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Unsolved Case Files #3
Dangerous Arson Trail
Can an officer and his K-9 partner
catch a criminal with a deadly plan?
Emergency dispatcher Darcy Lane is abducted and left for dead in a burning house by a vengeful copycat of an arsonist she helped identify years ago. K-9 officer Lucas Harper, the man who once broke her heart, rescues her just in time. Staying one step ahead of a culprit proves nearly impossible, but Lucas will risk everything to keep Darcy safe. With the clock ticking, can they identify who’s terrorizing her…before the cold-blooded killer’s long-awaited revenge is complete?
catch a criminal with a deadly plan?
Emergency dispatcher Darcy Lane is abducted and left for dead in a burning house by a vengeful copycat of an arsonist she helped identify years ago. K-9 officer Lucas Harper, the man who once broke her heart, rescues her just in time. Staying one step ahead of a culprit proves nearly impossible, but Lucas will risk everything to keep Darcy safe. With the clock ticking, can they identify who’s terrorizing her…before the cold-blooded killer’s long-awaited revenge is complete?
205 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 16, 2025
About the author
Maggie K. Black
135 books115 followersMaggie K. Black is an award-winning journalist with a thirst for adventure. She's lived in the American South, Europe and Middle East, and left a piece of her heart in each. She now makes her home in Canada, where she writes stories that make her heart race, chases her dog around the park and shares her adventures with her one true love and and their two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
August 28, 2025
Good story and characters.
April 14, 2025
This is a Second Chance Romantic Suspense, and this is the third book in the Unsolved Case Files series. I have read the first book in this series before picking up this book. I read this book by listening to the audiobook of this book, and I really like the narrator. I got totally pulled to this book from the first page. I loved all the drama/craziness, suspense, and action in this book. This book is fast paced that keeps me wanting to keep reading. I really enjoyed this book. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.
April 27, 2025
This one flared up fast and never let up.
Darcy Lane has faced fire before—years ago, her testimony helped put an arsonist behind bars. But this time, the flames are closer. A copycat is after her, and he’s not just setting fires—he’s unearthing what she thought was buried for good.
Lucas Harper finds her in time, but survival doesn’t mean safety. Too much history. Too many words left unsaid. And now they’re deep in it together trying to outrun someone who’s thought of everything.
The fire in this story isn’t just physical. It burns through grief, guilt, and grace. It tests what’s real, what’s still broken, and what faith looks like when everything around you is scorched. The danger hits fast, but the faith cuts deeper. Forgiveness, redemption, and the quiet work of restoration all flicker through the chaos.
Listening to this on audio took it to another level. Noni Alley’s narration carried the story with a weight that mattered. Her voice held every moment steady, even the ones that rattled me. The emotion wasn’t overdone—it was precise. Honest. And it made every chapter hit harder.
And it stayed with me long after the final chapter cooled.
I received a digital eARC of the audiobook of Dangerous Arson Trail from Harlequin publisher (Love Inspired Suspense) through NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review nor paid to do so. This is my honest and unbiased review. My thoughts and opinions expressed in this book review are my own. My review focuses on the writing and story’s content, ensuring transparency and reliability.
Darcy Lane has faced fire before—years ago, her testimony helped put an arsonist behind bars. But this time, the flames are closer. A copycat is after her, and he’s not just setting fires—he’s unearthing what she thought was buried for good.
Lucas Harper finds her in time, but survival doesn’t mean safety. Too much history. Too many words left unsaid. And now they’re deep in it together trying to outrun someone who’s thought of everything.
The fire in this story isn’t just physical. It burns through grief, guilt, and grace. It tests what’s real, what’s still broken, and what faith looks like when everything around you is scorched. The danger hits fast, but the faith cuts deeper. Forgiveness, redemption, and the quiet work of restoration all flicker through the chaos.
Listening to this on audio took it to another level. Noni Alley’s narration carried the story with a weight that mattered. Her voice held every moment steady, even the ones that rattled me. The emotion wasn’t overdone—it was precise. Honest. And it made every chapter hit harder.
And it stayed with me long after the final chapter cooled.
I received a digital eARC of the audiobook of Dangerous Arson Trail from Harlequin publisher (Love Inspired Suspense) through NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review nor paid to do so. This is my honest and unbiased review. My thoughts and opinions expressed in this book review are my own. My review focuses on the writing and story’s content, ensuring transparency and reliability.
February 18, 2026
Decent series, mystery, suspense and a bit of romance. Strong, capable women, tough yet gentle men, good storylines. Sometimes you need lighter reading whilst know that there are Happy Ever Afters at the end, this series offers that.
June 13, 2025
3.5 rounded up for Goodreads. Liked the mystery of this one and the second chance romance.
June 14, 2025
***** I received this audiobook free from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
When Darcy answers an emergency 9-1-1 call at her job she hears the automated voice of an arsonist who has been dead. She stakes the threat seriously and it sets a group of fires and a mystery in motion. A great read!
When Darcy answers an emergency 9-1-1 call at her job she hears the automated voice of an arsonist who has been dead. She stakes the threat seriously and it sets a group of fires and a mystery in motion. A great read!
May 10, 2025
Excellent book. Read it in one day, because I just couldn't put it down!!
June 3, 2025
I liked it, it kept me guessing!
April 27, 2025
Dangerous Arson Trail by Maggie K. Black
Lucas and his K9 are caught in the mystery
Can an officer and his K-9 partner
catch a criminal with a deadly plan?
Emergency dispatcher Darcy Lane is abducted and left for dead in a burning house by a vengeful copycat of an arsonist she helped identify years ago. K-9 officer Lucas Harper, the man who once broke her heart, rescues her just in time. Staying one step ahead of a culprit proves nearly impossible, but Lucas will risk everything to keep Darcy safe. With the clock ticking, can they identify who’s terrorizing her…before the cold-blooded killer’s long-awaited revenge is complete?
This is Darcy Lane's story.
This is K-9 officer Lucas Harper's story.
Chaotic and panicked screams filled Darcy Lane’s 911 headset. In the small town of Sunset, north of Toronto, a group of teenagers had been skipping school and playing video games together when a boy named Carter had suddenly collapsed. A map on the screen in front of her told Darcy that the paramedics she’d dispatched were less than two minutes away.
Right now, it was a matter of keeping everyone calm, getting the information paramedics needed and making sure the sick kid was okay until help could get to him.
Every second was critical.
Lord, help me to help them…
“It’s going to be okay.” Darcy kept her voice steady, level and reassuring, without even allowing a hint of her own worry or concern slip through. “Help is on its way. Is Carter conscious?”
“I… I…” The girl gasped a shallow breath. “I don’t know. I can’t tell.”
Lucas Harper and his K9 partner.
Lucas and his K9 are caught in the mystery.
I recommend this book.
Dangerous Arson Trail by Maggie K. Black is a 4 star book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions shared here in this review are my own.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Maggie K. Black.
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
Lucas and his K9 are caught in the mystery
Can an officer and his K-9 partner
catch a criminal with a deadly plan?
Emergency dispatcher Darcy Lane is abducted and left for dead in a burning house by a vengeful copycat of an arsonist she helped identify years ago. K-9 officer Lucas Harper, the man who once broke her heart, rescues her just in time. Staying one step ahead of a culprit proves nearly impossible, but Lucas will risk everything to keep Darcy safe. With the clock ticking, can they identify who’s terrorizing her…before the cold-blooded killer’s long-awaited revenge is complete?
This is Darcy Lane's story.
This is K-9 officer Lucas Harper's story.
Chaotic and panicked screams filled Darcy Lane’s 911 headset. In the small town of Sunset, north of Toronto, a group of teenagers had been skipping school and playing video games together when a boy named Carter had suddenly collapsed. A map on the screen in front of her told Darcy that the paramedics she’d dispatched were less than two minutes away.
Right now, it was a matter of keeping everyone calm, getting the information paramedics needed and making sure the sick kid was okay until help could get to him.
Every second was critical.
Lord, help me to help them…
“It’s going to be okay.” Darcy kept her voice steady, level and reassuring, without even allowing a hint of her own worry or concern slip through. “Help is on its way. Is Carter conscious?”
“I… I…” The girl gasped a shallow breath. “I don’t know. I can’t tell.”
Lucas Harper and his K9 partner.
Lucas and his K9 are caught in the mystery.
I recommend this book.
Dangerous Arson Trail by Maggie K. Black is a 4 star book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions shared here in this review are my own.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Maggie K. Black.
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
April 8, 2025
Canadian author. Canadian setting. What’s not to love? Always excited to find a story set on my home turf.
Oh my goodness — the tension! Black skillfully builds it up to an explosive conclusion and I was on the edge of my seat all the way through. Perfectly paced, action and danger bookend the romance and it all increased my anxiety!
Love that Darcy and Lucas have a muddled history, it adds a delicious knot of strain to their situation. Gotta love a complicated romance that seems doomed from the start…even though both hero and heroine can’t shake a resurgence of feelings that seem impossible to fulfill. Especially with Darcy being targeted by an unknown assailant. The perfect setup for a stellar romantic suspense.
‘Dangerous Arson Trail’ is the third book in ‘Unsolved Case Files’ series but can easily be read as a standalone novel. I enjoyed meeting up with this cold case team again. The author does a great job of creating a cohesive team of eclectic characters and I’m eager to learn more of their stories as the series progresses.
