Bree takes on another good ol' fashion serial killer! Christina Traister does an amazing job bringing to life Bree, Matt and their found family of deputies, dogs and darling grandparents. I like that Bree's character growth in the story is supported in the narration as well. She used to sound so restrictive and withdrawn. Now you can hear how much happier she is.

Bree Taggert is the sheriff of the small town Grey's Hollow. The weight of the job had been growing but her relationship with Matt has also deepened. He's moved in and they co-parent her niece and nephew more. It's adorable! And just in time because their department it taking on a serial killer. It's heart breaking but this case explores the reality of domestic abuse and the risk young women face when they don't have support at home. This is one of those procedurals with plenty of threads to follow. The twist surprised me in the end.

Thank you so much to @brilliancepublishing @amazonpublishing @netgalley for the ALC!

🟢 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 🟢
Another great Bree Taggert book! I love strong female officer/detective characters, and Bree is one of my favorites. This story has Bree and her staff trying to figure out what happened to two tarp-wrapped bodies that hikers found in the woods.

With each Bree story, we get multiple elements and people intertwined that give the investigation complexity. Some elements we see Bree relating to with her difficult past and being empathetic to the cause of others situations.

I love seeing Bree and Matt investigate together. I’m also a huge fan of Matt’s family, as they help out at Bree’s house a lot. Hoping to see these two tie the knot soon!

I’m excited to start the next Bree story, and hope we get more in the future!

🎧 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 🎧
Christina Traister narrates the Bree Taggert story tremendously. She is very official and strong sounding, as I’d imagined Bree. She also sounds vulnerable when the story needs it.

🎧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
🟢 Police Procedural
🟢 Suspense Thrillers
🟢 Serial Killer
🟢 Found Family

I've been a fan of the authors since her Morgan Dane series. She writes crime series that are character driven. I grow to like the characters and almost as much as the case.

Missing women, an outbreak of the flu and the case turning personal highlight book 8 of the series. I love the work life balance of Bree and Matt and also the team aspect of solving the case. They all have their strengths and help each other when seeking justice.

This one kept me guessing from start to finish. I like how the case seemed to parallel their personal life.

Christina Traister narrated this one. At first she sounded a little older than I imagined Bree, but I liked how she brought the seriousness of the investigation to the front of the story and by the end of my listen she seemed perfect for the role.

“A captivating thriller that delves into the complexities of female friendship.”

In “On Her Watch,” Sheriff Bree Taggert becomes a target as she follows the twisting trail of a serial killer. A pair of hikers discovers a tarp-wrapped body in the woods, leading Bree to uncover a chilling dumping ground. With investigator Matt Flynn’s help, they interview Jana, the best friend of one of the victims. But when they arrive at Jana’s apartment, it’s been ransacked and set on fire, and Jana is missing. As the killer escalates and threatens Bree’s family, a young mother also vanishes.

Melinda Leigh weaves intrigue, suspense, and personal stakes in this gripping novel. If you enjoy police procedurals with found family dynamics, “On Her Watch” is a must-read

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

Sheriff Bree Taggert and her team are stunned when a pair of hikers find the bodies of three young women buried in the woods. She is afraid to admit it but they may have a serial killer on their hands. When a young mother Bree has been helping escape domestic violence is kidnapped in broad daylight, she and her partner/love interest, Matt Flynn, must race against the clock to find the murderer before he strikes again.

This is a decent female lead detective story, nothing overly surprising but a solid novel with a good pace that held my interest. I have not read any of the other books in this series but this is a good standalone and did not feel like I was missing too much of the previous back story. That being said I did not totally follow the need for Matt to be on the case, he is not a part of the sheriff's department just an outside "investigator" because of an injury so why is he here? I also noticed every person in charge, manager, lead sheriff or main character was a woman which seemed didn't feel authentic. Overall, this was a good crime drama and I would be willing to read more of the series.
I had the audio version read by Christina Traister who does a great job and is enjoyable to listen to.

the setup…
Grey’s Hollow Sheriff Bree Taggert is wrapping up a domestic violence call when she receives word about the discovery of a dead body by a couple of hikers in a remote section of the town. As she and Matt Flynn, her investigator and life partner check, out the scene, they find another body at the site. The final body count is three, all appearing to be young women placed there at different points of time. Do they have a serial killer in their midst?

the heart of the story…
Under normal circumstances, investigating this type of crime would be a challenge for Bree’s understaffed department but they’re in the throes of a flu outbreak throughout the county, impacting every unit. I was impressed how they didn’t let this impact the case, drawing on outside resources without letting anything slide. Bree’s family situation continues to bond and solidify, including Matt who has moved in. It was a lovely aspect of the story to balance the tragic murders of these girls and the sudden disappearance of two more who seem to fit the profile and some badly behaving men in their lives.

the narration…
I enjoy Traister’s storytelling skills as she models Bree’s temperament and personality. I’ll always listen to this series as she’s now the voice in my head for the characters.

the bottom line…
The procedurals were exceptional, particularly how Bree maneuvered around the staff shortages but never sacrificing the processes. There were multiple suspects to ponder and it was essential to pay attention to the clues (beware the red herrings). The case was fascinating but I was equally drawn to the personal aspects involving Bree, her blended family and friends. Still loving this series!

