Fatal Conflict

This book was sent to me electronically for review from Netgalley. It reads like true crime...true life...friendship and family...mystery...intrigue...what will happen next? What happened and why? Are they really missing? Mayhem...murder...intrigue...mystery...although the book moves slowly at times, it is worth the time to read to discover what really happened. This author is gifted in weaving a story that is a can't put down book.

Po is furious that the Brogans have roughed up his fiance and partner Tess because they want her to track down Tony Vaughn, who has run off with Leah Brogan, who is pregnant with his child. Unfortunately, Leah and Tony have also run off with money that doesn't belong to them. I'm a fan of this series and this installment, like each of them, is perfectly fine as a standalone because Hilton gives good backstory (but not too much for followers). This is the underside of Maine, with crooks, corruption, and abuse, especially of women. Tess and Po, and their friend Pinky, are opposed to all of that and if they find themselves in a fix, they work together to get out of it. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A fast and entertaining read.

A gripping and tightly kntted plot, a cast of interesting characters, a complex story of underdogs and a couple who wants to run away but is in trouble.
It was a good and entertaining read.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Reacher Fans, Meet Tess, Po, and Pinky. This is a somewhat standard mystery-with-badass-heroes where there is a baddy (in this case, a team of them) who does bad things (we find out, and it is pretty dang terrible - though fortunately the worst of it is off screen and in the past, relative to our current story), and the hero of the series (heroes, in this case) meet up with the baddy through some circumstance... which the baddy winds up not appreciating in the end. ;) Within this scope, this is Hilton's particular blend of charm, wit, charisma, and caring. As with the entire series, you find yourself wanting to see what happens to Tess, Po, and Pinky next - which is the hallmark of any solid procedural. The *singular* reason for the single star deduction is that COVID (and masking) are mentioned heavily throughout the book, and *I DO NOT WANT TO READ ABOUT COVID*. I am on a one-man war to eliminate this topic from fiction, but the only weapon I really have is this single star deduction - and so I use it on every book I read that mentions COVID, and I mention why in every review. Still, for readers who aren't as adamant about this position as I am or even those who may disagree, there really was nothing too objectionable about this entry in this long running series, and quite a bit of fun escapism (minus the COVID aspects). Very much recommended.