I loved this second mystery in the series. The characters are great and really make the story; they're nuanced and believable, flaws and all. The tension between Jax and Abby as they deal with the aftermath of their daughter Lulu’s death, along with the development of the relationships between the members of the raw team that Jax is building at work, really make this story for me. I enjoyed the mystery, though the most likely candidate for the killer is fairly obvious early on, in spite of the red herrings. I look forward to reading the further adventures of Jax, Abby, and the team!

How did Nora get out of the facility, walk three miles away, and end up with a bloody tennis shoe in her hands?

Meanwhile, not much farther away a famous surfboard designer is missing and a bloody tennis shoe is also found somewhere on the scene.

We meet Jax, Abby, Margot, and a full cast of characters in this tense thriller that also has some romance involved.

Abby and Jax were married and now divorced, but they still work together. In comes Margot who was the nurse for Abby and Jax's daughter who passed away from Leukemia.

What was Margot doing here? What made her move to the sleepy town of Misty Pines?

Jax found out she recently moved here and next to one of the murder victims. Margot is also "after" Jax even though Jax still loves Abby.

Lots going on and lots of tension that will keep your interest.

Will the murders be solved, and will they find out what Nora saw and why she had the bloody tennis shoe in her hand and what the significance of the severed feet on the murdered victims means?

Even though this was the second book in the series, it worked well as a stand alone.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Misty Pines Mystery book#2

A Psychological suspense

This is a satisfying whodunit mystery and a well-crafted page-tuner. It brings Jax Turner, a small seaside town sheriff, to focus on his community while holding tight to the hope of getting back with his FBI agent ex-wife, Abby Kanekoa.

After looking into the request to make a welfare check on his brother a surf shop owner’s, Jax sets out only to find the man absent, looking further he finds tracks leading to a pool of blood and a severed foot on the beach...The find is not the only one recovered...FBI needed to be called bringing Jax” former wife into the picture.....and a dual investigation is launched.

What is not to like, this story is simply a fantastic read. We follow two interesting threads that eventually mesh together. While Jax does his investigation Abby’s troubles continues with her mother who has Alzheimer’s and needed to be place in a nursing home. Things turned not to be as simply as one thought. The story goes back and forth between the two and sometime crosses path when Abby works with her ex or vice-versa. But as more severed feet are found and more people go missing in the surfing community Jax suspect a serial killer is on the loose and as readers we are at the sea coast, the forest in all kind of weather and of course into an exceptional setting. Ms. Keliikoa’s writing is clear and powerful, she is a master shuffling a multi layered plot with characters that are complex, unique and seem like real people. Jax has a hard time facing his separation and the loss of his child while Abby still has mixed feelings about her ex and keeps her sorrow to herself. The narration is moving and will hit close to home for those who suffered the same experiences. In the words we sense their struggles and their pain we can only hope for a better outcome in the end. It really evokes sympathy... The writing craft is superb, the characters three-dimensional and the setting is a dream...What a combination. Well-said and well-done.

Thank you Netgalley and Level Best Publishing for an arc of this twisted book. As Sheriff Jax Turner is called upon to investigate a missing surfer, he only finds a large pool of blood. As he investigates, he receives a call from his ex-wife, FBI Agent, Abby. She has something he needs to see immediately. As the investigation continues, a severed foot washes ashore, others go missing and as the suspense ratchets up, Jax and Abby work together as their cases collide. If you like mystery and suspense with a twisted killer, don’t miss this one.

Both Sheriff Jax Turner and his ex-wife FBI agent Abby Kanekoa are still dealing with the death of their young daughter Lulu from leukemia a few years earlier. Lulu's death cost them their marriage though Jax is still hoping to reconcile. He's finally coming out of the black hole that Lulu's death put in his life. But work problems including conflicts with one of the City Council are causing new stress. And when a local surf legend goes missing except for one foot, tensions rise.

Abby is not only dealing with the loss of her child and her marriage but she is dealing with her mother's early onset Alzheimer's disease. Dora has taken to walking away from the assisted living facility where she lives adding more stress to Abby's life. When she finds her mother on the beach on afternoon, Dora is cradling a foot in a track shoe.

This isn't the only foot that has shown up along the Pacific Coast. But identifying the foot's owner leads Abby and her partner to another missing person's case. Could it be connected to Jax's missing person case? There are similarities which cause Jax and Abby to have to work together despite their differences.

This was an engaging story damaged but healing main characters. I enjoyed the small coastal town setting. And even though my suspicions about the identity of the killer were correct, I enjoyed watching Jax and Abby's journey to the solution.

Deadly Tides is the second of two books in a series (hopefully more to follow), subtitled "A Misty Pines Mystery" by Mary Keliikoa. For the last couple months, I've been on a delightful walkabout in fiction and non-fiction books which are beyond this blog's usual murder mystery genre, and it's nice to be back to the format I know so well. The fictional venue of Misty Pines is along the relatively uninhabited Oregon Coast. Abby Kanekoa, an FBI agent, was once married to Sheriff Jax Turner, but the death of their daughter due to leukemia, turned their lives upside down and their marriage did not survive their grief. Meanwhile, both Abby and Jax continued to work in their law enforcement roles although Abby moved to be in a nearby town in order to escape the constant memories of their daughter which were evoked in Misty Pines. So, Abby and Jax did not typically have direct interactions with one another.

Meanwhile, Abby's troubles continued when her mother, Dora Michaels, developed early onset Alzheimer's and had to be put in a nursing home. As her disease progressed, so did the frequency of her wondering away from the nursing home where her supervision was loose. She was found wondering on a remote beach, having found a severed foot and a belt buckle that she was intent on keeping. Then other missing persons were uncovered and there was another body whose foot had been removed. Although the case originated in Misty Pines, so Jax was involved, because of the suspicion of a serial killer, the FBI was called in. Jax and Abby had to work together, and it turned out that it had been Abby who had stopped attending their ongoing marital therapy sessions. One of the missing persons was a legendary surfer who was known to be great at shaping and creating new surfboards, and he had his own surf shop. He was thought to have designed a new board that was bound to be a big hit among surfers. However, the blueprints for the new board were missing. A second legendary surfer who had been bested by the first in their biggest contests, became the leading suspect in the missing person case. His own surf shop was struggling financially and needed a new product, like the design of other man's new board.

Keliikoa was successful in creating a great cast of characters, and the main plot as well as the fate of Abby's mother and her relationship with Jax were tightly woven into a strong and engaging story. This book gets my strong recommendation. So, I'll be off to read the first book in the series, Hidden Pieces, as well as waiting for the author's third installment.

The plot is interesting but I didn't liked the style of writing
Not my cup of tea
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I liked this book but I just couldn't get into the story. I didn't like the writing style but overall the story was good.

This was a great murder mystery to read. I have not read any other books by M. K. but intend to in the near future. I read this book in one sitting as I was captivated by the story.

Losing your only child at nine years old was a traumatic experience for any parent, and Sheriff Turner and his wife are no exception. After going their separate ways, it will take another traumatic incident to bring them together again, only this time, death was stalking them. It was a riveting, gripping, and captivating story that held me captive to its intriguing pages. It was exciting and unputdownable.

I must say I had a little trouble getting into that story, but I still ended up enjoying it. It read well, without falling into clichés, and was a good depiction of the trials of women in law enforcement. Very interesting setup, as well.

Just WOW! My first Mary Keliikoa book but most definitely not my last. This one grabbed me early on and just never let go. There were so many startling surprises. Great dark and twisty tension that kept me flipping pages long past my bedtime. And the characters were fantastic.
Highly recommend
Thank you NetGalley , Mary Keliikoa and Lisa from Swell Media for the opportunity to read this cracker of a book.

This is the 2nd book it a series by an author that I recently discovered. I loved the first book this book was great too but I liked the first better. Needless to say I will be keeping up with the series and can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest review.
I didn’t realize this was the second book. It was good and I think I picked up on enough without reading the first book. There were lots of twists. A scenario of Jax and his ex wife losing their daughter to cancer which is so well known to cause divorce. But they worked together to find the killer. There was a foot discovered to add to the mix. It was intriguing and kept your interest. I would recommend reading this book but I think it would be better to read the first one before you read this one.

This crime thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat, it’s twisty and turny with so much going on. The book also explores grief with a TW for child death. I enjoyed figuring the case out alongside Jax.

