Trailhead

by C. Jean Downer

After an undercover FBI operation blew up in her face, Special Agent Eleanor Peters disappeared.

Eight years later and hiding behind a new name, Kate Hall runs a remote hostel for Pacific Crest Trail hikers, content with the anonymity her new life provides. The constant flow of travelers offers all the human connection she needs—and none of the attachments she fears.

When Kate’s bloodhound Jenny discovers a backpack filled with designer drugs, National Park Investigative Security Branch Agent Reese Carter arrives to investigate. Soon Kate’s carefully constructed sanctuary begins to crumble.

As the walls close in, Kate faces an impossible vanish again to protect the woman she’s unexpectedly fallen for, or trust Reese with her secrets and confront the killer who’s finally found her.

Genres: Crime, LGBT, Mystery, Romance

318 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 26, 2025

About the author

C. Jean Downer (she/her) is a 2024 Golden Literary Award double finalist and 2023, 2024 and 2025 Touchstone nominated poet living near the Canadian northwest’s eternal Pacific Ocean with her wife, their two fabulous daughters, two lazy dogs, and three chill cats.

Jean has loved reading and watching the mystery genre since she was a kid and is thrilled to be able to write genre-bending stories of mystery, paranormal, and romantic suspense for a second act.

When she is not writing, she and the love of her life will be traveling to new destinations and checking them off their bucket list (okay, even when traveling, she’ll be writing, but mostly in her head).

Reviews

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ This was a mystery centering on an Irish drug mob. Elenor/Kate is an undercover FBI agent tasked with befriending the daughter of the mob, Bridget. This first thirrd of the book sets up the drug bust gone bad and Elenor's new life as Kate. As Kate she opens a hostel on the PCT in Washington state. Reese is an ISB agent with the National Park Bureau.

I liked the storyline and the interactions between Kate and Reese, but there is no physical description of either character and that took me a bit to get their characters into my head. It was also a case of insta love and very little romantic dialogue or flirting.

The secondary characters were well developed and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. I also liked the outdoor setting the National Park.

Thanks to Bella Books for the chance to read and review this ARC.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Really good mystery with a very warm romance.
This is a good one. There beginning was surprising and interesting. The bulk of the story was very interesting, curious and interesting.
it all made sense and came together in the end.
The characters were interesting, talented and warm. The romance was just right.
This is the first book I have read from this author and I will search for her others.
Great story and mystery!
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sue Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

would like to thank bella books for letting me read this book

wow this is the sort of book i love to read....

life on the mountains
trial angel
fbi
toolbelt

with all those elements whats not to like about this book

beginning again after trying to bring a big family down and ending up in witness protection and making a new life until a court date happens

but life starts to get complicated and could she have been found by the family she is being protected from....

life is about to get even more complicated as betrayal looms and who could it be...

man this book i was hooked from the beginning and couldnt put it down... loved all the characters and jenny the bloodhound....

cant wait to see what else this author brings out next

[Tempe Luvs Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captured me from the beginning with the interesting characters, the intense storyline and incredible writing. I knew this was a story that required my undivided attention, and I’m glad I did because I devoured it, loving it all.

The book was divided into thirds. The first established the background of the drug empire of the O’Flaherty-Mahoney family where we learned about the family dynamics and dysfunction.

Here we were introduced to one of our main characters, Eleanor Peters, plucked out of the FBI Academy to be a bodyguard for Bridget, who was entering university. Bridget was a difficult one to control, being a chemist whiz and having her own ideas of how things should be.

A drug meeting went bad and the situation turned into chaos.
Eleanor was again plucked away and, being afraid of retribution, she was placed in a witness protection program and given the name, Kate Hall. The story’s setting changed to Washington State’s North Cascades National Park. Kate operated a hostel, which was a reprieve for weary hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail. Her hostel was known as Angel Hall, popular and sought out among hikers.

Kate had become friends with many of those in the park service and local community. She loved her life there, including the pride she had growing roses. Friends were eager for her to meet another single lesbian, National Park Security Branch Agent Reese Carter who was investigating a case involving a 10-year missing person believed to have been last spotted in the area.

I loved it when the two ladies became friends. They had already eyed each other from a distance. It was a sweet slow burn, but Kate fought being in a relationship for fear of endangering anyone that she’d become close to, yet there was romance along with the kisses, making-out and playful bantering that kept my heart fluttering. Everyone wanted these two to be together.

Possibly the most popular character was Jenny, Kate’s bloodhound. When Jenny found a backpack with drugs and Kate recognized a particular marker, she was certain that she had been found. This brought with it the return of her panic and fear of being plucked off again, this time away from Reese and her happy place in the woods. It also brought more danger, drama and surprises.

This story was wonderful because of the eloquent writing. The prose was beautiful as it conveyed the beauty, love, feelings and emotions that make a story memorable. I loved the intensity, the pace, the characters and the romance. This was my first book by this author and I’m so grateful to Bella Books for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. This was a really good read. I liked the writing, it’s paced evenly and I was never bored. Reese and Nicole were great, strong, and likable leads and though their romance felt very instant I didn’t mind it. The plot was intriguing and kept me intrigued and I liked the ending. My one and only complaint was the villain. She was so over the top and I just couldn’t take her serious. She threw off the intense tone for me. Other than that this was really enjoyable and I will definitely check out this author’s other books.

[Seb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love queer outdoor mysteries and this author is great this had some issues but overall I super enjoyed the book

[Jerome Berglund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Achillean crime solvers have always been an essential part of the mystery tradition and detective genre, from Poe's Dupin to Daniel Craig's iconic Benoit Blanc and Willem Dafoe's legendary special agent Paul Smecker in the cult classic Boondock Saints. But until recently there had been something of a lack of representation of Sapphic figures in the realm of crime fiction, an omission modern screenwriters and authors have been making impressive strides to remedy and improve upon in recent years across media of all varieties, from television (on Only Murders in the Building, Deadloch, Brooklyn 99, Mindhunter, the Wire) to comic books (Batwoman, Harley Quinn, Wonder Woman) and cinema (Honey Don't, Drive-Away Dolls, Freeheld).

In this burgeoning renaissance of inclusion and entrance C. Jean Downer's latest captivating thriller character study and page turning romance about drug trafficking and witness protection on the Pacific Crest Trail makes for an exciting addition and contribution to this important burgeoning category of valuable work posterity and our culture can benefit so enormously from.

Tight, captivating storytelling which will intrigue and engage enormously fans of Harlan Coben, Bosch, or the HBO series Penguin, with charming characterization and masterful mise-en-scene, Downer transports readers deftly and smoothly into compelling settings and unique experiences, breathing originality, freshness and specificity into beloved genres and entertaining territories in new and exciting ways. This would make for a fabulous screen adaptation as a program or miniseries on a streaming network or prestige channel like HBO or Starz. Very engaging and enjoyable reading, C. Jean has a true gift for prose few can match, color me impressed so looking forward to reading other fiction of hers, this being my first introduction, besides being so talented at poetry which I was familiar with!

If you happened to enjoy the recent series on Netflix with Eric Bana entitled Untamed, or the show High Country (also featuring lesbian protagonists!) you will definitely adore, be delighted and riveted by this exquisite narrative. ;D

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eleanor Peters is an undercover FBI special agent monitoring a crime syndicate family in Quincy, Massachusetts, when things go desperately wrong. The person, Bridget, that she was hired to protect by the matriarch of the crime family, has died in an explosion.

Eleanor has entered a witness protection program and Part II of the three-part book picks up in the North Cascades National Park area where she has run a hostel under the name Kate Hall for the last eight years. The hostel serves Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) hikers. Eleanor/Kate's past revisits her when her dog finds a backpack full of designer drugs similar to those that the crime family used to design and distribute under the guise of a family porcelain business.

That is when Reese Carson, special agent with the National Park's Investigative Security Branch (ISB), shows up in town and begin her investigation. Little do they know that Kate's life is in danger.

I rated this book 325 stars. Some things that I found positive about the book included Bridget's new identity. I actually thought it was someone else at the hostel. Some deltas included constantly repeated phrases (Part I - "my charge"; Part II - "old hound"; the cartoonish descriptions and actions of the crime family and extended associates in Part I; the insta love between Kate and Reese without proper character chemistry generation; and the soap-operaish happenings in Part III.

I received an ARC from Bella Books in exchnage for an honest review.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Hall has been running a hostel in Washington that is on the Pacific Crest Trail for the last eight years. Before that she was an FBI undercover agent embedded with a crime family. Her life now is living in witness protection, and enjoying the trails and hikers that pass through. She also has her beloved hound dog Jenny. Reese Carson is a special agent with the National Park’s Investigative Security Branch. The two have seen each other but their paths haven’t crossed until Kate finds a bag of specialty drugs suggesting a drop point in the trail system. Reese is by the book and investigates. But she also wants to know Kate better too. When Kate sees someone from the crime family in her town she knows her life is endangered. But she isn’t sure who to trust and turn too.

This was an excellent read. I liked the set up, characters, and even the red herring that put my suspicion on the wrong person. I was engrossed in the story to the point I stayed up far later than I should have because I just needed to see how it turned out. The romance was part of the story and not an after thought. The writing built up the suspense and didn’t let go. It reminded me of Gerri Hill’s FBI romantic/suspense novels. I’ve read the author's two previous Sloane West mysteries, which I liked. This one doesn’t have the fantasy element and I preferred it more being a procedural type novel. I would gladly read another case for Reese or whatever the author writes next. Thank you to Bella Books and the author for an eARC and I am leaving an honest review.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars

This book grabbed my attention, as it takes place around the Pacific Coast Trail, a 2600+ mile trail that runs from Mexico to Canada along the western U.S. While I am not a hiker, I live not too far from the Appalachian Trail in the eastern U.S. I find these large trails and the culture that surrounds them really interesting and admire the dedication and skill of the “through hikers” who undertake the massive endeavor of walking the full length of these enormous trails. So when I saw the setting for this book, I was eager to check it out and I think the setting and bits of trail life were the strongest parts of the book for me.

I listened to this in audio and I struggled with Ann Sprinkle’s narration. I found her voice to have sort of a mild nasal whine to it that just didn’t work for me. She also uses a very light, airy tone to her voice that didn’t feel like a fit to this particular story. As the book opens, we are at a dinner with this organized crime family, and the narrative tone feels light and sweet and not like a group of hardened criminals speaking.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.

[Fiona Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Wow, that was quite a ride! I absolutely loved Trailhead and found myself sucked into the suspense from the start and held there until the very end! Mystery/Suspense/Thriller books are amongst my favourites and this one was an absolute doozy!

Unlike some books which might start with a short prequal to give the back story, the first third of the book sets up the backstory, explains how Eleanor Peters ends up in the WITSEC program with a new name and identity and gives the reader a great introduction to the other characters who will feature later in the story. I felt that this helped to bring some real deapth, and a couple of surprises as the story proceeds.There were times when I thought I knew where the story was going to go but ended up being surprised to find out that I was wrong. To me, that is the sign of a good author when it comes to thrillers, and, in my opinion, C. Jean Downer is a master of this genre.

One of the joys of reading as many sapphic books as I do is occasionally coming across a new gem. C. Jean Downer is one of thsoe gems in my case and I will certainly be reading more of her work in the future.

I am grateful to the author and Bella Books for providing me with an ARC copy of Trailhead and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Henriette · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Normal“ life and love when you‘re on the run
This romantic thriller excelled in the beautiful, lush images of nature and life in a small town set in the Northern Cascades, Washington. Downer‘s love for the outdoors shines throught on every page.
The former undercover life of FBI-agent Eleanor Peters was high-stakes, dangerous, murderous even, a life with a treacherous Mafia family. Her new life is quite the contrast. She now runs a hostel, as Kate Hall or trail-angel Hall, on the Pacific Crest Trail: I loved the small-town life, the interactions with hikers, Kate‘s extensive own hikes and of course her loyal blood hound, Jenny. It does not hurt at all that there is a slow, budding attraction with investigative park-ranger Reese.
When her past suddenly encroaches on her new life everything (and everyone) is suddenly in peril. There are quite a few twists and turns which I really enjoyed and which let me turn the pages as fast as possible.

PS.: Although there is trail magic (snacks and drinks for weary hikers) this is not a paranormal book like Downer‘s Sloane West series.

I received an ARC. The review is left voluntarily.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable crime thriller, a complicated opening explains the history of why Kate moves from Boston to the forests of Washington state. The leap to 8 years later and the rich life she has built with her loyal bloodhound, Jenny, is well written and you can see why it would be so hard to give up. Enter Reese the local Park Ranger who is investigating a case of a missing young woman, bringing with her the possible chance of a life, without running. A convincing story about drug running using the forest as cover, as well as danger emerging from the past, makes this a rich exciting thriller and an absorbing puzzle to unravel. A real page turner.

With thanks to the publisher who gave me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kayleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mystery story focused on the Irish drug mob. Kate is an undercover FBI agent who is tasked with befriending the daughter of the mob, Bridget. When the sting goes wrong, Bridget is dead, and Kate is in the witness protection program.
In her new life, Kate is a "trail angel" along the PCT, providing support to hikers making the trek and things are quiet until she finds a backpack full of drugs and her past life catches up to her.
The story all comes together at the end and kept moving really quickly. The audio narrator was exciting to listen to and kept things moving really well.

[Bo · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting, intriguing mystery with wlw characters. An FBI agent is discovered causing her to have to go into witness protection. Amid the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the kindness of the hiking community, a drug transportation route is established and when "Angel Hall" stumbles upon it, she is sure her past has caught up to her eight years later.

Except it really hasn't... until she's blindsided by a ghost. Good job by narrator Ann Sprinkle, especially her interpretation of the abrasive Lu.

[Marta Minder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent execution

This is really well developed police story. The characters are relatable. I don't like spoilers so none will be given. The flow and combining several mysterious elements were done seamlessly. If there is a theme to take away is that people disappear and create new lives for many different reasons. And who doesn't love a great girl and her best buddy, a four legged companion, story mixed into life's chaos. Curl up with one you won't regret it.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. It took a few chapters to get into the characters, but I got there.

[Kexx · Rating 4 out of 5]

All encompassing story, almost too many threads but came together well. Too laboured to be 5*s but will look for further books by this author.