My Thoughts

For a number of years have been following this authors’ different series with both eager anticipation and a growing appreciation for her characters as well as her storyline plotting in each new book.

Detective Evan Bolton gets his turn to be the leading character as investigator into both old and new crimes cause his world to implode.

As expected the mystery aspects of who, what and why are revealed only after the reader is led through chapters guessing at possible correct answers to these questions.

The fact that while everything makes sense in the end does not take away ones confusion before all is revealed.

Not the strangest suspense thriller I have read but not the strongest story in this book series either for me.
[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

What a page tuner! Man was I so stressed out during this book. Such a great addition to the series. I’m so excited for the next book. Rowan has become a favorite and of course Thor. I also love that Mercy made a quick appearance too.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a heart pounding, fast paced thrill ride. Our favorite Detective Evan Bolton and K9 Specialist Rowan Wolff work together to right the wrongs of the current situation and those of times past. Some secrets were not meant to stay hidden.
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." eARC provided NetGalley

An exciting new novel in the Columbia River series!
Detective Evan Bolton investigates a report of a suspicious-smelling car in a junkyard. In the trunk, he is devastated to find the body of his mentor, Rod McLeod. The retired county sheriff’s detective was shot and dumped. He dreads delivering the news to Rod’s daughter and grandson. Evan proceeds to their home only to find them missing as well. He begins searching Rod’s old cases to find any clue on what is going on and who the murderer is. Evan’s girlfriend Rowan Wolff joins him in the frantic search to find answers. Will they get a break before another murder happens?

I haven’t read any previous books in the Columbia River series, but I had no problem figuring out the characters. I particularly liked Rowan’s search and rescue dog, Thor. Rowan has a large family, and I enjoyed the interactions between siblings. Ratcheting tension and surprising twists kept me on edge until the end.

Looking forward to new entries in the series and I will go back to search out the previous books. I recommend to those who enjoy K-9 search and rescue novels like the ones by D L Keur and Margaret Mizushima. If you like Melinda Leah, John Galligan or Bruce Borgos you will also enjoy the Columbia River series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the digital ARC!

Another great read from Kendra Elliot. A very twisty book, unfortunately the murdered man was a great character in previous books, so I really wanted them to catch this one, but it wasn’t obvious who was the killer and where was his daughter. Couldn’t read this fast enough. Not sure about the dog dialogue though

What a whirlwind read! Real page turner that I couldn’t put down - only minor aspect I didn’t enjoy was the fact that it was so densely packed with multiple characters that I couldn’t keep track of. Apart from that it was an enjoyable read

Evan Bolton is investigating the disappearance of his law enforcement mentor, Rod McCloud. They find Rod's body in the trunk of a car that has been in the junk yard for a while. Evan has to go through and investigate what happened when he discovers that Rod's grown daughter has also gone missing. Rowan is along for the ride, and we all love her dog, Thor, who will always save the day by finding people/bodies. Except in this case, Thor is finding the wrong bodies. This is a great murder mystery with characters that we know and love. This particular installment was a page turner. I love Evan's ties to Rod, and Rowan's ties to Evan. Of course Mercy Thompson and her husband make an appearance.

This is definitely not a stand alone book from the series. It requires some general knowledge of the series to understand references to past events. It was kind of jarring to have details of former kidnappings or other such events glossed over as a reader. I felt the writing was choppy and it made it difficult for me to get into the book and there were several publishing errors on the page that need to be addressed before final publication. I didn't find this one compelling.

“Next Grave” is the 6th installment in the Columbia River series by Kendra Elliot but like her other series (Mercy Kilpatrick, Bone Secrets), this can easily be read as a standalone. The author always does such an excellent job of introducing her characters and their backgrounds each time — you can start this series midway and never feel like you’re missing anything.

The story opens with the discovery of a murdered body in a trunk in a junkyard that’s quickly identified as a retired detective, Rod McLeod. Current Deschutes County (Oregon) detective, Evan Bolton, is on the scene and he had been mentored by McLeod. Rowan Wolff, a canine search-and-rescue expert and her dog, Thor, also return from Columbia River #4 (not really a spoiler: you know the person with hero dog and the guy who’s attracted to her can’t possibly be bad dudes). Evan and Rowan are now a threesome (can’t ever exclude Thor!).

The central mystery is about the murder of the former detective and his adult daughter. Evan was close to both of them, so there’s personal anguish as he and his team investigate. As Evan keeps questioning suspects, suddenly he’s in the crosshairs of a sniper and an arsonist firebombs his home (don’t worry — it’s a harrowing moment, but I was confident that the author would never allow Thor to be hurt beyond a few glass splinters that Rowan treats before her own wounds).

It’s an edge of your seat thriller that kept me entranced. The lead characters are so easy to like and root for. I like Ms. Elliott’s books because although the characters have secrets, they usually never turn out to be disappointing unreliable narrators. You can trust the plot to resolve itself and the good guys mostly win. 5 stars! I’ll be looking for more Columbia River books and those related to the series.

/treats/

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Bloodshot and tear-filled eyes, but no eye colors mentioned.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Although Sophia is a florist.

Thank you to Montlake/Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

4.5 stars.
Another smash from Kendra Elliot. Honestly, she can do no wrong!
I have read the Callaghan and McLane books which share a series end with the start of the Columbia River series. I love how her characters all interact and cameo in each others stories. I now need to go back and read Mercy's stories to fill in the back story.

This book flows so well and never ever has the reader thinking that they know the ending but the character hasn't caught up yet. It is planned superbly and the plot, perpetrator and ending gets revealed bit by bit at just the right time.

The love stories aren't overly done and unrealistic, they are a beautiful, modern take and thoroughly well done. I really enjoyed these characters and would like to see them again, as well as Noelle, which Kendra hinted at in her acknowledgements after the story finished.

My big thanks to Netgalley, Kendra Elliot and Montlake for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own. This review has been added to Storygraph and Goodreads already and will be added to Amazon soon.

Another winner! Will never not read Kendra Elliot, and I highly recommend adding this series to your future reads! I loved learning more about Evan Bolton, as he was a side character in previous books. Looking forward to the next one!

A fast paced thriller that had me hooked from the first page. I remember the characters from previous books and whilst it took a few minutes for me to remember what had happened, it soon came flooding back. I think everyone should have a Thor. I really enjoyed this.

This story started out running and just kept on though out the whole story. It centers around Evan and Rowan. The suspense in this one is crazy. We’ve been waiting for this one and it did not disappoint one little bit. I can’t wait for what comes next in this series and anything by this author she never lets me down.

SYNOPSIS
Detective Evan Bolton discovers the body of his mentor and friend, retired Rod McLeod, in the trunk of a car at a junkyard. Rod's daughter, Sophia, had attempted to contact Evan days earlier, and now it might be too late as both she and her son Zach are missing. As Evan investigates both cases, the puzzle becomes more complex, and his own life begins to unravel. Meanwhile, it becomes evident that someone is targeting Evan and his girlfriend, Rowan Wolff. Rowan, an expert in search and rescue alongside her canine partner, Thor, joins forces with Evan. Together, they must use their combined skills to locate Sophia and Zach before it's too late for everyone involved.

THOUGHTS
THE NEXT GRAVE starts with a promising premise: a retired cop is murdered, his daughter and grandson go missing, and there's the complication of the daughter's recently released convict ex-husband. Added to this mix are several closed cases with missing evidence. All these ingredients should deliver the setup for good mystery, while featuring a dynamic couple determined to find the truth squarely at its core.
This is my first Kendra Elliot book, and likely my last. The portrayal of Evan and Rowan's relationship is a central issue that undermines the entire story. Despite the author's insistence on their being a perfect match, neither character exhibits much personality or depth. Evan's chemistry with Nicole, a fellow detective is more evident than with Rowan, who is supposed to be his soulmate.
Throughout THE NEXT GRAVE, the lack of compelling characters remains a significant drawback. Despite being praised as the "best detective" his mentor Rod trained, Evan often appears incompetent. The story unfolds disjointedly, wavering between rapid progression and slow pacing, which distracts and detracts from the mystery.
When the identity of the murderer and their motives are finally revealed at the novel's conclusion, the resolution falls flat and disappoints. Overall, THE NEXT GRAVE fails to connect due to its underdeveloped characters and a plot that meanders aimlessly until its conclusion.
RECOMMENDATION
2 Stars
There is obviously an audience for Kendra Elliot’s style as THE NEXT GRAVE is highly rated. I personally found the book, its characters, and the overall mystery. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheNextGraveColumbiaRiverBand6 #NetGalley. The Next Grave by Kendra Elliot
Pub Date: Dec 10 2024 | Archive Date: Dec 24 2024

Kendra Elliot is a must read for me. I love immersing myself in the stories she creates. I look forward to new books in her series because it’s like catching up with old friends. The Next Grave is the sixth installment in the Columbia River series. What I love about her series is that someone can pick up a book and begin reading it even if they did not know it was part of a series. Although I recommend reading every book, Elliot is able to write a new story while weaving in information from past books to help the reader understand what or why something is happening.

Evan and Rowan take center stage in this installment as they investigate a murder and search for a missing woman. Thor, Rowan’s search dog, is right there in the story as well and is one of my favorite characters. Through the search and twist and turns in the plot, you can feel the desperation to find the missing woman and solve the murder. Evan and Rowan’s relationship is on full display and shows their professionalism and dedication to each other. I am always hooked from the first page of Elliott’s books. I find it best to go in blind and just enjoy as the story unfolds.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC an exchange for my honest review.

I didn't realise this was part of a series before starting it. I really enjoyed this and now can't wait to start the first 5 books.

Even though I hadn't read the others in this series, the book worked well as a standalone story.
I really liked the viewpoints of the different chracters, especially Rowan and her Search and Rescue dog Thor.
Because she works with law enforcement, but isn't directly part of the team, she gave a unique perspective of how the police operate. Everything felt very real and detailed to me.
The characters were absolutely believable, the story had me hooked, and I read the last few chapters instead of going to sleep.
The only slightly weird thing is how many families in the book had at one stage had someone abducted. That was too much of a coincidence and didn't ring true.

4.5* Another solid procedural, although Evan's not quite Mercy Thomson.

I think when you've read a prolific series like the Mercy Thompson books, impatiently waiting for the next to come out, and the series ends, so you're reduced to relying on glimpses of her - or collab novels like the excellent Echo Road with Melinda Leigh, 07/24 - everything else pales a little in comparison. So, although this book is in the same universe, and is a solid tale, as competent as he is, Evan isn't quite Mercy. He lacks her decisiveness and gut feelings, and perhaps, too, as a female reader, I'm more excited about a strong female lead, which is my bad. But, this is still a very good tale with unexpected danger, certainly more than the blurb lets on. This series will continue to be an autobuy for me, and I have the next on preorder already.

There's good suspense, as the killer has to be someone in law enforcement, but the surprisingly mundane person whose actions started what snowballed into corruption and deaths, will surprise you, and there are enough red herrings and subtle passing mentions that you'll miss the bad guy/s. There are several twists, and it's nice to see more of Nicole, who I'm pretty sure will end up as a lead in a future tale, inserted organically, not just plonked in as a hint. It's another great addition to this Mercy Thompson spinoff series.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Montlake for my reading pleasure.

Sent from AOL on Android

The Next Grave (Columbia River, Book 6) by Kendra Elliot is such a good addition to the series. The story grabbed me from page one and didn't let up until the satisfying end.

Kendra Elliot is a great storyteller. The characters come to life off the page. It's nice to see the relationship between Rowan and Evan develop.

In this installment, Detective Evan Bolton is gutted by his latest investigation. His friend and mentor, retired detective Rod McLeod, has been murdered, his body left in the trunk of a junkyard car. When McLeod’s daughter and grandson abruptly vanish, Evan knows it’s not a coincidence. Search and rescue canine specialist Rowan Wolff agrees as she and her dog, Thor, track the missing family.

The two cases converge in a puzzling twist. Evan discovers that McLeod has been reinvestigating old crimes. Evan takes them on, one by one, and a disturbing suspicion forms that someone in law enforcement has something to hide and would do anything to keep those secrets buried.

I would recommend this book and this author. I am looking forward to more in this series. The book has relatable characters who are developed well, mystery and intrigue that keep you reading, and solid storytelling by the author.

#TheNextGraveColumbiaRiverBand6 #NetGalley

This is the first time I have read something by this author but it certainly won't be the last as I absolutely loved this book!

The main characters have appeared in a previous book but this doesn't stop you from reading this as a standalone. Gripping right from the start. Great story.

Highly recommend.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy in return for an honest review.