Cold Truth

Cold Justice: Most Wanted #6

by Toni Anderson

Rowena Smith may be a top-shelf librarian, but solid investigative skills won’t keep her safe after her newest research project—tracking down her biological father—leads her to a brutally murdered body. The scene offers up one hope for assistance: the card of FBI Supervisory Special Agent Kurt Montana. Alone and terrified in a foreign country, Rowena places the call.

About to board a flight home after a failed mission, Kurt can’t ignore the plea in Rowena’s voice. She could be the killer or she could be an innocent bystander—either way, he senses she holds information vital to his case. When Kurt’s flight takes off without him—only to crash into the African savanna killing everyone onboard—he knows it’s no coincidence. Rowena saved his life.

On the run from powerful enemies, he and Rowena pose as a couple—never mind that she’s much too young for him. As danger escalates and they inch closer to the secret someone is trying desperately to prevent them from revealing, their fake relationship spirals into something far more perilous. And deeply personal.

The game gets deadlier with each and every step toward the truth. But there’s no turning back and they’ll need to rely on their skills and their wits—and each other—if they hope to survive.

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Romance, Drama, Suspense, Thriller, Love Story, Fiction

482 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 23, 2025

About the author

Next Release: COLD HEAT
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Toni Anderson® writes gritty, sexy, FBI Romantic Thrillers, and is a New York Times and a USA Today bestselling author. Her books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence in Mystery/Suspense, the Readers' Choice, Aspen Gold, Book Buyers' Best, Golden Quill, and National Excellence in Romance Fiction awards. She’s been a finalist in The Vivian Contest and the RITA Award from the Romance Writers of America, and also in the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Jackie Collins Award for Romantic Thrillers.

Her books have been downloaded more than three million times.

Best known for her Cold Justice® books perhaps it’s not surprising to discover Toni lives in one of the most extreme climates on earth--Manitoba, Canada. Formerly a Marine Biologist, she still misses the ocean.

In January 2016, she visited FBI Headquarters in Washington DC, including a tour of the Strategic Information and Operations Center.


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Start reading Toni's award-winning, bestselling Cold Justice® series with A COLD DARK PLACE.

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Reviews

[Antonella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look, at this point Toni Anderson might actually be my FBI handler, because I’ll blindly follow her wherever she takes me. Whether it’s sniper missions, covert ops, or librarians in way over their head....I trust her. But let me just say this: she will write literally everyone’s story except Ryan and Megan’s. GIRL. PLEASE. I am begging.

That said, this book? Phenomenal.


Rowena is a whip-smart librarian who just wanted to do some casual genealogy... and ends up stumbling onto a murder, a conspiracy, and a sexy, broody FBI agent with a tragic backstory (classic Toni). Enter Kurt Montana (yes, that’s really his name and yes, I love him), who misses a flight that explodes mid-air because Rowena called him—and suddenly they’re on the run through foreign territory with nothing but their instincts, fake relationship banter, and slow-burning tension to keep them alive.

The chemistry? Immaculate.
The suspense? Heart-pounding.
The setting? Atmospheric as hell.
The plot? Clever, twisty, and addictive.


🎶“In the Name of Love” – Bebe Rexha & Martin Garrix
🎶“Calm Down” – Rema ft. Selena Gomez
🎶“Heaven” – Julia Michaels
🎶“Monalisa” – Lojay & Sarz

[Dísir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toni Anderson just wrote a book I never thought I’d needed and it has left me quite literally...speechless.

‘Cold Truth’ is an epiphany that feels like the zenith of the Cold Justice: Most Wanted series because it skilfully spans quite a few of her past books and ties together many hanging threads that we’ve been left with of late. Yet as much as I’d chomped at those bits in frustration over the last few months, Kurt Montana had always stayed in a corner of my mind like a distant tragedy that all of the HRT guys were trying to get over. His spectre lingered over them and his tragic story hung heavy around every one, just as his team members fell into their HEAs in the meantime, but he was always a character who was lost the mists of FBI legend.

Until he sprang out of Anderson’s pages in this one and grabbed hold of the whole narrative like he was born to do so.

As the older leader of the HRT Gold Team, Kurt's competent, measured and sexy, seasoned by the years of regret that he’s faced regarding his own family yet unafraid to re-evaluate what he wants. That we were early warned of an age-gap romance didn’t raise any red flags at all—I was in fact, more concerned with characterisation because of the difference in maturity-level that I was almost afraid to expect anything more than out-of-the-blue childish antics and third-act breakups.

But what can I say of Rowena Smith, the top-shelf, small-town English librarian that Anderson has chosen to stumble onto this warpath that Kurt’s been on for a long time? There’s nothing much she can offer skills-wise really, caught as she is in a nasty web of conspiracy and dirty deeds that stretched way back before she was born. Yet I loved every moment of the grit, the courage, the good-humour and the fortitude that she showed when she was inadvertently plunged deep into a well that would have overwhelmed pretty much everyone.

Long live the librarian (and their crackling chemistry). I love the maturity of this couple and how they’re written like they’re meant to be together. Kurt and Row...I’d be waving a flag cheering for the both of them for as long as this series lasts.

Close on their heels however, come some very intriguing and hilarious interactions between Jordan Krychek and Kurt’s daughter Daisy, though that again, seems like another long road for them to go down after an explosive start.

'Cold Truth’s' is really something if I were to consider it from a storytelling-craft perspective; its sprawling narrative showcases Anderson's masterful orchestration of interweaving plotlines and timelines. In fact, the book reads as though we've reached the emotional pinnacle of an expansive story arc that has finally settled into its well-earned resolution.

(Might I mention how I also loved the not-too-subtle poke at billionaires and their evil aim to control the world?)

How we move forward from here is still a mystery (for now) to me…but for now, it’s Kurt/Rowena’s limelight that I’m going to bask in again even after staying up all night and day to finish this.


*ARC by the author

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cabal of baddies, an Indonesian terrorist, Darmawan Hurek, tech super billionaire, Nolan Glider, an African UN ambassador, Leo Spartan, among others. Add to the cast of baddies an innocent English librarian, Rowena Smith, who is in Africa searching for her bio dad and FBI Supervisory Special Agent Kurt Montana who is in Africa searching for a terrorist. You have a complete cast worthy of a Toni Anderson Romantic-Suspense. I always know Toni Anderson is going to provide adventure and excitement in each new book. This story is set in Africa and has a very twisty plot. It features action from the very beginning. The middle did drag a bit, but it gave Row and Kurt time to fully delve into a deep relationship and learn to trust each other.

Kurt Montana's mission in Africa to find and capture Indonesian terrorist, Darmawan Hurek is a bust. After a promising lead fizzles, Kurt and his partner, Jordan Krychek, are calling it and heading home. Kurt has one last lead to follow, his old friend, Bjorn Anders, but that turns out to yield only the name of a dead man, Dougie Cavanaugh. But the meet ended with an encounter with a beautiful woman. Spy, prostitute, chance encounter. The younger woman needed his help, and Kurt is a helpful guy leaving her with his card.

Rowena Smith is on her own mission - to track down her bio dad. She has little to go on, only some old letters and a photo but it has led her to Bjorn Anders. All she needs is the courage to approach him. After chickening out the night before Row heads to Anders' office only to find him dead. She is scared she will be blamed for his death and calls Kurt Montana. That call ends up saving his life.

Row and Kurt are on the run with few resources, communications compromised and a hit squad on their trail. Playing acting as a couple is the only cover available to them, but Kurt is uncomfortable with the eighteen-year age difference. Row - not at all and she moves the relationship from fake to real. As Kurt sees her in action, running for her life and keeping a calm head, Kurt is drawn to this gutsy woman. All they have to do is survive to see where this relationship will go.

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cold Truth, book six in Toni Anderson’s Cold Justice: Most Wanted series, is a gripping, edge-of-the-seat read that sees the culmination of a long-running plotline that’s been present over several books now. We learned, near the beginning of the series, that the leader of HRT (Hostage Rescue Team) Gold Team, Kurt Montana, had been killed in a plane crash while on his way back from Zimbabwe where he’d been chasing down a lead as to the whereabouts of the terrorist, Hurek Darmawan, who is currently at the top of the FBI’s Most Wanted Fugitive list. (If his name seems familiar it’s because he’s crossed paths with the HRT before; Darmawan was responsible for the attack on a luxury resort and the kidnap of Darby O’ Roarke in Colder than Sin, book two in the Cold Justice: The Negotiators series.) Kurt was a formidable operative; well-liked and highly respected, and, coming hard on the heels of the death of another team member, his loss has hit his colleagues really hard and they’ve been struggling to find their equilibrium in the wake of his death.

At the end of the previous book ( Cold Spite ), however, Kurt’s daughter, Daisy, set the cat among the pigeons when she showed up at the teams’ usual watering hole to say she thought her dad was alive – and was promptly removed from the bar by operative Jordan Krychek, who had been. with Kurt in Africa but had returned a day earlier and thus hadn’t been on the doomed flight.

Cold Truth opens the night before the day of the flight, and finds Kurt meeting with an old friend from his army days, Bjorn Anders, who Kurt hopes might have some information about Hurek Darmawan. Kurt is tired and cranky; he delayed his return to the US so he could meet with Anders and is anxious to get back after spending two long months in some of the world’s most dangerous places – and Anders is being cagey to say the least. But he does finally come up with a name – Dougie Cavanagh, a Scotsman who had been at the University of St. Andrews with Hurek, but who dropped off the radar a couple of years ago and is presumed to have died. It’s not much – but maybe it’ll give the task force another avenue to explore.

As Kurt is finishing his beer, he notices an attractive young woman watching them from across the dance floor – a woman he’s seen before, the first time he met up with Anders on this visit. Kurt doesn’t believe in coincidences and is immediately suspicious; suspicions which are amplified when he leaves the bar and comes across the same woman in the parking lot, swearing at an old 4x4 and kicking at an obviously flat tyre. It’s got to be a trap or a set up – but Kurt can’t leave a woman alone and stranded and offers to help her.

After losing her only family to a fire a few months earlier, Rowena Smith, a librarian from Shropshire in England, decided to try to track down her biological father. Following the scant clues left by her monther – letters and an old photo of two men, one of whom, Dougie Cavanagh, she suspects is her biodad – Row travelled to Zimbabwe to talk to Bjorn Anders (the other man in the photo) to find out what he knows. She hasn’t yet worked up the courage to approach him – or worked out what to say – but she’s been keeping tabs on him, and has followed him, on this particular occasion, to a local bar. It’s an uneventful evening, although a flat tyre and an awkward confrontation with the good-looking, older American guy who’d been talking with Anders – who asks her some weird questions and then accuses her of being a sex worker or a stalker - isn’t the way she’d thought it would go.

Next morning, Row decides it’s time to actually speak to Anders, so she makes her way to his office intending to do just that – but when she gets there, it’s to find Anders dead and the office ransacked. Looking around anxiously, Row spots a fancy-looking business card lying on the floor and picks it up, reading the words Supervisory Special Agent Kurt Montana embossed on the surface. Wait. Wasn’t Montana the name of the American who’d helped her the night before? And... he’s with the FBI? Then she notices something stuck to the underside of one of the smashed desk drawers – an envelope stuck to the wood with sellotape. Inside, is a photo rather like the one that had sent her to Africa in the first place – this one of four men (including Cavanaugh) sitting around a fire. She knows she should call the police – but they have no reason to believe her story and she has no desire to spend her life in prison for a crime she didn’t commit. Not knowing what else to do, Rowena gingerly takes Anders’ phone from his jacket pocket and uses it to call the number on the business card.

Kurt is about to board his flight back to the US when he gets the call, and even though he’s still not convinced that Rowena Smith is the innocent bystander she says she is, his gut tells him he can’t afford to discount her story. He tells her where to meet him and they head out of Harare, intending to make their way to the Mozambique coast where Kurt hopes he can arrange an extraction.

Well, of course, it’s not going to be as simple as that. In typical Toni Anderson fashion, Cold Truth is slick, fast-moving and action-packed as Kurt and Rowena work out pretty quickly that they’re running from some very dangerous, very powerful individuals who will stop at nothing to get what they want – and stop them from uncovering some long-buried secrets. And Kurt and Rowena aren’t the only ones in danger; back in the US, Jordan Krychek is slowly putting the pieces together and realising that someone out there doesn’t want him to find out the truth.

[Side note – kudos for the not-so-subtle digs at billionaires and their hunger for power and schemes for world-domination.]

Amid the twists and turns and the running-for-their-lives, there are some quieter moments in which Kurt and Row have the chance to explore the mutual attraction that had sparked between them at their rather inauspicious first meeting. Their chemistry is electric, and despite their age difference, they’re exactly what the other needs. Rowena is brave and whip-smart - and although, unlike some of the other heroines in the series, she’s never experienced anything that could have prepared her for the world of conspiracies, lies, deceit, murder and dirty dealing she’s been thrown into, she shows incredible resililance and backbone when shit goes down. Kurt is a seasoned operative – competent, intelligent, considered (and sexy, of course!) – who regrets the way he prioritised his job over his family life when he was younger, but who recognises that it’s not too late to re-evaluate what he wants from life. He worries that, at forty-five, he’s too old for Rowena (who is twenty-seven), but they’re so obviously right for one another, their emotional connection so genuine, that it’s a non-issue. Rowena is very clear about what – and who – she wants, and Kurt (eventually) realises he’d be dumb to argue with her!

While there are going to be more books in this series, Cold Truth feels like the well-earned and long-awaited resolution to a sweeping, multi-faceted story. The author’s mastery of interweaving plotlines and timelines is on full display as she pulls together all the threads she’s so carefully planted over the years, and if you’ve been following the series, you’ll recognise the references to events from other books showing that this one takes place concurrently with other missions undertaken by the HRT teams. You could probably read this book without having read the rest of the series, although I think you’ll get more out of it if you’ve read at least some of them. (And why jump in here when there are more great stories to enjoy featuring those sexy HRT operators?)

Cold Truth is an exciting, action-packed rollercoaster ride of thrills and spills featuring likeable, well-rounded characters, a satisfyingly complex plot and an emotionally charged romance. On to the keeper shelf it goes.

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cold Truth by Toni Anderson
Cold Justice: Most Wanted series #6. Contemporary romantic suspense. Can be read as a standalone.
Rowena Smith finds a brutally murdered body while trying to find her biological father. She finds a business card taped underneath a desk and hopes FBI Supervisory Special Agent Kurt Montana will be able to help her escape the country.
Kurt was about to board his plane when he got the call from Rowena. Of course he’s going to help. When they find out the plane he was on crashed, they realize they will have to use every trick and resource they can find to stay alive.

Slow-burn, age gap romance with suspense throughout the entire story. On the run, they travel by car, and ship, from small hotels to cities. Hidden, followed and captured, it’s a race to survive. As they grow closer, he worries about how much older he is than her, but she’s not phased or worried about it.
Complex plot with plenty of secondary characters to keep it interesting and moving. Plus romance. Cat nip.

[BookSafety Reviews]

Someone tell the author ‘Africa’ isn’t a country.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I am on record as unabashedly loving this series. So it is disappointing when I fail to mesh with an installment.

The suspense was engrossing, if occasionally convoluted and a bit rushed. But Anderson had to wrap a long-running series arc that spanned multiple stories and multiple timelines.

The romance did not work for me. If the suspense was a bit rushed, the romance was rushed x100. I was never a big fan of "insta-ness," especially in a contemporary setting. It often stunts organic, fulfilling character and relationship development - development that Toni Anderson does well! Without spoiling too much, there were ample opportunities - better opportunities - for romance later in the story. It unfortunately felt inauthentic and shallow when forced so early. Considering his experience, Kurt's behavior read as irresponsible and unrealistic. Rowena's feelings were understandable, but the timing? Not so much. As it stands, I feel a more compelling "main" romance story would have involved Kurt's colleague and daughter, and a single (for the time) Kurt could have had the secondary storyline.

While I am here for the next installment, I hope it lacks the "insta" present here.

[Emma B · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

The Cold Justice series has had me a chokehold since I first picked up a book midway through the Negotiators spin off series back in 2020. Since then I’ve read every single book (sometimes more than once) in the Cold Justice series that’s been available to me and wait with great anticipation for every new release. The series is showing no signs of slowing down. I love all the characters and the world and storylines that Toni has created.

Here we follow Kurt Montana who has quietly been in the background as leader of the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, making appearances in books previously in the series. When he was killed off in the first book of the HRT series whilst on a secret work assignment I knew instantly that this was not true, there is no way that Toni would kill off such an important character off the page. When Cold Truth was announced and we found out that Kurt hadn’t actually died I was so happy. It turned out that Kurt (thank god) didn’t get on that plane and was saved at the last second by our heroine Rowena.

Rownea is in Zimbabwe looking for her biological father and of course gets caught up in the case that Kurt and Jordan Krychek (more on him in a bit) were in Africa working on. She turns to Kurt for help and there follows a story of murder, kidnapping, mystery solving, danger, family history and of course romance. Kurt and Rowena make a great couple and worked really well together whilst on the run and trying to escape the bad guys who are after them. Rowena is a great heroine. This book gave us a conclusion to some overarching storylines that have been going on since the Negotiators series and I loved that the start of Cold Truth also started around the same time as the first book in the HRT series (Cold Silence) and I loved all the little throwback moments to previous books that had me scanning through the previous books to find and match exactly when those scenes took place originally. That was a fun thing to do whilst reading.

In this book we also learnt more about Jordan Krychek who was on the secret work assignment with Kurt. I really like Jordan and enjoyed seeing him trying to work what actually happened to Kurt in the Africa. I did feel sorry for him though, that he couldn’t tell the rest of the members of Gold Team because of the classified nature of the case. I was happy when he finally did. I’m also interested to see what may or may not happen between him and Kurt’s adult daughter Daisy in the future, I feel there is something brewing there.

I was also happy that here we had some tiny snippets of other previously unmentioned members of Gold Team, makes me very excited for what might be coming up next in the series.

This book can be read as a standalone, but I think to get the best possible enjoyment out of this story you must go back to the very beginning.

I’d like to make a quick mention of the bonus scene that Toni left us with at the end of this book featuring 2 of my favourite characters Meghan and Ryan. These two have been burning up my kindle with their insane chemistry whenever they are on the page together since the beginning of the HRT series. As desperate as I am for their book to come I understand why it probably won’t be coming up until much later in the series but if this little snippet that we got here is a sign of what may be coming up for them then this has me very very excited as this is one of my most favourite tropes.

Right, here we go now, back to waiting for the next book, I can’t wait!!

[Twinkle {semi-hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Kurt's back home stars!

I did not have a problem finishing this monster of a book within 3 days. It was over 500 pages of a thrilling adventure with a healthy dose of romance and love between Kurt and Rowena. Although, I must admit that I balked at their 18 year age gap. I didn't find they had enough chemistry in the beginning. But they grew on me as a couple. Rowena was perfect for Kurt: she was emotionally mature and as much as Kurt thought of himself as a cradle snatcher, both of them complemented each other. I just wish Kurt had been more intense when it came to her? Sometimes he was, sometimes he wasn't.

I liked finally seeing what Kurt was going through while his family and friends thought he was dead. He and Row went through so much at the hands of the crazy villains. Row's poor mother and all those people who lost their lives...

One thing that also bothers me is that Row lost her entire family. With Kurt being significantly older than her, I cannot help but think what she would do without him. I was really hoping for her to be pregnant, just like both of them were💔

What I definitely did not like and definitely had a problem with was reading about the secondary characters fucking around. Literally. 🤮

I hated every time I had to read Jordan have mindless sex. He admits that the sex was good physically but leaves him feeling dead inside. He tells himself he doesn't want it but every time the woman knocks on his door he let's her in. He knows it's loneliness and grief crying for a distraction. I just don't get why he doesn't stop!!! Also, why do authors think we want to read a main character fucking around with other people, somehow forget this happened on page and root for them in their book??? I was really hoping he wouldn't get paired with Daisy, Kurt's daughter, especially since she's just 23 to a much older Jordan (age not mentioned). How do I simply forget that he screwed around with a stranger just a few days before meeting his romantic interest and accused her of being a honeytrap too?

He was almost as bad as manwhore Ryan. Maybe both of them should form a club called Muscled Manwhores or something. Apparently, Ryan has a panty-melting smile, and constantly flirts in front of Meghan Donnelly, his love interest. In the previous books, he slept with a waitress a few hours before he kissed Donnelly. I hated reading his pov in Cold Snap and every time he's mentioned I want to stop reading. I don't get why authors make such characters their "selling point". Why are you trying to shove this dude who fucks anything that moves down my throat every single book? Just write his book and get that shit out of my way! I didn't expect this from Toni Anderson, but she's hell bent on torturing me with more of this asshole with bonus scenes and what not. Jordan and Daisy's book is next which means there will be more teasers of the Muscle Manwhore club president🙄

Some excerpts of why I hate these 2 guys: (they suck so much that half of my review is of why I dislike them instead 0f why I love the actual couple)

# Jordan

1. “She pressed against him, and he found himself reacting physically to her. This woman, this stranger. Not because he wanted her necessarily, but because the lure of sex was better than the numbness and grief currently engulfing him.”

2.“Part of him hated himself for having mindless sex last night, but more for knowing he’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Would he call her tonight for an escort home?
Why not? Mindless sex beat thinking about his ghosts."

3. “Jordan shoved aside the flashes of having his brains screwed out. He wasn’t a stranger to anonymous sex but never here. Never in his home.”

