Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Good book. When Detective Waco Johnson gets a call about some bones at the bottom of an old well, it starts him down the trail of a thirty-year-old murder. The most logical suspect, the man's ex-wife Stacy, vanishes before he can question her. Waco believes that watching the woman's daughter Ella will lead him right to her.
Ella worries about her mother. Stacy always kept secrets and often disappeared for days at a time with no explanation. Now Ella wonders if her mother is capable of murder. With the detective on her heels, Ella desperately searches for answers to where Stacy is hiding.
The story's suspense was very good, with plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. The dead man, Marvin Hanover, had any number of people with a motive to kill him. His ex-wife Stacy filed for an annulment after his disappearance, happy to escape his plans for the child she carried. His adult children from his first wife showed no grief when notified of his death, only an obsessive interest in what happened to his money.
I enjoyed watching Ella try to evade Waco while she attempted to find Stacy and discover how tenaciously he sticks to her. Her determination pays off when a search through an old photo album turns up a likely bolt-hole for her mother. In this case, Ella lucks out when Waco follows her, as her destination turns out to be a bit sketchy. Ella realizes that they both want to find Stacy and agrees to work together. They get some help from an unexpected source and get quite a shock when they catch up to Stacy. The revelation of a family secret stuns Ella creating hurt and confusion. That same family secret complicates the investigation of Marvin's murder.
Ella, who lacks patience when dealing with the investigation, takes matters into her own hands. Though furious at her for risking herself, Waco has to admit that the plan was a good one. The intensity ramps up as Ella carries out the plan to draw out the killer. The final confrontation takes a couple of twists and a dangerous turn before it is all over. I didn't see that ending coming and breathed a sigh of relief when it was over.
The relationship between Waco and Ella progressed very rapidly. It started with distrust and wariness and ended with professions of love within a few days. Sparks of attraction bubbled under the initial antagonism and popped to the surface after they started working together. Waco finds himself unexpectedly protective of Ella. However, I honestly didn't feel that there was much in the way of emotional connection between them in that short of a time.
I enjoyed seeing more of the previous couple Ford and Hitch (Trouble in Big Timber). Hitch is in a tough spot as the medical examiner because of her connection to the Cardwell family. She's worked with Waco before and knows him pretty well, and I liked their interactions. Dana Cardwell's devotion to her family plays a significant role in the book, especially when it comes to her sister Stacy. I also enjoyed the interactions between Dana and her husband, Hud. I loved that she finally got her long-delayed wish at the end.
Ella worries about her mother. Stacy always kept secrets and often disappeared for days at a time with no explanation. Now Ella wonders if her mother is capable of murder. With the detective on her heels, Ella desperately searches for answers to where Stacy is hiding.
The story's suspense was very good, with plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. The dead man, Marvin Hanover, had any number of people with a motive to kill him. His ex-wife Stacy filed for an annulment after his disappearance, happy to escape his plans for the child she carried. His adult children from his first wife showed no grief when notified of his death, only an obsessive interest in what happened to his money.
I enjoyed watching Ella try to evade Waco while she attempted to find Stacy and discover how tenaciously he sticks to her. Her determination pays off when a search through an old photo album turns up a likely bolt-hole for her mother. In this case, Ella lucks out when Waco follows her, as her destination turns out to be a bit sketchy. Ella realizes that they both want to find Stacy and agrees to work together. They get some help from an unexpected source and get quite a shock when they catch up to Stacy. The revelation of a family secret stuns Ella creating hurt and confusion. That same family secret complicates the investigation of Marvin's murder.
Ella, who lacks patience when dealing with the investigation, takes matters into her own hands. Though furious at her for risking herself, Waco has to admit that the plan was a good one. The intensity ramps up as Ella carries out the plan to draw out the killer. The final confrontation takes a couple of twists and a dangerous turn before it is all over. I didn't see that ending coming and breathed a sigh of relief when it was over.
The relationship between Waco and Ella progressed very rapidly. It started with distrust and wariness and ended with professions of love within a few days. Sparks of attraction bubbled under the initial antagonism and popped to the surface after they started working together. Waco finds himself unexpectedly protective of Ella. However, I honestly didn't feel that there was much in the way of emotional connection between them in that short of a time.
I enjoyed seeing more of the previous couple Ford and Hitch (Trouble in Big Timber). Hitch is in a tough spot as the medical examiner because of her connection to the Cardwell family. She's worked with Waco before and knows him pretty well, and I liked their interactions. Dana Cardwell's devotion to her family plays a significant role in the book, especially when it comes to her sister Stacy. I also enjoyed the interactions between Dana and her husband, Hud. I loved that she finally got her long-delayed wish at the end.
