Member Reviews

Detective Tracy Crosswhite and her attorney Dan O’Leary along with a new baby are in her Hometown..waiting on completion of their home. The town n brings backs bitter feeling and when she is asked by her former Chef to investigate a reporters death who was looking into a cold case.
I have read all the he books on this series this being one of the best. This book keep me Intrigued till the end. I highly recommend this series for those who enjoy reading about strong women and a good mystery.

Was this review helpful?

This newest book by Dugoni is the next chapter in detective Tracey Crosswhite's life. She is now a new mom, out on maternity leave. Temporarily relocated to her hometown of Cedar Grove while her city home is undergoing a remodel, Tracey is once again pulled into a mystery. This time it involves a twenty year old situation involving teenagers, prominent town leaders, and possible misdeeds no one wants revealed. As in earlier books, her good friends from Seattle, Faz and Vera, are helping out with both the baby and the case and providing some light comic relief. We know she'll uncover the answers but how she does it is the fun part; fans will need to read this upcoming release to find out how.

Was this review helpful?

My first Robert Dugoni book, but not my last

The beginning pages set the stage for a cold, dreary winter in Cedar Grove. I felt like I was walking next to Heather right before she was murdered. I enjoyed the characters and felt they were really well developed. I wanted to learn more about them and then realized I was in the middle of a series. If there had been a previous trial for Heather’s murder, in an earlier book, would readers feel alienated by believing the case had already been solved?

I was a bit distracted that the city would just hand over the answers to the interrogatories without the judge ordering them to do so. It seems unlikely this would be ordered before judgment was granted. Why would the city so freely hand over so much information? Finally it was revealed the premise was to bury Dan in information. Maybe I’m the only one who would nit-pick this and maybe I’m wrong. I let that minor irritation go and just enjoyed being in Cedar Grove.

I was surprised about who actually murdered Heather Johansen and Kimberly Armstrong. I would like to read the book about Sarah’s death and try and figure out what happened to Chief Calloway. This is a fun series and I’m excited for the next book. Does Tracy always feel sorry for the defendants or is it just hormones?

Was this review helpful?

While I loved the overall book, the story at times did get a little bit confusing as all of the characters find themselves intertwined at some point or another and it makes it difficult to keep track of who knows who and what.
Tracy Crosswhite returns to Cedar Grove with her husband primarily to stay while their home is being finished. While there, she is asked a favor by local police chief and personal friend to dig into recent events in the town that have left several dead, and that may ultimately be tied to the previous death of Tracy's sister and a local teen years before. As Tracy delves into the case, she discovers a whole web of intricate lies and cover ups over the years. Meanwhile her husband Dan, an attorney, is helping spearhead a case to allow local merchants to keep their properties rather than have them redeveloped into more modern properties. As both stories unfold, they become intertwined. Could the local redevelopment plans have had anything to do with the murders of several of the townspeople? Who ultimately is the murderer? You will have to read to find out, no spoilers here!

Was this review helpful?

The Tracy Crosswhite series are absolutely the best books ever. She's so badass , excuse my language. Tracy has come back to her hometown of Cedar Grove while her and her husband, Dan's house is getting renovated. Tracy just had a little girl and is on maternity leave. She is undecided if she wants to go back to work or be a stay at home mom. While home, the former chief of has asked for help to look at a case of a house fire, where the wife of a police man has died. She was also a reporter looking into a cold case of a young woman that was murdered right before Tracy's younger sister had gone missing. As Tracy starts investigating, she realizes that her case and her husband's case, might be related. And someone is trying to stop Tracy from investigating. She is torn between finishing the case or just hanging up her cop badge to be at home.

Was this review helpful?

Tracy Crosswhite returns to her hometown where two seemingly unrelated murders mysterious remain unsolved. Still haunted by her sister's murder years ago, Tracy agrees to assist in tracking down the killer. Now a wife an mother, she is torn between continuing her vocation as a detective and devoting time to her daughter.
Well written, with a lot of plot twist.

Was this review helpful?

Robert Dugoni has written a couple of books with Tracy Crosswhite as a lead, I have not read those yet, but after reading this one I think I will go back and get a hold of the previous 6 books. It's a solid book, good writing, nice plot and reads away easily.

Tracy Crosswhite is a Seattle police detective on maternity leave after giving birth to her, now 2 months old, daughter. She and her husband have returned to Cedar Groves while their home in Seattle is being renovated and while there a retired chief of police manages to pull her into investigating a murder that seems linked to 2 other murders years ago.

It's not something you have never read in crime thriller before, but if you are looking for an enjoyable few hours than you should definitely give this book a go!

Was this review helpful?

This is the seventh and latest addition to Robert Dugoni's brilliant Seattle based series featuring homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite. The winds of change bring us Tracy on maternity leave, she and her lawyer husband, Dan, are delighted at being parents to two month old baby Daniella. However, their Seattle home is struggling to contain them, triggering a temporary move back to Cedar Grove. a place that holds painful memories and trauma for Tracy. It was here that she was instrumental in putting her sister Sarah's murderer in prison. The weather is atrocious with bitterly cold winds and snow, and it soon becomes apparent that Dan and Tracy need more in their lives that just being parents.

Dan takes on a local business client concerned about losing his business. Tracy gets drawn into a murder investigation by old friend, Ray Calloway, out of retirement and covering for the police chief on leave after his journalist wife dies in a house fire. It transpires that the journalist had been looking into a cold case from the 1990s and Calloway wants Tracy to investigate. Tracy and Dan's cases turn out to have connections. We see a significantly more emotionally vulnerable Tracy plagued by her fears and concerns about motherhood, and still haunted by her tragic family history and becoming aware of the problems and guilt associated with being a working mother. This is a suitably twisted story of past conspiracies, murders and dangers that sweep dangerously close to the doorstep of Tracy's family.

Dugoni gives us a great, well plotted crime read that continues in the tradition of this much loved series. What makes this series so good has always been the wonderful characters and their continuing development. This is an atmospheric, tense and engaging read, one in which the dynamics have shifted, unsurprising as a baby enters Tracy and Dan's life and the inevitable changes that ensue. Many thanks to Thomas and Mercer for an ARC.

Was this review helpful?

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest and fair review.

The first novel in the Tracy Crosswhite series, My Sister's Grave impressed me so much that I had to continue following Tracy's life.

Here we are, five years later. She's married and has a small baby, which completely changes the dynamics of how she'll balance her professional and personal life. With the tragedy of her own family's loss still somewhat fresh, and the return to her hometown, there was so much opportunity to mine the depth of Tracy's emotional conflicts. Yet I never got more than a superficial sense of her marriage or the feelings of being a new mom to this tiny baby. A whole new world opens when you have your own child, your first baby. I wish the author would have delved into a woman's perspective of what that means at its deepest heart, other than, she nursed/fed the baby and put her down for a nap/put her in her crib/bassinet for the night. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

I would have loved to see Tracy relate her emotions with her own daughter to those of Heather's parents and losing their daughter, how unfathomable and utterly heartbreaking. So much potential for conflict in those scenes, especially inner conflict for Tracy. But they left me cold.

That's what I was missing throughout the entire book--a true connection of Tracy to the other characters. Any characters, her daughter included. To establish that connection, that special mother/daughter bond from the beginning, could have carried throughout and made me believe how much Tracy cared for this new life she had. But I never believed it.

The mystery was there. The suspects, clues, red herrings, etc., etc. Dan's case was interesting and tied in neatly to Tracy's. The whodunit, unfortunately, felt a tad on the side of caricature. But overall, I felt detached, totally opposite from My Sister's Grave.

Hopefully, the next Tracy Crosswhite novel will regain its heart. Hopefully, we'll learn what it means for Tracy, specifically, to be a mother in this dangerous world and what is truly at risk now that she has a family once again.

Was this review helpful?

I have not been able to read all of the books in this series, but even with that, I didn't feel lost when reading this book, which is great! I will however, want to read the rest of them.

Was this review helpful?

A Cold Trail
By Robert Dugoni

4 stars

Engaging from the first page to the last.

This is the seventh book in the Tracey Crosswhite series. Although it is part of a series it can be read independently of the others.

The plot is well developed, with a fast-flowing storyline, that reads easily and well. The story will leave you guessing until the last few chapters as to who the murder is.

Characters are well developed. They are introduced into the story line, so as not to confuse the reader.

The last time homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite was in Cedar Grove, it was to see her sister’s killer put behind bars. Now she’s returned for a respite and the chance to put her life back in order for herself, her attorney husband, Dan, and their new daughter. But tragic memories soon prove impossible to escape.

Dan is drawn into representing a local merchant whose business is jeopardized by the town’s revitalization. And Tracy is urged by the local PD to put her own skills to work on a new case: the brutal murder of a police officer’s wife and local reporter who was investigating a cold-case slaying of a young woman. As Tracy’s and Dan’s cases crisscross, Tracy’s trail becomes dangerous. It’s stirring up her own haunted past and a decades-old conspiracy in Cedar Grove that has erupted in murder. Getting to the truth is all that matters. But what’s Tracy willing to risk as a killer gets closer to her and threatens everyone she loves?

This title has been reviewed by This title was provided by Netgalley and the publisher in return for an open and honest review.

#AColdTrail #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

This is the seventh in the Tracy Crosswhite series and although I haven't read the previous six if they are anywhere near as good as this I am in for a treat as, on the strength of this book, I have now bought the rest and look forward to starting at the beginning very soon.

It is winter and the weather is foul; heavy snow and biting winds have welcomed Tracy and her husband back to their childhood town of Cedar Grove where they are living in the property inherited after the death of Dan's parents. It's been a while since Tracy has been home and now she and Dan have become three as their two month old child is with them while their own house is being remodelled.

Neither are good at doing nothing however and, after a local businessman hires Dan to represent him in a bid to prevent the loss of his family store, Tracy accepts the offer of work from the local sheriff looking into three cold cases he fears are linked. Some locals aren't at all enthusiastic about this, and, as the two strands begin to merge together with the danger to all involved looming large, Tracy begins to understand the difficulties experienced by working mothers everywhere as her future seems increasingly uncertain for many reasons.

I was able to read an advanced copy of  this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys this series or doesn't mind a few spoilers with regard to one of the main threads running throughout the seven novels so far.

Was this review helpful?

This is the seventh book in this series and I have enjoyed each one. In this book you do learn more about Tracy and Dan's past. This book has lots of twists and turns and hooked me from the first page

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book, as I do all books by this author. There were almost three stories in this one book: Tracy's mystery that she's trying to solve, her husband's court case and their family life. I knew Tracy and Dan's stories were going to intersect (otherwise why out both of them in this book) but i wasn't sure how. I really enjoyed the journey.

Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy. This did not affect my review.

Was this review helpful?

Tracy Crosswhite is back & the first thing you’ll notice is her gun & handcuffs have been replaced by bottles & diapers. Baby Daniella has arrived. She & Dan are ecstatic but their little house in Seattle is bursting at the seams so the whole family moves back to Cedar Grove while it undergoes renovation.

Dan picks up a case representing a local merchant. For some reason the city has been buying up properties on the main drag but his client has no desire to sell. As far as Dan is concerned, there’s something sketchy about the whole thing & begins to dig.

Tracy is on mat leave & adjusting to being a stay at home mom. She runs into her old friend Roy Calloway & is surprised to learn he’s come out of retirement to fill in as chief of police. The current chief is on leave after his wife died in a house fire & Roy has a proposition for her.

It seems the chief’s wife was a journalist who was looking into a local murder from 1993 when she died. The case was related to the death of Tracy’s sister. With questions swirling about the original investigation & the woman’s subsequent death, Roy needs a fresh set of eyes on the whole mess. Would Tracy like a part time job? Why, yes….yes she would.

Dan’s case becomes increasingly more complex & as Tracy unearths old secrets, it’s clear some people would rather she let sleeping dogs lie. She & Dan grew up here & as things heat up, she’s very aware that her search for a killer may lead to someone she knows.

This instalment focuses just as much on Tracy’s personal life as the investigative side of the story. She comes across as more fragile in this one. A combination of postpartum hormones, doubts about motherhood & reminders of her sister have her emotionally on edge. Dan’s not happy she’s back in business & Tracy has to wonder if she can really have it all. It’s the guilt every working mother deals with. Thankfully, her colleague Faz shows up to lend a hand & boost her spirits.

There are plenty of red herrings & surprising connections along the way to keep you guessing. It’s a solid read but I must confess I preferred the investigative side of the plot. Having Faz pop by provides some added humour but I missed Kins & the Seattle PD. What hasn’t changed is this author’s ability to deliver a story full of vibrant characters in an atmospheric setting. A slower middle gives you time to rest up before a cracker of a finish. Big fans of the series will find much to enjoy here.


3.5 stars

Was this review helpful?

Tracy Crosswhite is back and she has been missed. Now a new mother and back in her hometown, a new murder occurs and takes us back to an earlier time. Tracy is asked to help the local police chief investigate these murders. Meanwhile, husband Dan o'Leary is helping out another local trying to keep his property from being out from under him. And somehow, as Robert Dugoni is so good at doing gets all these people, murders and legal cases to tie together for our reading enjoyment. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this pre publication. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

Was this review helpful?

4 stars

Detective Tracy Crosswhite and her attorney husband Dan have moved back to Cedar Grove temporarily while their home in the city is being remodeled. Tracy and Dan both grew up in Cedar Grove. They are now the proud parents of a two-month-old daughter whom they name Daniella. Tracy has two months to go on her maternity leave and hasn't yet decided if she will go back to work at all.

Former sheriff and now acting sheriff Roy has a puzzle on his hands. Since he knows Tracy quite well he cajoles her into “assisting” on the case. Basically he wants her to look into three murders and solve them. The first was an eighteen-year old young woman named Heather, the second an attorney from the city (who was an alcoholic), and the third is the current sheriff's wife in a house fire. But before the fire was set, she was hit on the head.

Dan is not happy about Tracy taking the case for what happened to Heather is too much like what happened to Tracy's sister Sarah several years ago.

Meanwhile Dan also picks up an interesting case involving the city of Cedar Grove and his client; a man whose business is in trouble as a direct result of the city's actions.

As time goes by, Dan and Tracy's cases begin to dovetail. Some very interesting coincidences begin to crop up. Meanwhile, Sheriff Calloway and Tracy continue to interview people. Some are reluctant to answer their questions and some seem to be pretty forthcoming.

The exciting conclusion to the story reveals the killer. I was suspicious of this person since about fifty per cent of the book. But I had a very good time getting to the conclusion.

This book is written in Robert Dugoni's usual well thought out style. The events in the story followed one another in a logical manner. I really liked the parts of the story that dealt with Tracy and Dan's relationship. I liked getting to know them better and it seemed like they had such a mature relationship. I liked the good guys in the book. They were of a similar mindset and seemed to be the best people that they could be. This book has action, a little romance, tension and moves along at a very good pace. It may be my favorite Tracy Crosswhite story to date. Well done, Mr. Dugoni.

I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review.

Was this review helpful?

A Cold Trail is a great story that keeps you entertained. The characters are well developed and I would read more by this author.

Was this review helpful?

The long wait for the seventh Tracy Crosswhite book was definitely worth it.! It was a fantastic read, the deep delve into Tracy and Dan's background and hometown was very insight full, I was able to gain more perspective on who they are as characters, how the past shaped has them and where they are headed. After, being a fan since the beginning of the series it was fulfilling to see the two main characters content on the domestic front, even with the addition of a baby. The plot of the story was engaging, lots of twists and turns, and the reveal at the end unsuspecting Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book.

#netgalley
#AColdTrail

Was this review helpful?

Another good one from Robert Dugoni. Tracy Crosswhite returns to her hometown and ends up trying to solve a 26-year-old murder that brings up memories of her own sister's death. The investigation also creates conflict between Tracy and Dan because their daughter is a mere two months old when Tracy undertakes the investigation. I have to admit that as a mother myself, I did not find this aspect of the story at all believable. First time mothers would be too sleep deprived and anxious to attempt such a thing voluntarily (there is also a part where Tracy is trying to feed her child baby food at two months, which is about four months too early). But setting all of that aside, it was a decent mystery with good characters and an interesting plot.

Was this review helpful?