Can't go Back  by Debra Webb is the third book in the series. Like any good thriller we are right into the action. However there is a very deft fill in of the characters and place,  And boom, we are into the next case.  

Luke and Debra make a great detective team, and as it happens they are not only that. Their relationship is also developing. And while Tori - Debra's daughter is away, they are trying the live - in arrangement.  I really liked seeing their relationship growing and the way Debra is there to show her trust and support of Luke.

And Luke needs that, because as they chase down a grisly case of arson and murder, they find that Luke's undercover work from some time ago is also somehow mingling with the new case and making it all that extra bit dangerous.

I was happy to see Sadie who we got to know in previous books had a small cameo contribution and to see how her life was turning out.

A riveting read, with lots of twists and turns. There is more than one bad guy and of course with Luke and Debra on the trail, they won't get away with anything. And while part of a series could be read as a stand alone.

This one kept me guessing! Debra Webb is turning up the intrigue with the final book in her highly addictive Devlin and Falco series with CAN'T GO BACK. The two main detectives are always a favorite of this series and as their relationship grows and secrets unravel, they are on the verge of big changes. I loved this entire series and am sad to see it end ... but what an ending! This book was fast paced, intense and held surprise after surprise. Unputdownable!

Detective Kerri Devlin and her partner and significant other Detective Luke Falco are in rare form in this final addition to the series as Falco's past comes back to haunt him while in the midst of their current case. Kerri is supportive and steadfast, and Luke allows himself to be sensitive and honest in a way he previously wouldn't have been. The main case this books centers on is filled with twists and turns and revealing secrets.

I highly recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who enjoys a police mystery with a touch of romance and a whole lot of heart mixed into the dialogue.

I'd not read the first two books and I know I missed nuance (and probably more) by hopping in on the final installment but it was still a good read. Why would a man confess to the murder of his wife and child? There's lot of secrets and lies here, not only by those being investigated but also between Detectives Kerri Devlin and Luke Falco. There are lots of twists (perhaps too many) in the race to the truth. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A. good read for fans of the series.

Can't Go Back is the third book in Devlin and Falco series but can be read as a standalone.

I haven't read the first two books of this series but I had no trouble following the story as the gist of the character's backstory is provided.

Can't Go Back is the story of a undercover-story-gone-sideways with a dash of romance and a whole lot of blast from the past. Falco worked as an undercover cop before partnering up with Devlin. His sleep is marred with nightmares - something to do with things going horribly wrong during his undercover days. To add to his woes, an ex-undercover cop's family (wife and daughter) are found dead in their home. While the ex-undercover cop (Logan) has barely managed to survive, he becomes the main suspect - why wouldn't he when he confessed to the crime!

Devlin and Falco doubt the credibility of Logan's confession. They know the in-laws (Logan's mum and Allison's mum) have something to hide. As the mystery begins to reveal itself (slowly, like peeling an onion, one layer at a time), Devlin and Falco realize there is much more to the story than a murder for revenge.

I absolutely enjoyed reading this romantic suspense. Excellent character portrayal and the mystery kept me guessing till the end. The identity of the perp or their reason was something that I did not see it coming. Certainly a shocker!

Highly recommended!

A Gordian Knot of a Police Procedural

The novel opens with a residential fire. Shortly after, the Chief of Police called Kerri Devlin, a detective in the Birmingham Police Major Investigations Division, and tells her and her partner to pass off whatever cases they currently are working and start a new homicide investigation. When Kerri and her partner, Luke Falco, arrive at the fire, the Chief of Police is there and brings them up to speed. The house belongs to the recently deceased, assistant chief of the department’s administrative bureau. His widow lives at another address. The owners’ daughter and five-year-old daughter didn’t make it out of the fire. A neighbor found the husband, Logan Boothe, face down and unconscious outside the house. Upon being aroused, he went into the burning house yelling his wife’s and daughter’s names. The fireman found him unconscious in the house. He was a former cop. The novel proceeds from this start.

Kerri and Luke start their investigation with interviewing the neighbors and the two mothers-in-law. After each interview, both feel that the interviewees were holding something back. When they finally interview Logan Boothe, he claims that it was all his fault, but would not explain how. The start required Kerri and Luke to think through what evidence they had and how to proceed. Then Falco has to make a choice that he doesn’t want to make. This start engaged imagination as I thought through what they had discovered trying to figure out who was behind the arson and deaths.

The B-storyline was rich. Most of the first chapter was devoted to providing background on Kerri and Luke. As this is the first book of this series that I have read, I appreciated this early background. These two characters became fully developed at the start and stayed consistent throughout the novel. The B-storyline enhanced my reading enjoyment of this novel.

For the aspects of a novel that can make a buyer rue the purchase, there are not any intimate scenes. Violence is present but generally described in the less edgy after the fact. There are a few that are described in the more edgy as it occurs. Lastly, there is a fair use of vulgar and rude language. As a retired Navy sailor, the level did not raise a red flag for me, but that may not be true for all readers. Let you, the reader, be forewarned.

