Hollow Trace

by Kris Norris, Black Hollow

In the backcountry, the only thing more dangerous than the truth is the girl he thought he’d buried.

Quinton Taylor knows the smell of a crime scene. As an RCMP officer and SAR tech, he’s seen the worst the wilderness can do—but he’s never seen a trail go this cold, this fast. When his sister vanishes, the only thing left behind is a high-tech biometric watch and the chilling certainty that the forest is watching him back. But he isn't just late to the party—he's the new prey.

The ambush nearly takes his life. The rescue nearly shatters his mind.

Scout Lennox is a dead woman walking. Three months after Quinn attended her memorial—after they’d finally found their way back to one another—she’s standing over him in the dirt, armed to the teeth and operating in the shadows of a war he didn’t know was being fought. He wants answers. She just wants to keep him breathing long enough to find his sister.

The watch in Quinn’s hand is a death sentence. It’s pinging his sister’s vitals as she’s driven through a lethal selection process where only the "outliers" survive. To save her, Quinn has to trust the ghost he never stopped missing. To stop a killer, Scout has to risk letting Quinn get close—close enough to see the woman she used to be, and the one she is now. But the deeper they push, the more dangerous the truth becomes… and the more impossible it is to keep their hands off each other when the only safe place left is the space between them.

Because this time, losing isn’t just death. And to survive, they’ll have to become the very thing Quinn spent his life fighting—people who exist outside the law.

241 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 22, 2026

About the author

I’m just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. I took the midnight train…oops, sorry. Got off-track.

Author, hobbit, and crazy lady running in the woods, I’m either madly creating masterpieces in my dungeon, or out chasing Bigfoot with my dogs.

I see myself as unapologetically Canadian, and I love all things maple syrup.


Reviews

[Sharon Grow]

Quinton “Quinn” Taylor had lost the love of his life, Scout Lennox. Now his sister, Brea, is missing and he can’t lose another one who he loves. Searching for her he finds traces of her, her phone and her running band. He is determined to find her, but as he begins his search, he is attacked by men with superhuman strength. Out of nowhere he is aided by a different group as he struggles to survive. He looks up to face Scout, his former lover who he believed that he had buried! As they engage the men who are attacking him, others with Scout join the battle and they escape. Scout knows that he has questions, but first they must get back to the compound. Her supervisor is not pleased that she has brought him to their secure facility hidden deep underground, but she had no other choice. Learning that they are trying to bring down a man named Fitch who has stolen a serum named "Titan". The serum was developed to enhance the strength and durability of military personnel, but instead has been adapted to give soldiers superhuman strength, almost unable to be beaten. He soon understands why she had to fake her death or she would have been hunted and killed. He asks for their help to find his missing sister as they continue the search for where Titan is being produced. The entire group has put their lives on hold, declared dead, in order to bring Fitch and his vicious group down! WOW! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

[Patty Duplechin]

Quinton Taylor lost the love of his life, Scout Lennox three months ago. He’s been drowning in his grief. Now his sister, Brea is missing. She hasn’t checked in when she should have. He went to look for her on the trails she runs. He finds her vehicle with everything in it. Where could she be? Was she kidnapped? He looks for clues when he is attacked by men with superhuman strength. He’s saved by an angel who was supposed to be dead. Scout and her team help him get away from the men. He can’t believe his eyes. She’s alive. Now Scout and her team take him to a their secret bunker. They explain what happened to her. He’s a cop so what they tell him is sometimes not always legal. It’s for the greater good for humanity. He’s goes along with them because they know what those men are and are willing to help save Brea. They all work together to save Brea without any of them dying. There’s a lot of twists and turns. Lots of action. The characters are great. The women are badasses and serve with the men they love. I didn’t want to put the book down. I loved all the action and the characters. Will Quinton forgive Scout? They love each other and can now have a second chance. Will they save Brea? Will they all walk away without dying or being injured. Worth the read. I received this book for my honest review. I give it voluntarily

[Debbie Caswell]

Quinn is a RCMP officer/SAR tech who will stop at nothing to save his sister, making him the ultimate green flag hero—fiercely protective, dedicated, and total alpha. Just when the odds seem completely stacked against him, the woman he thought was dead reenters his life to help him escape. Enter Scout: a total baddie and member of Black Hollow, a group working to take down a maniac involved in human experimentation, mad scientists, and psycho killers.

The reunion between Quinn and Scout gives you an absolute onslaught of emotions. I was practically vibrating waiting for Quinn to get over the shock and just grab her—and when they finally get going? Scorching hot! Watching them get their second chance at love while fighting to survive made this book impossible to put down.

The mission is relentless—the bad guys just keep coming, the fight gets harder, and you’ll find yourself holding your breath and getting so angry on their behalf. Add in the incredible team camaraderie and banter when things get tough, and you have a total winner.

If you love alpha heroes who will burn the world down for their love, badass heroines, trained military experts, and head-on collisions with romance, Kris Norris is a must-read. Highly recommend!

[BecReadReview]

Hollow Trace brings us Quinn & Scout, who we’ve been teased with since book one. Do we get an onslaught of emotions when Quinn finally discovers Scout is alive? Oh yes. Was I practically vibrating for Quinn to get over his shock & embrace Scout? Heck yeah! Does it get scorching hot when they finally get it going? Of course it does. I loved seeing them get their second chance at love.

You can’t forget the mission they’re on, where the bad guys just keep coming & the fight to survive keeps getting harder, making you hold your breath & get so, so angry on their behalf.

Quinn’s protective nature toward his sister & devotion to Scout make him a total green flag, while Scout is a baddie all on her own. I love the team camaraderie & banter when things get tough.

It’s full on action & a head on collision with love. If alpha heroes who will burn for their love, nonstop action, & trained military experts are your jam, Kris Norris is the way to go.

[Leanne ~ Tales From The Heart]

What another fabulous addition to this exciting series.

“Quinton Taylor knows the smell of a crime scene.” I really loved this quote, it perfectly sets the tone for Quin’s story.

Quin is searching for his missing sister after she disappears while out on a run. He finds evidence that something is seriously wrong, but before he can get answers, bullets start flying and he’s suddenly running for his life.

Then comes the biggest shock of all, his former love, Scout, appears and saves him. She was presumed dead after a previous mission, so her return brings an emotional reunion filled with questions, anger and plenty of unfinished business.

With danger at every turn, there’s lots of action, suspense and romance as Quin and Scout try to work through their past while the team gets closer to uncovering what they’ve been hunting for throughout the previous books.

Another fantastic instalment. I’d definitely recommend starting this series from the beginning to get the full story.

[Teresa Reitnauer]

Action upon action in this edge-of-your-seat page-turner. An RCMP officer/SAR tech lost his love; he won't also lose his sister. He's been put on leave from his duties because of his renegade actions. When he picks up his sister's trail, he discovers he's not alone. The odds are stacked against him until the woman he thought dead appears to help him escape. She is a member of Black Hollow, and they are trying to take down a maniac. This story includes a mad scientist, a psycho killer, and human experimentation. Can Black Hollow save the officer's sister? Can he live in the gray area between right and wrong? If you love action, this story is for you.

[Arlene M]

Quinn is an RCMP Officier as well as a SARS tech.
Brea is Quinn’s sister.
Scout was Quinn’s girlfriend and a member of the Black Hollow team.

Scout and Quinn have a past but meet unexpectedly, when Quinn was searching for his missing sister, Brea.
He was attacked and Scout ( who he buried is alive), came to his rescue with her tram mates.
Quinn was in shock and angry that Scout , was alive and did not trust him.
Can Quinn, Scout and her team save Brea?
Can Scout and Quinn have a Happily Ever After?
You will have to read the book to find out.

This book has suspense , Danger, loyalty emotions and family.

Great Job. Kris Norris !!!

[Janilyn Kocher]

I like that this series is set in Canada.
I loved that Quinn was a Mountie and a ripped one at that.
Mourning the loss of his woman he is a bit shocked when he sees Scout in the forest and not in the grave he’s been mourning at for three months.
It’s a high octane read with action happening constantly outside the bunker and inside the bunker between Quinn and Scout.
I loved how they both confessed their feelings, finally, and committed to one another. The intensity was palpable!
Thanks Kris Norris for the advance copy.

[Mary Lawson]

HOLLOW TRACE
BLACK HOLLOW BOOK THREE KRIS NORRIS
Intense. Nail-biting adventure. Grief. Heartbreaking. Loyalty. Loyalty. Love. Friends. This book has all of these elements and more as this series only gets better and better with each book. Scout and Quinn are survivors as they and the team go up against pure evil and pray they will survive. A definite must read book in a continuing must read series.

[Catherine Owen]

This story is about a RCMP officer who thinks he buried his love until a chance encounter he finds himself in while looking for his sister. As he encounters others in this new group he decides to help them in their quest of endeavour. As they uncover his sister being used by the bad guys. After a great mission he gets his sister being used away from them. But they haven’t chopped the head off the snake just put a big dent in it. Glad he found his true love now on to the next mission

[janelle beaver]

Quinn has found out that Scout is alive and is on a team that no one knows about. He finds her when things go south while he's trying to find his sister Brea who's been kidnapped and Scout and her team come to his rescue. This book is nonstop action, with a great team, emotions, and romance. I had a hard time putting this book down.

[Ela La1978]

A second Chance he didn’t think was possible. Finally being able to be where she belonged. Trying to stay alive ans ahead of Finch while trying to safe Brea.
No easy defeat but the Black Hollow Team is unique on his own.
Action packed, romance and family.

[NanaX8]

5+ ⭐️
OMG…Kris Norris knows how to write a heart racing, mind blowing, page turning, psy-op romance and keep you on the edge of your seat just waiting for the next kaboom!! Quinn & Scout’s journey in Hollow Trace is all that & more! Grab it and hold on for the ride!!

[Demi]

Surprise second chance! Quinton comes face to face with the impossible and then must fight to keep it! Action packed and found family! Fighting to find his sister and a worthy cause at the same time!

[Sheri Jesse]

I love, love, love this book and the series!!!

[Jennie Fortna]

Hollow Trace by Kris Norris is book 3 in the the Black Hollow series by Kris Norris and Jen Talty


I voluntarily read a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Miranda]

Review of advanced copy received from Author

Really loved it, been waiting for this one with Scout and Quinn. The series is good