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Kansas City Crime Lab #4
Sharp Evidence
History is repeating itself…
With deadly consequences.
Discovering a bloody knife from two unsolved murders reunites theater professor Reese Atkinson with criminalist Jackson Dobbs. And the murder victims? Jackson’s own parents. But the shy orphaned boy from her childhood is now an army veteran and fierce protector…of the evidence and of Reese. But just who is weaving a deadly web that not only threatens their reunion…but their lives?
With deadly consequences.
Discovering a bloody knife from two unsolved murders reunites theater professor Reese Atkinson with criminalist Jackson Dobbs. And the murder victims? Jackson’s own parents. But the shy orphaned boy from her childhood is now an army veteran and fierce protector…of the evidence and of Reese. But just who is weaving a deadly web that not only threatens their reunion…but their lives?
- GenresRomanceRomantic Suspense
215 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 7, 2023
57 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Julie Miller
295 books366 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
USA TODAY Bestselling author Julie Miller writes breathtaking romantic suspense. She's won a National Readers Choice Award and two Daphne du Maurier Awards among other prizes. She was also honored to receive a Career Achievement Award from RT BookReviews and has been a finalist for many national and international awards. Her books have appeared on the USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, Amazon and BookScan Top 100 Romances bestseller lists.
Writing about Kansas City cops, Julie has crafted bestselling, award-winning books for Harlequin Intrigue. In addition, Ms. Miller publishes romantic suspense books with a military twist. Millions of copies of her books have been sold in print and digital formats around the world.
USA TODAY Bestselling author Julie Miller writes breathtaking romantic suspense. She's won a National Readers Choice Award and two Daphne du Maurier Awards among other prizes. She was also honored to receive a Career Achievement Award from RT BookReviews and has been a finalist for many national and international awards. Her books have appeared on the USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, Amazon and BookScan Top 100 Romances bestseller lists.
Writing about Kansas City cops, Julie has crafted bestselling, award-winning books for Harlequin Intrigue. In addition, Ms. Miller publishes romantic suspense books with a military twist. Millions of copies of her books have been sold in print and digital formats around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 8, 2023
Julie Miller gives us another winner as childhood friends reunite to settle a cold case that hits really close to home for one member of the crime lab!
Theater assistant director, Reese Atkinson, finds a bloody knife in a box of Old theater stuff and takes it to the Kansas City crime lab. There she turns it over to Jackson Dobbs, the gentle giant of the crime lab. I love Julie's beauty and the beast stories and this is another one of them.
Once they sort out that they had known each other as children, Reese decides to help Jackson with the evidence and it turns out to potentially have something to do with the death of his parents 23 years before.
There's the bad guys who are doing what they can to keep the evidence hidden and willing to hurt people for it. It was very fun to read and this who-done-it kept me wondering. Well done Julie to another great mystery. And Reese and Jackson were so great together their romance made a fun read, too
Note: Ms Miller seems to draw on her own theater experience because the little backstage details are spot on!
Theater assistant director, Reese Atkinson, finds a bloody knife in a box of Old theater stuff and takes it to the Kansas City crime lab. There she turns it over to Jackson Dobbs, the gentle giant of the crime lab. I love Julie's beauty and the beast stories and this is another one of them.
Once they sort out that they had known each other as children, Reese decides to help Jackson with the evidence and it turns out to potentially have something to do with the death of his parents 23 years before.
There's the bad guys who are doing what they can to keep the evidence hidden and willing to hurt people for it. It was very fun to read and this who-done-it kept me wondering. Well done Julie to another great mystery. And Reese and Jackson were so great together their romance made a fun read, too
Note: Ms Miller seems to draw on her own theater experience because the little backstage details are spot on!
January 1, 2025
As we work our way through another department…. We have a H who is basically Lurch, and women are wary of him. We have a h who is Little Orphan Annie, all grown up (literally - she played the character in theater). We have a stalker, because of course we do. We have a cold case involving the H’s parents. We apparently have a bunch of victims, though they’re only hinted at.
