I just love the Tracy Crosswhite series! Dugoni's writing is crisp, his plots and characters are complex, and he captures and sustains my interest easily. I can always count on him for a good, fast-paced read, and his latest offering is no exception. Though this is part of a series, it stands well on its own.

Tracy Crosswhite is the sole detective in Seattle PD's Cold Case Unit. An excellent detective, she has been awarded three medals of valor and recently took this position to be able to spend more time with her husband Dan and young daughter Danielle. When Anita Childress asks Tracy to look into the disappearance of her mother, investigative reporter Lisa Childress, Tracy doesn't hesitate to take it on. Lisa disappeared 25 years ago, and Anita wants anwers. Tracy knows what it's like to wait for decades to find out what happened to a loved one, and is determined to follow every trail until she can give Anita the sense of closure she wants, needs, and deserves.

Tracy immediately finds things off about the case. The more she investigates, she realizes that this case is unsolved because there are plenty of people who want it that way. They try to block her at every turn, and Tracy soon finds herself risking both her career and her life. Will she find the truth? What will be the cost?

My thanks to Thomas and Mercer for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book via NetGalley. Publication is slated for 8/23/22. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

I love the Tracy Crosswhite series and author Robert Dugoni never disappoints!!

This is the second novel since Tracy has been named the head of Cold Cases for the Seattle Police Department. She had previously worked with a team in Violent Crimes.

Tracy is still adjusting to her new job but enjoys more flexibility in work hours so that she can spend time with her husband and young daughter Daniella.

While Tracy is wading through hundreds of cold cases, she is contacted by Anita Childress. She has never gotten over the mysterious disappearance of her mother, Lisa, 25 years ago. At that time the case of her disappearance was never solved because there were no witnesses or leads and her body was never recovered.

Lisa was described by her daughter as possibly being on the autism spectrum because she was somewhat socially awkward. She, however, had a brilliant mind and was working as an investigative reporter for a Seattle newspaper.

When she disappeared it was known that she was working on an important case, possibly implicating people in high places, but she never revealed what she was working on until it was time to publish the story.

Her husband reported that she left the house in the middle of the night and never returned. Her car was found by a greyhound station, with blood on the inside but no indication of what happened to Lisa or where she may have gone.

Though her new boss is pushing Tracy to work on more recent cold cases where they can recover DNA evidence, Tracy feels that Anita deserves an answer to her mother’s disappearance.

Besides the excellent mystery in this novel and the multi-layered plot, I also enjoyed the fact that this book includes some background information on Tracy’s old teammates Vic Fazzioi and Del Castigliano.

There is much to love about this book and I don’t think anyone who loves mysteries, especially cold cases, will be disappointed in this one.

Highly recommend this latest installment in the Tracy Crosswhite series which is set to publish on August 23, 2022.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to read and review this title.

Will post to Amazon upon publication

Complicated Cold Case


Cold cases are usually interesting. The appointed detective is weaving her/his way through old files, many people are dead, in prison or not talking. Most cold cases are very difficult; there were no cell phones and DNA was not as cutting-edge. If the author is talented, he or she can create a cold case with emphasis on the people involved; the resolution is more painstakingly attained.

Robert Dugoni, a seasoned mystery writer, is a pro. He can tackle police procedures and weave a plot that produces a surprise ending.

This novel was predictable in terms of the bad guys with one twist at the end. The story was based on loss of memory, rather clever and excellent sleuthing. Tracy Crosswhite is a Seattle detective who is now in the Cold Case Unit, recently moved from Violent Crimes. A young woman comes to see her. Anita Childress entreats her to look for her missing mother, a Seattle investigative reporter. She had a history of following every lead and often did not tell anyone where she was going, including her husband.

Lisa Childress (Anita’s mother) vanished 24 years ago after she left home to meet an anonymous informant. Anita was raised solely by her father, who is rather bitter that people accused the “husband” of killing his wife. To this reader, that plot line seemed like a set-up, but it did work with the mystery.

Tracy Crosswhite pulls out all the stops to trace down Lisa. The book involves her search for this reporter who is now presumed murdered. Dugoni is artful explaining how many dead ends Tracy must follow before she solves the mystery. What happens to the mother, Lisa, is a clever storyline. Lisa’s history and how she fell off the face of the earth is the most poignant chain of events.

The dialogue was good, police procedures were interesting, but the storyline plodded along for me. Understandably, Dugoni needed to create a large cast of characters, but they did not add to a first-rate thriller.