I listened to the audio edition of this book courtesy of Harlequin Audio and Net Galley and really enjoyed Noni Alley’s narration. She conveyed all the edgy emotion realistically which really helped me connect to the characters and situations they were dealing with. A compulsive non-stop listening experience for me.
https://kavsbestreads.ca/2025/04/08/d...
Oh my goodness — the tension! Black skillfully builds it up to an explosive conclusion and I was on the edge of my seat all the way through. Perfectly paced, action and danger bookend the romance and it all increased my anxiety!
Love that Darcy and Lucas have a muddled history, it adds a delicious knot of strain to their situation. Gotta love a complicated romance that seems doomed from the start…even though both hero and heroine can’t shake a resurgence of feelings that seem impossible to fulfill. Especially with Darcy being targeted by an unknown assailant. The perfect setup for a stellar romantic suspense.
‘Dangerous Arson Trail’ is the third book in ‘Unsolved Case Files’ series but can easily be read as a standalone novel. I enjoyed meeting up with this cold case team again. The author does a great job of creating a cohesive team of eclectic characters and I’m eager to learn more of their stories as the series progresses.
I listened to the audio edition of this book courtesy of Harlequin Audio and Net Galley and really enjoyed Noni Alley’s narration. She conveyed all the edgy emotion realistically which really helped me connect to the characters and situations they were dealing with. A compulsive non-stop listening experience for me.
https://kavsbestreads.ca/2025/04/08/d...
April 2, 2025
This audiobook takes the readers to Canada where Darcy Lane, an emergency dispatcher, finds herself in the midst of, first a kidnapping, and later a fire. The person she believes is responsible for these and the following near death experiences is someone from her past. An arsonist that she helped get caught many years ago. Someone who is supposedly dead.
Darcy is rescued by Lucas, a K-9 officer and a man from her past.
Things are going from bad to worse as more threats are made . This dedicated dispatcher is sent on leave from her job. But this doesn’t stop her life from being in danger once again, while she and Lucas are still trying to figure out who is responsible.
This was an action packed, whodunitm Christian story with a little romance added to the plot.
The narrator, Noni Alley, brings the story to life.
I was entrusted a copy of this audiobook by Netgalley and Harlequin Audio.
The opinions expressed are solely my own.
Darcy is rescued by Lucas, a K-9 officer and a man from her past.
Things are going from bad to worse as more threats are made . This dedicated dispatcher is sent on leave from her job. But this doesn’t stop her life from being in danger once again, while she and Lucas are still trying to figure out who is responsible.
This was an action packed, whodunitm Christian story with a little romance added to the plot.
The narrator, Noni Alley, brings the story to life.
I was entrusted a copy of this audiobook by Netgalley and Harlequin Audio.
The opinions expressed are solely my own.
July 5, 2025
Darcy tied up and left to burn in a dangerous arson fire set by someone she believed to be long gone. Is he back? No way must be a copycat but how do they sound the exact same, but unless she can get out it won’t matter. In walks the man she never thought she’d see again and to save her too, and he brought a friend and wonderful accelerate trained K9 who really saved her life. The k9 she loves it will be harder for her to love the man after what he did to her several years ago.
This is a great book and well it has a k9 in it so I am a shoe in. I had the audio version narrated by Noni Alley who took this book to another level she was awesome. The book had so much suspense in it, it was hard not to jump in and help. The characters were well developed and the story line is wonderful. I hope to listen to more by this author narrator combo.
This review copy was provided by netgalley
This is a great book and well it has a k9 in it so I am a shoe in. I had the audio version narrated by Noni Alley who took this book to another level she was awesome. The book had so much suspense in it, it was hard not to jump in and help. The characters were well developed and the story line is wonderful. I hope to listen to more by this author narrator combo.
This review copy was provided by netgalley
April 29, 2025
This is my first book by this author and now I need to back read the others in this series. The book was well written with light faith elements woven through the story . A story of arson happening again but how can it if the arson is dead. Unless it’s a copy cat but it’s so close to the original it is scary.
Darcy answers the phones at emergency response and was the one to first suspect the original arsonist .
Lucas was Darcy’s first love and best friend until he left . Joining the police force but not that way he he had always dreamed of .
Lucas is back and together they hopefully can find answers to the question of who is behind this .
Why is the arsonist back ?
I read this in audiobook and thought the narrator a good job of portraying the multiple characters.
Darcy answers the phones at emergency response and was the one to first suspect the original arsonist .
Lucas was Darcy’s first love and best friend until he left . Joining the police force but not that way he he had always dreamed of .
Lucas is back and together they hopefully can find answers to the question of who is behind this .
Why is the arsonist back ?
I read this in audiobook and thought the narrator a good job of portraying the multiple characters.
April 5, 2025
Dangerous Arson Trail by Maggie K Black and narrated by Noni Avey. This is book 3 in her Unsolved case files. Darcy is a dispatcher and gets a 911 call, which sounds like Blaze from her past who was a serial arsonist but he is dead. K-9 officer Lukas her best friend from high school and his partner detects arson. Romantic suspense, quick read, second chances with mystery. Great beach read. Thank you to #NetGalley,#harlequin Audio and the author for this arc. This is my honest review. Releases April 29
April 8, 2025
Darcy seems to be a target for an arsonist that is a copycat to the one she put away years ago. Lucas and his K9 are caught in the mystery as his father is the fire chief who seems to be hiding secrets. Darcy and Lucas are trying to figure out why the arsonist is active now, who the arsonist is, and if they can trust each other. There is a lot of action and mystery with a good amount of relationship romance. The narrator did a great job with the voices and made listening to the story enjoyable.
May 3, 2025
I wasnt really fond of the hero.
All thought that Darcy was just imagining everything but Lucas was attacked by Blaze and also had a conversation with the person but he never said anything when everyone(including his team) were questioning Darcy's reliability.
No one really investigated anything,they just said that she was imagining everything and then in end there was suddenly evidence and we got HE.
These 3 stars for Darcy still fighying against all odds and Michigan(Lucas' dog)
All thought that Darcy was just imagining everything but Lucas was attacked by Blaze and also had a conversation with the person but he never said anything when everyone(including his team) were questioning Darcy's reliability.
No one really investigated anything,they just said that she was imagining everything and then in end there was suddenly evidence and we got HE.
These 3 stars for Darcy still fighying against all odds and Michigan(Lucas' dog)
June 9, 2025
Part of an interconnected series with characters that overlap throughout the series. Can be read as a standalone. Years ago she was instrumental in solving a arson case. Now someone is going after her imitating the former crimes? Did they get the wrong person before or is this a copycat? What happens when the guy who broke her heart is part of the team trying to protect her?
August 4, 2025
This book pulled me in on page one and never let go! I read it one day, barely breathing the entire time.
It's a second chance romance, but the stakes are high! A copycat arsonist (or is it a copycat?) is forcing them to play a game they never signed up for, and lives are on the line. Including theirs.
It's a second chance romance, but the stakes are high! A copycat arsonist (or is it a copycat?) is forcing them to play a game they never signed up for, and lives are on the line. Including theirs.
November 28, 2025
Non stop action and fast paced. The writing never lags nor gets confusing.
I like the characters and how they have flaws. I like how they continue to push forward and try to overcome their problems.
The whole "mystery" was not overly believable to me though. It seemed a bit thin and I was not a fan of the "culprits" motive.
I like the characters and how they have flaws. I like how they continue to push forward and try to overcome their problems.
The whole "mystery" was not overly believable to me though. It seemed a bit thin and I was not a fan of the "culprits" motive.
July 11, 2025
Lots of action and some surprises. 911 dispatcher Darcy is abducted and let bound in a burning home. What is going on? Who is behind this? Fortunately K-9 office Lucas found her and saved her. But can he and his team figure out what is going on? and who is behind it?
January 12, 2026
Kind of sad
The backstory on this one is so sad. And the targeting of Darcy seemed really mean. But the mystery in this one was complex and interesting. The HEA was great. This series is fantastic.
The backstory on this one is so sad. And the targeting of Darcy seemed really mean. But the mystery in this one was complex and interesting. The HEA was great. This series is fantastic.
February 21, 2026
pretty good
This was not as good as the first one in this series. But I did like Luke’s character and how he finally realized he wasn’t a failure. It took me over 40’s to accept myself. So I really related to his character.
This was not as good as the first one in this series. But I did like Luke’s character and how he finally realized he wasn’t a failure. It took me over 40’s to accept myself. So I really related to his character.
Read
April 2, 2025Inspirational Suspense, Wholesome Romance, Animal Fiction, Romantic Suspense
Miniseries
Unsolved Case Files (Book #3)
Miniseries
Unsolved Case Files (Book #3)
Read
April 2, 2025Inspirational Suspense, Wholesome Romance, Animal Fiction, Romantic Suspense
Miniseries
Unsolved Case Files (Book #3)
Miniseries
Unsolved Case Files (Book #3)
April 7, 2025
A fast paced inspirational suspense that will have you on the edge of your seat until the last page!
I received an audio ARC from Netgalley and all opinions are my own.
I received an audio ARC from Netgalley and all opinions are my own.
May 1, 2025
Quick easy enjoyable read
June 27, 2025
Awesome read
September 14, 2025
I love books with officers and their k-9 partners, they are so smart. This book makes you want to question a certain episode that happened in the past and if you might have made a mistake.
October 22, 2025
It took me less than 1 day to read this book. I loved it! awesome series, too!
November 11, 2025
I wish Robby had got help or someone helped him before he had a tragic fate
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews