Brooke works for the Delphi Center processing crime scenes. When two women are brutally murdered she and Sean a detective work together to find the killer. They have a witness they just are not sure who the witness is. When things start to develop Brooke starts doing her own detective work which puts her on the killers radar. Sean has been trying to get to know Brooke better since the first time he saw her. Now he has to keep her safe from a killer and try and convince her they are meant to be together.

I’ve loved all of the Tracers novels, but TOUCH OF RED is now my favorite, I loved Brooke and Sean, and I loved getting the glimpses of past favorite characters. I already can’t wait for the next Tracers novel, and now feel the need to go back and start at the beginning!

Tracers has long since been a favorite romantic suspense series for me. The women are strong and capable and smart. The men are fierce, loyal and funny. The concept of the Delphi center is one that captured my imagination from the first page. Sean is a changed man who is figuring out who he is and what he wants from life. He knows that it involves Brooke, but first he has to convince her! Each is dedicated to their job and to making things right. I really loved Cameron and found myself cheering or laughing or hanging onto the edge of my seat following his adventures. This is a book full of tension and passion. I can't wait for the next one. Perfection!

This is one series that's always at the top of my list when it comes to page turning procedural/suspense stories. Griffin writes with such incredible detail, I love putting the pieces of the puzzle together along with the characters, especially when the story takes us to the Delphi center. In that regard, this book delivers big time.

What didn't really work for me was the odd obsession the heroine, Brooke, has with a young 10 year old witness to a murder. She's obsessed with keeping him save, so much so, that she puts herself into the investigation when her role should really just be in the work that she does at the Delphi center. Now yes, I know ultimately it was a way for Brooke to included in the suspense and put right in the middle of the action, but it didn't work. It didn't make any sense why she would become so focused on this young kid to the point that this very smart woman made stupid decisions. That's my biggest issue and why this is a 3-star read and not 4.

As with the rest of the books in this series, there is a romance although it never really takes center stage. And that was just fine with me. The slow burn of their romance works and lets the suspense and the Delphi center take center stage.

Touch of Red is a solid read, although not one of the series stand outs, I will never get tired of seeing how Griffin can piece together a suspense and then unravel it one piece of evidence at a time.

Brooke Porter is a trace evidence analyst, when she arrives at the home of a murdered woman the only thing more shocking than the scene itself, is that someone walked away. Now its up to her to tell the police there is a witness, but she is invested in helping them find the boy. However, while she is insanely focused she is also distracted by homicide detective Sean Byrne.

Sean has had his eye on Brooke for months, and while he is assigned to investigate the murder, this one gets to him more because Brooke is right in the middle of it. Sean is determined to help her on the case, as long as she isn't in danger, but his attraction to her and keeping work separate is difficult. Sean will make sure that Brooke is safe, but it gets even more complicated when the killer(s), is determined to get Brooke out of the picture because she knows too much.

Laura Griffin's Tracer series is a great mystery to delve into and some even hit really close to home depending on your career. I really enjoyed Touch of Red you were never quite sure where the evidence was going to lead the investigators or who the killer was until the very end. I thought the romance between Brooke and Sean progressed at a natural pace and they have great chemistry. Sean's frustration with Brooke was sometimes entertaining because she is a determined woman and is set on doing what she needs to do to not only solve the case but help the boy involved as well. While we see characters from previous books, its not necessary to read the series in order.

Another perfect blend of police procedure and crime scene investigation on a vicious murder of a young woman. I love a good forensics book and this series never disappoints with its detailed descriptions of the evidence and how the forensic scientists at the Delphi Center crime lab work that evidence to give those working the case the help they need in finding the killer.  Along with all that it also has the added bonus of a good romance. Another great addition to the Tracers series.

Laura Griffin has found a winning formula with her Tracers series, and the latest is no exception. Touch of Red is a fast-paced romantic suspense that I read in one sitting. Characters from previous books make cameo appearances, but the main plot is driven by crime scene investigator, Brooke Porter and homicide detective, Sean Byrne. The two have been crossing paths frequently, but when Brooke gets more embroiled in the case of a murdered woman than she should, the two are given the chance to grow closer. Yes, this formula has been used in the previous books in the series, but it just works.

