New York detective Kimberley King moves to the small town where her mother now lives. Dead Woman Crossing is named after the unsolved murder of a young woman in front of her baby over a hundred years ago. The townsfolk are traditional especially with regard to gender roles so Kimberley struggles to adapt from city life and attitudes. Then a woman is murdered in a copycat way to the old unsolved case...
Dead Woman Crossing is the first book in a new series and the first third of the book is dedicated to introducing us to Kimberley King and the town. There is NO WAY I would move to somewhere with this place name and the history of being named after a murder!
The pace picks up after that when the body is discovered and the investigation begins. As a single mother herself, Kimberley can identify with the victim and the case takes on a more personal feel. There is little graphic forensic detail and the horror of the murder is subtly told: we only see the aftermath and have no insight into the experience of the culprit or victim. Interrogation of suspects is the main source fo information for the team, hindered by Kimberley's position as an outsider and a woman.
Kimberley herself is a likeable lead character, fiercely protective of her daughter having been abandoned by the father and suffering abuse from her own. Her relationship with her mother is strained as she attempts to fit in with her new step family while still feeling resentful that her mother didn't protect her as a child. Over the course of the book we see flashbacks to Kimberley's childhood as well as her experiences as a detective in NY searching for a serial killer.
Dead Woman Crossing was an enjoyable police procedural novel and offers a good introduction to a new detective and series.

After reading The Perfect Marriage I was thrilled to see that Jeneva Rose was coming out with another book under her pen name, J.R. Adler and I knew I had to get my hands on it. This book was a different type of book, but still had all of the twists and turns that I loved about The Perfect Marriage. Dead Woman Crossing follows Kimberley King, an NYPD detective who moves to Dead Woman Crossing, a town in the middle of nowhere to be closer to her mother, Nicole and spend more time with her daughter, Jessica. Unfortunately, when she moves she gets wrapped up in solving a murder case in Dead Woman Crossing that is remarkably similar to an unsolved murder years ago. Kimberley adjusts to her new life with her stepdad, David and his family. Life is definitely different from when she lived in the hustle and bustle of NYC. One thing I loved about this book was the slow burn. Usually I like a fast paced thriller but I enjoyed how J.R. Adler really set the stage for the story and developed the characters so that we were able to paint a picture of what life was like while this murder case was being solved. As a bachelor fan I was super thrown off that the victim's name was Hannah Brown but it ended up being a really great addition to the story. The ending was INSANE as per the usual. Bravo, J.R. Adler, can't want for the next one!

Thanks @netgalley and @bookouture for this ARC!

J.R. Adler is a promising writer and as a first book in the series it is off to a good start. Even though I found a good portion of the book slow the characters were engaging and the premise was interesting. enough. Throw a serial killer in there with a scorned detective and a sprinkle of family drama and you’ve got yourself this book. I’m interested to see where she goes with this series and what she continues to write.

I’ve never hidden my excitement at finding a new detective/crime series. This time, it comes in the form of Kimberley King, transplant from NYPD to Custer County, Oklahoma.

I thought the premise was timely, probably even more so than the author intended. Kimberley has decided to move to Oklahoma (where her mom lives) to be able to spend more time with her young daughter.

From the beginning, there are also hints of something that happened on the job, but the reader gets that in flashback form, as events in her new town lead Kimberley to remember a pivotal case in NYC.

I thought that the connection between the two could have been stronger. Kimberley’s memories and motivations didn’t seem to be pivotal as they could have been. Perhaps if the crimes had been more similar? The only way it seems to work for me is if the author is laying the groundwork for a through-line for future book plots.

I liked Kimberley, for the most part. (Caveat: I’m picky of everything to do with NYC and NYPD due to my personal connections with both. So, some of this can probably be taken with a grain of salt). I thought her instincts were good, and I liked how she was torn between trying to fit into the confines of her new job but still maintain her self-imposed standards.

However, I also felt that her attitude didn’t always ring true. There were a few times where she seemed more caricature or stereotype rather than a legitimate person. Again, that’s a personal observation, not necessarily any fault of the author.

The case itself was decent, if a little underbaked. I liked how the author laid everything out, but kept some facts hidden which caused me to suspect more people than I needed to; I like it when an author does that.

I did also like that there was an uneasy feeling about a couple of characters from the start. It was an effective way to make the reader suspicious, but without being able to pinpoint exactly why or what to be suspicious about. It made the resolution just a bit more interesting as well, which was good, because at the same time it kind of came out of nowhere.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I liked the personalities of the sheriff’s department, and hope that future books continue to explore the different officers and their backgrounds. I think there is enough there to keep this series going for a while.

The excellent start for a new police procedural series!
The author delivers a gripping and highly entertaining story that kept me on the edge till the end.
I loved the well thought and interesting characters, Kimberly is a strong character I loved.
I loved the descriptions of the small town atmosphere so different from the usual small town trope where there's plenty of love and friendship. In this case we have bigotry, misogyny and all the negative aspects of the life in a small town.
The mystery is solid and well crafted, it's full of twists and turns, and it kept me guessing.
I can't wait for the next installment, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Dead Woman Crossing is the new series by J.R. Adler and I’m already anxiously waiting for the second book!

When Kimberly King is haunted by a case she worked as a detective for the NYPD, she moves with her daughter to Dead Woman Crossing, Oklahoma to be closer to family. Days after her arrival, the little sleepy town is rocked by a gruesome death that is a eerily similar to a murder in 1905 that gave the town its name. Kimberly isn’t afraid to push the town for answers but she may be putting herself and daughter in danger in the process.

While I thought the beginning of this book was a little slow, I was hooked from the first flash back Kimberly had during her time in the NYPD. Those flash backs were SO good and I honestly still want to know more about her time on the NYPD. I really liked Kimberly and the way that she wasn’t afraid to shake things up in a little town that can be set in its ways. I never saw the ending coming and was totally surprised by it.

If you have ever read Karin Slaughter’s Grant County series then I think you will like this book. I am really excited to see where the next book takes us.

I enjoy police procedural as they make my blood race with a zinger or two. This was my first foray into the world of author J. R. Adler’s writing with the portrayal of a new heroine, Detective Kimberley King.

Along with her 16-month daughter, Kimberley left the NYPD to the town of Dead Woman Crossing, Oklahoma where she was appointed as the Deputy Sheriff, working with Sheriff Sam Walker. The first half showed me how she adjusted to the small town workings and life with her mom and her new family. It was nice to see her making friends with another single mom Hannah and daughter Isollbel. But tragedy struck, and Hannah was killed brutally, and the onus was now on Kimberley to track down the killer.

The first section dealt with Kim adjusting to a small town way of life along with work dynamics in a new department. She was tough but had a lot to contend with. Her memories initially revealed the life she had left along with her reasons. But with a murder resembling the one which had occurred in 1905, she had the clock ticking and a town waiting with bated breath, judging her and hoping to remain safe. Her equation was her boss had a bit of tension, it kept the prose alive.

Slightly uneven parts niggled me, but around midway the book picked up, and it was fun to see Kimberley’s style of working. A few obstacles were placed in her path by the author, which led to good twists and turns. Even though I had my sights on the killer (I am trained to do so by the books of other authors) it was still fun to see the main character navigate the rocky pathways.

The book was my introduction to Kimberley and team. Now I would be waiting to see what she comes up with in the sequelae.

REVIEW

Dead Woman Crossing by J.R. Adler
Kimberly King #1

A new book, a great beginning to a new series, an interesting relatable main character to star in the series, an intriguing supporting cast of characters, and a new author making a delightful debut with more books for me to look forward to made this a wonderful way to spend the day!

