I think this is the best book in the series, so far, and I have read them all. They are ALL good, but this one is just a bit more special. This novel can be read as a standalone but I suggest reading them in order.

Jenna and Kane have just come back from a holiday together, strictly as friends, and there is a dead body awaiting them. Chrissie Lowe has apparently committed suicide but the local jock has some questions to answer. She, unfortunately, is only the first body to turn up in this case, and all the bodies are connected to this local jock, somehow.

This is one heck of a twisty tale and there are some confronting parts to the story as well. I held my breath at a couple of points, hoping that everyone would be ok. I absolutely didn't see the twist coming, at all, and I love the way that this book ended too. Jenna and Kane have a wonderful team around them and I like reading about the lovely parts of Black Rock Falls because it does seem to be a bit of a magnet for serial killers!

5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

This is a great addition to the Kane and Alton series. I feel invested in this series now that I have read all of them and love the ongoing suspense. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book!

Book 7 already, how did that happen?? If you’ve been following my blog for a while, then you will already know that I am a massive fan of D.K.Hood’s Kane and Alton series, losing myself in every book to date. If you havent come across these books before, I would highly suggest starting with book one, otherwise Kane and Alton’s connection wouldn’t really make much sense otherwise. The books can be read on their own no problem, I just feel that readers would benefit from knowing more about the two main characters and what they have been through to get where they are now.

‘Break the silence’, for me, was a little bit different to D.K.Hood’s other reads as the main culprit of certain events had more of a justifiable reason behind their actions instead of simply doing things because they could and/or were bored.

The thing about this book is that there is more than one person causing trouble, with one of those people being in the group of ‘I can see why they did that’, and that’s a route which hasn’t really been taken before in this series. I mean, people are constantly causing trouble, however many of them weren’t doing in memory of someone who could no longer get revenge themselves. I understand I am being very vague here, and some of this might make you think ‘whaaaaaa???’, but I’m trying not to give too much away so if you are confused, just go and read it and it will make sense!

Like previous books, it didn’t take me long at all to fly through this story! I was utterly disgusted by the actions of some lads who thought they were the bees youknowwhat, and didn’t seem to care about what they were doing or what harm that they were causing. That particular topic certainly gave me food for thought.

My only issue with this book was that I felt like the loose ends weren’t entirely tied up in the conclusion. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the dark vibe of the storyline and the authors attention to detail – how she manages to link each book in the series flawlessly, is beyond me and something that really does impress me!

‘Break the Silence’ is a read that will no doubt keep you on your toes, and will ignite the burning anger which usually comes from the bottom of your gut! It’s pretty difficult to read this book without going through a range of emotions – I was hooked! Yet another belter of a book in a fabulous series! More please!

All I can is that I was mind blown! Really mind blown!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for This ARC copy!

This is book #7 of the Kane & Alton series. Whilst I would recommend reading the series in order, this book can be read as a standalone as the characters back stories are briefly explained as the book goes on. In this latest book, Sheriff Jenna Alton and her trusted deputy, Dave Kane are investigating the death of a young student who has been found in the shower, in what seemingly looks like a suicide. When other students are found dead on campus, Alton believes that the deaths are all connected. Alton, Kane and Wolfe are face a race against time to find out who, if anyone, is responsible for the deaths…

I love this series, and have read every book! Kane & Alton’s characters are fabulous and work so well together. They both have an interesting backstory which has been drip-fed throughout the previous 6 books, so by the time you get to book #7 you can understand their characters well! The story begins with the death of student Chrissie Lowe and it grabs you into the book straight away.

The team, as usual, work brilliantly, putting all the clues together to work out what is going on. It is quite a violent storyline and I grimaced more than once at various parts of the book! It does deal with the subject of rape, so for those where this is a trigger you may want to avoid this book. The writing is fantastic and keeps you turning the pages faster to get to the part where everything is explained!! Exactly what happened isn’t revealed until very late in the book, and I didn’t work it out until the precise same moment when I turned the page!!

There are lots of twists and turns throughout the book and there are also lots of different characters which might just have something to do with what has been happening. The author manages to keep you on your toes with the story and keeps you guessing all the way through. Fast action and high suspense, this story will make your skin crawl and your heart beat that little bit faster. I won’t go into any more details about the story so as to avoid spoilers, but this was definitely my favourite book of the series! Motto of this series – don’t go to Black Rock Falls, it has to be the most dangerous place to visit or live!! I would whole-heartedly recommend not just this book, but the whole series!! Fab, fab, fab!

Chrissie Lowe has just suffered the nightmare from hell at a college party held by the college's football team. Now her body has been found by her room-mate. Detective Alton and her team investigate. But is it a suicide or murder, the verdict is still out. M.E. Shane Wolfe is still considering the evidence. But then the body of another of the partygoer is found, another accident? Will this be the end.
Easily read as a standalone story though I would recommend the previous six books
Another excellent well-written story is this series, if a somewhat disturbing read. Though it kept me enthralled to the conclusion.

🏈 Riveting, suspenseful and with a slew of suspects😯
4.5🌟stars
👍👍This was my first time reading a D.K. Hood thriller and won't be the last. The crime investigation team, from Sheriff Jenna, to her constant sidekick Kane, Medical Examiner Wolfe and Rowley, all have interesting backstories before coming to Black Rock Falls for a fresh start. Hints of their past slip in but the plot seldom strays from its focus on a rape that resulted in the death of a naive freshman at the local college. Her death seems to unleash more violence though whether it involves revenge is not clear. The deeper they dig, the more lies, cruelty and power plays by the school's star quarterback and his loyal cronies come to light.. 🏈

I loved the constantly morphing investigation as the police face an ever-widening pool of suspects and deaths as danger escalates and even the college student daughter of the Medical Examiner is targeted. The author includes the killer's perspective, which I liked, and eventually the whole motive and execution of his plan is revealed, but only after a ton of twists and red herrings. A really well-executed story.😊

Thanks to publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Break the Silence
(Detectives Kane and Alton #7)
by D.K. Hood

ebook, 307 pages
Published November 4th 2019 by Bookouture



Goodreads synopsis:
Her head throbbed as she stumbles up the stairs. Music vibrating and the sound of partygoers fill her head as she walks into one of the dark, empty rooms. As she sits on the bed, she hears the unmistakable sound of the door locking behind her. She is not alone.

The body of college student Chrissie Lowe lies curled into a ball - long red cuts along her arms suggesting how she had met her death. Detective Jenna Alton is called in to investigate.

Purplish bruising on Chrissie's upper arms make Jenna believe there is more to Chrissie's death than others suspected, and she soon finds herself following the trail of the student's last few moments, leading her to the scene of a party that had ended just hours before Chrissie's body was found.

When Jenna hears reports that Chrissie was seen going into the bedroom of a college football star, she knows that finding out what went on behind that closed door could be the key to finding out how Chrissie ended up dead. But then another partygoer dies in an apparent accident at the campus gym just hours later, and Jenna is convinced the deaths are connected.

Facing a wall of silence from the student population, Jenna has to act fast to find the killer, but soon another student is found dead on the campus. As Jenna sends in one of her deputies undercover, she prays that she hasn't just sealed his fate. Can she find the killer before any more lives are taken?

***

5 Stars

This is the seventh book in the Detectives Kane and Alton series by D.K. Hood.

This book starts out with a bang in a bad way. A young college student is raped at a party and they make it out to be like a hazing event so that the impact of what they all had done made it seem okay in some way. The girl texts her brother who is MIA in the military just so she has someone to talk to as the horror of her experience hits her. She is found the next morning dead from an apparent suicide.

David Kane and Jenna Alton investigate this horrific happening and soon realize that this may not be a suicide at all. Then other people start turning up dead connected to the case. This book really takes you on a ride and you have to do a lot of mental gymnastics to wrap your mind around what is really going on. You gets hints as to the killer’s identity here and there but it isn’t until the bitter end when the entire scope of what has happened is revealed.

I just loved this story. You spend the entire book wanting vengenance for what happened to this poor girl and wonder the entire time if the detectives can even make that happen.

This is another five star read for me. I gave book six WHISPER IN THE NIGHT four stars only taking off a star due to the weird dynamic between Kane and Jenna. In this book that relationship felt so much more balanced and believable to me.

If you love detective fiction/police procedurals set in the UK/Great Britain, definitely check this book out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

In Break the Silence, the seventh police procedural in this superb series, we are reacquainted with Black Rock Falls Sheriff Jenna Alton and Deputy David Kane who yet again join forces to attempt to solve a brutal set of murders and catch a ruthless, cold-hearted killer(s) before they have the time to strike once again. Kane and Alton are called in to investigate when college student Chrissie Lowe is found dead in the shower as no-one really knows whether this is murder or a tragic suicide. Through their investigation, they soon discover that she had been sexually assaulted following a date with talented college quarterback, Seth Lyons. Then, suddenly, more suspicious deaths occur in the area and the team begin to realise that they have a killer, or killers, in their midst.