Overall, the storyline was a little dark and complex. This meant for me that it was not a quick read. This is worst aspect of this novel that I observed. As I did not feel that I was missing anything by reading this novel first, do not let this stop you from starting with this novel. If you like the publisher’s teaser, I do recommend reading this novel. I have placed this first-time author for me in my second level of rating authors, i.e., Will Read. If I have a slot open in my schedule, I will read one of her novels, but liking this author was not great enough for me to purchase the previous novels in this series. I did enjoy reading this novel and rate it with four stars.

I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer. My review is based only by my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

4.5⭐
The final instalment in the fabulously gripping Falco and Devlin series delivers a crackingly suspenseful tale that keeps you guessing throughout.

As Falco and Devlin are called in by their LT to investigate when an ex-cops wife and child are killed in an apparent arson attack at their home. But what seems to be an open and shut case soon becomes more complicated when the detectives are informed that the mother and child were marked and the ex-cop once worked for the same LT that Falco did whilst undercover.

And with a parent who keeps admitting responsibility, lying and missing witnesses and Falco's old boss pulling strings that bring his undercover days back into sharp focus this was a great conclusion to the series and I would happily recommend it to others.

This story was, unsurprisingly, a murder mystery but it also brought back bad memories for Falco from his undercover days. When the past collides with the present will Falco emerge unscathed?

Detectives Kerri Devlin and Luke Falco are called to the scene of a house fire where, tragically, a mother, Jana Boothe, and her 5 year old daughter, Leah, have died. The husband had been found unconscious in the front yard by a neighbour and, when roused, he tried to run in to save his family but to no avail. Jana and Leah were not burned and the black crosses on their foreheads suggested a drug or gang related killing. Boothe himself is a former police officer from Luke’s former undercover unit. Had he gone rogue?

When questioned Boothe confesses to the killing. Falco and Devlin are unconvinced. For starters - how did he end up unconscious on the lawn? Why does the neighbour keep changing his story? And how is O’Grady’s undercover unit involved? The investigation keeps leading them to Falco’s former unit boss Lieutenant O’Grady who Falco claims is very bad news. The team is a law unto itself and really skirts the law to get results. Falco is no longer welcome with the group. But the more they investigate the more O’Grady seems to be involved in something bad.

At the same time grandma Boothe and grandma Scott (Jana’s mum) who don’t really get on that well are keeping secrets and plotting something. This is one of the most interesting aspects of the story. I really liked the rogue grannies!

Falco has tried desperately to keep his past in the past. He has not told Devlin anything about it as he is afraid he may have done something truly awful. If only he could remember! This is possibly the best book in this series so far. The plot was very interesting. I did have suspicions which were correct but it was never a sure thing and I really enjoyed the way the story unfolded. Many thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

A Burning Case

Everyone seems to be lying, but maybe that’s the point of the mystery. The book starts out strong, Luke and Kerri, police partners and lovers, are called out to investigate a fatal house fire. Killed were Allison Booth and her daughter Leah, who is ill with leukemia. Oddly enough, Logan Boothe, Allison’s estranged husband is found prostrate on the ground but apparently was able to revive himself and run into the house to try and save his daughter and wife.

There is a bevy of other characters who confuse the plot on purpose, of course. In order to help solve the murders, Luke Falco is forced to return to the “bad days,” when he worked with Lt. Patrick O’Grady. There’s old secrets among most of the characters which may justify the preponderance of lies. The mystery was minimally exciting and leaves us with the old adage, “one must confront the past to save one’s future.”

My gratitude to NetGalley and Thomas A. Mercer for this pre-published book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Can't Go Back (Devlin & Falco #3) by Debra Webb

When Devlin took on Falco as her new partner about eighteen months ago, the two mixed like oil and water. Now the two are still very different but mix like chocolate and peanut butter (yum). They are a team both in their professional and their personal lives. The days of second guessing each other are over, even when Falco's past comes back to smack him in the face (literally).

When a woman and her daughter die in a house fire that is clearly arson, Devlin and Falco are the lead investigators. The husband is an ex-cop, the daughter was suffering from a costly disease, and the couple's marriage had hit some very rocky times. The husband was found outside the house, injured but alive. Could the husband have committed double murder for insurance money? Did the marital problems have anything to do with the deaths? Welcome to a slew of red herrings, twists, and turns.

Enter Falco's disturbing past. As a former undercover detective, Falco has tried to put that sordid life behind him but it haunts his nightmares and his attempts to find peace in the present. The injured husband used to work under the same man that Falco worked for undercover. Falco despises his former boss but needs to make contact again to get make sense of the tangled mess of clues and leads. Add in two sparring and grieving grandmothers, helpful and evasive neighbors, a drug lord, and more and towards the end of the book Falco and Devlin can't make sense of anything regarding the murders. It doesn't help that the husband keeps confessing to murders that he probably didn't commit. Then things get even more convoluted from there!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC.

Can’t Go Back is book #3 in the Devlin and Falco trilogy by Debra Webb. This book can easily be read as a stand alone but it does help if you’ve read at least book #1.

Devlin and Falco are back on another high profile case. The Chief of Police with the Birmingham PD has personally asked for Devlin and Falco specifically. This particular case involves previous officers with the BPD and the Chief wants this handled immediately and professionally by the best.