What I liked:
* Kimberly King: an intelligent woman at the top of her profession who made the choice to move from the NYPD to small town Oklahoma for a variety of reasons…mainly to have more time with her 16 month old daughter.
* Sam Walker: Sheriff and Kimberly’s boss. I have high hopes for him as the series progresses
* Dead Woman Crossing: small town with a big history
* Bearfield, Burns, Hill and Barb: co-workers of Kimberly’s that all sound intriguing – looking forward to hearing more about them as the series develops
* Emily: an interesting woman that may prove to be a good friend to Kimberly in the future
* The flashbacks Kimberly had related to her childhood, relationship with Jessica’s father and her last case in New York
* The police procedural aspects of the story
* The potential for romance in the future
* Finding out who the murderer was

What I did not like:
* The callousness of the murderer and the questionable reason for the murder
* The fact that Kimberly’s mother was such a wimp
* Having to wait for book two to be ready to read
* That the last case Kimberly was on in NY was unsolved…wondering if perhaps it will be in the future

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Dead woman Crossing by J.R Adler is the first novel to feature former NYPD Homicide Detective and newly appointed Chief Deputy Sheriff of Custer County,Oklahoma,Kimberley King. She has moved from New York to Dead Woman Crossing in order to provide a better life for her daughter, 16 month old Jessica. Kimberley is also hoping to reconnect with her mother.The change from New York city to rural Oklahoma is a large one for her and she is finding it a lot slower than she is used to.
A dead womans body is discovered in the same location and manner as a dead woman was found all the back in 1905, the reason why the town is named Dead Womam Crossing in the first place. That case is unsolved to this day but Kimberley and and her boss Sheriff Sam Walker are going to make it their business to solve the current case.
This is a book that has a slower pace in order to set the scene and introduce readers to Kimberley and her complex life. It appears that one of the reasons she left New York and her job because of her torment over not being able to catch a serial killer.Kimberley is an intriguing character and am certain the series will develop her character as we go. The pace increases as the story unfolds and I was engrossed in the mystery and the action started coming thick and fast. The story is told from Kimberleys perspective so I quickly became absorbed by the story. Rural Oklahoma was so vivid in my head with the beautiful descriptive writing from the author. A great thriller with many a twist and turn to keep you on your toes throughout.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the book to write this review today.

A chilling, exhilarating and electrifying thriller from a talented new crime writer, J R Adler’s gripping novel Dead Woman Crossing is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

In 1905, Katie James had been found murdered on the banks of an Oklahoma creek in front of her daughter. Since then, the town where Katie had met her maker has become known as Dead Woman Crossing and everybody thinks that this particular piece of gruesome town folklore belongs firmly in the past. However, when single mother Hannah is found murdered on the very same creek with her young daughter sleeping in her stroller, the entire town reels in shock and horror. The residents of this Oklahoma town all thought that the past was dead and buried, however, as chilling similarities between the two murders come to light, it looks like there is a twisted psychopath in their midst who is taking inspiration from this notorious murder.

Detective Kimberley King has just relocated from New York and as she begins her investigation into Hannah’s murder, she finds herself unable to shake off her gut feeling that the similarities between the two murders are not mere coincidence. Is Kimberley on the lookout for a copycat killer? Or might there have been a sinister connection between Katie and Hannah? Kimberley is determined to get to the bottom of this perplexing mystery, however, the locals aren’t exactly being cooperative. With nobody keen to talk to the police and only providing non-committal answers to her queries, it looks like Kimberley has got quite a challenge on her hands. But she refuses to let the locals’ intransigence beat her. Kimberley will find out who is behind Hannah’s murder, even if it means putting herself in the line of fire.

Kimberley continues to dig deep and it looks like her methods might be working – but for all the wrong reasons as she discovers when she receives a threatening note that puts herself and her young daughter Jessica in imminent danger. Can Kimberley keep herself and her family safe and track down a killer? Or will she end up paying the ultimate price for merely doing her job?

A captivating crime thriller where the action is fast-paced, the suspense heart-stopping and the tension absolutely chilling, Dead Woman Crossing is a shocking page-turner featuring a brilliant detective who is bold, fearless, intuitive and absolutely fantastic. J R Adler is a superb writer who draws her readers into her story from the off and keeps them chewing their nails to the elbow throughout as they find themselves completely and utterly riveted to the page desperate to find out what is going to happen next.

Gritty, gutsy and gripping, J R Adler’s Dead Woman Crossing is fantastic and I cannot wait to see what awaits Kimberley King in future instalments of this terrific new crime series!

Dead Woman Crossing is the first in a new crime series featuring Detective Kimberley King.