We are incapable of oh, getting a small security camera and hiding it in our office after the first creepy note was left. We also never thought to call the police, instead hand delivering what turns out to be a murder weapon.
The story was good. The h is kindof a ditz.
We are incapable of oh, getting a small security camera and hiding it in our office after the first creepy note was left. We also never thought to call the police, instead hand delivering what turns out to be a murder weapon.
The story was good. The h is kindof a ditz.
January 20, 2024
This was a terrific conclusion to the Kansas City Crime Lab series. I've been intrigued by the quietly intense Jackson since the first book, so I was thrilled to see him get his chance at love. I ached for him as I learned about his past - his parents were murdered when he was twelve, and his cold and mean uncle took him in. He was constantly put down by that uncle, leaving him feeling that he'd never be loved. After high school, he left for the military and spent time boxing, resulting in a beat-up appearance. He's also rather shy, resulting in moments of social awkwardness that exacerbate the problem. All of that begins to change when he reunites with a childhood friend.
Reese was a child actress who performed in plays at the university theater where Jackson's parents were active. She was an outgoing child who never had trouble making friends. She was drawn to the boy who used to sit in the theater and read while his parents worked. Years later, she is a theater professor and the director of the latest production at that same theater. When she finds a bloody knife in a box of donations, she takes it directly to the crime lab, where she reunites with Jackson.
I loved their first meeting. Bubbly Reese shows up at the crime lab, and the first person she encounters is the taciturn criminalist. I adored his initial shock that she was talking to him, then the confusion as she told her story, followed by the flare of hope that this could be a clue in his parents' unsolved murders. As quickly as she appears, Reese is gone again. After briefly consulting with his coworkers, Jackson is off to the theater to investigate. There is a lot of intensity in that section, from Reese's dealings with students and the dean to Jackson's unexpected arrival and reactions to what he observed. I loved seeing him and Reese interact as she quickly learned how to interpret his grunts and comments. His protective instincts are aroused when he learns of the disturbing things happening to her.
The twists and turns of the investigation kept me reading far into the night. Several possible suspects kept me guessing to the end. I loved the teamwork between Jackson and Reese as they suspected a link between her stalker and his parents' murders. The ramping up of the intensity and a few looks into the perp's mind kept me glued to the pages until it was over. I was impressed by Reese's ability to think clearly while threatened and by Jackson's creative method of coming to her rescue.
I loved watching the relationship develop between Reese and Jackson. One of the things I adored about Reese was her willingness to be straightforward with Jackson. He has some issues with picking up on social clues, so it makes things much easier for him. He becomes better at reading her as they spend more time together. I loved his ability to see when she needed comfort or support and how he thought of her as "a breath of sunshine in his dark, distrustful soul." There were some delightful scenes of them together as the days went on, and I loved seeing the changes in Jackson. His big moment at the end was sweet in his unique communication style. Reese had no trouble figuring out what he was trying to say.
I loved the inclusion of the other members of the crime lab team. Their friendship and acceptance of Jackson just as he is gives him the semblance of family that he craves. I liked how they absorbed Reese into their group and treated her as part of their family. I enjoyed their surprise and approval of the difference Reese makes in Jackson's life.
The author's love of and involvement in theater shines in this book. Including small details brings the story an extra layer of reality and authenticity, making me feel like I was part of the production.
Reese was a child actress who performed in plays at the university theater where Jackson's parents were active. She was an outgoing child who never had trouble making friends. She was drawn to the boy who used to sit in the theater and read while his parents worked. Years later, she is a theater professor and the director of the latest production at that same theater. When she finds a bloody knife in a box of donations, she takes it directly to the crime lab, where she reunites with Jackson.
