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A Cold Case Mystery #1
Bone of Contention
Book #1 from the series: Cold Case Mystery
An action-packed, roller coaster ride new cold case mystery series that will have your pulse racing!
US Marshall Mallory Bodine’s short visit back to her central Florida hometown quickly turns into work. When a skeleton is unearthed in her mom’s back yard, Mallory is caught-up in the middle of a cold case murder investigation as she searches for answers.
Who killed the perky, loveable school teacher?
Four local hoodlums are a convenient fit as the killers – for the lazy, complacent sheriff, that is – but the local detective and Mallory want the truth.
Was it an act of vandalism that got out of hand? Or something more sinister?
Digging through fourteen years of lies won’t be easy.
Murder never is.
Meet Mallory Bodine, fugitive hunter.
No case has been cold too long—and for Mallory—the dead are not forgotten.
From a USA Today bestselling author: US Marshal Mallory Bodine is excited for a peaceful visit to her central Florida hometown — at least, until a skeleton turns up in her mother’s backyard. Luckily, Mallory specializes in cold cases, and she’s determined to find out the truth. A series starter perfect for fans of Kendra Elliot and Debra Webb!
An action-packed, roller coaster ride new cold case mystery series that will have your pulse racing!
US Marshall Mallory Bodine’s short visit back to her central Florida hometown quickly turns into work. When a skeleton is unearthed in her mom’s back yard, Mallory is caught-up in the middle of a cold case murder investigation as she searches for answers.
Who killed the perky, loveable school teacher?
Four local hoodlums are a convenient fit as the killers – for the lazy, complacent sheriff, that is – but the local detective and Mallory want the truth.
Was it an act of vandalism that got out of hand? Or something more sinister?
Digging through fourteen years of lies won’t be easy.
Murder never is.
Meet Mallory Bodine, fugitive hunter.
No case has been cold too long—and for Mallory—the dead are not forgotten.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2023
53 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Kristi Rose
54 books257 followersHey! I’m Kristi. I write romances that will tug your heartstrings and laugh out loud mysteries. In all my stories you’ll fall in love with the cast of characters, they’ll become old, fun friends. My one hope is that I create stories that satisfy any of your book cravings and take you away from the rut of everyday life (sometimes it's a good rut).
When I’m not writing I’m spinning (riding a stationary bike, repurposing Happy Planners, or drinking a London Fog (hot tea with frothy milk).
I’m the mom of 2 and a milspouse (retired). We live in the Pacific Northwest and are under-prepared if one of the volcanoes erupts.
Here are 3 things about me:
• I lived on the outskirts of an active volcano (Mt.Etna)
• A spider bit me and it laid eggs in my arm (my kids don’t know that story yet)
• I grew up in Central Florida and have skied in lakes with gators.
I’d love to get to know you better. Join my Read & Relax community and then fire off an email and tell me 3 things about you!
Not ready to join? Email me or follow me here. Thanks for popping by!
You can connect with Kristi at any of the following:
www.kristirose.net
kristi@kristirose.net
When I’m not writing I’m spinning (riding a stationary bike, repurposing Happy Planners, or drinking a London Fog (hot tea with frothy milk).
I’m the mom of 2 and a milspouse (retired). We live in the Pacific Northwest and are under-prepared if one of the volcanoes erupts.
Here are 3 things about me:
• I lived on the outskirts of an active volcano (Mt.Etna)
• A spider bit me and it laid eggs in my arm (my kids don’t know that story yet)
• I grew up in Central Florida and have skied in lakes with gators.
I’d love to get to know you better. Join my Read & Relax community and then fire off an email and tell me 3 things about you!
Not ready to join? Email me or follow me here. Thanks for popping by!
You can connect with Kristi at any of the following:
www.kristirose.net
kristi@kristirose.net
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 7, 2024
There was a few parts of the book that I would have liked to change. First and foremost would be the editing. There's an error where a chapter started in a previous chapter and then was repeated. I enjoyed the story don't get me wrong. There was a few places that I had to re-read to figure out who was talking/doing something. It wasn't super clear. But I enjoyed it nevertheless.
Mallory and her family are complicated. Like most. I was happy that it wasn't as bad as I expected. Nat is very close with her sister. The most irritating aspect of the book was Sheriff Dev. The whole town knows him as a lazy cop. Someone who is supposed to protect and serve. Shame on him for trying to close the case to make it easy. Him and that other detective should both loose their jobs. If not have charges filed against them for negligence.
Spoilers!!
I wasn't expecting Gareth to be the killer! Nor the stalker. Shame on him. 9/11 was hard on the entire county. Ignorance was spread. It's still present now. Shameful. He had the believe that these women owed him something. That he was deserving of their love. He was nothing but a weak boy who hurt a woman who just wanted to live her life. To love a man who has treated her well. A man who loved her so much he never married. He waited for her. Hoped that she would be found. To say that he deserved her more than him was disrespectful. I would've laughed in your face too.
For him to be a teacher, a coach; disgusting. She owed you nothing and you took her life.
Mallory and her family are complicated. Like most. I was happy that it wasn't as bad as I expected. Nat is very close with her sister. The most irritating aspect of the book was Sheriff Dev. The whole town knows him as a lazy cop. Someone who is supposed to protect and serve. Shame on him for trying to close the case to make it easy. Him and that other detective should both loose their jobs. If not have charges filed against them for negligence.
Spoilers!!
I wasn't expecting Gareth to be the killer! Nor the stalker. Shame on him. 9/11 was hard on the entire county. Ignorance was spread. It's still present now. Shameful. He had the believe that these women owed him something. That he was deserving of their love. He was nothing but a weak boy who hurt a woman who just wanted to live her life. To love a man who has treated her well. A man who loved her so much he never married. He waited for her. Hoped that she would be found. To say that he deserved her more than him was disrespectful. I would've laughed in your face too.
For him to be a teacher, a coach; disgusting. She owed you nothing and you took her life.
December 26, 2025
US Marshall Mallory Bodine comes home to spend a week's time off after a case goes a little awry. She doesn't get the quiet rest she was looking for because a body was found in her mother's backyard.
The body was quickly discovered to be that of Tabby Cartwright, a young English teacher from the local high school, who had been missing since 2002. Mallory didn't know her but her younger sister Natalie had her as a math teacher and looked upon her as a mentor.
Tabby had been having some trouble with people vandalizing her classroom since she was dating Kamil Burkhari, the son of Pakistani immigrants. In these days right after Nine Eleven, she was called a terrorist because of the man she was dating.
Mallory agrees to help local detective and childhood friend Deputy Bo Pickett look into the crime because the local sheriff Dev Shook is too lazy and too used to looking for easy answers to do the work. He's spending time on his reelection campaign rather than doing his job.
When they notify Tabby's parents, they find that her father has kept an extensive file about the case including reports from a private investigator he hired. He gives Mallory and Bo a copy which includes a detailed timeline.
Since the sheriff pulls Bo off the case, Mallory is on her own to reinterview those who might have had something to do with Tabby's death.
This was an engaging story. I enjoyed getting to know Mallory, her sister and her mother, and Bo. I liked the way the case was presented, and I liked the flashbacks from Tabby's point of view.
The body was quickly discovered to be that of Tabby Cartwright, a young English teacher from the local high school, who had been missing since 2002. Mallory didn't know her but her younger sister Natalie had her as a math teacher and looked upon her as a mentor.
Tabby had been having some trouble with people vandalizing her classroom since she was dating Kamil Burkhari, the son of Pakistani immigrants. In these days right after Nine Eleven, she was called a terrorist because of the man she was dating.
Mallory agrees to help local detective and childhood friend Deputy Bo Pickett look into the crime because the local sheriff Dev Shook is too lazy and too used to looking for easy answers to do the work. He's spending time on his reelection campaign rather than doing his job.
When they notify Tabby's parents, they find that her father has kept an extensive file about the case including reports from a private investigator he hired. He gives Mallory and Bo a copy which includes a detailed timeline.
Since the sheriff pulls Bo off the case, Mallory is on her own to reinterview those who might have had something to do with Tabby's death.
This was an engaging story. I enjoyed getting to know Mallory, her sister and her mother, and Bo. I liked the way the case was presented, and I liked the flashbacks from Tabby's point of view.
October 16, 2024
cold case #1
I really enjoyed this cold case mystery. Mallory is a Marshall on holiday for a week back home, when a skeleton is found in her mother’s backyard. With the help of an old friend, and her sister, she gets to the bottom of this old mystery despite the local Sheriff hindering their way.
I really enjoyed this cold case mystery. Mallory is a Marshall on holiday for a week back home, when a skeleton is found in her mother’s backyard. With the help of an old friend, and her sister, she gets to the bottom of this old mystery despite the local Sheriff hindering their way.
December 30, 2024
Pretty good, nice and short which is great for reading inbetween larger books. Not very detailed in forensics or gore (which I would prefer), but it's a good book just as it is and for people who like that level of murder mystery.
If you're expecting this to have romance considering the author's other books, this doesn't have any.
If you're expecting this to have romance considering the author's other books, this doesn't have any.
February 26, 2025
Not my usual genre but when it was offered for $0.99 on chirpbook I took a chance.
I enjoyed it. It was a quick listen, and story moved along quickly.
the "who done it" was not obvious but then all at once it was - further into the story.
I liked that it was not heavy on any gruesome details.
I already have the second book downloaded to read.
Narrator was good
I enjoyed it. It was a quick listen, and story moved along quickly.
the "who done it" was not obvious but then all at once it was - further into the story.
I liked that it was not heavy on any gruesome details.
I already have the second book downloaded to read.
Narrator was good
November 12, 2023
If you are in law enforcement, even when you are off duty, you are still an officer of the law. Mallory is on vacation visiting her Mom, but still trouble finds her. A good plot, and great characters.
October 22, 2024
I didn’t find that there was much of a mystery here. Interesting plot and characters, but it was obvious who the murderer was upon first introduction of them. Plus, DNA would have been ran immediately.
October 30, 2024
Good read, good storyline; characters were decent, but somewhat comical in some instances--and not in a good way. Will probably read the next book in the series; I like a good, strong female lead.
I also liked that it took place in a location that I'm familiar with, so that was a bonus.
I also liked that it took place in a location that I'm familiar with, so that was a bonus.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews