Detailed, suspenseful and engaging with devious twists…

This is the thirteenth book in the Tracers series that can be read as a stand-alone.

A young woman out on the town with some friends is abducted in Austin, Texas. The decomposed bones of an unknown person are found in Springville, Texas, a town where a young woman disappeared from over a year ago. Are these events related? As the story opens the reader wonders on the connection. A police detective and a crime scene investigator join forces to unravel a murder mystery, deciphering the past might just lead them to a resolution in the present day.

As a forensic pathologist for the Delphi Crime Lab, Dr. Sara Lockhart’s called away from a colleague’s wedding by a detective who wants her to immediately examine bones unearthed two hours away. Being committed to her job and uncomfortable with the social scene she’s in she heads out. Years ago she ran away from her life on the east coast to escape the consequences of breaking her engagement before the wedding and to find herself, she has problems with relationship commitments. For Sara life is basically work, she delves into cases with what could be deemed an obsession to solve. The attraction she feels upon meeting the detective surprises her and she’s not sure how to handle it.

When the bones of a woman are found in his jurisdiction, then those of two more people while a woman from the city is recently missing, Detective Nolan Hess wonders if the cold case he inherited could be tied to all these events. He left a job in the city to get away from the taint a woman he was seeing was involved with, his former partner on the force that placed suspicion on him with internal affairs. Though cleared of any wrongdoing, he was no longer comfortable there, he returned to where he was raised. You think you know someone and then find that you don’t, trust is an issue for him and he relies on his instincts now more than before. The forensic pathologist he requested is highly capable, intelligent and independent but it’s the female packaging that draws him in and she’s a handful to deal with on all levels.

Sara is a heroine who took her CSI job too far putting her own life at risk not just once but twice, trying to be totally independent she doesn’t heed caution, she is that dedicated to her job. It was no wonder that Nolan worried about her safety and that this reader wanted to smack some sense into her. These two seemed to be in perpetual competition with each other, each racing to solve the case. The storyline was detailed, suspenseful and engaging with devious twists to keep the reader guessing, the characters were likable with emotional depth. This book was an enjoyable addition to the series.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.

The Tracers series is one of my all time favorites! Some of the best mystery/procedural - action adventure that’s out in the book world today! Griffin has an innate ability to mix romance and mystery that never dulls or becomes redundant. I was completely in awe over the killers reveal. It was a knock out of left field that just proves this is an author who likes to keep her reader on their toes.

Another 5 star home run.
~Tanja

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion. This is one mystery that you won’t be able to put down. Every turn of the page I bacame more and more intrigued with this serial murder story.

Nolan and Sara are two people that take lots of pride in their work and right from the start they hit it off. Nolan is an impatient detective who wants answers from forensic scientist/anthropologist Sara. She is hesitant to share her findings until she has some definitive answers.

As these two work more closely through their case they can not deny their attraction. This was a great romantic Suspense.

Before starting to read this book, I had not heard of the Tracers series. This is book 13, yet I didn't feel lost or confused and was able easily pick up the story and characters. That doesn't always happen, so I commend the author for that. (I have gone back and am currently reading the first book in the series and will continue.)

I thought this book was a great blend. There was romance, mystery, and suspense as part of a fun-to-read procedural. This book grabbed my attention immediately and did not let go. I'm sad I'll have to wait for the next installment, but thankfully have the previous to go back and devour.

Something weird happened to me while I was reading Stone Cold Heart. I was more interested in the suspense and the unsub than in the romance. As a romantic at heart, this was really shocking to me. No doubt only Laura Griffin can distract me from a HEA!

Stone Cold Heart is the 13th book in the Tracers series. Each book has a new couple investigating a case.

Newcomer Sara Lockhart is a forensic anthropologist. She's at a wedding when she's called by detective Nolan Hess to assist on an investigation. Human bones have been found at a National Park. Sara has recently relocated to Texas after spending some time in Guatemala. She accepted a job at the Delphi Crime Center. Sara is confident in her performance. She's a hard worker and prefers to stay away from any romantic notions. Her last relationship ended with her breaking up her own engagement.

Nolan Hess feels a responsibility to his town. A girl disappeared almost a year ago and her family is still looking for answers. Nolan wants nothing more than to bring the family some closure. He would love to capture the person responsible for her disappearance and put them behind bars for a long time. When human bones are found at the park, he thinks they could be the remains of the missing girl but Sara has her doubts. Then, a new young woman disappears in a city close by.

