When a killer makes it deeply personal and Bree’s rep and livelihood on the line, she has to step up and close out the case with the odds against her. The Bree Taggart series constantly raises the bar of expectation and never fails to bring home a stellar read. Dead Against Her is no exception.

As the fifth book in the Bree Taggart suspense series, Dead Against Her works best read in order because of ongoing personal and relationship threads.

Bree responds to a well-being check call and finds the old woman and her son have been killed in cold blood. Her feelings are mixed when the son turns out to be former Deputy Oscar, whom she had to fire for repeated misconduct and ineptitude on the job.

Someone makes it personal by going after Bree with fake video porn and set-ups to discredit her character, forcing her out of her sheriff’s job and endangering her family. Solving the murder is more complicated when the trail leads to a dangerous secret group and so many suspects and motives. Bree, Matt, and her loyal deputies have to dig deep. Meanwhile, her chief deputy and Matt’s sister seem to have something going on and Bree is learning to take help, including with raising her niece and nephew on their family farm.

In all these books, Bree is up against a lot from her own tortured past needing to be dealt with, to being a woman attempting to prove herself in a tough mostly male job, powerful people who have their own agenda for her department, and all the way to some tricky cases. Dead Against Her digs deep and pushes her hard with all that, plus the insidious attack on her reputation.

I loved seeing her work through it all and getting past her vulnerable and raw feelings, looking to Matt as a trustworthy man in her personal life and on the job. Matt is also settled in what he wants with Bree and her family and what he can do now that he’s contracted as an investigator and working with his retired K-9 companion, Brody.

I figured out the killer early, but that took nothing from the suspense because there was a lot more going on than just fingering the person and they did it by the book with their investigation and following the evidence trail. There were actually a few mysteries that may or may not have anything to do with the murder, and I liked that extra complication. This one had some nail-biter moments and particularly the last big money scene.

Wrapping it up, I blew through it and was left chagrined to have to wait once again for a new installment. The romance is secondary to the suspense, but the series development and background on the characters is strong. The slow build and confusion at the beginning untangles and picks up the pace to a rush at the end and works great for this type of story. Those who like police procedural murder mysteries with good character development should definitely grab up the beginning of the series.

Bree is back, and the bad guy wants to take her out, permanently! After being called out on a welfare check, Bree finds one of her former deputies has been brutally killed. With allegations that she ran him off the force, eyes turn to Bree as a possible suspect in his death.The more Bree investigates, the more dirt she uncovers, and the closer she gets to a criminal who wants her gone.

Filled with twists and turns, this one will keep you up late turning the pages!

Wow!!!
Dead Against Her is such a fast moving, suspenseful book. I couldn’t stop reading it!
A shocking double homicide has Sheriff Bree Taggert and her deputies working round the clock to figure out what is going on. Investigator Matt Flynn is assisting them as more and more mysterious situations arise.
What a fast paced police procedural! Throw in a paramilitary aspect, internet slander along with dog rescue/training and a sweet romance….a must read for sure!
Dead Against Her is book 5 in the Bree Taggert series. This is my first book to read in the series. I had no issue reading this as a standalone read. With that said, I do want to read the completer series!
I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes a intense and intriguing mystery.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions and thoughts expressed are my own.

This was amazing! I love this series. You feel like you are sucked in from the very beginning and not turned loose until the very end. This one has a really great villain you don't see coming until they are revealed. Then you sit back stunned because you didn't see them coming. Love the characters, plot and the whole shebang. I cannot wait until the next one!

Dead Against Her (Bree Taggert #5) by Melinda Leigh
Publisher: Montlake
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Romance
Published: May 17, 2022

Dead Against Her is the fifth book in the Bree Taggert series by Melinda Leigh. This book can easily be read as a standalone book or enjoyed as part of the series. (Thanks for Kindle Unlimited I was able to binge the entire series in preparation to dive into this one!)

I don't even know where to start....I absolutely loved this book! Sheriff Bree Taggert is a strong, independent woman who has overcome so much. She is now the guardian of her niece and nephew and is learning how to trust, love, and ask for help. As the new sheriff in town, she has a lot to prove, to herself, her staff, and to the community, and she has made some enemies along the way.

This book felt so relevant to the added burdens women face today: trying to balance work and family, aggressive men, inappropriate & threatening emails, and internet crimes to shame and discredit them.

I absolutely love the characters in this book! Bree is fierce and amazing. I love her family and friends.

The storyline was incredible! This is fast paced, filled with action, and so many twists and turns as Bree tries to figure out who the murderer is! I could not put this one down! I was on the edge of my seat (and stayed up late) so I could see how is ended! Incredible!!!!

I highly recommend reading this if you enjoy crime dramas! 5 Stars!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

An enjoyable book which is a typical crime / police procedure theme. Good characters and a great storyline, I think however if I had of read the previous books I would have enjoyed it more.

Bree Taggert is an amazing character. I love trying to figure out how her brain is working while she tries to solve the crime. There are times I can see where she is heading and other times I have no idea what would happen next. The book is written to keep the reader on their toes, keep them guessing at what would happen next, and turning page after page unable to stop.

The mystery, the crime was the main part of the story but I also love the romance. Matt and Bree have kept their relationship quiet. I enjoyed that they stepped out in the public some and that they were not shy about telling each other their feelings. I like how Matt does not overstep while working with Bree, he supports in her in job, works side by side with her, and lets her do her dangerous job. Bree is perfect for Matt and Matt is perfect for Bree.

Melinda Leigh is a must-read author for me. I love this series and am always excited when I know a new book is coming out. I recommend reading any of the books in this series but they can be read as a standalone.

Absolutely loved the book. The book is one of my very first reads by the author - which apparently is also part of a series. But the author made sure not to make an understanding character hard or give away anything from the previous books. Enjoyed the book a lot.

Melinda Leigh can do no wrong!

Bree was a force of nature and I loved everything about her. You know in the back of your mind that she is going to come out on top.

This story is filled with drama, mystery and lies, and I cannot recommend it enough!

Great addition to the Bree Taggart book series. Bree and Matt are the strong central characters having to deal with the fallout fr historic police corruption. Good read on a rainy day.

I enjoyed this suspenseful story. This is an author that I never hesitate to pick up as her books are that great. This is a well written story where the author brought the story to life by using her writing skills. The twists and turns are like no other and I didn't see them coming. I enjoyed how the characters were not only able to pull me into the story but also had me coming back for more. They are strong, supportive to each other which made the story easy to read. This is a story of murder, lies and revenge. Find out what happens when the shariff comes up missing. Will he be the next victim or will he be saved in time. I enjoyed the growth of the plot and characters throughout that made it entertaining. I really enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it.

Melinda Leigh never disappoints. Bree is my role model and such a strong force. I knew that she would come out on top. I love the dynamics between Bree and Matt and how she fought by just being herself. People need to realize they cannot bring Bree Taggart down because she is a force to be reckoned with.

I received an ARC from netgallery and am voluntarily providing this review.

Once again Melinda sucks you in to the story from the first page. I absolutely love this series and all of its characters, how they’ve grown to become family and learn to rely on one another. Melinda is a master at keeping you guessing as the story unfolds.

Sheriff Bree Taggert’s downfall is part of a killer’s cunning design in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s novel of murder, lies, and revenge.
Called to an isolated farm to check on an elderly widow, Sheriff Bree Taggert finds a brutal double homicide. One of the victims is Eugene Oscar, the bitter and corrupt former deputy she recently forced out of the department.
Working with criminal investigator Matt Flynn, Bree discovers that she isn’t the only one who had a troubling history with Eugene. But someone doesn’t want Bree digging up the past. She becomes the target of a stranger’s sick and devious campaign calculated to destroy her reputation, career, family, and new relationship with Matt. To make matters worse, she’s the prime suspect in Eugene’s murder.
When her chief deputy goes missing while investigating the case, Bree refuses to back down. She won’t let him become the next victim. His life and her future depend on finding a killer nursing a vengeful rage.

This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary

A fast read with loads of twists.
Sheriff Bree Taggert comes across a double murder of a mother and her son the former corrupt Deputy who hated Bree and had sent out porn pictures to the community with Bree`s face superimposed on them so Bree is taken off the case.
Then Todd the Chief Deputy disappears So Bree brings in Matt Flynn a criminal investigator and also her partner to help her find him.
A murder book with a bit of the characters private life thrown in which had a good balance.
It had me guessing throughout will definitely read more in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

This was the first Bree Taggart book I'd read but was very excited to read it as I'd read the entire Morgan Danes series (loved seeing her feature in this book too). Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this as much as the Morgan series as I couldn't read those quick enough yet I found myself getting a little bored during this current book. I found the sheer number of characters/suspects a bit hard to remember and found myself rereading pages to remind myself who was who.
However, I did love the care and affection shown towards the police dogs and also learnt about their amazing skills too.
An average read and I may possibly read another Bree book if the su ject grabbed me as I do enjoy Melindas writing style, I just didn't find this exciting enough I'm afraid. A 3.5 star rounded up to 4 stars.
#NetGalley
#DeadAgainstHer

This is the first book I have read in this series and I liked it. There is enough background that I felt it read well on its own. I like the heroine, Bree, a gutsy sheriff. Appointed to her position, she has to frequently defend herself and her actions, especially when a previous corrupt deputy she forced to resign is found murdered.

In addition to solving a murder, Bree must deal with harassment in the form of fake pornographic photos let loose on the internet. Though easily proven fake, some gleefully promote them, hoping to force Bree to resign. That use of fake media could be right out of today's headlines.

I like Leigh's writing style. The action is nearly continuous as the plot moves along at a good speed. There is a bit of suspense near the end too. The character development is done well with a good balance of action in the plot and Bree's personal life.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of a novel from a prolific author. I will be looking for more from her.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

'Fear wasn’t the issue. Intelligent people were afraid in dangerous situations. But could he control his fear? He needed to function despite the fear. That was the key.'

(From the book)

My second Bree-Matt thriller. I really like it ― the writing style and Bree-Matt chemistry. In fact I like the entire investigative team. The ending wasn't shocking (for me) but the execution is good. It keeps you hooked. Writing, as I said, is very engaging and brings out emotions really well.

Overall, a very interesting and engrossing read.

Dead Against Her is book 5 in the Sherrif Bree Taggert series. I binge-read the first 4 books last month and I couldn’t wait to get stuck into this latest instalment.

The book was fast-paced, full of action and I had my heart in my throat a few times with the smear campaign that had been aimed at Bree. These characters are all so well developed now they feel like family.

If you have Kindle Unlimited they are all available on there for download or purchase and with audio included on KU. I cannot recommend this series more highly.

Bree is called out on a welfare check on an elderly widow but instead, she ends up with a double homicide on her hands and it’s someone she knows. Corrupt former Deputy Eugene Oscar and his mother have been brutally murdered.

Criminal Investigator and love interest Matt Flynn is called in to help her with the investigator. But that’s not all Bree has to deal with. She is also being targeted in a smear campaign to destroy her reputation and career. Bree has to stand up and fight back for herself and her family. Todd her Deputy Chief goes missing and the race is on to find him before he becomes the next victim.

Thank you to #netgalley #montlakepublishing and @melindaleigh for the advanced copy to read.

Engaging, fast-paced, action, and suspense…

This is the fifth book in the Bree Taggert series that can be read as a stand-alone.

This book opens up to the villain’s heinous voice that immediately captures the reader’s attention, thoughts filled with hatred that has been nourished over time and born a plan of vengeance now in motion. This person’s thoughts give weight to the phrase revenge is a dish best served cold, not in the heat of the moment for it to be most effective.

Being a sheriff differs from Bree Taggert’s former position as a police detective in a large metropolis, one has to learn to work the politics and optics hold importance. Upon taking the job Bree cleaned the force of its corrupt components and one of those decisions comes back to cause her difficulties.

Taking the call by a neighbor to do a wellness check on an elderly widow what Bree discovers is a double homicide, that of the former deputy she had removed from his position and his mother. Is this case now a conflict of interest for the sheriff? Bree isn’t the type to walk away from an investigation but she might have no choice, threatening emails followed by deep fake videos posted to the internet are designed to ruin her reputation and the optics are damning. But when Bree’s chief deputy goes missing nothing will stop her from chasing the clues down with the support of Matt Flynn, a consultant investigator and the man she’s involved with (which doesn’t help the current image situation).

This intriguing book is fast-paced action and suspense from page one. There are multiple suspects and interesting twists. The heroine has to deal with simultaneous professional and personal crises. How does one fight false accusations and investigate murders? Are events connected? Bree is a strong, confident heroine whose vulnerabilities are relatable, the impact of her profession on her family situation result in understandable drama that is dealt with compassionately. Having read the previous books enabled this reader to see the evolution of the main characters over time and even if reading this book as a stand-alone are well-developed. There is a great supporting cast of characters including the canines.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.