This is an addictive and wholly gripping thriller with a complex and interesting plot, and twists and turns aplenty. It isn't necessary to have read the preceding books to enjoy and engage with this one so feel free to jump right on in. The story is narrated from various perspectives, which sometimes can lead to confusion and lack of clarity, but the switching was carried out with such fluidity that it was a pleasure to read and gaining different points of view only served to strengthen and deepen the tale for me. The cast of characters are sufficiently developed and Ms Hood does a fantastic job of keeping the culprit(s) under wraps until the conclusion. This is a thriller that begins with a bang and ends in just as explosive and spectacular a fashion. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

I know every time I come to write a review for this series I am in shock at what number we are on! I mean Book 7! Gosh! Each book Ms Hood gets stronger and better and dare I say it….darker! This is a series I have loved from the start and I have to say that Break the Silence probably my favourite one! It is the darkest, most unsettling, violent and the most unresolved yet satisfying ending of them all!

A horrifying, terrifying and heartbreaking opening to the book to make you want to delve in further, there is no preamble. There is a party, there is a girl, there is a whole football team and there are drugs! You can see where this is going! Reading this, my jaw dropped and my heart broke for Chrissie! What follows after her had me on edge!

Again, I say this every time I would love to visit Black Rock Falls, but I need to time it where the serial killers go on holiday! I mean this town needs a break! It is relentless, it is a holiday camp for them! How are there any people left in the town to be killed! I enjoyed the fact it was rodeo season again but luckily this did not play a part like in a previous book. Break the Silence focuses on the rich and the entitled and what they think they could get away with!

Obviously like with any books it is hard to discuss it without giving the plot away, instead, I have to tip my hat of the dark mind of Ms Hood because of the death in the gym…..gross! The way in which this scene was written, it made me on edge, I was nervous and I felt as if my throat had constricted due to what was to follow! I had to look away from the book and like a film hope the scene was over when I looked back…no such luck!

This time when hunting for the killer I seriously did not have a clue, I could not see how this book was going to go and looking back I should have seen the clues. I think I guessed it about 1 page before Jenna Alton! Should have been quicker but there was so much going on in such a short space of time, my head was spinning. Who was carrying out these murders? Were they murders? Who is the hooded man? I do not know how Kane and Alton do it! The murders this time are so suggestive, well planned, and carried out that when you have the reveal you nod your head at the justice done, but WHAT.AN.ENDING! It was strangely satisfying yet unresolved in my mind, a loose thread which I wanted to tug but it was perfect and bittersweet. It was spot on!

I really do love this series (I say it every time) and the slow burn of Kane and Alton relationship is beautiful to watch. I can never get bored of it. Two broken people at the beginning, are regrowing like a phoenix and so close to completing the healing stage together. Their friendship is such a fierce one, they are so protective of each other, although Kane does occasionally smother Alton at times, and I love watching their dynamic!

The team are a well-oiled unit and they are a family, with Alton at the helm, although at times you would think that Alton, Kane and Wolfe were all the sheriff the lines of authority are blurring but considering their background it is easy to see why. Rowley and Webber still are my favourite supporting characters and it was great to see Webber take a bit more centre stage this time and see his conflict and a glimpse into how he ticks. I want to see more of them both!

Roll on Book 8, I can not wait to see what is in store for me next!

This was my favorite D. K. Hood book. I couldn't believe how fast paced the entire police investigation was or maybe I enjoyed the book so much that I devoured it in one sitting.

A rape and murder in the college campus followed by another death and another caused the Black Rock Falls Sheriff department to work around the clock to get to the murderer. Sheriff Jenna and Deputy Kane and Medical Examiner Wolfe were back.

Having read all the books in this series, this is book 7, I am a fan of author D. K. Hood. The team worked like an engine with all its gears sliding smoothly, nary a friction seen. Sheriff Jenna was a great boss, she led her colleagues with a firm yet friendly hand. This time the stakes were high as they had to send one of them undercover into the campus to get to the killer.

This book had that extra something, it felt that the author had raised the prose a notch as the entire setting caused a slow burn in my veins. I could feel the adrenaline seeping into my blood as I kept reading. By the time I was nearing the end, I was a bundle of nerves, I could no longer sit on the edge of my seat. I had to walk, my vengeant heart screaming blue murder.

And author D. K. Hood gave me the justice that I so vocally demanded from my kindle. Wow!! She nailed it!!

My breakfast read was quite a rollercoaster, I was drained by the end of it. But all I could say was - More please!!

Being able to take part in blog tours is a godsend, but it's also a bit of a curse. You get to know so many wonderful authors that you become greedy. You love their works so much that you just have to devour their next book. Nothing is able to stop you. It's beyond your control, but the satisfaction you receive at the end of each and everyone of those stories is pure heaven.

This is what happened with this book as well. I love this series so much because I know the author is a born storyteller. It's like Christmas and your birthday fell on the same day. It's utter bliss.

Unwrapping a gift is nice but 'unwrapping' a story like this is even more so.

You might think you have everything covered and nobody will be able to touch you, but the truth will always come out. Well, ... Always...??

Sherrif Alton and her team have a lot to deal with.

I just loved this book! 5 stars.

Thank you, D.K. Hood and Bookouture

I love this series and really enjoyed this one.
This is a fast paced crime thriller with my two favourites, Kane and Alton.
The body of a student is found and whilst it looks like suicide, Wolfe wants to investigate further.
Soon one of the football team is found dead and Kane and Alton start to worry.
It seems the girl who was found dead went to a party hosted by the football team, and it looks like she was drugged and raped.
There’s quite a few suspects for the team to work through, and along with another body being discovered, they really have their hands full this time.
I love the relationship between all the characters in this series and whilst this is tested to the limit in this book, I’m sure all will be ok.
This is a fantastic series that I can highly recommend.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of D.K. Hood’s ‘Break the Silence’ in exchange for an honest review.

This is Book 7 of Hood’s Detectives Kane and Alton series of police procedurals set in the fictional town of Black Rock Falls, Montana. Even though this was my first foray into this series I found that there was enough background provided.

The central story involves college student, Chrissie Lowe, whose body is found curled up with long cuts on her arm. When bruises are found on her upper arms and hearing reports that Chrissie attended an off-campus party hosted by members of the football team, Detective Jenna Alton begins an investigation. As readers we are aware that Chrissie had been drugged and gang raped at the party. When the ME confirms rape, the partygoers close ranks.

Then one of the partygoers is found dead in an apparent accident and Jenna feels that the cases are linked. It isn’t the last body.

This was a fast paced police procedural that focused upon a disturbing real world problem associated with campus based sexual assault. I felt that the author handled the subject with sensitivity. While a serious subject it was amusing that there was the occasional quip about Black Rock Falls being serial killer central.

After finishing this book I am planning to return to the start of the series and learn more about the characters’ development and how the town got that reputation.

Certainly recommended for lovers of gritty police procedurals.

Break the Silence by D.K. Hood is the 7th in the Detectives Kane and Alton series.

 First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

  
Series Background:    (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Jenna Alton is the Sheriff in Black Rock Falls, Montana. She is new to being Jenna Alton. She has a new name, and a new ID, because her past is still out there. She’s former DEA. Deputy David Kane also has a new name and new ID. Similar reasons. He’s a former Special Forces sharpshooter with exceptional profiling skills. He lost his wife in a bombing, that left him with a plate in his head, and bad headaches. Forensic Scientist Shane Wolfe is not only a Medical Examiner with amazing computer skills, he used to be Kane’s handler. So, with a few other deputies, Jenna has a good team to handle crime in the small Black Rock Falls town, which seems to have more murders than a small town should.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

The sheriff and her deputy are barely back from vacation, and already the ME is at their door.  The fully-clothed body of a Chrissie Lowe was found in the shower of her dorm room, wrists slashed, apparent suicide.  Wolfe isn't so sure.  It looks like she'd been gang-raped.

As the investigation continues, the prime suspects in Chrissie's rape become the college football team...except they are starting to die as well.

The sheriff and her team are sure that Seth Lyons, star quarterback with an attitude to match, is responsible for Chrissie's death, but proving it is going to be hard.  They can't even prove he raped her.  Evidence cannot even determine that it was really a suicide, and that is not the only problem.  Even the deaths of the team-mates look like they could be accidents.  Without solid evidence, the true cause of these deaths will never be solved.

 
My Opinions:  

I think you should really read these books in order, as the core characters share a lot of background.  Although I have some problems with these books, overall it is a good series.

My main problems are 1) the relationship between Alton and Kane -- a little too close for any sort of true professionalism, and 2) the fact that Alton, although sheriff, defers to Kane entirely too much.  She comes across as weak.  If you are going to put a woman in the main role, she has to be strong, and she is much too wishy-washy.  She's great until Kane opens his mouth.

However, the plots are always good, as was this one.  There was a lot of action, and a few twists.  I liked the ending, because it wasn't all wrapped up in a bow.  There were a number of suspects, and at one point the actual perpetrator did cross my mind, but I quickly dismissed him.  Go figure!

Overall, a good fast read.

Kane & Alton #7

Chrissie Lowe had been at a party held by some off the colleges football team. But the worst thing imaginable happened to Chrissie, and in the morning her roommate finds her body. But was it murder or suicide? Shane Wolfe will have to work that out when he does her post mortem. Then a another body turns upoff a party goer. Will Jenna and her team be a le to crack the case before any other bodies are found? At the same time, the Rodeo and Fall Festival are taking place I Black Rock Falls, Jenna also has to deal with a robbery and a car chase.

I love this police procedural series that's set in Black Rock Falls. The relationship between Jenna Alton and David Kane from friends to something more romantic is always on the back burner. The pace is fast. There is quite a lot packed into this book. With unreported gang crimes, bullying, murder and attempted murder, Jenna and her team have to act fast to try and solve these crimes. As usual, the team works well together. This is a roller coaster read you will not want to put down until you are finished. This book could be read as a standalone, but it's much better, if you can, to read this fantastic series from the beginning. I promise you, you wont be disappointed.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author D.K. Hood for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

We all cannot be wrong, if your not the Black Rock Falls Train with Kane and Alton, it's not too late. I highly recommend you start with Book 1. Technically each book can be read as a stand alone, but you can watch the growth, the introduction of new characters, and the subtle build of relationships. Each book, this included is a true suspense, true thriller. All her books deal with real life atrocities that happen in our world today, bringing awareness to the reader from different point of views, with a light enough touch to not overwhelm, but can be triggers. This book deals with bullying and gang rape in college. The book is mainly told from Jenna's point of view along with the killer. I say killer, and that in itself is a twist. In all honesty I figured out who it was and I am ambivalent with the ending. I understand, and it could have gone so many ways, you can't please everyone. I absolutely love the title, it is well past time to Break the Silence. Book 8 please :) Thank you D.K. Hood, Bookouture and NetGalley for the awesome opportunity to read this arc. I freely leave my thoughts and opinions and highly recommend this series to anyone who likes, suspense, thrillers and relatable characters you can grow and love.

Book 7 in the series and it's so, so good.

The plot was disturbing at times but handled very sensitively.

It's unusual to feel no sympathy for the victims but I was definitely on the side of the killer in this one!

A great read that had me hooked from the start. I had a couple of late nights with this book as I just didn't want to put it down.

Looking forward to the next book.

Black Rock Falls is a busy place in August. Sheriff Jenna Alton and Deputy David Kane have just returned to town after a relaxing holiday when they are called out to attend the discovery of a body in a shower. The victim is college freshman Chrissie Lowe and she was found by her roommate in conditions that suggest she was a suicide. It becomes apparent on the postmortem examination, however, that Chrissie had been viciously raped, by more than one person, and that she had been given several drugs that most probably induced unconsciousness. The medical examine also wonders if this was really suicide -- indeed, it could be murder. The entire team at the Black Rock Falls Sherriff's Office moves into high gear beginning an investigation into the gang rape when it is revealed that Chrissie had been to a party at the private house of the elite senior members of the college football team and that she had been invited there by the star quarterback. Before the case really gets going, a member of that household is found dead in the gym. Was this an accident or murder? Then two other members of the football team also experience freakish deaths and Kane and Alton know these victims must somehow be related but they can't get the proof they need to advance to an arrest or prosecution. They have got to get some Intel from inside the football player's secluded house. NO SPOILERS.

What an excellent police procedural with lots of action and a complicated case that focuses on the topic of rape. I just love the characters in this series and have gotten to know them all quite well since I've read all the previous books. The relationship between "just friends" Kane and Alton is obviously gearing up to be much more, but geez, it is taking forever and I'm grateful their romance isn't a large part of the book as it is much more focused on their working partnership. The description of Black Rock Falls gets me every time. Though not a fan of heights and cold weather, it does sound beautiful and I can almost visulize it in my mind. If you like a fast-paced series that deals with serial killers and fits the genre of crime fiction very well, then you'd really enjoy this one. And, of course, I had to read this in one sitting because I was desperately trying to figure out who was doing this and why. I loved the conclusion and it was quite well-done. I can't wait for the next installment!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend.

Brilliant. A very cleverly written thriller that a I read in one sitting. This is compelling reading. I liked catching up with the characters again. This is a great series and I hope there are more books to come.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.