This story takes a lot of twists and turns and will keep you guessing until the end. There are definitely plenty of suspects and as the story unfolds there are secondary plots that will unfold that will have you wondering what the real story is. There is also the story of Devlin and Falco’s budding relationship. Things are changing and will Falco’s deeds of the past be their undoing.

Debra Webb masterfully builds a story that will keep you engaged and wanting for more. As you get deeper into the story the way Debra Webb unfolds the story before you will have you reading through the pages faster and faster to get to the mind blowing end.

Thank you #DebraWebb, #netgalley and #ThomasandMercer for the opportunity to read this book!

This is the third and reportedly final installment of a trio of novels featuring Birmingham Detectives Kerri Devlin & Luke Falco - however I for one, certainly hope the author reconsiders and extends this series – I think they could easily become as popular as Catherine Coulter’s Savich & Sherlock! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A fast paced adrenaline ride featuring a fabulous duo! I’m sad to see this series come to an end but this was a fitting conclusion. I was invested in the case from the beginning and couldn’t put it down- the twists and turns kept me engaged and riveted. My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Debra Webb for the ARC of Can’t Go Back by Debra Webb that I read and reviewed.
This is the third book in the Devlin and Falco series by Debra Webb and this book takes the reader into Luke Falco’s past and what he was before he started working with and falling for Kerri Devlin.
I really loved this book and now the reader got a look at Falco’s past even though he really did not want to go there. It was interesting to see where the character came from and what made him tick.
I had it figured out who started the fire but I was shocked over the reason why it was done. As for everything else that was going on in the book I absolutely loved it. In true Webb fashion she had so many things going on she kept the reader on their toes and wanting more. I can’t wait to see where Devlin and Falco go next.
Can’t Go Back gets five out of five stars!

This is the third and final book in the Devlin and Falco series and it does not disappoint. Kerri Devlin and Luke Falco at detectives in Birmingham who arrive at the scene of a house fire where a mother and daughter have perished and the father is injured trying to save his family. But nothing at the crime scene seems to make sense. The husband, a former undercover officer, makes a full confession but why was he unconscious on the front lawn and then ran inside to save them? What would compel him to confess if he didn't do it? The neighbours gather to lend "helpful" information and it seems they are a little too involved in the comings and goings of the neighbourhood yet no one witnessed anything or heard anything that night. There are a lot of twists and turns in the story and I definitely didn't see the end coming. It was nice to see Kerri and Luke, two flawed and struggling people, build a relationship together and we at the end we feel that they might have a chance to make it work. Great story with well-developed characters and lots of red herrings to keep your attention!

This was the 3rd in the Devlin/Falco suspense series. I’ve read the previous two and while I have enjoyed them all, I think this was my least favorite of the trilogy.

Devlin and Falco are detective partners in Birmingham, AL, and this one begins with them already in a personal relationship (which was a bit jarring as there was mostly just attraction ending the last one). There are multiple mysteries here (arson, murders…both present and past, serial killer), but luckily it wasn’t confusing to follow. There are twists and turns, Falco’s painful past undercover career is explored and resolved, and as it’s the series finale, all is wrapped up nicely by the end.

Overall a good conclusion to an exciting and well-written series.

My sincere thanks to #NetGalley , #ThomasandMercer , and the author for providing me the free early arc for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Devlin and Falco are investigating a case that involves a home fire that kills a Mother and her child. The fire was arson. The detectives keep running into brick walls. Everyone involved in the case is hiding information. There is plenty of suspense that will keep you guessing and turning the pages. This book is part of a series but could be read as a stand alone. I look forward to the next book in this series. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

This was my first book to read by this author but I cannot wait to read more! The characters stay with you long after you finish the book. Such a great story and fast read. Highly recommend!!!

Can't Go Back by Debra Webb is the third book in her Devlin and Falco series. This book has a complex storyline that covers Devlin and Falco's investigation into a house fire where a mother and daughter died. The investigation takes Falco back to his undercover days. Devlin and Falco had agreed that the past was the past but in this case the past has come back to haunt Falco. I enjoyed reading this story but it is my least favorite in this series. I did like how well these two main characters work together and I found the end to be satisfying and exciting.

This is the final book for Kerri and Luke and what a way to go out. There's a lot going on here. Including answers about Luke's past. The case they are investigating is full of suspects. The pacing is fast and keeps your interest. There are several twists I didn't see coming. I was left with my mouth hanging open several times. I've grown invested in these characters so I loved the way the author tied everything up and the ending felt perfect. I'm sad to see these guys go but I definitely will be rereading this series in the future.

Wish I could give this book more than 5 stars!!! Fantastic ending to the Devlin/Falco series. You will be on the edge of your seat as you read this mystery/suspense/thriller!!!! The twists and turns will make you want to pull your hair out because you think you have everything figured out and then something else happens and your conclusion is blown apart! Debra Webb does a stupendous job of keeping you intrigued from the beginning until the very last page.

I was given an advanced copy by the author and this is my voluntary, honest review.