I loved their first meeting. Bubbly Reese shows up at the crime lab, and the first person she encounters is the taciturn criminalist. I adored his initial shock that she was talking to him, then the confusion as she told her story, followed by the flare of hope that this could be a clue in his parents' unsolved murders. As quickly as she appears, Reese is gone again. After briefly consulting with his coworkers, Jackson is off to the theater to investigate. There is a lot of intensity in that section, from Reese's dealings with students and the dean to Jackson's unexpected arrival and reactions to what he observed. I loved seeing him and Reese interact as she quickly learned how to interpret his grunts and comments. His protective instincts are aroused when he learns of the disturbing things happening to her.
The twists and turns of the investigation kept me reading far into the night. Several possible suspects kept me guessing to the end. I loved the teamwork between Jackson and Reese as they suspected a link between her stalker and his parents' murders. The ramping up of the intensity and a few looks into the perp's mind kept me glued to the pages until it was over. I was impressed by Reese's ability to think clearly while threatened and by Jackson's creative method of coming to her rescue.
I loved watching the relationship develop between Reese and Jackson. One of the things I adored about Reese was her willingness to be straightforward with Jackson. He has some issues with picking up on social clues, so it makes things much easier for him. He becomes better at reading her as they spend more time together. I loved his ability to see when she needed comfort or support and how he thought of her as "a breath of sunshine in his dark, distrustful soul." There were some delightful scenes of them together as the days went on, and I loved seeing the changes in Jackson. His big moment at the end was sweet in his unique communication style. Reese had no trouble figuring out what he was trying to say.
I loved the inclusion of the other members of the crime lab team. Their friendship and acceptance of Jackson just as he is gives him the semblance of family that he craves. I liked how they absorbed Reese into their group and treated her as part of their family. I enjoyed their surprise and approval of the difference Reese makes in Jackson's life.
The author's love of and involvement in theater shines in this book. Including small details brings the story an extra layer of reality and authenticity, making me feel like I was part of the production.
March 8, 2024
Kansas City crimes echo.
Jackson Dobbs is great at his job in the crime lab. Interacting with people is an entirely different story. So when Reese Atkinson brings in a bloody weapon found among donations to the University’s theater, he lacks words on multiple levels.
Ms. Miller presents interesting characters forced to deal with past events. This romantic suspense has all the elements to keep a person reading from start to finish.
Jackson Dobbs is great at his job in the crime lab. Interacting with people is an entirely different story. So when Reese Atkinson brings in a bloody weapon found among donations to the University’s theater, he lacks words on multiple levels.
Ms. Miller presents interesting characters forced to deal with past events. This romantic suspense has all the elements to keep a person reading from start to finish.
April 11, 2024
Excellent!
Julie Miller is an awesome author. Her books contain, love, suspense, mystery and thrills. Always a great read! Love that this book has a hero who is “not a pretty face” but has a heart of gold!
Julie Miller is an awesome author. Her books contain, love, suspense, mystery and thrills. Always a great read! Love that this book has a hero who is “not a pretty face” but has a heart of gold!
August 4, 2025
This book has great characters, lots of crime solving, and a romance between a wounded introvert and an extrovert. I enjoy the way this series is written. This is another very entertaining book in this series.
Read
December 2, 2023Romantic Suspense, Crime Thriller, Police Procedural Mystery & Detective
Miniseries
Kansas City Crime Lab (Book #4)
Miniseries
Kansas City Crime Lab (Book #4)
Read
December 2, 2023Romantic Suspense, Crime Thriller, Police Procedural Mystery & Detective
Miniseries
Kansas City Crime Lab (Book #4)
Miniseries
Kansas City Crime Lab (Book #4)
December 18, 2023
Fantastic Book
An absolutely thrilling and enthralling book that will have you booked from the first page. I loved this book. I highly recommend this book.
An absolutely thrilling and enthralling book that will have you booked from the first page. I loved this book. I highly recommend this book.
December 30, 2023
Great read!
June 11, 2024
I enjoyed reading this story. The author has a way of immersing you in the action and leaves you guessing throughout.
August 29, 2025
Not my favorite in the series.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews