Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

This is excellent at being a procedural book if you really like the minutia of cop work. It's the second in the series and I read the first one but had already forgotten almost all of it so it would work fine as a stand-alone.

The main character is a female sheriff and she's likeable enough although she's rather one dimensional. The setting and crime of this book are very different from the first even though it's obviously in the same small Montana town. The first centered on very rich people who resort in the area and it is set up like it's a huge tourist area for very rich people in the winter. This one deals with border patrol and undocumented immigrants from Syria, with no real mention of any tourist trade at all. It takes place in the spring when the ice on Lake Maria is finally melting and a murdered man is found in the ice in the middle of it. There are multiple crimes and murders right off the bat and it deals with dirty cops, drug running, immigration issues, etc.

It felt quite often like I was clocking into work and working a 72 hour shift in the sheriff's office when I was reading this. It is so detailed on the actual work of processing crime scenes and such, which I really didn't need that much of. If you like that, this will really fit the bill for you.

The characters are pretty black and white, the same as the first book. The ME is a love interest and he's handsome and selfless and kind and perfect. Nicole, the sheriff, is competent and smart enough although she keeps having issues (in this book and the last) with blindly trusting the wrong people and not seeing people for who they are. I'm not sure if I see why this rural Montana county would have elected her as sheriff, especially since misogyny runs so deep in those areas and she doesn't come across as especially tough, experienced or remarkable. Even her son seemed kind of generic. All of the "good guys" seem straight out of a Hallmark movie, and the bad guys straight out of a Lifetime one.

That said, it's well written and I would be happy to read the next in the series.

I read a digital ARC via Net Galley.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* 3.5, pretty good read, didnt read the first book but plan on it and the rereading this one, just felt like some parts were dragged out imo

This is my first book by this author, I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I look forward to reading more from her in the future. This is a well written story that has characters that not only bring the story to life but kept it engaging. This is a fast paced story that I had a hard time putting down. The twists and turns had me sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what would happen next. This is the second book in this series and I will be going back to read book one as well. This is a story about bad cops, dead bodies that become the town's sheriffs worst nightmare. What happens next is for you to read this book. It is worth the pick up and I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend it.

Drugs. murders, possible corrupt Canadian border agents...Back from the Brink has a lot going on. This is a police procedural with Sheriff Nicole Cobain trying to sort out a growing list of crimes. I enjoyed reading this advanced readers copy I received from Net Galley for my unbiased review.

While this was a very good police prosecutable book it just wasn’t for me personally.

I think if you enjoy these types of books you might like it but unfortunately I think I’d much rather watch them on tv than read them.

However I think that the writing was done well. I like the aspect of drugs, corruption, and illegal immigration that provided a great deal of suspense.

Even though I have not yet read Emery Hayes's début novel, Cold to the Bone in this series, I decided to bite the bullet and read this second, one Back from the Brink.

Meet Nicole Cobain - the first female sheriff of Blue Mesa, Montana. In this story which was fine as a standalone read, Nicole has to deal with multiple crime scenes. First, she is called to Lake Maria to assist Border Patrol when a body is spotted under the ice. Then a young woman gives birth in the woods after fleeing from her attackers.

I like Nicole who I thought was hardworking, a good decision-maker, she trusts her team and is extremely competent. She is a single mum though she has help with her twelve-year-old son, Jordan. This is a well written and captivating story, with some great misdirection and devious concealment. It also boasts an action-packed conclusion. I aim to continue reading Emery Hayes's Nicole Cobain mystery series. Very highly recommended.

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

This is the second in a series about Nicole Cobain, sheriff of a remote Montana community. I read and reviewed the first in the series, Cold to the Bone, and even though I had a few small issues with it, I was intrigued enough to want to read the next. I’m happy to report this one is a lot better! It’s got everything I wanted from the first, with Nicole getting to explore her romance with the local ME. Weirdly, she missed out on the final confrontation for the second time, though there were certainly plenty of violent and dramatic scenes she was part of as she and her department investigate a complicated case, starting with a frozen body in a lake and a pregnant young woman running for her life.

It’s a story of corruption, opioids and illegal immigrants crossing the border from Canada, which is probably not the border most would think of when they think of illegal border crossings. Considering the incredible length of the border and the impenetrable wilderness of much of it, it’s obviously exploitable. Border Patrol in the region outnumbers Nicole’s forces over three to one, so potential corruption in the BP force is an intimidating prospect. All Nicole and her team can do is follow the breadcrumbs wherever they lead.

Nicole is a fascinating protagonist, and I think you could pick up well enough here if you haven’t read the first one as the backgrounds of the important characters are lightly sketched in. The author does a good job of conveying the remote wildness and beauty of the area, the dangers inherent in the weather and terrain which those who live in it have to contend with. Although the stakes in this book are less personal for Nicole - the villain in the first one was her ex - there’s still a betrayal here that cuts to the core and makes her question her own judgement, quite apart from threatening her very survival. This is turning into a really great series, as I hoped it might, and I’m now very much looking forward to the next one. Five stars.

A pregnant woman flees a house being chased through the woods and then a body is found encased in ice on a frozen lake. Drugs and money are being moved across the Canadian border when more dead bodies start turning up. Back from The Brink by Emery Hayes is the second in the Nicole Cobain mystery series. She is the first female sheriff of Blue Mesa, Montana and has multiple crime scenes and possibly corrupt Border Patrol officers adding further confusion to the mystery. This was read as a standalone book and although missing the initial backstory alluded to at the beginning, it did not lessen the enjoyment factor. With great characters and an intricate plot makes for a four-star read and eager anticipation of further adventures. With thanks to Crooked Lane Books and the author for an uncorrected proof copy for review purposes.

After reading the first book in this series, I wanted to try the sequel and I am so glad that I did as I really enjoyed the story and characters. A strong police procedural, but moved along at a steady pace, especially while wrapping up an absorbing multi-layer story. A pregnant woman flees for her life while Sheriff Nicole Cobain receives a call about a body under the frozen middle of the lake. The effort expended to recover the body is disrupted by the disappearance of two Border Patrol agents from the scene. An investigation is under way at the Border Patrol by Internal Affairs, but the murder of the man in the lake falls under Nicole’s jurisdiction. As she follows the evidence another man is murdered and the frozen man, when thawed, gives up crucial evidence including money and drugs with the Border patrol seal. When Nicole’s life is threatened, will she survive the threat as well as the betrayal by someone she trusted? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Back From the Brink starts with a chaotic scene that left me scrambling for a moment to breathe.The bulk of the book keeps up the pace, detailing the investigation trying to both piece together and unravel what happened.

The fast paced yet meticulous investigative process was fascinating to a geek like me. Instead of just providing the time of death for a character, the Medical Examiner and Sheriff’s Office discussed the evidence leading to the conclusion. For example, determining whether someone could have swam from a boat to the shore required calculating how far an average man could swim based on the distance to shore, the water temperature, and subsequent onset of hypothermia.

It felt authentic to have flawed characters who knew their own shortcomings. They made mistakes and second-guessed themselves. They weren’t cut out or omniscient characters, which made the story more compelling.

By the end of the book, all storyline questions had been answered, good guys and bad guys were sorted out, and the door was firmly left open to tell more stories about Blue Mesa, Montana.

This is not the first Nicole Cobain thriller published, but it is the first one I’ve read. It didn’t matter that I hadn’t read the earlier book, because Hayes provided just enough background to explain how that case’s results contributed to characters’ motivations in the second. The characters and locations are introduced well enough for new readers to become acquainted without boring those who had read the first book.

I will happily read more of Emery Hayes’ books based on this introduction to her work. I also happily recommend Back From the Brink to any thriller fans who enjoy digging into the details of a fascinating story.

Nicole Cobain, the Sheriff of Toole County, moved to Montana from Denver for a slower life style and to keep her son safe from her ex. Turns out it isn't slower, especially as her area shares a border with Canada. A call from the Border Patrol leads to an unraveling of corruption, murder, and other things in this fast paced procedural. Nicole's a good character, with a strong ethos. Who can she trust - can she trust Frank? She definitely trusts MacCauley, her love interest who is also the medical examiner. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. Good atmospherics (loved the setting) and an appropriately twisty mystery make this a good read.

This is a well written and captivating story, a little different, but down to earth. It's a little low on suspense, however, and the tactics in the last part are just stupid.

This story was certainly interesting. There was a lot of suspense and intrigue with the sheriff being a strong female character. I look forward to reading more of this series.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This episode of the Nicole Cobain mysteries sees Sheriff Nicole Cobain dealing with dead bodies, corrupt cops, and missing evidence. She's called by the Border Patrol because of a found body encased in ice on a lake where the ice is breaking up. When she arrives the Border Patrol officers are missing.

As she and her medical examiner and boyfriend MacAulay investigate the body, they discover another crime scene. This one has an execution style killing and a missing pregnant girl. She's an undocumented alien in an area known for them because of its near proximity to the Canadian border.

Nicole doesn't know who she can trust when she knows the local Border Patrol is filled with corruption. She can't trust any of the evidence they discovered relating to the body on the lake or the young man killed execution style.

This was a tension-filled and fast-paced thriller. I also liked that Nicole was working on her relationship with MacAulay and growing to trust him more. I liked her relationship with her young son as she tries to fit in motherhood while holding a much-more-than-full-time job.

"Dead bodies and bad cops" of course I grabbed this book. A small town cop and a Border Patrol agent team up to solve a drug trafficking crime. Plenty of mystery and action, a solid crime read that I enjoyed.

The story started out very disjointed and very slow and took me awhile to get all of characters straight in my mind. As I got more into the story I enjoyed it more and more and really got caught up in the plot. Nicole is a sheriff in a small Montana town that has to deal with drug smugglers and people trying to cross into Canada illegally. She gets a call in the middle of the night about a body in the lake and goes to investigate. They find an “iceman” in the lake and discover that a corrupt border patrol agent might be involved in the murder and other illegal activities. Nicole has no idea who to trust and who to turn to for help.
I have not read the first book, but didn't feel like I missed anything by not having read it. I like that the Sheriff is a strong female character who doesn’t hesitate to make bold decisions while staying sensitive to those around her and not coming off as unlikeable or bitchy. A well written and thought out murder/drug smuggling/illegal immigration story. I also like that there is very minimal (if any) offensive language in the book. Will add the first book to my reading list.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was first book I have read by this author. The setting for this book sounds beautiful. I could picture many parts in my mind. The story started out very disjointed to me and took me awhile to get all of characters straight in my mind. As I got more into the story I enjoyed it more and more. Was just a slow start for me. With that being said I will most definitely go back and read the book written prior to this one by this author. Thank you for giving me the privilege of reading this before before publication.

A well written and thought out murder dealing with drugs/cross border issues (USA-Canada) along with various bent officials of the law. Story takes place in winter with frozen lakes and landscapes adding to the tension. The local sheriff, Nicole Cobhain, is a strong women in a man's world but retains humour and sense as well as coping with the other law enforcement groups. Good book. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

A worthy follow up to Emery Hayes debut Cold to the Bone featuring Nicole Cobain as the sheriff of a small Montana town. The story of corruption in Border Patrol and the illegal crossings of immigrants is not a common one within this setting, we tend to see these kind of stories from the southern borders rather than the north. This brings an interesting spin onto "ripped from the headlines" plot.
It is good to see the personal life of Cobain developing and the building out of the characters of her son and the people around her. Hayes has created a greta world Blue Mesa MT and I hope that this series continues with the strength with which it has begun.