I've read all the other books in the series but this one happily stands alone. The plot moves along quickly and I didn't guess the culprit. It was good to learn more background about some of the other detectives. Would definitely recommend and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

I first “met” Detective Tracy Crosswhite of the Seattle Police Department In My Sister’s Grave, back in 2014. Since then, I’ve enjoyed following both her adventures fighting crime and her personal story. Close To Home is #5 in Robert Dugoni’s Tracy Crosswhite Series, and I was happy to receive a copy of it from Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This one is structured like a braid, with three concurrent strands the death of a young African-American student, the legal wrangling over the suspect, who is on active duty at the local naval base, and the epidemic of heroin deaths in the area.

The novel opens with the first strand, a hit and run death of a young African-American on the streets of Seattle. The mystery surrounding his death goes on throughout the book, as Tracy investigates the suspect, who is stationed at the local naval base. The second strand follows his case as it begins to move through the legal systems (both naval and civilian), and he is apparently in the clear when a key piece of evidence goes missing. In the third strand, the suspect in the hit and run death turns out to be linked to a rash of recent deaths from a particularly potent batch of heroin, which is of special interest to Tracy’s fellow Detective, Delmo Castigliano (“Del”) , whose teenage niece has recently died of an overdose.

I was a bit turned off by an early line that states that Del’s niece “…started on marijuana at fifteen, progressed to prescription drugs, and, eventually became hooked on heroin.” Really? I thought, not the old “gateway drug” line??

In the afterword, Dugoni relates that he had “…always believed heroin addicts were people living in rodent-infested apartments.” In his research, he learned that many of them are “good kids from good families.” I appreciated the evolution of Del’s thinking about the war on drugs. Del’s thoughts match Dugoni’s: “People in these homes weren’t supposed to have sons and daughters hooked on heroin. The junkies were supposed to be downtown, living in dark alleys and abandoned buildings, sleeping on soiled mattresses amid garbage and rodents.” The book clarifies the explosion in heroin usage as tied to the legalization of marijuana in the U.S., because the Mexican cartels have seen a seriously diminished income from selling weed, and have turned to growing poppies instead, adding to the supply of cheap heroin in the States.

The story follows the various strands, tying everything together in a satisfying conclusion (with a tiny bit of what felt a bit like a contrived development in Tracy’s life revealed at the end). Along the way, we meet familiar characters (Tracy’s husband Dan, her co-workers Del and Faz, and JAG attorney Leah Battles, who I hope will appear in future installments in the series).

Excellent character development (particularly Del), plenty of twists and turns and Pacific Northwest atmosphere thrown in for good measure. Fans of the Tracy Crosswhite series will enjoy it (although it stands alone very well, so no need to feel you need to start earlier in the series to get what is going on…although I totally recommend this series!) Five stars.

Tracy Crosswhite is drawn into the investigation of a hit-and-run accident that claimed the life of a young African-American teenager. Meanwhile another member of the A-Team is investigating the overdose death of his teenage niece. This newest, in the series of mysteries by Robert Dugoni, set in Seattle, has the same attention to detail as previous books. The unraveling of both crimes is an interesting read, as are the latest in the romantic life of Tracy and also another member of the team. This particular book seemed to lack the internal friction between Tracy and her boss. But, instead, the Navy and JAGs get involved. I found it an interesting read, but perhaps not quite as action-packed as previous books in the series.

I'm a big fan of the Tracey Crosswhite series. So far out of the 5 books in the series I've only been disappointed in 1 book. So when I was given the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the latest book in the series I was ecstatic.
But I was a little apprehensive when I read the blurb. The death of an African American child in a hit and run accident wasn't at the top of my list of interesting murder/mystery tropes, especially when the blurb also indicated that the perpetrator might not be held accountable. And I did struggle a bit getting through the first 30% or so of the book because the this issue, but I shouldn't have worried. Tracey Crosswhite (and Robert Dugoni for that matter) wouldn't allow such an injustice go unpunished.
This book had many twists and turns and even a military JAG angle to it that ended up making it another great addition to this series.

I love a book where I am surprised. So many people can relate to this book in so many ways. I enjoyed getting to know Del more. My heart broke for him, his family. The personal story line of Tracy is one so many people go through. The hit run tragedy taking a life. Just such a great read and I was totally clueless on the culprit. I would recommend this series to people who like thrillers, suspense and care about the characters.

Thank you Thomas and Mercer, thank you NetGalley.

Tracy Crosswhite investigates a hit and run of a 12 year black boy, D'Andre Miller while Del Castigliano,
is trying to find the person who sold his niece the high-grade heroin that caused her death.
It is everything I look for in a crime thriller, well developed characters, a strong plot and loads of
action and suspense. I enjoyed all of the Tracy Crosswhite books in the series. You can read just the one
but I recommend them all in order to follow the growth of the characters and get the most out of the story.

I have really been enjoying the Robert Dugoni books. This series is very good and I am looking forward to the next book. Very good mystery and I really like the characters

The Tracy Crosswhite series continues to grab my attention and leave me wanting more.  Having just completed Close To Home  I'm already looking forward to book six.   No pressure Robert Dugoni.   There's so much to love about these books.    Sure he delivers suspenseful stories but he's created such  great characters it feels like being reunited with old friends.   I'll admit The Trapped Girl - book four of the series - set the bar high and I wondered if this one would live up to expectations.   After a slightly slower start I was preparing myself for disappointment but remaining hopeful I'd still enjoy this one.    I did.   I really did. I began to be drawn into the story, gradually edging forward in my seat, wanting to read just one more chapter whilst trying not to finish the book too soon.   Did I guess what would happen?   Not even remotely but in hindsight there were a few little clues along the way I'd completely overlooked.  A more skillful reader might have picked the ending but not me and I'm glad for that as I still got my aha moment.  Not only that but I kept myself entertained by taking this story speculating about what might happen in the personal lives of Tracy & Dan, Del & Celia, Faz, and Kins by the time we next meet.

Thank you so much to Robert Dugoni for continuing this excellent series, to the publishers Thomas & Mercer for approving my request to read this book and to NetGalley for making these digital ARCs possible.    I was delighted to provide my honest review in exchange for the free digital ARC I received.

In my opinion, the weakest novel in the Tracy Crosswhite series...

There are 2 investigations under way in Close to Home. The first one is about a boy who is killed after a hit and run. The suspect of the hit and run is an active-duty serviceman located at the nearby naval base. The navy becomes involved in clearing the name of the serviceman through a court investigation. During the trial a key piece of evidence is found to be missing. The second part of the novel is solving the death of Del's niece, who died of an overdose. Del wants justice to be served for those who were involved in supplying the drugs to his niece.

I don't know, this novel just didn't speak to me in the same way that the other ones did. I found myself getting bored with the court case and the navy becoming involved. I did enjoy the last quarter of the novel, but it just took so long to get there. Also it didn't blow my mind the way that the other novels did.

In the latest Tracy Crosswhite series there are two stories going on. Snatched from today’s headlines one story is about a hit and run of black boy and the other is a herion overdose of Del’s niece. Both storylines are not cut and dry.

Another stellar book in the Tracy Crosswhite series!! The series just keeps getting better and better.
Bravo Robert Dugoni!

Thank you Netgalley for my advance copy.

I enjoyed this book a little more than I thought I would. It did move a little slow in the beginning , but I kept reading and stayed with it and was hooked! I would recommend it This is the 5th book in the Tracy Crosswhite series. I did not go into reading this book knowing this, but did not feel that I was missing anything. I enjoyed this book so much that I do plan to read the first four .

Loved it.Really enjoy this series. Two interlinked stories,fast moving with a few twists. Characters are great and very realistic.

I started this book off with the feeling that it did not match up with the thrill of the previous books. This feeling did not last. It is of a slightly different genre than the last few, involving more of mind games than of the thrill of the chase. 

This books starts off with a hit and run involving a child on his way home. Tracy and Kins are on a night shift and are called on the spot. The situation is heightened by the fact the child was African American and only 12. Then starts the routine investigation into this case. On the other side Del's niece recently overdosed and he is looking out for blood. His research into the case leads him down a very interesting road. There is the extra character that we are given insights into the mind of, Leah Battles the Navy lawyer defending the accused.  This book gives a look at the functioning of the justice system in America which is sometimes overlooked and or disregarded in order to show us the culprit. This is an engaging angle and causes some thought regarding the difficulties in bringing criminals to justice. 

In the background , life goes on for Tracy and hear A-Team who are each having some personal issues to deal with.

Overall this was a very well written book with some unexpected twists but not fast enough for my expectations ( I should have not had started with such presupposition , but such was the case).

Robert Dugoni has unfortunately let his cool Seattle detective Tracy Crosswhite turn somewhat domestic and less cool and he seems to be handing on the torch to other members of her team after this more emotional and unfortunately also less exciting murder mystery than in the past titles in the series.

In “Close to Home” we once again see Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite in her element. What starts out as an investigation into a hit and run of a twelve year old boy named D’Andre, quickly snowballs into something no one could ever have imagined – evidence goes missing, a suspect is murdered and on the surface it seems the Navy is trying to cover something up.

But with Del, Faz and some help from Dan the closer Tracy comes to seeing the truth the more involved everything seems. But Tracy is out to find who killed D’Andre, hopefully without getting herself killed in the process.

I received a copy of this book through Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Another excellent book in the Tracey Crosswhite series. I like how Dugoni develops the characters and allows them to change and grow. This book allows one of the other other characters a chance to share center stage which works in the context of the book. I highly recommend this series.

