This is the twelfth in the Prince William County (VA) Detective Amanda Steele series. Amanda is enjoying a day off at an ice skating show with two of her friends and her adopted daughter. Her friend and colleague, Patty’s, niece, Michaela, is the star of the show.The pleasant day abruptly turns dark when a visit to Michaela’s dressing room finds her dead.There is a bunch of roses tied with a black ribbon and a card saying “you'll be sorry” left behind. Working with partner, Trent, to look into what turns out to be a murder, Amanda finds there are many investigative paths to pursue, especially after another dead body is discovered. On a personal level, will the obvious chemistry between Amanda and Trent continue to be a source of tension with her domestic partner, Logan?

This is yet another of Arnold’s fast paced, engrossing police procedurals. I read it in one day, long into the night, because I could not put it down. Arnold knows how to capture and maintain her readers’ interest. I love the repeating characters, especially Amanda who, despite an earlier tragedy in her life, is a strong, capable, independent female and I find the camaraderie among her colleagues quite entertaining. 

Although I have read quite a few of the books in this series and have enjoyed seeing the repeating characters and relationships change and grow,  I think this would work well as a standalone.  The author does a nice job of filling in background information, including Amanda’s past history.

Carolyn Arnold is one of my go to authors. She has written more than thirty books featuring five series and spanning different genre including strong police procedurals, cozy mysteries, and adventure novels. I also really like her Madison Knight series. Check her out!

Roses and a body…murder…this talented author has written a page turner. Red herrings kept me guessing…I like this author and this series…Amanda again…family and friends. Curl up in a comfy chair with a cozy blanket…a cup of steaming herbal tea…become lost in the world of Detective Amanda Steel. Thanks Netgalley.

Its amazing how well the Detective Amanda Steele series has been going, we're twelve books in and it has been a joy each book. The characters were everything that I wanted and thought it worked as a crime thriller novel. It was suspenseful and worked with what I was hoping for. I enjoyed the way Carolyn Arnold wrote this and am excited for more.