4. “The escort home had involved a strip search and sex on two subsequent occasions —which Ellen had instigated, but he’d been more than happy to oblige.”

5. “She sat up in bed, unabashed about being naked as the silver light outlined her perfect body. Christ if his demonic prick didn’t respond.”

6. “If you’re not interested, don’t answer the door.”
“If you want anything except to fuck, don’t bother knocking.”
“Oh, well excuse me. I didn’t know the only time I could open my mouth was when I was deep throating you.”
Ouch.

7. “He didn’t even know where this woman lived or if she had a middle name or how she took her coffee. What was worse, he didn’t care. He hated himself for that.”

8. "He wanted to drive her away for both their sakes because if she knocked again, he’d probably let her in[.....] He wouldn’t answer the door. The sex was good, but it wasn’t worth this self-recrimination. [....] Feeding the misery, stoking an addiction…punishing himself with mindless sex that made him hate himself even more afterward. "🙄

9. “A soft smile touched cherry red lips and sent a bolt of desire straight through him. Ellen had worn that exact shade of lipstick.
He hadn’t realized how easy he was until these last few weeks. Give him a pretty blonde with crimson lips, and he was toast.”

10. “He couldn’t tell her another woman had seduced him in the hopes of uncovering information about her father.”
I get it, but why the fuck am I supposed to be reading this???🤮 You expect me to root for Daisy and his story next?

#Ryan
There's plenty about his sexploits in the previous books but these were what I could find in just this one:


1. “Has a different girl on his arm every week.” He cocked a brow. “By on his arm I mean⁠—”
She laughed. “I know what you mean.”
“If you meet him, don’t believe a word that comes out of his mouth”. (Kurt to Row about Ryan)

2. “He glanced at another image of Rowena Smith that the Brits had released in their missing person appeal. “I’d probably skip out on a flight if she called me up too, but Kurt probably wasn’t hoping to get into her pants.”
Meghan Donnelly crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.
Daisy pulled a face. “Ew.” 🤮

3. ..Jordan needed to be honest but felt like a damned fool. “She initiated a sexual relationship.”
“And you didn’t turn her down.” Meghan Donnelly’s expression was unimpressed.
Jordan shook his head and caught Daisy’s gaze and felt his cheeks burn. “I did not.”
“Another sly dog.” Ryan’s grin covered his face.

4. “The memory of her body pressed against his, her lips on his skin was enough to make his body burn. He was glad it was nighttime, and he was neck deep in the ocean.” (Pretty sure he still fucked other women after this.)

5. “But you wouldn't have stayed, would you? Because the staying over, not the fucking, would’ve been too much like cheating on your late wife.”
(So the staying over is like cheating not the actual fucking, lovely. NOT. 🙄)

6. “I guess I’ll have to use your method. Go pick up a strange guy next time I have a night off. Find a motel. Screw his brains out.”
He tightened his jaw against the image of Donnelly with someone. Anyone. It was none of his damned business what she did with whom. He was in no position to preach.”
(Yeah, buddy. You absolutely cannot preach anything here. )

7. “Trust me, I don’t need any advice on vibrators from a guy. Not even the God of sex.”
God of sex?
It stung like a whiplash.
Before Becky there had been no one.
After Becky…”
(Dude has probably lost count of how many women he's slept with. How is this supposed to be remotely attractive?)

8. “Kid lives back on the ranch with cousins around the same age. I know he misses her, but it’s probably the right decision, given we never know when we’ll get a call.”
....."Being a shitty father to an amazing daughter was probably his biggest regret. Not that he’d win any awards for any of his other relationships” 👌🏻

9. “Recently, he had started to forget his grief for whole chunks of a day without the aid of sex or whiskey. The memory of Becky’s long, dark hair and pretty face were fading now. Maybe it was simply time dulling the edges of his memory like sandpaper against the edge of a blade. Or maybe it was something else.” Sure, Toni. Try to make it so that it's Donnelly that's helping him forget and not the actual throng of women he's fucked so far. Be so fucking for real.

Problem is not that he’s a bad widower, he’s a shitty and absentee father too. He dropped off his daughter on some farm where she lives with her cousins. He wasn't even a good father, fucking deadbeat. How am I supposed to root for these losers?

TLDR; Kurt and Row - great. Suspense - great. Romance (didn't know Toni upped her smut writing like that) - great. Jordan and Ryan - fucking losers. NOT. GREAT.

ALSO: Alex and Mallory's baby Georgina🥹💕 Toni should stick to keeping these two as her IT couple.

[Toni Anderson]

"A perfect blend of danger, mystery, and heart," --Amazon bestselling author Isabel Jolie.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know if I have a book written by Toni Anderson, it's going to be a good read. This one is no exception.
What started as a search for her father, turned for Rowena, into a race for her life, a kidnapping, an escape and finding the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.
As for FBI agent Kurt Montana, his search for the FBI's most wanted man almost cost him his life several times over, but he also found the woman he wanted to marry, if she would have an old man like him.
This is a thrilling read that will keep you on the edge of your seat in places.
I loved the two main characters, plus we meet some old friends as well.
This is a standalone book, so you don't need to have read Toni's previous books, but they are all good and worth a read.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Good, just not enough for me to push it to 4 stars. While the story is good, the main couple here share the spotlight with too many other characters from previous books. That alone had me frustrated. Cold Truth is book 6 of 7 in the Cold Justice: Most Wanted series. It's also book #21 of the Cold Justice Series. See what mean? I was suffering from good guy/gal overload. Other than Alex/Mallory and Cowboy, I couldn't remember who the rest of these people were or what fed branch they were from. Maybe it's too much time between TA releases? I've read too many other books? 🤷‍♀️

Love this author. Maybe I just need a spreadsheet before the next book. 😏

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! I love all of her books but when I read the synopsis and discovered that this was about Kurt Montana- who had been "killed" off earlier in the series, I was ecstatic. At first I didn't know why his book wasn't the follow-up to the book where she "killed" him off, but after reading it, I loved the throw backs to some of the other stories that were happening while the team thought he was dead. I loved that this was a longer book as well :)

As for Kurt and Rowena, their chemistry was jumping off the page. I hope the age difference didn't turn off any readers. I certainly wasn't bothered by it. In fact, because Kurt had a bit of an issue in the beginning added a new element to the "will they, won't they" troupe. I liked that Row took control of her own body and chose to initiate things with Kurt, as I doubt he would have. Once things got started between them though - HOT!

As for the suspense aspect, I did have to refresh myself on the bad guys and what part they played in previous books but it came back quickly. And I liked the smaller suspense aspects - like, did Marianne turn them in or not? Was the helicopter pilot actually going to help them or not?

Strong women are always written by Toni and they usually have to save themselves before the guy shows up and this was no different. Kurt teaching Row self defense surely paid off for her. She used everything she was taught and saved herself from the lab just in time for Kurt to show up with the rescue helicopter in tow.

I love everything about her books and can't wait to read more!

[Linda Dossett · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! This newest thriller is a must read, it brings so many of the past stories into play and is also an excellent standalone. Kurt finally gets his chance at an HEA and it is an amazing story. We meet Rowena who I adored, she is strong, perfectly capable and a great match for Kurt. The mystery, thrills and excitement, will keep you guessing and you will not want to put this book down until the end. If you are a fan of Toni Anderson, or just starting your journey with her, no better place to continue or begin than with this book. I guarantee you will pick up her previous books. Do not miss this one!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm starting to feel like a broken record here, but I swear--each book in this series is even better than the one before! How is this even remotely possible???

Rowena and Kurt's story is an age gap, close proximity, there's only one bed and the heroine is a librarian story...I mean, what's not to love? Add in the masterful way Ms Anderson has of keeping her characters--and the reader!--on the edge for 500+ pages and you have a fabulous way to spend a weekend...or an extended evening, because you may not be able to put this one down one you start ;)

Cold Truth is the 6th book in the Cold Justice: Most Wanted series, and though it could be read as a standalone, the story is very much rooted in the ones that came before it in both characters and plot, so readers who have read the previous 5 books will have a much better grasp of who everyone is and what makes them important.

Plus, you'll get some life updates for favorite characters along the way, so win-win!

A bonus scene at the end (of the audiobook--hopefully it's on the book, too? I didn't see it on the ARC) teases a future book, which will FINALLY be Cowboy and Meghan's story...

Rating: 5 stars / A

I had an ARC, but also purchased the audiobook early on the author's website--and am so glad I did--the narrator did a fabulous job!

[Anja · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. I didn’t finish the book in one setting, as it’s a lot of pages, but I totally would have. Kurt and Rowena lived in opposite worlds until they met. An disturbing situation forced them to work together to stay alive. Not the hide-and-seek kind of being one step ahead of their enemies but the get-caught-and-get-killed kind of staying alive.
That Cold-Series is spectacular. Not only because of the different characters, but the stories itself. You‘d never imagine what’s inside this story that has been a long time coming. Though only a few weeks lay between the first book and this one, you heard the Kurt a long time ago in the previous Negotiator-series.
It’s a fast paced book with lots of sitting on the edge of your chair and the pages just flying by. And when you think, all seems to be going well and they made it. Wham, captured again. Great.

[Lauren Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know what.
Good times were had by all.

[Carina Hales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow! This book literally had everything! I think this is my read of the year so far, I absolutely loved it! It’s in my top 3 of Toni’s books and Kurt is right up there with both Alex and Quentin, who I loved!

I loved Kurt and Row together, they were pure perfection! The age gap was fine as Row was just so mature, strong and likeable! I’m so happy she has Kurt and all his friends with her.

I don’t know how Toni manages to write such exciting stories, and have the timeline all span through several books, she is just so talented! I loved the connections between all the books and am hopeful the next book with feature Jordan and Daisy.

I loved the excitement of the story with what was happening with Kurt and Row and then back home how Jordan was desperate for answers and solving the mystery. Seeing everything come together kept me on the edge of my seat! This book had so much action and I loved how both Kurt and Row were so intelligent and always thinking ahead of how they could save themselves.

I love that 2 of my other favourite men made appearances too! They elevate every book I read.

To summarise, this was a brilliant book, full of passion, excitement, thrills and adventures. If only I could give more than 5 stars!! I urge everyone to read this book, but for enhanced reading read all of Toni’s books, I promise you will thank me.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cold Truth - Cold Justice Most Wanted Book 6, Toni Anderson

Toni has outdone herself with this fast paced read, full of slow burn passion, excitement, and perilous adventures, all expertly spun into a web of lies, deceit, murder, and chaos.
Despite their difference in age, Kurt and Row were perfect for each other. Kurt, older and wiser soon realized that he would do anything to keep Row safe as she was becoming to mean so much to him. Row, incredibly smart, brave and determined to hold her own, was desperately falling for the handsome and rugged FBI Agent. The hits continued to come from every angle and it’s wasn’t just Kurt and Row at the mercy of evil as the team scrambled to get answers. The appearance of many beloved characters and a few new faces added depth to this well written addition to the series. Thanks to the author for the opportunity to read and review her work.

[Jenn O'Leary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cold Justice is an exciting, romantic suspense and book 6 in the Most Wanted Series by Toni Anderson.
This fast paced, action packed, thrilling read keeps you on the edge of your seat and leaves you wanting more.
I absolutely love Toni Anderson's books and I can't wait for more!

[Bookstash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler Notes - Work in Progress

Cold Truth by Toni Anderson (6/25)
[Cold Justice: Most Wanted - 6]
(B+ Warm) [6-24-25]

Audible: Eric G. Dove (for future reference)

USA Hoopla e-Book:
Includes Ryan & Meghan Bonus Scene

International Thriller - Action Adventure
Zimbabwe - Mozambique - Caribbean Islands

21st Century - 21st Century 2001 - 2100

Band of Brothers - FBI - CIA (A Traitor)
HRT - FBI Hostage Rescue Team Gold Team

HRT Kurt (Joe) Montana (45) - Divorced
Suddenly... Back From the Dead
Believed Killed in Plane Crash (Cold Silence 6/22)
Daisy Montana (23) Daughter

Rowena (Row) Smith (27) - Virgin
British - Librarian - Tall - Ticklish
Biological Father Search in Africa
Old Snapshot Found With Love Letters

Meet Cute ?
After Meeting CI (an old friend) in Bar
Kurt Changed Row’s Flat Tire
Accused Her of Being a Prostitute

Next Day: Row finds the CI’s tortured dead body, sees Kurt’s FBI business card on the floor and calls him. Which is the only reason Kurt didn’t get on the plane heading home and would have died with 200+ souls killed with the bomb.

Older Man - Younger Woman
Age Gap: 18 Years
Grumpy/Sunshine
Road Romance - On the Run
Fake Relationship (Marriage)
Abducted - Forced Proximity - 1 Bed
Kurt Teaches Taekwondo Patterns to Row


HRT Jordan Krychek (Kurt’s HRT Partner)
Virginia State Trooper Ellen Mires
Sleeping With the Enemy

New Characters (I think):

Israeli Dinah Cohen
on Loan to HRT from Mossad

Negotiator SSA Jennifer McCreedy

College Pals - Partners in Crime

TacOps Unit Chief Jon Regan (Security)
TacOps Florence “Crisco” Cisco - Intern

Terrorist Darmawan Hurek - FBI 10 Most Wanted
(See Colder Than Sin (10/19)

Nolan Gilder - Richest Man in the World - Rowena’s biological father


Leo Spartan, Ambassador to Zimbabwe







Re-Reads in May and June
Cold Justice by Toni Anderson
2. Cold Pursuit (6/14) (A- Warm)
6. Cold Hearted (5/16) (A- Warm)
7. Cold Secrets (1/17) (B+ Warm)
8. Cold Malice (9/17) (B Warm)
9. Cold Blooded (6/18) (A- Warm)

Cold Justice: Negotiators
1. Cold & Deadly (2/19) (A Hot+)
2. Colder Than Sin (10/19) (A Hot)
3. Cold Wicked Lies (6/20) (B+ Warm)
5. Cold as Ice (9/21) (A Warm)

Cold Justice: Most Wanted
1. Cold Silence (6/22) (A Warm+)
2. Cold Deceit (12/22) (A Warm)

[Nadene (Totally Addicted to Reading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toni Anderson delivers another heart-pounding romantic suspense in Cold Truth, the latest installment in her Cold Justice: Most Wanted series. What starts out as a fake relationship formed under extreme, life-threatening circumstances slowly unravels into a deeply emotional and authentic connection. This gripping tale offers the perfect blend of danger, romance, and emotional depth.

If you love romantic suspense with layers of tension and heart, Cold Truth is a must-read. Toni Anderson skillfully blends several popular tropes—fake relationship, age gap, and forced proximity—into a story that feels fresh and compelling.

The story follows Kurt Montana, a relentless FBI agent, and Rowena Smith, a quiet librarian, whose worlds couldn’t be more different. The chances of their paths crossing were slim to none—until Rowena’s desperate search for her biological father collides with Kurt’s deadly pursuit of a ruthless killer. Suddenly, their lives spiral into chaos, forcing them to rely on each other in a high-stakes game where trust is rare and danger is constant.

Anderson pulls you in from the very first page, maintaining tension and suspense while diving deep into the characters’ emotional journeys. The romance is slow-burning but powerful, perfectly balanced with the thrilling chase and life-or-death moments. What stood out to me most was how the fake relationship wasn’t just used to move the plot forward. Instead, it revealed deeper layers of Kurt while also highlighting Rowena’s strength and vulnerability. As a result, their connection felt authentic. Additionally, the author does a good job of showing Kurt’s internal struggle with their age gap. It hits harder because he has a daughter close to Rowena’s age. It showcased the complexity of his feelings, making him hesitant and conflicted. That doesn’t stop his attraction. His fear clashes with his desire. The struggle feels real and relatable.

New to Toni Anderson? Or a longtime fan? Cold Truth won’t let you go. It’s gripping. It’s intense. You won’t put it down. All in all, Cold Truth delivers a fantastic mix of suspense, romance, and real emotions. This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading

[Nikki Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

We finally get to the root of where Montana has been during his "death" in the last few books! He has been a very busy special agent, getting involved in all manner of things and yet still has found time to save the girl!