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

Robert Dugoni is back with another exciting and compelling book in the Tracy Crosswhite series.

Tracy is working Cold Cases and you just know that with her intuition and doggedness she will get to the hear of the matter and hopefully put the case to rest.

That is exactly what she does when she approached by Anita Childress who's mother went missing over 25 years ago.

Tracy is determined : she knows what is like to lose a family member under those circumstances.

Twists and turns, corruption in the police force and non stop action follow.

I could not put down What She Found and I hated it to end.

Robert Dugoni is a born story teller and getting to read one of his new releases is like Christmas and birthdays all rolled into one.

I can't wait to see what adventure or misadventure awaits Tracy in Book 10.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, Thomas&#38 Mercer for a spel binding read.

A jaw dropping moment, a heart sinking fear, some smiles (looking at you Dennis Hopper) and an ending that satisfied and dissatisfied - just like life - but with hope. Those are the feelings this book evoked in me. The heart sinking fear - Faz and Del! The Jaw dropping moment - towards the end and oh man oh man does that open up a world of rough times for our Det Tracy Crosswhite. Dennis Hopper our hippie smoking boat owner brought the smiles. The ending was so real to life I can see it playing out all over, it's a sad world we live in. The hope - well you know Det Tracy is going to come back stronger than ever, she has cold cases to clear. This is a police procedural and follows through more on the investigation, the paths, the dead ends and it also shows police corruption as Tracy Crosswhite diligently investigates every avenue while being a new mom and can I say hubby Dan provided some smiles with the pergola and I always enjoy the dogs. The blurb gives you the basics. This series is always a win and though you can read each as a standalone I highly recommend indulging in the complete series. Thank you Robert Dugoni for always giving me something to look forward to! Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Mercer for the arc. I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. #robertdugoni #thomas&mercer #netgalley #readtheseries

A good addition to the series. Things have been gong well for Tracey Crosswhite, who works cold cases for the Seattle PD but all that changes when she takes on the case of Lisa Childress, a journalist who disappeared 25 years ago, leaving behind her husband and little daughter Anita. Lisa, now a reporter herself, believes there was something about the investigations her mom was running that led to her disappearance- especially one into the police department. While Tracey is initially reluctant, she sees merit in going further, which brings her into conflict with her colleagues. It's well done albeit a tad trope-y. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one.

What She Found by Robert Dugoni
(Tracy Crosswhite #9)

Tracy Crosswhite knows what it's like to have lost someone to brutality and not have at least the closure of the crime being solved. That is what led her to become a police officer and still leads her to look for the missing and to look for murderers who have gotten away, for years, with what they did. Now she is the one woman Cold Case department detective and she already has so much good work behind her.

Lisa Childress disappeared twenty five years ago and her daughter, Anita, asks Tracy to take up her case. Finding out what happened all those years ago could expose her father as a murderer since he's the prime suspect in the case, even though there wasn't enough evidence to charge him. But, Lisa was working as an investigative reporter on several cases that could have gotten her in trouble and her case was just brushed aside without much of an investigation.

Where this case takes Tracy leads back to so much more than just a missing woman. Important people, now and then, don't want her to pursue the case and she's officially told to back away and look at other things. No chance of that! Tracy is on a trail, several trails, and she is not going to give up until she knows where they really lead. She may not get the answers she wants, she may not be able to do much with what she learns, but she has people on her side who are willing to back her and spread whatever word needs spreading.

I follow cold cases often and it is interesting to see a cold case detective at work. Having read all the Tracy Crosswhite stories I like having been there with her as she's perfected her skills and especially her nose for the rotten, out in the world and among those who should be keeping the world safe. We get to spend time with her while Tracy does the foot work. phone work, and whatever she needs to do to get this case moved forward and it's always fun to watch someone try to block her way, because it's not going to happen.

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

I’d like to thank Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘What She Found’ written by Robert Dugoni in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Detective Tracy Crosswhite is working cold cases and is contacted by Anita Childress whose mother Lisa disappeared twenty-five years ago, presumed dead, her husband taking the blame although there was never any proof. Tracy finds enough information in Anita’s files to make the investigation worth continuing but Chief Weber has told her to drop it and concentrate on those more likely to be successfully closed. Tracy decides to continue and the case leads her to rumours of illegal drugs, corruption and conspiracy in the Seattle Police Department.

‘What She Found’ is the nineth in the Detective Tracy Crosswhite series and is so exciting I’ve not been able to stop reading. From page one I’ve been hooked and the complex plot, suspense, drama and twists and turns have only made me want to read faster. I like the character of Tracy Crosswhite who’s determined to bring closure to those missing a loved one yet still has a family life with husband Dan and daughter Daniella. This thriller is thoroughly enjoyable, one I can recommend, and well-deserving of five stars. Robert Dugoni is fast becoming one of my favourite authors and I look forward to reading more of his outstanding novels in the not-too-distant future.

343 pages

4 stars

This story is inundated with many names to remember.

Tracy takes on the cold case of a missing woman reporter for the Seattle Post Intelligencer. Twenty-five years ago Lisa Childress disappeared and her daughter Anita has become obsessed with finding out what happened.

This book has vast repercussions for several individuals, especially a group of dirty cops from the Seattle Police Department. But Tracy in her usual manner is not deterred from her search.

This book has plenty of surprises. An especially big one occurs fairly early on.

Robert Dugoni is a very good writer. (I had him pictured with a whiteboard listing all the names and occupations of the characters so he could keep them straight.) I like Tracy and her rugged determination to solve her cases. I liked her husband and her baby sounds adorable. I’ve been reading Mr. Dugoni for a number of years and he rarely disappoints.

I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

I always look forward to Robert Dugoni’s Detective Tracy Crosswhite books and count on them for a solid mystery/police procedural. This one did not disappoint.

The ninth in this series finds Tracy as a one person division working cold cases, investigating a twenty five year old case of a missing reporter. Her inquiry
puts her at odds with her chief and her career in jeopardy. Good thing she is so capable as well as having a supportive husband and darling baby daughter at home.

Dugoni’s books are well written, with intriguing plots and good character development. As with all his others, this was a can’t put down for me.

What She Found certainly can be read as a standalone, but if you enjoy it, go back and read some of the prior books in the series. I can’t wait for #10.

Detective Tracy Crosswhite is finishing up a multiple victim cold case when she receives a phone call from a young investigative reporter wanting her to look into the cold case of her mother who disappeared twenty four years ago. During her investigation Tracy finds that the original detectives were lacking and also finds evidence that there was possible police corruption that the missing reporter was on to. Did that play into the reporter going missing and might she still be alive....

A well-constructed police procedural: Detective Tracy Crosswhite is investigating a cold-case from 24 years ago wherein Lisa Childress, an investigative reporter, disappeared. The reporter’s daughter, now an adult, wants to know what happened to her mother. Tracy is able to use some notes that Lisa left behind to reconstruct the events surrounding Lisa’s disappearance. The focus is on police corruption. Kept my attention throughout!

While I have read and enjoyed several other novels by Robert Dugoni, this is the first book I’ve read in the Tracy Crosswhite series. What She Found can definitely be read as a standalone. Looking forward to reading more of this series.

Book #9 in the Tracy Crosswhite mysteries

Tracy is an homicide detective handling cold cases in her latest assignment she investigates a twenty-fine years disappearance of Lisa Childress, a newspaper reporter, who vanished after going to meet an anonymous informant late at night. After examining what Lisa was looking into Tracy became uneasy of what she discovered.

In convincingly details Mr. Dugoni gives Tracy a methodical and creative approach to solving the mystery. The truth was crucial where ever it led and following Tracy footsteps was reopening an explosive investigation: a drug task force scandal, a councilman’s criminal sex life, a mayoral graft and an elusive serial killer who disappeared mysteriously. It doesn’t take long before we are in a level of suspense and tension nonstop and as all the pieces come together and the truth begins to clear it was hard not to turn pages as fast as I could to see what Tracy would come up with next. This story doesn’t involve force and violence and seems realistic. What a nice change.

No doubt, “What She Found” is a strong police procedural drama dialogue driven and very active. Behind the tale is a story of a young woman affected with amnesia, the loss of her past and the hope for a better future. I love the way it was written and how the characters come to life. This mystery is gripping and riveting from start to finish and well-done.

This is the ninth book in the Tracy Crosswhite series. I have not read all of them and not in any order but I felt that this story holds up on its own.

Tracy is now working cold cases and has a decent relationship with Chief Weber until Tracy gets a call from a young woman, Anita, whose mother went missing 24 years earlier. Even though the Chief wants Tracy to solve cases that have DNA evidence she is still haunted by the time her own sister was missing and agrees to help Anita. When she gets a solid lead on finding the missing investigative reporter, Lisa Childress, she decides to pursue it. What she doesn't realize it what kind of can of worms she is opening.

This book has a lot of characters and I wish I had kept better track of them but the story moved along well. There was no heart pounding action but still the story took some turns I didn't expect and kept me turning pages to the end.

Robert Dugoni is one of those authors that I can expect a really good story and so far I have not been disappointed and look forward to reading more books by him.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for providing me with a copy.

3.8 Stars

One Liner: Entertaining

Tracy Crosswhite is working on cold cases, trying to bring closure to grieving families in whichever way possible. Anita Childress contacts Tracy to find out more about her missing mother, Lisa Childress, who disappeared when Anita was two.
Lisa Childress was a start reporter working on explosive cases twenty-five years ago. She leaves home one night to meet a source and vanishes. Her husband, Larry Childress, becomes the prime suspect, though there is no proof. Anita is tired of the speculations and the cloud hanging over their heads. She was to move on.
Tracy realizes there’s too much to do when she goes through Lisa’s notes. The reporter was working on four potential exposes involving big names and a serial killer. As Tracy digs deeper, things start to make more sense. However, it also puts her in a difficult position. It’s not just about helping Anita but a tough fight for justice that can bring to the light the biggest scandal ever.
The story comes in the limited-third person POV of Tracy Crosswhite.

My Observations:
I jumped right in by starting with this one. It’s the ninth in the series but works very well as a standalone. A wee bit of it reminded me of In Death series by JD Robb (police procedurals will have common elements).
This book is a bit dialogue heavy as Tracy talks to many people, and some have a lot to say. It’s not action-intensive, though I can’t say if that’s common in the series or if this book is an exception.
The book has a decent pace (though it dips in the middle and picks up in the second half). The threads come together well, and we can connect the dots before it is revealed.
Tracy’s family life (husband and a sixteen-month-old) blends well with her profession. It’s not easy, and Tracy has to make a few compromises.
The prologue is perfect. The story depends on it. There’s an epilogue, which answers some questions and raises a few more. It is the launch pad for the next in the series (I’ll read that one).
The ending is anti-climatic and feels like a deflated balloon. I’m a little disappointed, but I see why it’s done. The case itself is such that quick action wouldn’t be possible.
I know I missed most of the dynamics between Tracy and others in the previous books. However, it’s easy to go with the flow. The characters are well-etched and do their job.

To sum up, What She Found is an entertaining police procedural without high voltage action but a well-done plot. Grab it when you want something less intense yet engaging.
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Oh, happy dance! I am always excited when Robert Dugoni comes out with a new book. What She Found is the ninth novel in his excellent Tracy Crosswhite series. I was pleased to receive a digital copy from NetGalley in return for my honest review. Thanks also to Thomas & Mercer and the author.

Tracy is now working solo solving cold cases for the Seattle Police Department. While she misses her teammates, Kinsington Rowe, Vic Fazzio and Del Castigliano, she enjoys the fact that she can usually get home at a decent hour to spend time with her husband Dan and young daughter Daniella. As she is wrapping up a horrific serial killer case, a woman comes to her asking for help finding out what happened to her mother who disappeared 25 years earlier. Lisa Childress was an investigative reporter for the Post-Intelligencer. She left home in the dark of night and never returned. Her husband was left to care for their young daughter Anita. Because of the mysterious disappearance and absence of information, Lisa was presumed dead, perhaps by foul play, and her husband was considered a prime suspect.

Anita tells Tracy that her mother was socially awkward, perhaps autistic; nonetheless, she was a gifted journalist who relentlessly pursued her stories. She never shared her sources or her stories until they were ready to be published, according to her husband and her editor. This gave the police nothing to go on, which meant that they did little to dig beyond the surface to solve her disappearance. Not Tracy. Despite the passage of time, lack of witnesses, and pushback from within the department, Tracy is determined to find answers.

Robert Dugoni – whew! What a complex tale you’ve spun! The characters feel real, and you’re not afraid to make them fallible, are you? Guys like Faz and Del are not allowed to fly under Tracy’s radar. Everyone from back then comes under scrutiny. Some are dead and can’t defend themselves. The statute of limitations is long past expired for some offenses. Other witnesses are not going to talk. But some do. There are some fabulous minor characters here. I’d also like to see Anita Childress in another book or two, but somehow, I don’t see that happening.

We get a glimpse of what happened to Lisa Childress in the Prologue, but we don’t actually see the outcome. We’re left with some of the same questions that Anita brings to Tracy. Sit back, get comfortable, and enjoy!

5 stars

What She Found is the ninth installment of Dugoni’s popular Tracy Crosswhite series and one of my favorites. I enjoyed the multi-layered cold case mystery, Tracy’s smart detective work and an update on her personal life. Grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital arc of this novel. Releases August 23, 2022.

I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This story begins with Tracy just finishing up closing a case where 14 missing people's bodies were found. She then received a call asking for her help in locating a person that went missing 25 years earlier. This individual was an investigative reporter for a newspaper. She had received a call at 2AM and went to meet with a source. She was never heard from again. The person's daughter is the one doing the requesting and she has put a file together reflecting four stories that her mother was working on. Tracy took the files and reviewed them trying to figure out which one was what the source was going to meet on.

She found one that looked promising which pertained to a drug bust that seemed to have happened. Tracy in her search discovered areas that the investigators of a suicide failed to take into consideration . Following up she began unraveling what went on and then started to look into the parties involved in the bust. At the same time she received notice that a possible lead was discovered through the tip line. Before she could take advantage of that lead, she was told to drop the case. Tracy felt that the lead was important enough so she took a sick day to check it out. She flew to California to discover whether it was any good.

To discover what Tracy found regarding the drug bust, wether the lead panned out and what and who handed out repercusions for who disobediance, then you need to read this book. The story is well laid out.

Book Review: What She Found (Tracy Crosswhite #9) by Robert Dugoni
Published by Thomas & Mercer, August 23, 2022

★★★★★ (4.5 Stars)
Rave!

Written from the perspective of his strong female protagonist, and with a recent novella as the book's backstory, Author Robert Dugoni unleashes a fresh round of ideas with a plot centered on a dreadful dissociative disorder which can happen, and is recorded to have happened to people.

I would suggest that readers first understand the backstory, and read "The Last Line", Tracy Crosswhite 8.5 by Robert Dugoni (2021), an Amazon Original Story.

// Seattle Police Department
Cold Case Files //
It was supposed to be a quiet, pre-retirement desk job for the feisty heroine following her prolonged bout with PTSD (A Cold Trail, Book 7); the drudgery of a one-woman, low-priority operation ensconced in a glorified broom closet.

But Tracy Crosswhite, police detective, woman, wife, mother, sharp-shooting champ, crack ten-year veteran of the Violent Crimes "A-Team" unit, and three-time recipient of the Medal of Valor, the department's highest award, was not about to be quietly led to pasture.

// What She Found (Tracy Crosswhite #9) (2022) //
// Seattle Police Headquarters, Justice Center, 5th Ave, downtown Seattle.
The verdant "Emerald City" is besieged by social unrest. Amid calls to defund the police, the entire force is under pressure... //

The daughter of a once-prominent Seattle Post-Intelligence investigative journalist who'd vanished in Seattle's Industrial District more than two decades ago, asks the police to give her mother's cold case file one final look.

Lisa Childress, the journalist presumed dead, had been looking into a slew of potentially explosive investigations on extortion, bribery, dirty local officials, smugglers, narco-traffickers, and allegations of complicity by members of a drug enforcement task force.

From the Pacific Northwest to Southern California, Cold Case Detective Tracy Crosswhite follows the trail of crumbs. Little did she know she'd be stepping on big toes - and on landmines. That what she finds at the end of the trail leads much closer to home. That she'd be putting her entire career - even her own life, on the line.

-----

In its ninth iteration, Robert Dugoni's timeline in the series written from 2014 to the present day is quite exceptional, even prescient.

In an evolving lifespan, we've seen the full-blown action-packed version of the younger, deadeye markswoman, twenty-something Tracy Crosswhite; from her rookie days to her promotion to the Violent Crimes squad, and now to the cold case desk - post-maternity, early middle age, wife, mother, older, ever so pragmatic, wiser.

I think what's most remarkable about Robert Dugoni's writing is how he consistently remains true to his core values, as showcased in his most notable, must-read bestsellers, "The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell" (2019), and "The World Played Chess" (2021).

Review based on an advanced reading copy courtesy of Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley.

I have never read this author before so I jumped into this book with no idea what to expect or whether I would be confused by the lack of prior knowledge of the characters. I did not find that to be the case. I found I thoroughly enjoyed and admired this strong female detective that tirelessly works to bring closure to the families of the victims of her cases. A hard worker who balances her need to solve crime with time spent with her husband and young daughter. She has recently been working on cold cases and coming off a big win decides to look into the disappearance of a woman 24 years ago after her daughter asks for her help. It's a challenging case that has no clear evidence or motive and Tracey struggles to fit the pieces together. Where ever it may lead she will follow and give it her all. I thoroughly enjoyed it and find myself wanting to read the rest!