The story opens with Kimberley and her 16-month-old daughter Jessica moving from New York to small-town Oklahoma. Kimberley is making the move to be closer to her mother and so she can work regular hours and spend more time with her daughter.

But, just days into her new position, the town of Dead Woman Crossing is rocked when a young woman is found murdered in the same spot as the victim in the infamous unsolved case from which the town got its name. Could they have a copycat on their hands? And was it a stranger passing through or someone they know that killed the young mother?

This book was a slow burner and nothing much happened for the first third. It plods along steadily, introducing us to the characters and laying the groundwork for the series. But when the young mother's body is found, the pace quickens and I found myself pulled into the story as I tried to figure out who could have committed such an evil crime.

From the start the author perfectly captures the claustrophobic, small-town vibe of Dead Woman's Crossing and I could feel Kimberley's struggle to adapt to living in a place that's the polar opposite of New York; where no one is anonymous and everyone knows your business. When she discovers that it aso seeps into her police work, she is left frustrated with small town politics and gossip.

While she was relatable, I did find Kimberley hard to warm to and found her quite spiky. But as more of her past was revealed, I found I enjoyed her more as a protagonist. She had that classic mix of independence, strength and determination, and a backstory that slowly unveils. Although at first the flashbacks that told her backstory seemed a little choppy, after a while it became clear that she is trying to process some serious trauma. She spent her childhood trying to avoid the wrath of her alcoholic father and is still grappling with her mother's passive role. In addition, she is plagued by her flashbacks and nightmares of her last case in New York when a brutal serial killer left her taunting messages and evaded capture. It's this case that gives her an increased determination to catch the person responsible this time around.

Tense, twisty and intriguing, this is a great start to a new series. I loved that the author kept me guessing about the identity of the killer right up until the end. If you like mysteries that are more steadily paced and character-focused, then this is the book for you.

Would you make a good police detective?⁠
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Kimberley King, a detective, is troubled by a murder she couldn't solve. I hate that she packs up and runs away, but she does. One thing I've learned though, no matter how far you run, you can't hide from memories. It doesn't take long in her new hometown of Dead Woman Crossing to run across a murder that she's struggling to solve... one that places her in and her daughter in danger.⁠
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Like all good crime novels, this book tugs at my curiosity and I find myself needing to know the outcome. I know the killer will be caught, but how? By who? What will happen in the process? Twists, turns, and tumbles...⁠
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Add this to your TBR for the fall if you're up for a good crime novel set in a small town...⁠
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Thank you @Bookouture for allowing me to read this and give my honest opinion.⁠
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“𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.“ -𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻

I discovered @jenevaroseauthor / @jradlerauthor on TikTok and I’m so glad because her books are 𝑎𝑚𝑎𝑧𝑖𝑛𝑔! I devoured 𝗔 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗲 in 12 hours (𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑛’𝑡 𝑦𝑒𝑡!) and was so excited when I received 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 on @netgalley last month! Once again I was hooked. Jeneva has climbed to the top of my 2020 favorite authors list. A fab ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝟱/𝟱 stars for this book!

Favorite Quotes:

Kimberley looked down, noting everything she had in tow— a diaper bag, a stroller, a tote bag, a backpack and Jessica. “They say it takes a village to raise a child, but I think it takes a caravan of random products.”

In a small town like Dead Woman Crossing, gossip was like an airborne virus. Difficult to contain and easily transmitted. They were all infected.

She glanced over at Ryan who gave her a scowl mixed with a leer as if his dick and brain were crossing wires and didn’t know how to respond to her.

Henry Colton is a dickwad. His name stuck out like a mule in a dress...

There weren’t any murders after that. He went inactive, as many serial killers do, as if taking lives was their job and they needed time off.


My Review:



Oklahoma is one of those states that doesn’t really stand out to most Americans. Nothing much has sprouted from there other than crops, oil, idiot politicians, a few country and western singers, and hmm… me. Other than an old Rodgers and Hammerstein musical and being able to hum a bit of the State song, most people draw a blank at the mention. With that in mind, color me stunned and outright startled when I noticed the main character was not only leaving her job as a detective at NYPD to start a more low-key career as a Chief Deputy near the old family manse but would be working in the very same tiny inbreed rural hamlet of my youth. Oh, my! What a surprise!