Returning to the world of Sheriff Bree Taggert was pure comfort. The author delivers another addictive mystery that kept me guessing until the very end.

The mystery was masterfully crafted, with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. The way everything unfolded was incredibly satisfying. This book wasn't just about the crime; it also showcased strong character growth for Bree. I'm excited to see where her journey takes her next.

Christina Traister Nails It! The narration by Christina Traister was phenomenal. Her vocal delivery perfectly captured the emotions of each character, from desperation and grief to frustration and determination. Listening felt like I was right alongside Bree solving the case – a truly immersive experience!

I love this series, there is plenty of action, suspense mystery and a beautiful clean romance. I cant recommend this authors work enough, highly recommend.

"On Her Watch" by Melinda Leigh presents an intriguing plot, filled with tension and suspense. Bree and Matt are in a race against time to solve the mystery and save potential victims. The stakes are high, and the story is a must-read for both fans of the Bree Taggert series and those who enjoy suspenseful novels.

#NetGalley #goodreads #OnHerWatch #MelindaLeigh

On Her Watch is the wonderful new detective novel by Melinda Leigh. In it, we find the eighth installment of the Sheriff Bree Taggert series. I love that although it is part of a series, one can read it like a stand-alone novel.

In this latest, gripping installment, we find Sheriff Taggert at the scene of a domestic violence situation, in which Taggert can empathize a little too much with the victims. Before she can finish arresting the bear of a man who attacked her as well, underestimating the Sheriff’s self-defense skills, her team gets called out to be the initial responders to a couple of hikers who have found a body that been clearly thrown out in the wilderness. Life is never dull near Sheriff Taggert!

During this novel, Leigh keeps us all on the edge of our seats over who did the kidnapping, killing, and horrific disposals of the bodies. Is it the same person who loses his temper at home and feels the need to take it out on others who he thinks he can “control”? Or is it a total stranger, just using her small town to commit his actually ħs of violence? Or worse, it is a local, who looks as sane and well-adjusted as everyone else?

Thank you so much to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for this fabulous audio ARC!!!

This is a Police Mystery/Suspense, and this is the 8th book in the Bree Taggert series. I have not read the first seven books in this series before picking up this book, but I will be going back and reading them. This book is fast paced full of action and suspense which is everything I want in a mystery. I loved the main character, and I loved the mix of work and home life we got. The mystery of this book kept me guessing, and I felt like I was working the case with them. This was a great read. I did listen to the audiobook for this book, and I think the narrators did a great job. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

4.5⭐ - How is Melinda Leigh even doing this?! Eight books into a detective crime series, and I'm still loving each one! If you have been a fan of this series so far or want a new long, reliable mystery series full of loveable characters, this is for you.

By this point in the series, I really like all of the side/supporting characters and I love the main crew. I'm always excited to see how each of them are doing and progressing as the series moves on. The mystery crime plots are also really solid, well-written, and keep me interested in the story throughout. Generally, the entire series is just a solid read. I look forward to each new book and I'm happy to see that there are already a few more planned ❤️✨

At some point, I want to see the crime rate stats for this whole area, though, because there is an insane amount of murderers living here.

So I didn't read the first one but I didn't feel like I was super confused or anything and I definitely feel like you can read this as a standalone.

The only reason why I kind of wish I had to read the first one was so I could see more of the relationship between the two main characters develop. But I still really enjoyed their romantic relationship even though I could have used more romance. But since this is more of a thriller and not a romance I was just happy with what I got.

I thought they overall mystery was pretty interesting and kept me invested. It was a good thriller to pass the time. I enjoyed the audio!!

Another great installment in the Bree Taggert series filled! You can expect:

* crime thriller
* missing girls / serial unaliver
* found family that will give you the warm and fuzzies
* romantic suspense
* small town setting

Poor Bree - the town is riddle with the flu, it won't stop raining, and a dead girl in the woods leads to a clearing filled with a few more... the story goes from there and it was everything I come to expect from Melinda Leigh!