Stone Cold Heart had the perfect components of a romantic suspense. Laura Griffin is able to create the right environment for the crimes. In this case, the parks, the rock climbing and the caves were an excellent addition to the mystery. The idea of a serial killer dumping bodies so close to other people enjoying the outdoors was scary. I was biting my nails trying to figure out who was the killer. I knew it had to be close to them but I wasn't sure who it was until the end.

Stone Cold Heart is a great complement to the Tracers series. I hope we see many more stories to come.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Pocket Star via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This thirteenth book in Laura Griffin’s Tracers series once again sees a member of the team from the high-tech Delphi Centre Crime Lab working with law enforcement officers working to solve a particularly disturbing case.  Although this is a long-running series, each book comprises a self-contained suspense plot so it’s perfectly possible to dip in and out as any recurring characters are kept to secondary roles and their backstories don’t impinge on the main plotlines.Forensic Anthropologist Sara Lockhart is the new kid on the block at Delphi, having relocated to San Marco following a broken engagement and a year spent excavating mass graves in Guatemala.  Her ex-fiancé seemed to think her career was less important than his and their parting was acrimonious, which has given Sara a not surprising caution about getting involved again.  Not that she’s looking for that though; she wants to do her job, make friends and focus on her career path.  She’s at the wedding of a colleague when she gets a call from Detective Nolan Hess of the Springfield police department, asking her to come to White Falls Park to take a look at bones that were discovered by some hikers earlier in the day.Nolan Hess grew up in Springfield, and feels a real sense of responsibility towards his community, where, it seems, he knows everyone and everyone knows him.  He’s determined to bring closure to the family of a young woman who disappeared over a year earlier, and when the bones are found in the park, there’s a lot of speculation that they are the remains of the missing girl. When Nolan meets Sara, he’s immediately impressed by her cool command of the situation, but simultaneously exasperated by her reluctance to offer any preliminary opinions or explanations.  He understands the work she does isn’t going to provide fast answers, but all the same he’s anxious for results that will enable him to confirm the identity of the victim.  He also senses that Sara knows more than she’s sharing with him.Sara does.  Or rather she suspects.  The evidence presented by the bones – plus a gut feeling born of experience – suggests to her that there’s likely to be more than one victim here, and that the body they’ve discovered  is unlikely to have been killed and/or dumped in its final location.  She’s proven right when a search farther along the gorge turns up more bones, clearly belonging to a different set of remains.  Her theory is that the victims were killed elsewhere and their bodies dumped off a cliff, then washed down the valley in a flood.  When these killings are linked to a third, and then to the recent disappearance of a young woman, it becomes clear that a serial killer is at work – and that Sara and Nolan need to work faster to turn up clues if they’re to be able to save the life of the latest victim.One of the things I always enjoy about the Tracers series is the well-researched background detail that the author supplies in just the right amount.  She explains the nitty gritty of Sara’s profession really well, and without getting bogged down in too much unnecessary detail, and her descriptions of the various locations are vivid and really help put the reader in the middle of the action. The suspense plot is well-constructed with plenty of twists and turns and moments of nail-biting tension, but unfortunately, the romantic sub-plot is less successful and falls pretty flat.  I did enjoy the longing glances and impulsive kisses that Sara and Nolan share and I liked them as individuals, but there wasn’t much romantic development.  Nolan is a terrific hero, an all-round nice guy who’s dedicated to his job but prepared to put the work into a relationship, while Sara has some issues to work through, and her determination not to become involved with Nolan meant she came off as a bit unfeeling.  I liked both of them when it came to their working relationship – they’re both dedicated and good at what they do - and I completely bought that they liked each other (a lot), but there wasn’t time in this book to develop anything beyond an initial attraction and infatuation, which made the romance ultimately unsatisfying.If you’re a fan of CSI-type stories, then the Tracers series is one I’d definitely recommend checking out.  Stone Cold Heart is a solid addition; although the romance is a little lacklustre, the well-executed suspense plot is fairly gripping and if you’re in the mood for something that’s heavier on the mystery and lighter on the romance, then it might well suit.Buy it at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/KoboVisit our Amazon Storefront

A big thank you to NetGalley and Gallery, Pocket for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I believe this is part of a series, but reads well as a stand alone. Sara is a well known forensic anthropologist. This is a suspense, mystery with a slow romance. Well done, kept me guessing. A solid 4 stars.

I devour Laura Griffin's books. Stone Cold Heart was no different. A well-paced romantic thriller with a perfect balance of action and romance. My only complaint is now I have to wait for the next book.

A better than average story in the romantic suspense genre. A rugged hero who is a cop in a small Texas town and a strong female lead who is a forensic anthropologist. Bones found in one of the local parks bring them together while they hunt for a serial killer. The setting of the parks and caves and climbing works well.

Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley

I would give the mystery/police procedural part of this 4 stars and the romance 3 stars, so let's settle on a 3.5 overall. This was another enjoyable installment in the Tracers series that delivered the kind of cozy thriller/suspense that I've realized really connects for me. I also really appreciated that the primary conflict between the two main characters was figuring out how to balance their careers with their budding relationship in a way that was about compromise, not ultimatums. It's a conflict I'd love to see a lot more of in contemporaries, as it's much more relatable than ye olde secret baby or amnesiac high school sweetheart. Anyways, enjoyed this all around & would recommend

I sound like a broken record whenever I review a Laura Griffin novel-- but her Tracers series is just so good, and seems to get better with each instalment. STONE COLD HEART, the thirteenth entry in the series, is one of my favourites: it’s the perfect blend of science, police procedural, and character-driven romance. Hero Nolan Hess (be still, my heart!) and heroine Sara Lockhart both take a story straight out of a Bones episode to the next level: both are such relatable, three-dimensional characters, who have such heart that it’s hard not to find oneself wanting them to get through their issues and rooting for their HEA. It was definitely worth the wait to get more Tracers, and I already can’t wait to see what Ms. Griffin has in store next!

**ARC from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Stone Cold Heart – Laura Griffin

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

A soon-to-be bridal party is out on the town for bar hopping, when Grace’s ID gets denied at the door by a bouncer. She opts to meet the rest of the girls at the hotel and starts heading that way. An Uber driver stops and offers her a ride, she accepts with reluctance…and disappears.

Meanwhile Delphi Center anthropologist Dr. Sara Lockhart is attending a wedding nearby, when she receives a call from Detective Nolan Hess, asking for her assistance in assessing some bones found by some hikers in a nearby park. Sensing urgency, she immediately heads to the scene, where she readily identifies the bones as human. But something else at the scene startles her….

As she and Detective Hess work to identify the young hiker, they learn of a missing teen, named Grace. When the bones found are NOT those of a hiker that went missing several months ago, they begin to suspect a serial killer. As they work to tie the cases together, and fight the attraction they feel for one another, the killer is closer than anyone thinks…but will they find him before he claims his next victim???

A fabulous new Delphi Center novel from Laura Griffin! As per usual with this author, I was hooked from the very first page and stayed up half of the night to read it straight through! Un-put-downable!! Be sure your afternoon is free before you open this book!!

The cleverly imaginative mind of Laura Griffin makes the latest book in the Tracers series riveting with constantly chilling developments. While hints are scattered throughout concerning who is responsible for any murders being committed, actual facts are not divulged until all evidence is examined. This kept my mind jumping from one assumption to another when new details were finally confirmed. A possible romantic relationship is also taking place during the long hours of investigation, and the feelings that are growing between a Delphi Center employee and a dedicated small-town detective add lots of enjoyment to the story. STONE COLD HEART grabbed my full attention from the first captivating paragraph to the final compelling scene.

While attending a wedding reception that she was eager to leave, Sara Lockhart is thankful for the call from Detective Nolan Hess requesting her assistance to help identify the bones found at a local park. Since she works at the Delphi Center Crime Lab as a forensic anthropologist, hopefully her expertise will bring him some answers. After she and her team collect all the bones plus any other evidence, some facts become known yet not everything. When more specific information is uncovered, it appears her current case could be linked to previous murders, and Sara needs to find more clues for Nolan before time runs out for the latest victim.

When it comes to romantic suspense, no one makes it more intensely enthralling than Laura Griffin. Situations that arise in the Tracers series are often challenging, and discovering the truth about a case is not always easy. But regardless of who is looking for answers and what method they use, I know the circumstances will come across as conceivable. In STONE COLD HEART, there are several moments which are very chilling and caused me to feel anxious because of so much uncertainty. A few events left me stunned because of their unexpectedness, and every single incident in the book is depicted with realism. Frequently, the more I learned, the more worried I became about how things would turn out. I really came to care about Nolan and Sara, as both are trying so hard to find a killer. While working together, their emotions sometimes become conflicted, especially hers, and I wondered if a workable solution could be found. I was thoroughly entertained by this story at all times, and truly hope the series has many more releases.

I voluntarily reviewed the book for the publisher via NetGalley, and all comments are my honest opinion

This series just gets better and better! I found Sara's job as a forensic anthropologists completely fascinating. I loved how her mind worked and the dedication she had in helping Nolan find the man behind all the killings.

Nolan's character was just as appealing. He's the town's police detective and his moral code was very high. He cared and he went above and beyond to help a local family find out what happened to their daughter.

The side characters added an extra dimension. I already hop Dax and Talia get their own book in the near future.

Usually, I think the suspense stands out more in this series but Nolan and Sara's growing attraction, while a slow burn, felt like a big part of the story this time.

I loved everything about this book. The writing is phenomenal, the storyline was fascinating and the characters were appealing in every way. If you love romantic suspense, you can't get better than this series.

Sara and Nolan must work together to solve very terrible murders but will they be able to in time? This book had so many surprises and twists, but my favorite parts of the book were the connection between Sara and Nolan. Thank you for allowing me to read this NetGalley.

This series never gets stale. Each book gives us a different perspective on how the forensic scientists at the Delphi Center crime lab work. Sara Lockhart forensic anthropologists and fairly new to Delphi Center but just as tenacious and dedicated as everyone who works there.

Being from Texas I was fascinated that the story mainly takes place in Texas State Parks with rock climbing and caves as the backdrop. Having a serial killer using the State Parks as a dumping ground for his bodies was creepy.

This series is a perfect blend of police procedure and crime scene investigation with stories that captivate you from start to finish.

Another great entry to Tracers Series even though the romance aspect of the story felt flat. I love the main characters, but I couldn't see the connection between them. I can tell Ms. Griffin did a lot of hard work on all the information about anthropology, because it came across pretty well.

Full review to be published online in mid March.

STONE COLD HEART is another good read in Laura Griffin’s ‘Tracers’ series, which I enjoy reading. I like the setting of the ‘Delphi Center’ crime lab. I’ve come to enjoy reading about the various characters and their crime scene specialties. This series kind of reminds me of a CSI type show, where some episodes are better than others; but the reader gets invested enough in the whole to keep going. I even liked the romance in this one, very old school. Overall, above average Romantic Suspense.

Laura Griffin has written now 13 Tracers books. The story is a stand alone novel but connects with the different characters from the previous book in the series.

Each story tells a different side of the forensic, law enforcement and the victims. While Laura Griffin is on book 13 this story is just as fresh eye opening as book 1. The characters are easy to connect with from first to last page. Sara Lockheart is your more personable Bones while Nolan is nothing like any other Bones characters. The story is dark but the romance helps the story rise above the dark murder and kidnapping that occur throughout the story.

Laura Griffin is able to create characters readers are able to connect with easily, fall in love and love the ups and downs that happen in the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Pocket Books for the advance copy of Laura Griffin Stone Cold Heart.

Laura Griffin returns with a classic ‘Bones’-episode thriller, when a series of missing persons start to bring an unlikely connection to a serial killer lurking in the midst of them.For readers who like a suspense-heavy, romance-that-skims-the-surface read, ‘Stone Cold Heart’ delivers superbly. Nolan Hess and Sara Lockhart hold their own individually as protagonists; both are competent in their own fields, established in their own circles.

But as the case progressed and these circles overlapped, it did feel as though Griffin did the small, budding romance a bit of a disservice. I was hoping for a more developed working relationship between Sara and Nolan beyond intense glances, not-so-secret shared smiles and an impulsive kiss or two which were then put aside in favour of work. I did get that they liked each other despite Sara’s half-in, half-out stance—along with the tingly feels that came across more like an infatuation than anything more—though the sudden, almost obligatory slide into sex surprised me given how muted their dancing around each other had been. Still, they were ultimately not too convincing as a pair and the uncertain ending (for the romance at least) didn’t cement their status as one that could go the distance.

From canvassing to questioning to the science behind the bones, the action surged through after the halfway mark and that got me excited, even when forensic anthropologists trying to play trained cops was what tipped the hand. The plot’s admittedly yet another iteration of a whodunnit mystery—for this reason, some of the Tracers books aren’t that much differentiated from each other—but Griffin’s way with words, getting the devil snared in the small details and the setup of the suspense nonetheless made ‘Stone Cold Heart’ an engrossing read as the case came together.