The mystery was compelling and it was balanced well with the romance between Brooke and Sean. There was also more meat to their romance than the crime; both characters had their hang-ups, more so with Brooke, which added some complexity to the romance instead of it becoming a superficial aspect of the mystery. The mystery itself evolved into something that became rather dark and heartbreaking, again demonstrating that Griffin pushes past the formulaic to something with more meat, which will appeal to the mystery readers out there.

Touch of Red is another excellent addition to Griffin's series and its clear that there's lots of life left for future books (hopefully a lot of them).

Available Oct 3: Touch of Red (Tracers Series)

****4/5 stars

A fabulous action-thriller-romance with a CSI feel, Touch of Red keeps you guessing.

LGRIFFIN-touchofred

Recommended readers:

Laura Griffin or mystery-thriller drama plots
for action-adventure-romance lovers
if you’re a fan of CSI TV series, you’ll love anything Laura Griffin
Here’s my Rankings:

4/5 for characters
5/5 for plot
4.5/5 overall
3/5 steaminess
REVIEW FROM BOOKS FOR HER:

Laura Griffin is my favorite go-to, never-fail mystery-action-romance author. Even without being my favorite genre, I absolutely fly through her books. Of the last three Tracer Series books I’ve read, she’s nailed it with each one … with just the right amount of action, thrills and love. In Touch of Red, private crime scene investigator Brooke Porter is a talented researcher – and passionately dedicated to her job, especially when she learns a child may have been a witness and is now targeted. A Touch of Red has a non-stop plot and plenty of passion to keep you on your toes – in typical Laura-Griffing style.

Available Oct 3: Touch of Red (Tracers Series)

Great to catch up with the characters from this series and learn more about some new ones. A thrilling tale with twists and turns and a fast paced final shoot out.

3.95 stars

Plot: 4/5
Writing style: 4/5
Likability of characters: 5/5
Steamy scenes: 3/5
Intensity: 3/5
Darkness: 0/5

While I enjoyed this story, there wasn't anything unique about the characters that really set this book apart from others. Would still recommend.

Great romantic suspense with a wonderful mystery to pair. This book was like watching an episode of Cold Case, Bones, or CSI. Brooke is intelligent, strong, and quirky. The romance between the two main characters is a slow burn and does not get in the way of the page-turning case. I will definitely be reading MORE Laura Griffin.

I LOVE this series, and I love Laura Griffin's style. This was another fantastic book in the series that had me staying up way beyond my bedtime. I had a difficult time putting this one down: loved the story, loved the characters, loved the relationship, and loved the suspense. This was a great read; LG makes it very difficult to wait for her next book to come out. Looking forward to it.

4 1/2 stars!!!

I’ve seriously run out of superlatives to describe Laura Griffin’s excellent Tracers series: part police procedural, part traditional romantic suspense, and all-around awesome. I sound like a broken record, but Ms. Griffin truly has one of the best voices in the genre, and her talent is on full display in the twelfth(!) instalment of the series, TOUCH OF RED. From brief cameos in several previous instalments of the series, I knew I was going to like heroine Brooke Porter-- but her complexity, vulnerability, and relatability made me love her (even when she made questionable decisions about her involvement in the case). Cocksure playboy Detective Sean Byrne I was less sure about going in, but he ended up coming extremely close to dethroning my all-time favourite Tracers hero, Gage Brewer. Be still, my heart! I seriously wanted to take Sean home to meet my mum, and he and Brooke are just so darn adorable.

Although I’ve enjoyed all of the Tracers novels, TOUCH OF RED is in the top four, and my favourite of the most recent batch. Even though I just finished this one, I already can’t wait for the next Tracers novel!

**ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

If you love crime drama with romance involved you'll love this book.

The characters are fantastic and the heroine, although to me there are many, are strong and smart, brave women. The hero is strong and while he is alpha male is in control of how he handles his emotions when it comes to other people.

After a gruesome murder, the crime scene people from Delphi have been called in and Brooke is doing her thing. Sean, the detective gets there and since they seem to see a crime scene the same way she gives let's him walk through and then listens to his thoughts.

Sean is interested in Brooke and has been for awhile but she isn't ready to be involved and he wants to know why and she keeps it close to the vest. But let's not forget he's a detective.

When the case becomes more complicated and then involves a child this is where they differ in opinions and he gets mad as hell but she will stay her course. It's the way he handles it with her that makes the biggest difference.

No one ever thought the case would take the turn it has and now we don't know if Brooke or the child will survive, much less what Sean and she are building together.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Touch of Red is an engaging romantic suspense featuring crime scene investigator Brooke Porter and homicide detective Sean Byrne. At the scene of a murder, Brooke and Sean discover that there was a witness to the crime - one who escaped the scene. What follows is a suspense that has a nicely developed storyline and an enjoyable romance between the two main characters.

I really liked both Brooke and Sean, and enjoyed the way they worked together, as well as the way their personal relationship developed. The plot kept me interested and invested in the story. This was a good addition to the series.

I am really enjoying this series. I like the mystery and the characters. I am looking forward to reading more in this series

Another stellar entry in the "Tracers" series.

Brooke is an expert at Delphi in trace evidence. She is intuitive, spotting potential evidence that others might miss. Called to the scene of a vicious murder, she notices that the crime scene is off somehow, and takes the entry door off its hinges and departs to analyze it. What she finds is surprising- the victims' shone wasn't empty after all; a child was inside and likely witnessed the murder.

After sharing these results with the investigative team, including Sean (who she finds attractive), the hunt for the killer and the witness is on.

The entire story will keep you glued to your reading device, unwilling to sacrifice a moment of reading time.

Full review to be published online in late October.

A TOUCH OF RED is going to go down as one of my favorite books in the “Tracers” series. The fact that Brooke and Sean have known one another for some months meant that their speedily developed romance did not seem too fast, and they were very sweet together. The mystery was interesting and the perpetrator logical and intellectually believable. Brooke, as this series always plays out, has to insert herself into the investigation in a way that puts her in danger so that Sean could rescue her. This was done in a reasonable fashion, however, I believed in her concern for Cameron. There were cameo appearances from past couples of this series, always a bonus. I have noted that the police department now seems to go to the Delphi Centre immediately for forensic help. A plot device, but one that is necessary for the series plotline.

A TOUCH OF RED is another intriguing, exciting installment in Laura Griffin’s “Tracers” series. This is such a fantastic RS series; one that shows no signs if running out of steam. Recommended read.

Another exciting book by Laura. I love this Tracers series and have read every one to date. Somehow they just keep getting better. I enjoyed this book cover to cover. The build upon between Sean and Brooke was very believable and the adding in of the ex was a great touch. I loved the way the suspense and romance blended together. Was a perfect story. Can't wait for next one.

The Tracers series is what I consider to be romantic suspense at its best. For me, it was the attention-grabbing case, entwined with a magnetizing level of chemistry, that made Touch of Red one heck of a read. I don’t know how Laura Griffin manages to pull it off—to create characters I adore, each and every time—but she does.

Regardless of how hard I try, there’s no pacing myself when I have one of her books in my hand. Laura Griffin's writing is the sort I can sink into and effortlessly inhale half of the book without even realizing how much time has gone by. Now that's what I call a great writer.

As heinous as it sounds, it’s a bloody crime scene and a nearly decapitated woman, found late one night in her own driveway, that brings Sean and Brooke together. She’s the Delphi Center crime scene investigator assigned to the case and he’s the lead homicide detective; both bring their skill sets to the table in an effort to track down a witness and hone in on a suspect. It's working so closely that brings all of Sean’s feelings for Brooke to the forefront and after months of torment, he decides it’s finally time to make his move.

I have to admit, Sean turned me into a giddy, giggly girl. I know, I'm silly, but I can't help it. Sean just might be my favorite of all of Laura Griffin’s men. He took a near-death experience and turned it into an appreciation for life—he realized he wanted so much more and went after it. From the moment we meet Sean, he has an admirable level of respect for Brooke. He sees the smart and strong side of her; not the woman who feels broken after a relationship gone horribly wrong. Sean was exactly what Brooke needed him to be—patient, supportive and confident in who he was, but not driven by ego or the need to be in control. Talk about a genuinely nice guy, but a badass in his own right.

It's the buildup to any relationship that's the best and most important part of the story for me. No worries here—the tension between Sean and Brooke is deliciously thick and intense. Skeptical of people’s motives, Brooke makes Sean work for it; making the payoff for the two of them and the reader nothing short of stellar.

I get that romance isn’t a genre that works for everyone, but this is so much more than just a love story. It's also a fast-paced and intelligent investigation—one that's unraveled piece by intricate piece. The fact that the author can take two genres and mesh them into one compelling storyline—need I say more?