Tying all those little hints from the previous books together, the story of Montana and Row really cements the overarching story together and if you didn't hate Tech Bro billionaires before, you really will by the end of this! (Did I have to scrub my brain with bleach to get rid of the images of a certain rubber faced tech bro as the villain? Yes I did!!!!!)

Kurt was the perfect foil to Row. She was naïve, eager, determined for answers and he was measured, careful, experienced and determined to keep her safe - even rom him. He was the one with the hang ups and the "do not be the dirty old man". Row certainly never saw him as a predator or someone she did not feel safe with, just the opposite.

I did have a wee chuckle and flashback to The Mummy when Row was introducing herself as a Librarian. The found family she had for herself in her local library crew was so sweet. The extended African family she had also made her so welcome, even with no biological tie to them, she was theirs to protect and look after.

Similarly Kurt's FBI family has been grieving his loss and coming to terms with their new normal, some better than others. But the way they all come together to finally solve his reappearance was so well done. I had literal tears at their reunion.

However poor Jordan has put the cat amongst the pigeons after his interactions with Kurt's daughter, Daisy and I've no idea how that situation is going to resolve itself without her wanting to kill him at least 3 times a day!

[Amy.Reads.Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by Toni Anderson, and it was a totally new genre of romance for me. I found the book to have this romantic intrigue woven into the story with just the right amount of spice. It was very unexpected and absolutely fantastic, and I was completely absorbed into the storyline. I definitely will be reading the prior books in this series. I loved this book! If you’re itching for a romantic suspense book, you really need to read this. Or, if you’re not and you enjoy some of these tropes: one bed, pretend relationship, stranded together, age gap—then give this one a go. I chose this book for that reason, and Toni really hit the mark!

Kurt Montana – FBI agent, member of an elite task force in search of a dangerous terrorist that’s on the most wanted list.

Rowena “Row” Smith – Librarian from the UK, in search of her unknown father she’s never met.

Kurt has spotted Rowena a couple of times, and he’s not sure if she’s an innocent woman or if she’s one of the bad guys. Rowena, by chance, meets Kurt when she’s following a man who she suspects may know who her father is. When confronted with him, she’s not sure if he’s a creep or just some regular guy. She has no clue he’s a cop with the FBI or what she’s inadvertently gotten herself mixed up in. When danger comes knocking, Rowena is forced into a position where she has to trust Kurt to help her in order to stay alive. Kurt starts to realize that Rowena is not a bad guy, but she’s somehow directly involved by accident with the man he’s after. In order to survive, they have to pretend they are a couple and get out of Dodge! After spending so much time together, they start to realize there is something there, and the romance builds from there.

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Butterflies: 🦋🦋🦋🦋

[Judi · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! What a wild ride…

I tried to take this one slow and savor the story, but I was sucked in from the beginning. The mix of nail biting suspense, action that is not overplayed but still has your heart pounding and a highly unlikely yet lovely romance makes for an utterly perfect read. Kurt’s self deprecating demeanor hides an intelligent and patient man, while Rowena is an old soul with amazing strength and determination. The Easter Eggs eluding to the other books in this series had me grinning but the details with Krychek and the FBI offices and Kurt and Row’s perilous adventure read like and would make a great movie. LOVED this book!

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sixth book in this impressive series, and this is Rowena and Kurt’s story.
Rowena is a top shelf librarian, and with her investigative skills, she is on a mission to take down her biological father. Kurt is an FBI special agent, and Rowena calls on him to help her.
This is a well written action-packed story, with mystery, secrets, lies, suspense, danger, intrigue, an age gap, fake relationships, kidnapping, revelations, trust, and romance, which leads to an entertaining and thrilling addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a ride! It seemed like if it wasn't for bad luck Rowena and Kurt would have had no luck at all. And Rowena definitely got more than she bargained for when she started the quest to figure out who her father was. Yes, she did find out, but honestly it would have been better to have been kept in the dark with this one, from how she came about to who the guy was. Total POS!

The only bonus for Rowena came through Kurt and that wasn't easy. Kurt was caught up on the age difference, which was large, yet they worked well together personality wise. It was nice to see them happy at the end when all the drama was done.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cold Truth
Cold Justice- Most Wanted #6
Toni Anderson
The best book I’ve read this year!
Suspense, unlikely romance, danger, international terrorists and a whole lot of FBI plus HRT plus spook action.
Love, love, love this book. The characters are so well written and deep. It is gritty, sexy and sweet while action packed.
HRT team leader Kurt Montana and sweet, feisty librarian Rowena Smith are kidnapped in Africa which brings international intrigue and murky politics to the front. These two are meant to be, they are mature and all in despite the age gap and constant danger.
I absolutely love reading Ms Anderson’s creations this is exceptional. I enjoy seeing familiar characters like old friends in the thick of danger fighting for good together. Cameos from all of the operatives fans love including Alex Parker. Is Jordan Krychek going to be the next story? This books timeline is woven through and overlaps other books in this series so there are spoilers if you haven’t read previous books, a series best red in order. That being said you could read it as a standalone novel either hea. I received an arc of this book
5 stars!

[ElleBoogie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romantic suspense at its best!

4.5 ⭐️
Enjoyed the hell out of this story! Competency, grit, great chemistry from the MCs and some on the nose, sly commentary about billionaire creeps.

The author does s fantastic job of weaving this story into her previous books’ plots seamlessly.

[BossyLadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
so good. romance was great. action was on point. I loved it.