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DEAD RECKONING
When a string of unexplained deaths rattles the elite coastal town of East Wilton, Detective Roslyn Hunt is the last person who wants to return, but the only one equipped to uncover the truth. Roslyn is forced to confront her past if she hopes to protect the town or have any chance at a future for herself - a future which she hopes continues to include Elle Wolfe. Elle is an upbeat journalist who, against all odds, has begun to melt the ice around Roslyn’s nearly frozen heart, but she has no idea of Roslyn’s past or the family secrets she’s keeping.
Roslyn is determined to keep it that way.
When a new assignment brings Elle to East Wilton too, Roslyn must decide how much of her history she can hide from the journalist sharing her bed… And for how long. Old secrets stir, long-buried wounds reopen, and someone in East Wilton is not who they seem.
In a town where everyone is hiding something, can Roslyn and Elle untangle the truth together, or will they break one another in trying?
Roslyn is determined to keep it that way.
When a new assignment brings Elle to East Wilton too, Roslyn must decide how much of her history she can hide from the journalist sharing her bed… And for how long. Old secrets stir, long-buried wounds reopen, and someone in East Wilton is not who they seem.
In a town where everyone is hiding something, can Roslyn and Elle untangle the truth together, or will they break one another in trying?
- GenresLesbian
452 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 3, 2026
The romance really heats up in this one EVEN THOUGH the characters have to work through some shit first. The setting was very easy to imagine and the combination of new dangers and Roslyn’s past haunting the narrative at every step really makes you feel like you’re on your toes the whole time. The motive for the crimes is also so interesting and I could really see that happening somewhere like this
Also slight spoilers but if you’re worried about the dog he is totally fine and makes it through the book safe😅
Also slight spoilers but if you’re worried about the dog he is totally fine and makes it through the book safe😅
April 22, 2026
Was SO excited to read Dead Reckoning after how good Dead Tide was. This book exceeded all of my expectations! Jane Marks did a phenomenal job of telling the story of a mystery interwoven with romance that pulls on all the heartstrings. I hope Jane adds another book to this collection, I need more Elle and Roslyn!!!
April 17, 2026
Dead tide was good but Dead Reckoning was GREAT!!! I truly did not see the ending coming and loved to see Elle and Roslyns relationship develop in the second book of this series. Im not usually much of a thriller/mystery reader but i still loved this book! I hope there will be another addition to the series soon and cant wait to see what else Jane Marks puts out there !!!!
July 21, 2026
I have so much to say about this book. I don’t even know where to start. Both of the books completely consumed me. I was living in their world.
„Shadows caressed the contours of her body and she was a living, breathing piece of art. Devastatingly beautiful. Both ethereal and real. A tangible dream.
More than anything though, it was the sparkle in her eyes. The brightness of who she was beneath all
of the physical beauty. The sharp wit. The fast humor.“
„This was what people didn’t understand about her.
This was the part of her often overlooked, buried by the lightness of her laughter and the animation of her stories. Underneath the genuine smile and joy was a bedrock of strength. She was steady, confident
and sure.“
„That woman has backbone. She seems easy-going, but she won’t put up with too much of your shit.
She’s patient, but has her limit. You need that.” I loved that Erin also saw the real Elle, not just the quirky journalist.
“It was nice to see that they didn’t underestimate her.” I loved this line from Amelia about Roslyn. She literally helped kill people, yet the book was still driven by such strong female characters.
„The door creaked open and Roslyn Hunt entered the room. Two young cops with terrified expressions flanked her. At first, I thought it was because of little ol’ me, but I realized that it was Roslyn who made them nervous.“
I know this was mainly a murder mystery and it was incredibly well thought out, but I’m just a sucker for the Elle & Roslyn storyline.
That being said, I still have to talk about the murder mystery. Being there for your partner through thick and thin… but helping your wife kill people because you still felt guilty for cheating on her? „So, he‘d helped her to kill. Because if he didn’t, she would find anothet man who would“.
The details of how Amelia, Lars, and Kevin killed all those people? Crazy haha. All because she was bored? She really should have picked up another hobby.
This scene had me laughing:
“In high school, I was a lanky, epileptic lesbian.” What a sentence.“ „I didn’t have any friends, unless you count my brother, which most people didn’t.” I shrugged. “I suppose I could’ve blamed the epilepsy, or being gay.” My mouth curved into a half-smile. “But honestly, the problem was my personality. To use your vernacular, I ‘was a real bitch’”
Gillian raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that past tense?”
My lips twitched into a full smile. “I didn’t grow out of the epilepsy or being gay either. At least I’m consistent.”
The way I nearly started crying when I thought the police officer had fucking shot Jasper. WTF.
But then Martha, the icon that she is, whacked him with her heavy diamond bag. ICONIC. I LOVE HER.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m sure ingesting all the anti-aging creams you slather onto your face would kill him long before they’d get here.” Jasper let out a low woof as if in agreement.“
Yeah… I definitely cried at the end.
Roslyn giving up her entire career because she felt guilty about her brother’s death, knowing he had been on his way to see her perform. And she still performed even though he was in the hospital. „It would haunt me forever and it should“.
The way she described what she felt after he died…
„I’d dedicated my full self, my full soul, to dance in advance. I’d used up my entire emotional capacity in that pursuit. I felt everything out on stage instead of in the rest of my life.“
„Passion, empathy, pain, and happiness were all reserved for ballet.“
„For as much as I wanted to be a dancer, I needed to be a person first.“
„I deserve to suffer in my self-loathing because it was a valuable reminder of the kind of monster I could be. I would always hate that I had switched off my humanity for the sake of my career. I hated that I was able to. I had chosen a performance over the most important person in my entire life. I had made that choice easily. I had chosen to give in to my ambition over my humanity.“˙◠˙
This was the most vulnerable thing she had ever said to anyone, and she said it to Elle. It was heartbreaking and perfect at the same time. I felt every emotion while reading it. It was brilliantly written.
Elle, Roslyn, and Jasper.
I’ll be thinking about you for a long time. <3
„Shadows caressed the contours of her body and she was a living, breathing piece of art. Devastatingly beautiful. Both ethereal and real. A tangible dream.
More than anything though, it was the sparkle in her eyes. The brightness of who she was beneath all
of the physical beauty. The sharp wit. The fast humor.“
„This was what people didn’t understand about her.
This was the part of her often overlooked, buried by the lightness of her laughter and the animation of her stories. Underneath the genuine smile and joy was a bedrock of strength. She was steady, confident
and sure.“
„That woman has backbone. She seems easy-going, but she won’t put up with too much of your shit.
She’s patient, but has her limit. You need that.” I loved that Erin also saw the real Elle, not just the quirky journalist.
“It was nice to see that they didn’t underestimate her.” I loved this line from Amelia about Roslyn. She literally helped kill people, yet the book was still driven by such strong female characters.
„The door creaked open and Roslyn Hunt entered the room. Two young cops with terrified expressions flanked her. At first, I thought it was because of little ol’ me, but I realized that it was Roslyn who made them nervous.“
I know this was mainly a murder mystery and it was incredibly well thought out, but I’m just a sucker for the Elle & Roslyn storyline.
That being said, I still have to talk about the murder mystery. Being there for your partner through thick and thin… but helping your wife kill people because you still felt guilty for cheating on her? „So, he‘d helped her to kill. Because if he didn’t, she would find anothet man who would“.
The details of how Amelia, Lars, and Kevin killed all those people? Crazy haha. All because she was bored? She really should have picked up another hobby.
This scene had me laughing:
“In high school, I was a lanky, epileptic lesbian.” What a sentence.“ „I didn’t have any friends, unless you count my brother, which most people didn’t.” I shrugged. “I suppose I could’ve blamed the epilepsy, or being gay.” My mouth curved into a half-smile. “But honestly, the problem was my personality. To use your vernacular, I ‘was a real bitch’”
Gillian raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that past tense?”
My lips twitched into a full smile. “I didn’t grow out of the epilepsy or being gay either. At least I’m consistent.”
The way I nearly started crying when I thought the police officer had fucking shot Jasper. WTF.
But then Martha, the icon that she is, whacked him with her heavy diamond bag. ICONIC. I LOVE HER.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m sure ingesting all the anti-aging creams you slather onto your face would kill him long before they’d get here.” Jasper let out a low woof as if in agreement.“
Yeah… I definitely cried at the end.
Roslyn giving up her entire career because she felt guilty about her brother’s death, knowing he had been on his way to see her perform. And she still performed even though he was in the hospital. „It would haunt me forever and it should“.
The way she described what she felt after he died…
„I’d dedicated my full self, my full soul, to dance in advance. I’d used up my entire emotional capacity in that pursuit. I felt everything out on stage instead of in the rest of my life.“
„Passion, empathy, pain, and happiness were all reserved for ballet.“
„For as much as I wanted to be a dancer, I needed to be a person first.“
„I deserve to suffer in my self-loathing because it was a valuable reminder of the kind of monster I could be. I would always hate that I had switched off my humanity for the sake of my career. I hated that I was able to. I had chosen a performance over the most important person in my entire life. I had made that choice easily. I had chosen to give in to my ambition over my humanity.“˙◠˙
This was the most vulnerable thing she had ever said to anyone, and she said it to Elle. It was heartbreaking and perfect at the same time. I felt every emotion while reading it. It was brilliantly written.
Elle, Roslyn, and Jasper.
I’ll be thinking about you for a long time. <3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2026
I loved the first one and this did not disappoint at all!! Loved it!
June 10, 2026
THE DOG IS FINE (j’ai eu la peur de ma vie)
C’était bon, mais il aurait fallu une vraie enquête parce que ça entre à peine dans le genre policier. Je me suis vraiment ennuyée de l’équipe du 1, mais c’est somme toute une suite réussie.
C’était bon, mais il aurait fallu une vraie enquête parce que ça entre à peine dans le genre policier. Je me suis vraiment ennuyée de l’équipe du 1, mais c’est somme toute une suite réussie.
June 24, 2026
I liked some aspects of DR better than DT, but I do wish the team were involved more in this book. I think the mystery wrapped up in a satisfying way. I liked getting to know Rosalyn better, and feel like the relationship between Rosalyn and Elle has the capacity for more growth. That being said, the timeline is confusing. How long are we in East Wilton? It seems like months, but then we don’t get any substantive understanding of the passage of time. Further, why don’t we get more info about Elle’s story? Even if the book is a span of two weeks, she isn’t really doing anything? Regardless, those issues would maybe knock off a star, but I was engrossed in the book so imma let it slide!
My star rating system:
⭐️ : Would never read, or DNF
⭐️⭐️ : Not for me, probably for others
⭐️⭐️⭐️ : Solid, but forgettable
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ : Excellent, would re-read eventually
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ : Would re-read immediately
My star rating system:
⭐️ : Would never read, or DNF
⭐️⭐️ : Not for me, probably for others
⭐️⭐️⭐️ : Solid, but forgettable
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ : Excellent, would re-read eventually
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ : Would re-read immediately
May 1, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
This sequel gave me exactly what I needed. It delivered the character depth I had been longing for while weaving in the kind of mystery my heart always craves. Jane has a way of making every character feel layered and real, which made me even more invested in their journey this time around.
Her writing is so engaging that I constantly found myself saying, "Just one more chapter," unable to resist turning the next page. The balance between emotional development and suspense was spot on, keeping me hooked from beginning to end.
Jane continues to be an auto-read author for me, and this book is another reminder of why. I'm already looking forward to picking up her next release.
This sequel gave me exactly what I needed. It delivered the character depth I had been longing for while weaving in the kind of mystery my heart always craves. Jane has a way of making every character feel layered and real, which made me even more invested in their journey this time around.
Her writing is so engaging that I constantly found myself saying, "Just one more chapter," unable to resist turning the next page. The balance between emotional development and suspense was spot on, keeping me hooked from beginning to end.
Jane continues to be an auto-read author for me, and this book is another reminder of why. I'm already looking forward to picking up her next release.
October 1, 2026
Dead Reckoning was exactly the follow up I wanted after Dead Tide. This book focused on Roslyn, taking her back to a home she thought she had left behind. She is more shut down and standoffish than usual, but Elle has the patience of a saint and their relationship feels so much stronger and more organic because of the difficult times they push through. Neither of these characters are perfect, and Ros especially still has a long way to go to be the person who Elle deserves, but I think she will get there and I’m invested. The mystery was interesting, it seemed a little messy in the middle but came together in the end. I still have some questions about motives and what came of the guilty party, hoping we’ll get a resolution along with a new mystery in a third book!
April 21, 2026
The first in the Roslyn Hunt Mystery series, Dead Tide, was one of my top books in 2024. When this sequel popped up on my recommendations, I was luckily in between books so I could start it right away. Just like the first, I was hooked immediately and couldn’t put it down.
While Dead Tide gave us plenty of hints into her background, Dead Reckoning delivers on that urge to know more about the incredible SSA Roslyn Hunt. Jane Marks breathes life into her characters so effortlessly that it’s easy to get attached, and I was so excited to get more. There’s nothing quite like that Grumpy Roslyn and Sunshine Elle banter 💕 Both stories have also had a great balance between solving a high stakes mystery and allowing room for character development. I enjoyed Dead Tide’s slow burn with Elle and Roslyn, and I enjoyed the exploration into vulnerability in Dead Reckoning just as much.
Simply a spectacular series that will be staying on my radar. (But more Hunt FBI team in book 3 please I miss them 🙏)
While Dead Tide gave us plenty of hints into her background, Dead Reckoning delivers on that urge to know more about the incredible SSA Roslyn Hunt. Jane Marks breathes life into her characters so effortlessly that it’s easy to get attached, and I was so excited to get more. There’s nothing quite like that Grumpy Roslyn and Sunshine Elle banter 💕 Both stories have also had a great balance between solving a high stakes mystery and allowing room for character development. I enjoyed Dead Tide’s slow burn with Elle and Roslyn, and I enjoyed the exploration into vulnerability in Dead Reckoning just as much.
Simply a spectacular series that will be staying on my radar. (But more Hunt FBI team in book 3 please I miss them 🙏)
June 26, 2026
Normalmente, las segundas partes de un libro dejan mucho que desear, la trama y la escritura caen en picado pero este no ha sido el caso. Me gusta que se mantenga la intriga hasta el final, que no se centren en la vida de las protagonistas, sino en la trama del crimen. Está muy alineado con el primer libro y se mantiene fiel a la narrativa del primero.
Muy fácil de leer y te captiva desde el principio.
Muy fácil de leer y te captiva desde el principio.
September 23, 2026
It’s so good!!!!!
I was wondering how it would compare to the first book, my expectations were exceeded! The characters keep building even Jaspers. lol You will not be disappointed.
I was wondering how it would compare to the first book, my expectations were exceeded! The characters keep building even Jaspers. lol You will not be disappointed.
April 20, 2026
Great read!
It’s a great read! I enjoyed the second book as much as the first one! I hope there will be a third one!
It’s a great read! I enjoyed the second book as much as the first one! I hope there will be a third one!
May 10, 2026
3.5 stars
May 27, 2026
3.5
okay but the first one definitely tops this one
okay but the first one definitely tops this one
July 14, 2026
I found this book in a cute little shop in Cape Cod. Such a great mystery book! LGBTQ genre books are not normally something I would gravitate to and I am so glad I grabbed it while gift shopping.
September 28, 2026
This didn't have me then had me then didn't have me. Missing something. 3.5 rounded down.
May 12, 2026
Dead Reckoning is a modern day “And then there were none” Agatha Christie style whodunit and I LOVE it. The twist was more gentle than Dead Tide but equally as fun right until the end. Marks does an excellent job of taking your hand and leading you exactly where she wants you, eliciting a myriad of emotions before tying the story up in a neat little bow. It’s a satisfying read and Elle and Roslyn are the perfect hosts.
April 29, 2026
Dead Tide is up there as one of my favorite books. I was so excited to learn there was another one coming and Dead Reckoning absolutely did not disappoint! Cannot wait for more Ros and Elle!!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews