It's been a while since I've read anything from Laura Griffin and I'm reminded of why I've loved her books. As always, the story flows so well and the characters come to life. They feel real and I can easily paint a picture in my head which isn't always the case with authors that force the story or aren't descriptive. While this is the 2nd book in the series, you don't need to have read the 1st one to understand and enjoy the read. I look forward to going back and reading any of the author's books I haven't read.

Have I found a new genre to obsess over? I think so!

Flight is the suspense meets romance novel I didn’t know I needed. I loved the island setting, the crime solving and a bit of steamy romance threaded through it.

Joel and Miranda’s chemistry wasn’t off the charts or full of tension, but their romance was believable and I really loved how Joel encouraged Miranda to open up.

This book is the second in the series, but reads as a standalone.

Flight
Laura Griffin

RITA award winner Laura Griffin delivers another five-star read on this second installment of the Texas Murder Files. I read Hidden last fall and really enjoyed the fast-paced romantic suspense and that edge of your seat type thriller. Griffin I believe writes the best mix of suspense and romance. She has quickly become a favorite of mine since reading Hidden. Her books are very readable, has that surprising twists I just love in a murder mystery and of course that touch of romance set in her hometown, Texas.

In this second book, we follow forensic photographer turned wildlife photographer Miranda Rhoades who discovers a pair of bodies entwined in an embrace. Moving to the seaside town of Lost Beach, Miranda thought she could start a new life and put the crime scenes behind. Little did she know that her expertise would be put to great use especially working with Detective Joel Breda. The whole process of how the culprits unravel is the true joy of reading this novel. The police procedural was on point and really takes us through the whole investigation of this crime thriller.

I really enjoyed this book and the series so far. The writing is so immersive, and Laura Griffin just knows how to set the stage for her stories and truly immersing the readers into the beautiful Texan backdrop of her stories. The characters are also quite compelling to read with amazing back stories that make this book a riveting read.

Ms. Griffin has written a spine tingling romantic suspense, part police procedural, part CSI and very sexy. Set on a beautiful small island in Texas, with great characters, Joel, local cop and Miranda photographer are pulled together into a very strange crime spree. As we get to know their stories, it becomes even more intriguing, and Miranda is pulled back to her former work as a CSI investigator. The more time they spend together, the more heat they generate.
The tension starts on the first page and never lets up. Another triumph for Ms. Griffin, and this new series.

Flight is a fast paced romantic thriller. I honestly didn't know I need a romantic thriller in my life but I'm so happy I found it. Griffin manages to mix romance and murder mystery perfectly. Miranda is a former forensic photographer who moves to a small beach town for a break. She gets wrapped up in a mystery when she stumbles upon a murdered couple. She meets Detective Joel Breda who is determined to find answers to the murder. Together they work to solve the crime and spark a little romance on the side. Flight is a fabulous break from normal romance books. I loved it.

Griffin takes romance and mystery on a wild ride in Flight.

With the reader on the same page as Miranda Rhoads, the former CSI, and Joel Breda, the head detective, you can feel every emotion the murder case brings them. As the homicide case builds, so does Miranda and
Breda's relationship. Miranda brought a mysterious past to the relationship and a strong force to
the case. Breda takes no offense to Miranda's closed-off appearances and brings her to life by
the end of the book.

The only part of this book that sets me back a bit, was the fact that you only
know as much as Miranda and Breda with the case, which was also the part of the book that had me reading all day.

Laura Griffin has another intriguing murder mystery in her latest Texas Murder File book, Flight. Murder victims have been found with a feather from an exotic bird. A couple was found together in their boat both shot in the chest. Lost Beach PD Detective Joel Breda is lead on the case. Former CSI forensic photographer Miranda Rhodes finds the bodies. Joel convinces Miranda to work with him to find out who murdered this couple. Sparks fly between the two and a relationship develops. I liked Joel's confidence with Miranda as well as with his job. He is one determined man. I liked Miranda's dedication to finding the murderer even though she left her former CSI job for personal, emotional reasons. I really enjoyed following along in the murder investigation and was surprised at the ending. I am looking forward to more Texas Murder File stories.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Flight by Laura Griffin is the 2nd book in her Texas Murder Files series. I am a huge fan of Laura Griffin, as she is one of the best at murder suspenseful mysteries, police procedurals and a bit of romance. We meet our heroine, Miranda Rhoads, a former CSI forensic photographer, who left her job (she was burned out) and moves to Lost Beach, a peaceful seaside town, in hopes of moving on. Miranda now does wildlife photography, content to not be involved in her ex-world of CSI; until she is taking pictures of the sunset and a unique bird. Miranda comes across a canoe, and two dead bodies, and now that she is a witness, Miranda will meet the detectives in the towns police force.

Joel Breda, our hero, is the detective in charge of the murder, and when he learns that Miranda was a former CSI, he wants her to help them investigate the murder. Especially since she takes amazing photos of the crime scene, and finds many clues to help the team; which will turn into the possibility of a serial killer.
Though Miranda wanted to escape the life she led before, she finds herself unable to step away, and continues to help Joel and his team. As more similar older cases begin to show up, the case becomes more complex. In a short time, both Miranda and Joel find themselves very much attracted to each other; the chemistry between them was great and I loved them together.

Joel, was a strong hero, and a great detective; and together with Miranda they managed to find clues that changes the game. Joel becomes concerned that Miranda is putting herself in danger, as the murderer maybe too close. The whole Lost Beach Police force was very good, especially Nicole, who was also a very good young detective.

What follows is an exciting, intriguing, suspenseful thriller that kept me on the edge throughout, especially as we raced to the climax. Griffin gave us a great couple, wonderful secondary characters and an excellent suspenseful story. The last half of the book was extremely tense, I could not put the book down. I do not want to give spoilers, so you need to read this book to discover what happens.
Flight was another excellent mystery in this series, which to no surprise, was very well written by Laura Griffin. If you enjoy murder mysteries, police procedurals, lots of intense action, suspense, with a touch of romance, you should read this book. If you have never read Laura Griffin, it’s time to start now, as she is an amazing writer for romance suspense.

Thank you NetGalley and Laura Griffin for the ARC of Flight by Laura Griffin that I read and reviewed.
I really enjoyed Flight the second book in The Texas Murder Files series. This book was Miranda and Joel story and they were very well matched and I really liked them as a couple. They really heated the pages of my Kindle with the heat between the two of them. I also enjoyed the story as well. I had no clue who the murder wax until the end and I loved that about this book. I was totally shocked when it came out who the bad guy was.
I can’t wait to see who is paired up in the next book. I know who I would like to see have their own story soon but we will have to see if it happens.
Flight gets five out of five stars from me.

Initial Thoughts - I enjoyed everything about this. The characters of Miranda Rhoads and Joel Breda are both fascinating and compelling. This is why Laura Griffin is one of my all-time favorite authors.

Review - The thing I'm always excited about when starting a laura Griffin Book is her way of setting the stage. From the warm and welcoming hues of a rising sun to the feel of morning mist on your skin. We're there alongside her characters. Every detail used to immerse you more soundly into the story. Reading a new release by Griffin feels like coming home in a way. Safe in the knowledge that we will be taken care of.

Miranda Rhoads, a former forensic photographer, thinks she has found the perfect place to regroup and find her center again. The world has a way of moving you in a direction without warning. Miranda is about to learn that the hard way.

Flight, book two in the Texas Murder Files, is a journey into the unknown by a seasoned captain, named Laura Griffin.

5 STARS
~Tanja

5 Hearts, Recommended Read!
SJ, Romance Junkies

FLIGHT by Laura Griffin is an outstanding mystery mixed with the right amount of character development, romance, and an excellent plot that grips you and won't let go.

When former forensic photographer Miranda Rhoads happens upon dead bodies in a canoe, her dream of letting go of the past starts to fade. Taking pictures of wildlife takes a backseat to helping solve a crime. Despite trying to steer clear of the investigation, her curiosity—and the engaging detective asking for help—pull her back in

The case seems daunting. Just trying to identify the victims is tough. But an odd clue leads Miranda to ask questions linking another murder in another town to the case. And as the information comes in, more murders turn up which don't look connected on the surface but are related in a way no one could have guessed. And the town has not one murderer, but a serial killer.

Detective Joel Breda is the perfect hero determined to find answers. He's smart, a protector, and dedicated to his job. He finds in Miranda someone who fills that void he hadn't known existed. She's smart and beautiful, and suddenly she's in the cross-hairs of someone who wants her dead. As he, his team, and Miranda try to figure out who is behind the murders, the plot twists and more suspects line up.

The story is fascinating, the setting beautiful yet creepy, and the characters real enough that their motivations always feel true and consistent. FLIGHT is the second book in the Texas Murder Files series but totally stands on its own. Now I want to go back and read the first book, HIDDEN.

Laura Griffin in a master at suspenseful storytelling. Her books never disappoint, and FLIGHT only adds to her stack of amazing reads. Check out FLIGHT for a mystery that keeps you guessing and a villain you won't be able to guess until you see him/her/them (no spoilers here!) in action the last few pages.

Recommended Read

After reading the first book in this series last year, I couldn't wait to dive into this book. I didn't read the book description when I grabbed it. Not that it would've made a difference, but I just assumed that this one would be another mystery with the same main character as the previous book. Instead, this one follows a mystery involving her sister. Like I said, it doesn't really matter, but it left me confused for a minute.

I dove into this book with the hopes that it would rival the previous book. I don't think it's as good, but it's not bad either. It just didn't pull me in like Hidden did. This book felt a little forced. There was a lot of filler I could've done without. I found myself skimming a lot of the unnecessary parts. I really don't like when that happens. I tend to lose interest in the story as a whole when there's too much extra filler.

Like in Hidden, this book is part mystery and part romance. The romance in this book was okay. I personally didn't feel the connection between the characters. The author tried, but I just wasn't feeling it.

Overall this book was okay. I'm not displeased with it, but I'm not jumping over the moon about it either. I will definitely read the next book when it comes out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have a hard time putting down Laura Griffin’s books. I feel like she gives you enough information to explain everything and keep you interested but she does not give you more than you want. Laura Griffin is my one of my favorite authors and I recommend reading all of her books you will not be disappointed.

Her books allow you to feel like you are a part of the story and are just as surprised as Miranda and Joel to find out who the criminals are.

Miranda Rhoads was burnt out with her job and needed a break, so she moved to the coast in hopes of getting rest and recharging to get her life back on track. Well, she then stumbles on a murder of 2 young people that she knows the scene is staged. She falls back on her training and takes pictures of the crime scene.

Then comes Joel a Detective with the Lost Beach Police Department to work the case. They both feel an instant connection and are weary of it and each other.
The story goes into detail about the life and issues they both have that make them leery of any type of relationship.

As Joel and Miranda work together and start to realize that whoever is committing the murders have set their sites on Miranda because she is getting to close to figuring out the case.

They are shocked as they find out who committed the murders and then Joel has to do everything, he can to save Miranda.

Forensic photographer Miranda has quit her job and come to Long Beach Texas to escape the stress. She is doing wild life photography when she comes upon 2 people dead in a canoe, their bodies appear to be staged. Before she knows it Miranda is drawn into the investigation and hired by the local police to help. There have been a string of murders that appear to be connected and there are very few clues. This book grabbed me from the beginning. The story has suspense and a romance. I didn’t suspect the identity of the perpetrator. This was the 2nd book in the Texas Murder Files series but could be read as a stand alone. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Former Forensic photographer Miranda Rhoads has come to Lost Beach, Texas to escape her work documenting crime scenes, only to find herself stumbling across an oddly staged crime scene, and she just can’t seem to let it go. She’s driven to figure out the puzzle left at the crime scene to find justice for the victims, and maybe a bit intrigued by the company of the local detective. As she’s drawn into the case, it continually gets more complex as they race to figure out who the killer is before more bodies turn up.

Second book in a new series by Laura Griffith; recommended RS read.

Miranda was out taking pictures at sunrise for a calendar she's been asked to do and she comes upon a canoe with staged dead bodies. She moved to the island to get away from her CSI life, and instead her training and instincts take over. She ends up helping Joel and the police department solve the crime.

Miranda and Joel are both hard working, however they are attracted to one another and with the heat that ends up on Miranda they can't stay away from each other any longer. I love the fact that we get the suspense of the murder and the romance of these characters. The more I got to know these two characters the more I liked them. Also, with the clues we were getting about the killer, I thought it was someone else and was very surprised at who it actually was. I could not believe it was who it was this person seemed so normal. I liked this book, it kept my attention and made me want to know what happened next. Flight was a very well written book and a great addition to the Texas Murder Files series.

Another solid entry into Laura Griffin's series. A fun ride with the perfect amount of mystery, thrills, and romance. I cannot wait for more and to recommend this to more patrons.

As a former CSI, Miranda Rhoads’s move to the coast in the hopes of having a peaceful time doesn’t last long when she stumbles on a seemingly staged (and macabre) murder of 2 people. It’s a discovery that brings her back too closely to her old life just as a small-town detective whose intensity and confidence stir an attraction she doesn’t want to feel.

There’s much to like about Griffin’s writing, which is what brings me back over and over (and quite eagerly so) to her: the clear, concise descriptions, the perfect use of atmosphere and protagonists that are fleshed out enough that you could very well imagine them anchoring a crime drama series, a well-crafted plot and the bonus—a romance that you know you want to see out as the story progresses.

The guess-whodunnit game begins from the start, amping up as Griffin builds on the urgent need to link all the threads that don’t seem to come together. In all, it is an engaging process of getting yourself to think and work backwards just as the characters do, involving symbols and ideology and the groups today that try to employ them for their own purposes.

On the other hand, the romance here is admittedly thin at times; the chemistry between Joel Breda and Miranda seems somewhat threadbare despite Griffin’s words insisting so without much showing in support of it. Both Miranda and Joel have pasts they are seemingly scarred by, but even those back-stories are hardly explored, written about only as a few lines as dialogue that comes and goes without making significant impact. The low-level conflict of coupling up when they work together is a simmering issue, though not one that’s blown out of proportion; both are easily competent in their professional lives even as they struggle personally in their growing relationship.

Miranda/Joel are likeable as they come, but I finished ‘Flight’ thinking that they became a couple who stood as solid as they could be as long as there was work tying them together after their rushed love declarations. Would they have been good together if they weren’t working together, if there wasn’t a crime scene between them? How well did they really know each other beyond the few exchanges they had about their personal lives?

‘Flight’ is a good standalone; it hardly registered that Bailey (Miranda’s sister) was actually the protagonist of the first book given there’s barely any kind of romantic continuity here. But if the murder mystery is something more important to you as a reader as opposed to the romantic subplot, then take heart, this is the kind of writing Griffin excels in.

Flight by Laura Griffin is the second book in the Texas Murder Files series. While on leave from her
CSI job, Miranda Rhoades is staying in Lost Beach where she comes across two dead bodies entwined in a
canoe. Due to her CSI experience & forensic photography she begins assisting the lead detective Joel
Breda in the investigation. Fast paced romantic suspense! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I really enjoyed HIdden, the first book in the series. This is similar in that it is a mystery and a romance. When Miranda, a photographer discovers a murdered couple in a boat, she gets involved with the local police and detective Joel and they investigate the crime. I was about a third through the book when I realized Miranda 's sister was the main character in Hidden. I wish I knew this earlier and would have understood how this was related to the first book. I enjoyed the mystery but felt the ending was rushed and some murders were left unsolved.