Well-written with appealing characters caught up in a dark and gritty case, Deadly Tides is a crime novel with a little bit of everything. Mary Keliikoa delivers a fast-paced and compelling thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, continuously changing your mind on who could be behind the crime.

Violent crime doesn’t often visit the Oregon coast. But when a severed foot washes ashore on the same day a surf shop owner goes missing, Misty Pines Sheriff Jax Turner and his understaffed department kick into high gear to investigate a potential homicide. In the process, they come across a pool of blood, an additional missing persons case, another dead body, and several folks with hidden agenda and strong motives. Working with his ex-wife/FBI agent Abby Kanekoa, Jax diligently follows up on leads to untangle the mess of these cases as well as the mess his life has become. And he better act quickly. Or the safety of the town, those he cares about, and his own life could be in serious jeopardy.

The appeal of Deadly Tides is twofold. First, it’s the relatability of the characters. Jax is struggling to put his life back together after the loss of his child and the subsequent divorce from the love of his life. He’s flawed and vulnerable yet hopeful and a work in progress, all things everyone can relate to on some level. Same goes for his ex-wife Abby, who shows a different way of coping and living her life. And the list goes on, every character has a backstory with challenges and uncertain futures. It makes for a compelling and sympathetic cast (except for the potential murderer of course).

Second, it’s the violent crimes and increasingly urgent investigation with numerous suspects and equally abundant twists and turns. Severed feet and dead bodies bring darkness to a picturesque beachside town. Troubled youth, jealous businessmen, combustible politicians, and incompetent care facilities all lend realistic disquiet, complexity and uncertainty to how things will unfold. And once it becomes clear who is the main suspect, it’s a high-intensity race to the finish with bated breath. Hoping for a positive outcome but fearing the worst is about to happen. Engaging and exciting from start to finish.

A fantastically crafted second book in this young series, Mary Keliikoa has something brewing here that is worth watching. Especially for fans of murder mysteries and flawed characters. Deadly Tides has both and I expect we’ll see more in future tales of Misty Pines.

FBI agent Abby Kanekoa and her former husband, Sheriff Jax Turner both get pulled into the disappearance of a missing surfer. Abby's mother, who has a few memory issues, finds a foot on the beach, which may belong to Terry Chesney, the missing surfer for whom Turner is searching.

After more disappearances, the two find themselves working together to sort out the pieces, quite literally in the case of missing feet. Abby and Jax have a rocky relationship, having divorced after the drawn out death of their young daughter from cancer.

While trying to solve the missing persons' cases, Jax is also trying to rebuild the relationship with his former wife and his former partner. Jax and his big city partner-in-fighting crime are at odds because Jax hired has hired Rachel, his ex-partner's daughter, to join his department.

Mystery fans will enjoy this series and look forward to an expansion of the role of Rachel and her dog in future installments.

Note: I read an ARC of the book provided by NetGalley.

This is another really good, murder mystery thriller from this excellent author.

It’s got a cracking plot with interesting characters that include an ex husband and wife “will they / won’t they?” storyline and although I’d guessed the perpetrator quite early on, I still enjoyed the ride.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lisa & Carla Swell Media for the opportunity to preview.

Mary Keliikoa has created some intriguing characters in her Misty Pines Mystery series. <I>Deadly Tides</I> starts with FBI agent Abby Kanakoa having issues with Dora, her mother who has dementia, has escaped from her assisted living location, and has found a severed foot in a shoe on the beach. Abby turns the foot over to her ex-husband, Sheriff Jax Turner, who has his own problems with a missing person—former champion surfer, now surfboard maker Terry Cheney.. Adding to the mix is Rachel Killian, the daughter of Jax’s ex-partner in the big city, who applies to become a deputy sheriff working with Jax with her own search-and-rescue dog Koa. Readers will be carried along as these key characters work together to solve their combined mystery of just what is happening in Misty Pines.

Deadly Tides is the 2nd in a series and I did not read book #1. With that being said, I found it pretty easy to pick up what was happening but I felt it dragging in the middle. Jax, who is the sherif in town and his ex-wife who is a FBI agent try to work together to solve a crime. It was just ok for me. Maybe I should’ve read the first book first and maybe that would’ve helped me understand more? Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in advance. I give it 3 stars.