Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Terrific book and conclusion to the series. I loved the opening prologue of the book. Jones never expected to be back in Kelby Creek five years after the death of his wife Helen, much less to be asked to run for sheriff. He takes himself off to a hotel for a distraction-free place to decide. While in the hotel bar, he meets Cassandra, who is there for a teachers' conference. She's having a rough day too. She and Jones start talking. I laughed at her idea to help him decide, but it worked. He took her to dinner to thank her, and matters progressed from there.
Fast forward several months. Jones has been asked to reinvestigate the town's notorious Annie McHale case. He knows that feathers will be ruffled when it becomes public knowledge. The town has come a long way since the exposure of the deep corruption in the town government and law enforcement communities, but trust is still a fragile commodity.
The action in the book gets off to a quick start. Cassandra is a kindergarten teacher at Kelby Creek's elementary school. She foils a kidnapping attempt at the school involving Jones's daughter and another student. When Jones arrives at the school, he's stunned to find Cassandra, the woman he couldn't forget and obviously pregnant. Later that evening, when they meet to talk about it, Jones is called away on an emergency that turns out to be a setup. He's run off the road and into a creek. Lucky for him, Cassandra happens along right after and saves his life.
This puts Cassandra right in the middle of Jones's investigation. She is more than a little stubborn and insists on helping Jones when he has to interview a couple of her students' parents. Her involvement makes her a target of those unhappy about Jones's investigation. Having read all of the previous books in the series, it is easy to see there are mixed feelings about the events of that time. I was glued to the pages because I wanted to know what had really happened. Jones and Cassandra uncover a web of lies that shed new light on the actions of those involved, and each new piece of information leads to more questions. Puzzling abductions and escapes, glimpses of a new player and his motivations, and a stunning revelation lead to a gripping conclusion. The final confrontation was a nail-biter as a trap was set for the bad guy. The resolution was well done, and I loved how it turned out.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Jones and Cassandra develop. After losing his wife as he did, Jones has no intention of risking his heart again. He didn't count on being unable to forget Cassandra. When he reconnects with her, he makes it clear that he wants to be involved in his child's life, but a relationship between him and Cassandra is out of the question. However, with the time they spend together, it doesn't take long for their initial attraction to grow into something more. Jones realizes that he feels more than protectiveness toward her, though it takes him a while to admit it. Cassandra was somewhat wary herself. She lost her fiancé in a tragic accident and is hesitant to get involved with a man who has a dangerous job. But the heart wants what it wants, and they realize they belong together.
I loved the book's last section and seeing the series' couples four years later. Kelby Creek is healing, and its population is growing.
Fast forward several months. Jones has been asked to reinvestigate the town's notorious Annie McHale case. He knows that feathers will be ruffled when it becomes public knowledge. The town has come a long way since the exposure of the deep corruption in the town government and law enforcement communities, but trust is still a fragile commodity.
The action in the book gets off to a quick start. Cassandra is a kindergarten teacher at Kelby Creek's elementary school. She foils a kidnapping attempt at the school involving Jones's daughter and another student. When Jones arrives at the school, he's stunned to find Cassandra, the woman he couldn't forget and obviously pregnant. Later that evening, when they meet to talk about it, Jones is called away on an emergency that turns out to be a setup. He's run off the road and into a creek. Lucky for him, Cassandra happens along right after and saves his life.
This puts Cassandra right in the middle of Jones's investigation. She is more than a little stubborn and insists on helping Jones when he has to interview a couple of her students' parents. Her involvement makes her a target of those unhappy about Jones's investigation. Having read all of the previous books in the series, it is easy to see there are mixed feelings about the events of that time. I was glued to the pages because I wanted to know what had really happened. Jones and Cassandra uncover a web of lies that shed new light on the actions of those involved, and each new piece of information leads to more questions. Puzzling abductions and escapes, glimpses of a new player and his motivations, and a stunning revelation lead to a gripping conclusion. The final confrontation was a nail-biter as a trap was set for the bad guy. The resolution was well done, and I loved how it turned out.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Jones and Cassandra develop. After losing his wife as he did, Jones has no intention of risking his heart again. He didn't count on being unable to forget Cassandra. When he reconnects with her, he makes it clear that he wants to be involved in his child's life, but a relationship between him and Cassandra is out of the question. However, with the time they spend together, it doesn't take long for their initial attraction to grow into something more. Jones realizes that he feels more than protectiveness toward her, though it takes him a while to admit it. Cassandra was somewhat wary herself. She lost her fiancé in a tragic accident and is hesitant to get involved with a man who has a dangerous job. But the heart wants what it wants, and they realize they belong together.
I loved the book's last section and seeing the series' couples four years later. Kelby Creek is healing, and its population is growing.
