I love procedurals and it looks like I’ve found two new authors to add to my list faves! Kendra and Melinda are besties in real life and each write bestselling procedural thrillers. They brainstormed the perfect situation for their main characters to finally meet up and work a case together and the product is Echo Road.

I love the personalities of both characters, both together and separate. FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick and Sheriff Bree Taggert are fierce! A missing teen from Oregon and a double homicide in New York brings these two together for an epic matchup! This is such a wild book and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!

This is my first book by both authors but I’ve already done my research to check out the backlist series featuring both MCs and thankfully, they’re all available on KU! If you’re a fan of procedurals, do yourself a favor and download these books!

Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh's "Echo Road" is a riveting thriller that expertly blends suspense with deep emotional stakes. The novel follows the intertwined lives of its characters as they navigate a maze of mystery and danger in a small, tight-knit community. The authors' collaboration results in a tautly woven narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

The plot centers around a chilling crime that shakes the foundation of the town, revealing long-buried secrets and igniting a series of dramatic events. The character development is a standout aspect of the book, with well-drawn protagonists who grapple with personal demons while chasing down the truth. The dual perspectives provided by Elliot and Leigh offer a multifaceted view of the unfolding drama, enhancing the story’s depth and intrigue.

However, while "Echo Road" excels in building suspense and crafting a compelling mystery, some readers might find the pacing uneven, with certain sections feeling slower than others. Additionally, the plot’s reliance on familiar tropes could be seen as predictable by seasoned thriller enthusiasts.

Overall, "Echo Road" is a gripping read that showcases the strengths of both authors. It offers an engaging narrative filled with twists and turns, although it may not break new ground in the genre. Fans of suspenseful crime fiction will likely find it a satisfying experience.

Just as addictive as both of the authors' works. I absolutely enjoyed listening to this book narrated by Teri Schnaubelt and Christina Traister. Both narrators portrayed their characters very well and the tones and inflections used were spot on. I’m a bit behind on both of the Mercy Kilpatrick and Bree Taggert series but I was happy to discover that this book can be read as a stand-alone. The authors together wrote an addicting book that kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t figure out who was behind the murders and kidnapping. Very well done.

Echo Road by Kendra Elliot & Melinda Leigh and narrated by Teri Schnaubelt & Christina Traister is so very good! Cerebral, dynamic and on point for our times, it is outstanding. As for the narration? A perfect duo to narrrate this novel, the chemistry was well balanced, the performances immaculate and the production polished. Perfect!

FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick is trying to find a Senators daughter without alerting the media. Sheriff Bree Taggart is trying to find who unalived two people and left their bodies in a suitcase. What is the connection that spurs Kilpatrick to fly across the country and right into Taggerts case (excuse the pun)

There is a great dynamic between these two strong protagonists and the subtext of the antaonist is fantastic. The storyline has a strong core on the basis of the impact of social media and dating apps not just in compromising a case, but putting people at risk. Well written, well thought out and utterly gripping. Loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing, the authors and narrators for this stunning ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

This was a really clever thriller. The tied in some really exciting storylines and it all makes sense but keeps you right on the edge of your seat!

I loved the fact the 2 lead law enforcement are women and work together without pee-pee measuring that usually goes on.

I really had no clue what was going on until I was supposed to know. I love books I can't figure out.

A girl seemlingly disappears but she was using a BDSM site to get herself a master. Shes not an adult so she is legally missing and you are left wondering if she is gone because she wants to be or because she was made to.

It was brilliant!!

4.5 stars! Great narration, excellent book

the setup…
Sheriff Bree Taggert responds to a call from a county maintenance worker who discovered two suitcases by the side of Echo Road. Upon opening, Bree finds the bodies of two dead women inside. After details of the scene are leaked and reported by the press, FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick realizes there are disturbing connections to the case she’s investigating covertly, the missing daughter of a US Senator in Oregon. When Mercy arrives in Grey’s Hollow, New York, Bree agrees to let her in on the case and they combine forces to find what appears to be a serial killer.

the heart of the story…
Bree Taggert and Mercy Kilpatrick teamed together? I got excited as soon as this book was announced. High expectations? You bet. These are two of my favorite series and characters and the story actually surpassed my expectations. They have different strengths but share similar instincts, values and determination. The case was highly perplexing and clues limited. Girls are being abducted by a sexual dominant preying on websites catering to those with BDSM preferences. The race is on.

the narration…
I was in listening heaven because the narrators from both series delivered the points of view for their respective characters. I’m a fan of both Schnaubelt and Traister and they delivered seamless and great performances.

the bottom line…
I’m normally leery of character crossovers but this one is brilliant. Bree and Mercy didn’t take long in assessing and trusting each other. No big egos here, just two highly intelligent and skilled investigators who teamed up to find this scumbag. The climax was as exciting as I’ve come to expect from both series. Leigh and Elliott are a formidable writing team and I hope to see these two characters paired again.

During a heat wave, Sheriff Brea Taggert responds to a call where two dead bodies are found stuffed inside luggage. Once the press gets wind the community demands action.

In Oregon a Senator’s daughter has been kidnapped. FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick agrees to keep the case under wraps for political reasons. Mercy discovers a link between this case and the double homicide 3000 miles away. Mercy joins Bree and the two of them work together against a killer who is stirring up public rage and daring them to stop him from killing again. This book is a collaboration between best friends and authors Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh. They have taken two strong female characters that have their own series to make one explosive thriller!

This was a fast paced procedural thriller that I really enjoyed. The descriptions are sometimes grisly but add to the depth of the story. I loved that the two main characters were strong females in law enforcement. I can’t wait to see what these two authors do together again! If you like Karin Slaughter books or Tessa Weggert I think you will really enjoy this one.

I’m not generally a huge lovers when two authors combine their series for a bit of mix and mingle. However, I swear to goodness, Melinda Leigh can write anything with anyone! This Bree Taggert series is one of my favorites. Seriously, with every new book I love this family more and more. I think I may have read a Kendra Elliot novel a while ago but I know I haven’t read Mercy Kilpatrick’s series. I did double check and I haven’t, now I’ll need to add that to my TBR list as if it wasn’t long enough already. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing. I’m not sure I could have known which author was writing. If the narrator swap didn’t happen I probably wouldn’t have known which author had control of the keyboard. I definitely recommend this book whether you read or listen, it’s a hit in my opinion.

I can say that if you choose to listen to the audiobook, the narration will not disappoint. Christina Traister always narrates the Bree Taggert series and she’s always brilliant! The narrator for Mercy’s part, Teri Schnaubelt, was pretty fantastic too. I clearly would chose the audio version and think listeners/readers would miss out some if they didn’t get the immersion via auditory. Perfection!

Echo Road is an addictive, all consuming, action packed, police procedural with two strong FMC's. I absolutely loved this book. It brought the characters from both of these series together PERFECTLY. It was so well done, it flowed amazingly, you couldn't tell this was written by 2 people. I've only read 1 book in the Bree Taggert series and adored it, I didn't find myself lost or missing anything even if I hadn't read others or any Mercy Kilpatrick books. Now I definitely will !

I adored the storyline in this one, the case was so compelling, I was so invested from start to end. Once I started I couldn't stop. These 2 FMC's were just amazing together, to see how weary they were of each other and then being there for one another it was great. I loved that we got Bree, Mercy, The Victim and The Kidnappers POV's. I thought it added so much to the story. The characters were so well crafted, they felt so real.

This was a fantastic read, I will definitely be reading more. I just loved everything about this book. Highly recommend if you love police procedurals, thrills and kicka** FMC’s.

🎧 The narration by Teri Schnaubelt & Christina Traister was so good. It felt like I was listening to a movie. Every emotion, tone, action was so well done and it truly enhanced my experience of this book. I highly recommend the audio !

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @brilliancepublishing, @kendraelliot & @melindaleigh for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good police procedural. I also love bad ass female MC. And there were two! This was such a wild read. There’s some dark content but I really love how this story was told and I went through it quickly. I wanted to know how it was going to end and who is it behind it all and if Paige was ok. This is definitely one not to miss.

The narration was fabulous. I love that there were more than 1 to do the different parts.

I love a procedural and love female detectives/sheriffs/FBI agents/whatever, so I feel a bit like I won the lottery here with a sheriff AND an FBI agent. I haven't read any of the previous Mercy Kilpatrick or Bree Taggert books (YET) and had zero problems jumping in so far along because Elliot and Leigh did a fantastic job including just enough backstory that I had a really strong handle on who these (excellent) characters were without it feeling like a drawn out rehashing. This story was fast-paced and exciting, and I loved the creepiness of the chapters narrated by "HIM" -- both narrators were great, but I do wish there had been a separate male narrator for those parts to really up the ick factor.

I'm excited to go back and listen to or read all the previous books in both series (!!!) What a score!

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

The Bree Taggert series and Mercy Kilpatrick series are much loved favorites of mine. With both series, I have read the ebooks instead of the audio for the previous books. I was thrilled to try out the audio version and see a crossover with two favorite characters and their series.

We got both Bree and Mercy's points of view at times. The story combines a kidnapper / serial killer who is from Bree's area but has a victim from Mercy's area. I was kind of shocked because I always thought both authors wrote all their stories set in the Pacific Northwest in Washington or Oregon. Echo Road made me realize Bree Taggert, Morgan Dane , and Scarlett Falls series are set in upstate New York.

The authors set a good pace with plenty of action and smart characters. The characters, for me, are well-developed because I have read 8 books about each before now. I always read a series in order. You could read this as a standalone, but you would miss a great deal of the development of these two characters and their support circles. Some of the side characters you wouldn't know, but that adds to the overall world.

We also get some chapters from the point of view of the villain. He has a lot in common with many sexual predators who think they are smarter than everyone else and deserve to be in control and are especially derogatory and controlling to women.

I really enjoyed all the aspects with the family and relationships, the investigation, the politics and press. I highly recommend both series. Echo Road is a treat for fans with a new relationship between Bree and Mercy.

Narration:
The narrators are the same as from their regular series. I was comfortable with their performance even though I sort of had my own voices in my head since I have always read the ebooks. The narration added to the emotional tone and enhanced my enjoyment. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.