The author accurately captured the disconcerting small-town flavor down to the time-warped narrow-minded bigotry and misogyny, down to the very nub of hypocritical arrogance, condoned corruption and nepotism, domestic violence, and female boredom; and also reinforced my smugness at the brilliant decision to move far, far away. While I didn’t find it an enjoyable experience to reside there, as despite the old cliche - it wasn’t even a good place to be from, the breadbasket/short-grass country provided the perfect backdrop for Ms. Adler’s active and suspenseful murder mystery.

I do loves me a kick-ass heroine and I adored Kimberly King as well as her brilliant office genie and my new favorite grandmotherly octogenarian, Barbara. Kimberly held her own and doled out her own brand of sass while doing so. The writing was easy to follow with welcome hits of wry humor mixed in with insightful observations and perceptive character descriptions and depictions. I will be eagerly watching to see what and whom Chief Deputy King stirs up next.

I'm a big Jane Harper fan so when I read that Dead Woman Crossing was similar to her style, I knew I had to be a part of this book tour. And as a Jane Harper fan, I’m of course, a lover of police procedurals. So, while the book was a bit slow at first, it picked up in the second half of the book as the protagonist, Kimberley tried to solve the case of the murdered single mother.

The small town added to the challenges Kimberley faced in getting any details from the residents of Dead Woman Crossing. The residents wouldn’t provide her with much, as a small town residents learn to stick together and look out for one another. But to what lengths? I can relate to Kimberley’s feeling of irritation with the town’s residents and being the new person in a town where everyone knew each other.

I really enjoyed Adler’s writing style. She described the setting in great detail that transported me to Oklahoma, and I was able to see the world through Kimberley’s eyes. The built-up anticipation and suspense kept me drawn to going back and picking up the book. I don’t want to give too much away as this story was good that I want my community to read it for themselves.
As a result, I will definitely be reading the next book in the series as Dead Woman Crossing was a not-to-be-missed mystery story.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this book; the first installment in a crime thriller series that centres around Deputy Kimberley King. In this introductory novel, we see how Kimberley deals with her first murder inquiry at her new post in Dead Woman Crossing.

This is a brutal, dark and thrilling book which slowly gains pace towards an unexpected and shocking ending.

The beginning of the book was quite slow, but it enabled the reader to get to know Kimberpey as a character, and I have to say she is one of the best female characters I have read in a long time.

Although her dealings in the crime world are far more challenging than anything I could ever imagine dealing with, she is intelligent, brave and baulchy.

But she is not without her flaws either! She is constantly trying to juggle work with being a mum, while sometimes not getting this balance quite right, and this is something I really identify with.

I have really enjoyed this book but Kimberley’s character development is definitely the best aspect.

I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

Detective Kimberly King is struggling to make it in New York as a detective and single mom to her daughter Jessica. After a particularly gruesome case, Kimberly is left traumatized, her pregnant mentor and partner Lynn, the victim of a serial killer. The case remains unsolved and we see how it haunts Kimberly through flashbacks.
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Kimberly makes the decision to relocate to Dead Woman Crossing, Oklahoma where she is hired as Chief Deputy Sheriff to be closer to her mother. The appeal of raising her young daughter in a small town with less crime, more stability and nearby relatives makes the decision a simple one for Kimberly. In Kimberly’s mind working less and having more time for her daughter is an opportunity she can’t pass up.
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Dead Woman Crossing is named after the unsolved murder of Katie James by a creek in 1905. The first 1/3 of the book was a slower pace than I am used to for a police procedural. After the backstory is set the story does pick up somewhat. One of the new women Kimberly meets at her daughter’s new day care is found murdered in the same location and manner of death as the unsolved case the town is named for. Tragically, the victim’s one year old daughter is found sleeping in a stroller close to her mother’s body. The small town is horrified by the murder. As Kimberly investigates and gets closer to finding the killer, her family turns on her. Kimberly knows she is close to the truth when she receives a note threatening her young daughter.
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As a new series, I think this has potential. I liked Kimberly’s character and feel like she will develop more over time. I did feel like the procedural side of the book could use more research and consulting, forensically and investigate wise. I will read more books in this series.
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Thank you @Netgalley, @bookouture for an advanced digital copy of the book for my review.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookcouture for the opportunity to read and review the first "Detective Kimberley King" mystery from J.R. Adler, entitled "Dead Woman Crossing".