This is another fun mystery read from this author. At first I was disappointed thinking that I was reading two separate stories within the book. But then they came together. The outcome left me somewhat surprised. The ending was too much happily everafter. However, a book I would recommend to all.

I have a confession to make. Neither the cover nor the blurb describing the contents of Robert Dugoni’s Close to Home really enticed me. The thought of a hit-and-run death involving a serviceman and a potential military trial, possible ties to heroin trafficking...I don’t know, the idea just didn’t really grab me. But it’s Dugoni, and it’s Tracy Crosswhite, so what did I have to lose? Wise choice! I am so thankful to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author for the opportunity to read the electronic version of this fifth in the series as an ARC, which will be published in early September.

Immediately, Dugoni tugged at my emotions by portraying the 12-year-old African American boy as someone who deserved a chance to live a long, successful, happy life – a chance he never got, thanks to a driver who plowed him down and sped away without stopping. Tracy and Kinsington Rowe (Kins) enter the scene when it becomes obvious that this is a homicide. Seattle PD is currently overwhelmed with cases, but even when the suspect is booked and transferred to the naval facility, Tracy stays in the loop. The victim’s family deserves it, she feels.

In a second thread, Del Castigliano and his partner, Vic Fazzio, investigate the overdose death of Del’s niece. What? They get around the obvious conflict of interest by having Faz sign off on everything, but one has to put aside the disbelief to accept that this is even possible, especially given that the department is up to its eyeballs in homicides already. Okay, it is what it is. Fiction. Dugoni has done a great deal of research, and it shows. Not everyone will agree that legalizing marijuana is what has led to the increase in the heroin and opiate use, or that free clinics that provide drugs to addicts will help prevent deaths from overdosing, but some data bears that out, and that’s what our SPD detectives are hearing. What really makes an impact is the scope of the problem is laid out. As Del meets with Celia McDaniel, he finds that he must grapple with so much more than getting the dealers and suppliers off the street. There are always more where they came from. He knows firsthand the resulting agony and suffering it causes in the lives of so many. You can talk about “justice”, but that doesn’t ease the pain of the loved ones left behind. As Celia says, “What you have to realize is that crying is God’s way of helping us wash away the pain.”

Meanwhile, Tracy is convinced that the suspect is guilty, but since the case is now in the hands of the Navy, it is out of her control. When the most important piece of evidence goes missing, she is determined to reinsert herself into the investigation – yet another instance where the reader is asked to accept an implausible situation, since she is stepping on toes big time by wandering into another department’s jurisdiction.

What I enjoyed most about Close to Home is the character development. Already very familiar with the characters of Tracy, Faz, Del, and Dan, I found myself loving them even more. Del becomes embroiled in a very personal, emotional quest to find the person(s) responsible for his niece’s drug overdose, as well as for the health and well being of his sister and nephews. In the process, he strikes up a relationship with Celia. The initial scene where they are chatting – flirting – so, so good! It felt real. Tracy and Dan, now married and settled, are trying to start a family. Dugoni did some research in this area too, and we see another side to Tracy and her relationship with Dan that makes her more vulnerable and more human than we’ve seen her in previous stories.

I must also say that I enjoyed two new characters: Celia, whom I’ve already mentioned. She is smart, empathetic, tough, and apparently a very lovely, sexy African American woman who raises a spark or two somewhere in Del’s soul. The other is Leah Battles, a judge advocate from the naval base. She gets the call to represent the suspect in the hit-and-run case. She also faces an uphill battle when the evidence goes missing. She’s strong, exceedingly competent, and very determined. I liked her a lot, and I liked her use of the phrase, one I’ve used myself on many occasions – “Be careful what you wish for.” I suspect that we may be seeing more of these two women in future Crosswhite books.

The main plot, that is, the hit-and-run case, really had me confused! I really could not figure out how the evidence went missing. Common sense said that the obvious culprit was lying; if not, who did it? I was flummoxed! Luckily, Tracy Crosswhite was on the case!

Along with all of that, there is so much going on in this book. Drugs and how police, cities, families, and society handle the problem. How crimes against African Americans are investigated and handled by law enforcement, including the military. Interpersonal relationships in families, in dating situations, in marriage. Food! I love how the author always works Italian food into his stories, and the dialogue between folks over food is wonderful. Even the scenes between the characters and their dogs are true-to-life. I mean, this man can flat-out write!
Take the parts that are a bit unbelievable with a grain of salt and dig into the meat of this story. I highly recommend it!

5 stars

This is the fifth in the Tracy Crosswhite series set in the Seattle Police Dept. This time, the characters we have come to know and love investigate a hit and run which links to the Navy, stolen evidence and a lethal strain of heroin on the city's streets. New characters are introduced but, like the firmly established cast, these are above all REAL, with real lives, real problems and lives we can all relate to in many ways. That's one of the things which makes this series so good and why I can't wait for the next one...