So this seems to be another series I have read backward as I had previously read Books #3 and #4 and now this is Book #2. The good thing about this series is that they can be read as a standalone and at the same time they do connect. As I had read the later books, some of the storyline in Book #2 I already knew the answers too and in other places, it was good to get some background information. If you love mysteries then Melinda Leigh is an author to discover as she not only writes smalltown set mysteries but she has a sense of community and family despite the dysfunctionality of some of the families. In Rogue River, we have Carly - who is a social worker and is currently separated to husband Seth who is a police officer. Carly has moved home after her father who was the sheriff died of a heart attack which in later books was revealed to be something of a more sinister nature. In Book #2 we have Carly supporting a couple of families whose lives have been ruined due to the O'Rourke resort project which is featured prominently throughout the whole series. The Rogue River series follows a pattern of drug overdoses that Seth is looking at and Carly trying to support the kids affected and then Seth also not respecting Carly's job as he wants to protect her, but come on Seth - we don't live in the 1950s and Carly's job is just as important, maybe even more so than yours as she deals with the younger generation and they're alive still. The other great thing about the Rogue River series is that they are quick reads and hit the spot nicely if you aren't wanting to sit and concentrate on a longer novel.

These little novellas are just going from strength to strength, honestly really loving these.

This instalment definitely packed a punch, as it got further in I was totally hooked on the tension, it's gripping, well written, intriguing and has a great set of characters along with the first book. I wasn't sure going in that this one would be as good as the first but definitely nothing to worry about as this was even better. I loved that Carly is looking after the young kids and there was definitely a very sinister character in here.


Thank you so much to the publishers at netgalley for providing me with an E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Second novella in this series, and another winner!! Wish I had read it sooner. Great plotting and characters as always. Could not put it down.

While I really enjoyed the first installment in this series I thought the lack of conclusion in this book was more pronounced than the former.

The Good: I liked the suspenseful moments where Carly was making home visits to a family in a really bad situation. This smacks of realness and it made me identify with Carly and the fact that she didn't run headlong into danger was a plus. I liked seeing Stevie once again even though she had a very small part in this book.


The Bad: The continuing storyline that connects all four novellas in the Rogue River series didn't really move forward even though the death of Carly and Stevie's dad is being investigated now. If it weren't for the rehashing of the big bad drug craze happening in the small town there wouldn't have been much to connect the two stories.

Also, the romance was problematic because Seth and Carly are married yet separated throughout the entire book. There was huge communication issues between the two because of Seth. I couldn't connect with him because he was a macho-my job is more important than yours is-jerk. I could see how they might be able to work it out but only if Seth does some major soul searching and changes his attitude. A novella just didn't give a warring couple time to work out their differences.

In a Nutshell: I'm invested in Rogue River and will continue reading the next two books.

I am thoroughly enjoying the Rogue River novellas, and I loved this story of Carly and Seth. They were both wonderful characters, and I was rooting for them to get back together. Carly and Seth have separated after he has issues with her job as a social worker. They have a precious daughter, and still love one another. Seth has to learn to respect and trust Carly's decisions if he wants a chance to put his family back together.

Loved this one! I'm already ready to read more about this family!

Like most of her family, Carly Taylor takes her job as a social worker very seriously and will do anything to protect the children whose welfare she is responsible for. Her dedication to her job has been a long running battle between her husband and her and her marriage has become a casualty of that battle. Carly needs her husband to understand that her job is just as important to her as his is to him and to trust her to handle herself well. Her latest case is about to add more fuel to the raging fire because she believes the teen whose case she's just been assigned to is innocent and she's willing to take on her husband to prove his innocence, but when she faces life-threatening danger in the course of the assignment, will she be able to appreciate her husband's concerns?

Seth Harding is a caveman when it comes to his wife. He loves her beyond reason and wants to keep her safe. Carly does not fit his vision of a wife he can protect while she keeps his house and takes care of the kids, but that does not stop him from wanting wrap her up to keep her safe. Her entanglement in his drug case has made her a target, but he will keep her safe even as he gets a chance to understand the demands of her job and even if it jeopardizes his chance to reconcile with her.

One major thing about this book is that it fleshes out the role of the Taylor family in Solitude and gets the reader acquainted with and rooting for Carly and Seth. It also expands on the new drug that has become a threat to the town and its inhabitants both young and old. The seedy underbelly of the town is being exposed, family secrets are coming to light, tensions are high and the mystery gets deeper. Solitude will never be the same again.

GONE TO HER GRAVE is just as engrossing, suspenseful and entertaining as the previous book. I am enjoying getting to know the Taylor family, especially Stevie and Carly, two of the main characters in this series. Family means everything to them and they share a very tight bond.

While some questions have been answered, new ones have come up and the next book is sure to shed light on them. I'm hooked on this series and I'm grabbing up every of these authors' books and can't read them fast enough.