Detective Kimberley King has upped sticks from her job as Homicide Detective in New York City, and brought her daughter, Jessica, to Dead Woman Crossing, Oklahoma (where the wind goes whistling down the plain, or so they say), to not only get away from her truly traumatizing (and unsolved - hopefully we'll revisit that in a future book) final case, but also to re-connect with her mother and meet her new step-family.

First thing King finds out is the reason for the name of the town - the horrific killing of Katie James, a young woman who was murdered in 1905 on the banks of the same twisting creek. And on her very first week of work, it seems that history has been repeated. The body of a young woman, Hannah = who Kimberley has twice met when dropping her daughter off at Toddler Care, and had wanted to make friends with - is found on the banks of that self-same creek, and bears all the signs of the same method of murder - right down to her little daughter Isobel being left at the scene in her stroller - a mute witness.

As suspicions grow in the community, King is thrust into a seemingly 'Peyton Place' atmosphere - there are many suspects including a 'murder tourism' guide and his son; one of the force's own currently on leave for domestic abuse, and the child's father who is not to be found.

As the first novel in a putative series, this book is a good introduction. I did find the segues back into her final case with NYPD a bit jarring, as they seemed to come out of nowhere; but I did become accustomed to them. The outcome - although unsolved - of that case, and what ultimately drove Kimberley King away from NYC was somewhat predictable, but that's okay.

There are a few red herrings along the way to the solution of the case, but the ultimate unmasking of the perpetrator is still somewhat jarring.

I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery with a dash of small-town life thrown in.

Detective Kimberley King moves to the sleepy town of Dead Woman Crossing in Oklahoma, from New York to bring up her daughter, Jessica away from the dangers of the city and to be closer to her family. Newly appointed as the Chief Deputy Sheriff, Kim is struggling to make the adjustment between the two roles. When the body of a young mother and a friend of Kimberley's is discovered, the case bears a resemblance to the unsolved murder of a woman, Katie James, by the local creek back in 1905. Along with Sheriff Sam Walker, it seems that Kimberley is looking for a copycat killer...

In this first book of an exciting new series, the author first sets the scene and the reader is introduced to protagonist Kimberley and her complex life. She is suffering from degrees of torment caused by her inability to apprehend a serial killer and this is one of the reasons for leaving the NYPD. Told solely from Kimberley's perspective I soon became immersed in the story, the pace picking up dramatically once the introductions were out of the way. I liked Kimberley and most of the other characters, with one or two exceptions, including her new stepdad, David. I could definitely feel Kimberley's frustration as the case unfolded and she struggled to obtain the trust and the answers she needed. There were some great descriptions of Oklahoma and I connected with J.R. Adler's writing style. The plot was well thought out in this character-driven police procedural, and I enjoyed the progression to the surprising reveal. Dead Woman Crossing was entertaining and held my attention throughout, and it will be interesting to see what J.R. Adler has in store for Kimberley in the second instalment, Black Heart Lane. Overall, a fantastic start to a new series that I have no hesitation in recommending.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This book is a fantastic start to a new series.
I really enjoyed getting to know Kimberley King who has just moved to a remote town in Oklahoma to stay with her Mum.
Kimberley has a baby who she needs to look out for as she’s bringing her up alone, so the move from New York makes sense to her.
Her Mum is thrilled to have her home but her step father seems a bit off with her.
Kimberley is determined to make the deputy sheriff job work for her so gives him a wide berth.
Life seems pretty quiet with not many crimes having to be dealt with, until the decapitated body of a woman is found with a gun shot to the head.
The woman’s baby was found at the scene in her pushchair and it’s a replica of the murder that gave the town its name over a hundred years ago.
Kimberley and Sam have their hands full trying to find the killer and with the local people not being too helpful, they’re really up against it.
I loved the introduction to Kimberley and can’t wait to read more in this series.
This is a gripping crime thriller that well and truly had me hooked.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.