You should put this on your TBR list, even if you haven’t read the first 10 in the series! I have read them (though it’s been awhile), and the storyline pulled me in right away, reminding me who the characters are and just enough of their past stories.

This book brought us back to Tracy and Dan’s hometown for the main part of the story. You’ll hear some memories of their time there and get a better history of the area.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC!

The unsolved murder of her sister continuously haunts Detective Tracey Crosswhite. Following her interrogation of the known killer, Erik Schmidt, the memories surrounding her sister's death begin to return. Schmidt is no stranger to her. He is not only a suspect in two cold case killings but also has ties to the murderer of Tracy’s sister.
Tracy is unnerved by her meeting with Schmidt. After she makes a crucial mistake during shooting training, she breaks down and returns to her hometown of Cedar Grove, seeking solace with her husband and young daughter.
Shortly after her return home, she learns that Schmidt has been released from prison. When she starts receiving taunting messages from him, she fears he has followed her.
Tracy is now forced to protect her husband and daughter to defeat this killer before he destroys anyone else in her life.

Dugoni does it again. The latest story adds new wonderful characters whom readers will fall in love with. I had been waiting for more of Tracy's story and was thrilled when this book became available. I absolutely loved the integration of the new character who was on the spectrum, given how many children are increasingly are. I thought that character was delightful and realistic. I could see this in a classroom setting for this reason - to help others be aware of their fellow classmates' uniqueness and abilities.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

When a killer gets out of jail on a technicality and threatens detective Tracy Crosswhite, her world is upended. First her partner Kins is targeted. Tracy moves her family- husband Dan, daughter Daniella and the nanny Theresa for safety. But trouble follows. As Tracy trains with her old shooting teacher and his granddaughter, somebody is watching!

This was a fast paced story that never let up. It was exciting and hard to put down. It was interesting to see a vulnerable side to Tracy, who is such a strong woman. I enjoy these characters, the loving side with Dan, but also the camaraderie and team spirit with Kins, Faz and Del. There was less of these characters in this book and while I missed them, it didn’t take anything from the story. I loved the introduction of the new characters-Lydia and her grandfather.

All in all this was a fantastic read and I highly recommend it!

A Dead Draw by Robert Dugoni, published by Thomas & Mercer, is book 11 in the Tracy Crosswhite Series. Every book in this series is interconnected, I recommend to read the books in order.
After bing reading the series, because I needed a refresher before this latest story was on sale, I'm happy to report, it was so worth the time and effort. I fell in love again with the characters in this series, Tracy, Teresa, Dan and Danielle, even her colleagues and friends.
This latest case is a rough one. While working old cases she's confronted with ghosts from the past. And Erik Schmidt is a persistent one. A fast paced, complex story, twisty and full of turns that had me guessing till the last page.
I recommend this gem of a story, 5 stars.

A Dead Draw by Robert Dugoni is the 11th installment in the Tracy Crosswhite series. The expected publish date is April 2025. As with every Dugoni book I read, I’m continually impressed by his ability to craft smart, well-written, and thoroughly engaging stories. This installment, however, takes a slightly different approach, steering away from the typical complex police procedural format to focus more deeply on character development, a shift that feels tailored for longtime fans of the series.

In this novel, Crosswhite’s journey comes full circle as unresolved trauma from her sister’s death two decades ago resurfaces. While investigating a cold case, Crosswhite encounters a suspected killer who is later freed from jail due to a legal technicality. Concerned for her family’s safety, she returns to Cedar Grove, where danger and hidden truths await. The story offers a deeper exploration of Crosswhite’s character, revealing a level of vulnerability and emotional depth not typically seen in earlier installments, particularly through her interactions with Lydia, a young adult on the autism spectrum. The story explores the town’s dark history and the world of competitive shooting. Unfortunately, new readers might find some of these details overly drawn out and somewhat tedious. I especially appreciated the parallels drawn between online gaming and Lydia’s role in enhancing Tracy’s shooting skills, as well as the meaningful analogies Tracy reflects on toward the end of the book, connecting these lessons to broader aspects of her life. While Dugoni successfully creates moments of tension and intrigue, the novel’s core atmosphere centers on introspection and healing as Tracy confronts her trauma.

Longtime fans of the series may appreciate the change of pace and the opportunity to dive deeper into Crosswhite’s character, Cedar Grove’s shadowy past, and the intricacies of competitive shooting. This novel is firmly rooted in the series’ continuity, making it a rewarding read for devoted fans but less suited as a standalone introduction to Crosswhite’s world.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Robert Dugoni, and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy to review. All opinions are my own.

As a casual gamer, I absolutely loved this. The author’s application of ideas and ways of playing to how someone might perceive them in a real life situation was truly insightful. I found the characters absolutely captivating across the board, even those seeming “bit players” who actually added important dimensions to the plot. The growth of the main character through the book was really moving and the ending was extremely satisfying, as we saw her come to terms with her past and achieve greater understanding of its impact on her future. This author does such a great job of bringing together people and police procedures that this will appeal to readers not usually drawn to the latter.

Tracy is an excellent ongoing protagonist in the series, and when she hurts her fans hurt as well. This time a bad guy has been been let loose on a technicality and he haunts Tracy.

It is always interesting to read a Tracy Crosswhite novel and this one is certainly worth the effort. Tracy is still haunted by the kidnapping and murder of her sister and, finally, confronts the killer’s disciple. There are several sub plots about a child on the spectrum, a town with many secrets, a life threatening accident, etc. My sole criticism is the time devoted to competitive shooting and all of its ramifications —- this reader found it to be repetitive and exceptionally dull. I thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

Erik a cold blooded killer has been let go on a technicality and Tracy knows he is after her. She heads to her hometown in hopes he won’t find her. I learned more about shooting than I ever needed to know but I loved catching up with Tracy and Dan. I loved Lydia and hope she shows up in future books. I highly recommend this book and this series.

Detective Tracy Crosswhite isn’t one to lose her cool. Until her interrogation of the taunting and malicious Erik Schmidt, a suspect in two cold case killings. Schmidt also has unnerving ties to the monster who murdered Tracy’s sister, stirring memories of the crime that shaped Tracy’s life. After a critical mistake during a shooting exercise, Tracy breaks! Great book! Fantastic characters! I loved the young girl! Great character! This book had suspense, murder, mystery, a psychotic serial killer, intrigue, and a few crazy twists, and turns! The storyline was very interesting. I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Another great novel in this series. You will definitely enjoy more of character side of you have read the whole series, but it would be a good mystery still as a stand alone. Tracey is a great character and here we go back to more about her history and hometown. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my copy of A Dead Draw by Robert Dugoni.
Another exciting tale from Robert continuing the story of Detective Tracy Crosswhite.
Erik Schmidt Is out for revenge, and anyone close to Tracy is in his crosshairs.
Can she keep her family and friends safe and face this new challenge?
A great read.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well-developed and the story kept me engaged from start to finish. If you’re a fan of Robert Dugoni, you will definitely enjoy this book. I absolutely recommend this book to others!

I am a huge fan of Robert Dugoni and the Tracy Crosswhite series. I have read all the books in this series and really enjoyed them. However, The Dead Draw is my least favorite. The plot seemed a bit farfetched. This is the first book where I found myself skimming chapters just to get to the end. I did like the ending.

In The Dead Draw, Detective Tracy Crosswhite isn’t one to lose her cool until her interrogation of the taunting and malicious Erik Schmidt, a suspect in two cold case killings. Schmidt also has unnerving ties to the monster who murdered Tracy’s sister, stirring memories of the crime that shaped Tracy’s life. After a critical mistake during a shooting exercise, Tracy breaks.

Haunted by nightmares and flashbacks, Tracy heads to her hometown of Cedar Grove to refocus. Just a peaceful getaway with her husband, her daughter, and their nanny at their weekend house. But Tracy’s sleepless nights are only beginning. A legal glitch has allowed Schmidt to go free. And Tracy has every reason to fear that he’s followed her.

The premise sounded so good, but the story was slow in the middle, and there was too much “information” about shooting and techniques and not any real investigation or action.

The best part of the book was the character of Lydia. She was fun to read about, get to know, and be a part of her journey in this story. It would be good to see more of Lydia in future books. Though some of the old characters were in this story (i.e., Faz, Kins, Nolasco), they only played minor parts, and I missed them.

Overall, The Dead Draw was okay but not a favorite of the Crosswhite series. I rate this a 3.5 out of 5 stars (rounded to 4).

Plot 3/5, just seemed a bit farfetched for me after all these years of Tracy's sister being dead and the revenge by the other characters still festering.
Characters 3.5/5, my favorites in this book were Lydia and Mason.
Writing 5/5, Dugoni is able to write a good story and create interesting characters.
Pacing 3.5/5, sometimes too much information about shooting and backstory.

#ADeadDraw #NetGalley @AmazonPub

I can’t believe I didn’t like this. I’ve long been a fan of this series, but this latest entry is my least favorite. Tracy is still not over her sister’s murder 20 years later, & her new nemesis is taking over the revenge from his former cellmate. The one that killed Tracy’s sister. Why? Because he looked up to him? I thought it was a thin motive. This was written like a western, which the author is a fan of. However, the ending of this book was ridiculous. A spoof. I didn’t like that there was no investigation, no team, & not a strong plot/motive. Tracy annoyed me a lot in this particular book. Fan of the author, but not this book.