Track Her Down

Merit Reed Crime Thriller #.5

by Kate Tristan

You can run from the past, but you can’t hide forever.

Reeling from her sister’s murder, the bloodthirsty cat she inherited, and her new status as a med school dropout, Merit Reid’s world is already on fire when she discovers her best friend, Heidi, brutally murdered in a remote cabin in the forest.

A loving mother, dedicated park ranger and generous baker, Heidi has a lot of friends, but someone hated her enough to string her up by her ankles and slit her throat.

When the detective investigating Heidi’s death proves just as sloppy and self-interested as he was with Merit’s sister’s case, she drags herself out of her grief to get justice for Heidi on her own – and lands in the crosshairs of a killer.

Join Merit Reid in her very first investigation in this riveting crime thriller set in the heart of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

142 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2024

About the author

Inspired by classic detectives like Kay Scarpetta and modern favorites including Violet Darger and Bree Taggert, I write riveting crime thrillers featuring villains that will put ice in your veins and clever, relentless detectives who will stop at nothing to see justice served.

Reviews

[Tina Plintz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this as an audio book and I enjoyed it. It was short but really kept you wanting to know more. A good twist I wish you learned more about the characters but it was enough to keep you interested

[Kristina Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to meet Kate at a local reading fair held at the library. This is Kate’s first published book. I am excited to read more by her and excited that her next book is coming out in May. I enjoyed how her writing was quick and to the point. She writes with the perfect amount of details to move the plot along. Her writing was at the perfect pace. Not too fast or too slow. I only wish the story was longer.

[Renko Dekker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to read this free novella which the author provides when you join the mailing list. It sounded interesting so I signed up! This novella is a prequel to the first novel in the series Break Her Silence which comes out on the 28th of May.

We follow Merit Reid who finds herself at a complete loss when Heidi finds her. It is clear that Merit has personal problems but Heidi is so kind to listen to her story and guide her towards work. They get closer and become friends. But then, Heidi is brutally murdered. Who would want to murder such a loving mother and caring friend? As Merit has had some negative experience with the capability of the police, she is determined to see this case getting closed. She'll do whatever is necessary to get to the truth.

As it is a novella it's quite short - only around 150 pages. The author managed quite well to capture a complete story on so few pages. As it is quite short, the characters are not completely worked out (that's something for book 1 hopefully) but you get enough information to understand the motives of some characters. The pace of the story is great and it's well written. There were two or three errors at the start: '𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘴'. It should be 𝘩𝘦𝘳 and this happens once more. I had to reread it first to see whether I've missed something.

All in all, an exciting, thrilling, and a great start to, hopefully, an awesome series about this character.

4,5/5 ⭐

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for a short book that is a prequel to the Merit Reid series. The book opens with Merit throwing rocks into a ice covered lake and cursing, because she is frustrated with her life. Then Heidi Cole, a National Park ranger, comes up to her and offers to listen to whatever she wants to talk about. They become friends and Heidi recommends Merit for a job at the visitor center. The book switches back and forth between two timelines, before Heidi's murder and after. There are several suspects and surprises, including the murderer, who I did not suspect until the end. The murder was rather gruesome, but the violence is described after her death. There is some bad language, but no sex.
The book is set in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio. My wife and have visited this National Park and we recommend it. It has a historic covered bridge which has been restored by the National Park Service.
I received this book direct from the author. She offered it to me as a consolation prize when I did not win a Goodreads giveaway for one of her books.
Thank You Kate Tristan.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story! The main character Merit is very compelling and interesting. She is going through a heartbreak and is lost. You feel very sorry for her and want to help. She is soon embroiled in another death that gives her purpose and life. You are rooting for her to solve the case. Sinclair a police detective, is a jerk and that has a very contentious relationship that you hope doesn’t disrupt the investigation.

[jennifer shank · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this in a drawing from the author. A definite 5 star read. Fast pace, action, mystery. Loved the characters. Absolutely loved every bit. Very well written for such a short read. Loved this novella, except I did not want it to end and wanted more. Can’t wait to read more of this author’s work.

[Heather Paulsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great way to introduce a new series. The story is interesting, engaging, and fast. I loved the plot & the characters. This story has all the great parts of a mystery, great suspects, just enough clues to keep you interested, and an unexpected villain. Looking forward to the next one.

[Rhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this so much, I can't wait for the next book

[Rochele · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[kiriahsbookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Whitley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Maureen ~Bitch Can Write A Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This was so good. I was hooked from page 1 until the end. I can’t wait to read more with these characters. This was my first book by this author but not my last.