack years ago. Laney offers to help the sexy lead detective, but he wants more from her than just a promising tip—Reed wants her trust. Laney resists, but as their relationship deepens she’s tempted to reveal the closely guarded secrets that could make her a key witness…or the killer’s next victim.

 

 

Review:

Deep Dark by Laura Griffin is the 10th book in her wonderful Tracers series.  This is a series that though they do have recurring characters that are part of the Tracers team, it does read very well as a standalone.  The Delphi Center, which is private, specializes in elite experts in all aspects of foresenics, which help the police or FBI to solve difficult crimes, such as serial killers.   Deep Dark revolves around Laney Knox, a member of the Delphi Center’s cyber investigative unit and detective Reed Novak. 

The story starts three years earlier, when Laney wakes up in the middle of the night hearing a possible burglar.  Someone with a ski mask jumps her, but Laney is able to escape from being raped or killed.  Jump to the present, where Laney now works for the Delphi Center as a computer expert who is able to hack into any system to help find clues. When a young woman is brutally murdered, Laney finds herself unable to not get involved.  She tries to help finding some clues for the police to use, and meets the lead detective, Reed.  Even though he isn’t too keen on her becoming involved in his case, he learns quickly that she is very good at what she does.  Reed also finds himself becoming attracted to her, but shies away, since he is 39 to her 24.  Reed also senses that Laney is hiding something, as she seems to be taking this case personally.

With help from Laney, and some other members of Delphi, Reed begins to suspect there is a serial murderer on the loose.  Clues from other murders of young women from recent and years past start showing up.  Together, Reed and Laney will work to try and find the culprit, but are stymied at every turn, even when they get close, they are too late.  In time, Reed who has become involved with Laney, despite his better judgment, finds out the truth of what happened to Laney years before and why she stubbornly insists to help.  The clues of the murderer have so many similarities to her attacker.  The romance between Laney and Reed was really nice, as I loved them together.   Griffin does a wonderful job of giving us a very nice romance, but not letting it overtake the story.

What follows is a very exciting tense emotional story, where finding one victim leads to the discovery of more of the same over the last few years.   Reed will push to find the killer before another murder takes place, but it will be Laney who will find the clues.  Laney will find herself in danger, forcing Reed to race to save her.  Griffin had us holding our breaths throughout the story, and managed to keep us in the dark as to who the killer was; there was a surprising twist I did not see. As always, I love the main characters of each story, and Deep Dark was no different. Besides Reed, Laney, the Delphi members we have met previously, I enjoyed Jay, Veronica and Jordan.  Laura Griffin has once again given us another thriller, which is so well written with allowing us to see what goes on behind the scenes to find a murderer.  If you enjoy suspense, mystery, fast paced, forensics, great romance and bad villains to catch, then the Tracers series is a must.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

Guest post-White and RedSummer Bucket List by Laura Griffin

 

Summer will fly by if you don’t get out there and seize the moment! Check out these 11 ideas to add to your summer bucket list:

  1. Get new flip-flops. A little gift for your feet will put you in the summer spirit.
  2. Take a road trip. This is one of those things people always talk about, but never do. This summer just pick a destination and hop in the car! If you’re short on time, go for the day and discover a new lunch place along the way.
  3. Visit a national park. Some of the most beautiful spots in the world are within America’s 59 national parks. To find one in your area visit https://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm
  4. Go skinny dipping. Not necessarily in the national park…
  5. Make s’mores. Marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate. It’s that simple! If you don’t have a campfire site handy, the grille works, too.
  6. Plan a girls’ (or guys’) night out. Round up your friends and try a new place together, such as a beer garden or a café with a patio.
  7. Taka a yoga class. Especially if you think you don’t have time. Your mind and body will thank you.
  8. Catch an action flick. This summer’s list includes X-Men Apocalypse, The Legend of Tarzan, Ghostbusters and (my personal favorite) Jason Bourne.
  9. Try star gazing. It’s free! Sites such as stardate.org can help you find a good time. This summer’s Perseid Meteor Shower will peak around August 11.
  10. Go on a picnic.
  11. Read a romance novel. Trust me on this one. You’ll be glad you did!

 

Giveaway

Laura’s publisher is offering a paper copy of DEEP DARK to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

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7. Giveaway is open to USA only

8. Giveaway runs from May 24 – 28, 2016

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