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Too Deep to Cross: A Thriller
Homicide Detective DeHavilland Beans is back in his hometown with a case much more dangerous—and personal—than it seems.
Told through multiple points of view, this thrilling sequel to Cold to the Touch is perfect for fans of Alice Henderson and Dana Stabenow.
A shocking discovery on a remote beach brings Detective DeHavilland Beans back to his Yukon River hometown—and a missing person's case turns into a murder investigation. On administrative leave after an unsettling officer–involved shooting, Beans comes to the aid of his childhood friend and sole police officer in the village, Felicia Gunnerson, who is leading the case.
The new evidence suggests the missing man, Lloyd Paul, the overindulged scion of a prominent family, was murdered. Lloyd had a contentious relationship with many of the locals, especially with Beans and his mother, Mari.
As Beans and Felicia dig deeper, events that neither of them could have predicted are set in motion. Meanwhile, in the San Francisco Bay area, Mari uncovers secrets that threaten to rewrite the Beans family’s history.
Spanning a sprawling time frame ranging from World War II to the present day, the danger has never felt closer to home.
Told through multiple points of view, this thrilling sequel to Cold to the Touch is perfect for fans of Alice Henderson and Dana Stabenow.
A shocking discovery on a remote beach brings Detective DeHavilland Beans back to his Yukon River hometown—and a missing person's case turns into a murder investigation. On administrative leave after an unsettling officer–involved shooting, Beans comes to the aid of his childhood friend and sole police officer in the village, Felicia Gunnerson, who is leading the case.
The new evidence suggests the missing man, Lloyd Paul, the overindulged scion of a prominent family, was murdered. Lloyd had a contentious relationship with many of the locals, especially with Beans and his mother, Mari.
As Beans and Felicia dig deeper, events that neither of them could have predicted are set in motion. Meanwhile, in the San Francisco Bay area, Mari uncovers secrets that threaten to rewrite the Beans family’s history.
Spanning a sprawling time frame ranging from World War II to the present day, the danger has never felt closer to home.
Audible Audio
Expected publication May 26, 2026
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May 13, 2026
Havi Beans is currently on leave from work pending an incident that occurred. While he is supposed to be traveling to California to help his mother, Mari, clean out his grandmother’s home, he receives a phone call from an old friend, Felicia, asking for help solving an old missing persons case in their hometown of Galena, Alaska.
As Havi tries to uncover what happened to the missing persons eighteen years ago, Mari, meanwhile, uncovers her deceased father’s hidden family history while at her parents’ home.
࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪
If you love secrets, this book delivers. Every chapter peels back another layer, revealing long-hidden lies and buried family truths. More crime mystery than anything else, it’s a slow burn packed with twists, revelations, and characters hiding secrets—or discovering the ones kept from them.
As Havi tries to uncover what happened to the missing persons eighteen years ago, Mari, meanwhile, uncovers her deceased father’s hidden family history while at her parents’ home.
࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪
If you love secrets, this book delivers. Every chapter peels back another layer, revealing long-hidden lies and buried family truths. More crime mystery than anything else, it’s a slow burn packed with twists, revelations, and characters hiding secrets—or discovering the ones kept from them.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This rating reflects more on the audiobook than the actual novel by Kerri Hakoda, even though I will review both.
First, the audiobook. BJ Harrison is back to be the voice and thoughts of Detective DeHavilland Beans. His voice is pleasing and reminded me somewhat of listening to a Jesse Stone novel. The laidback approach fits the character nicely.
However, for the second book in the series, we are now offered a voice from the past in the novel and the narration for those parts is done by Hannah Choi. I almost looked up to see if this is a real person. I thought it was an AI voice because of how emotionless it is. It feels like listening to a newscaster that keeps a steady voice, with no emotion, as they read from a teleprompter the news of a major national tragedy. Just…robotic? Completely took me out of the flashbacks that were crucial to the Beans’ family.
As far as the novel goes, I felt those flashbacks would have been better served as another novel. One for a character that we are already invested in. Not for a series that has barely started. Either that or if it had more of a crucial impact on Detective Beans in that it changed his views on life and how he solves crimes. Information that we would need to see into the mind of our protagonist.
This novel was good. Really good at times. But it was a strange follow up to the first entry in the series “Cold to the Touch”. It felt like too different series. The feel of the novels were just opposite of each other in some way. For this series to be sustained, one direction needs to be chosen and head that way. Right now, no harm, no foul. The characters are interesting. The location is a character on its own. But to me, book 3 will be a deciding factor.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
First, the audiobook. BJ Harrison is back to be the voice and thoughts of Detective DeHavilland Beans. His voice is pleasing and reminded me somewhat of listening to a Jesse Stone novel. The laidback approach fits the character nicely.
However, for the second book in the series, we are now offered a voice from the past in the novel and the narration for those parts is done by Hannah Choi. I almost looked up to see if this is a real person. I thought it was an AI voice because of how emotionless it is. It feels like listening to a newscaster that keeps a steady voice, with no emotion, as they read from a teleprompter the news of a major national tragedy. Just…robotic? Completely took me out of the flashbacks that were crucial to the Beans’ family.
As far as the novel goes, I felt those flashbacks would have been better served as another novel. One for a character that we are already invested in. Not for a series that has barely started. Either that or if it had more of a crucial impact on Detective Beans in that it changed his views on life and how he solves crimes. Information that we would need to see into the mind of our protagonist.
This novel was good. Really good at times. But it was a strange follow up to the first entry in the series “Cold to the Touch”. It felt like too different series. The feel of the novels were just opposite of each other in some way. For this series to be sustained, one direction needs to be chosen and head that way. Right now, no harm, no foul. The characters are interesting. The location is a character on its own. But to me, book 3 will be a deciding factor.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an ARC audiobook copy of Too Deep to Cross by Kerri Hokoda from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ll preface this by saying I did not read the first installment in the series, though I was still able to follow the story overall.
Going into this, I expected more of a psychological thriller, but I’d classify it much more as a small-town mystery. The strongest aspect for me was the dual timelines and the way the family history slowly unraveled and intertwined with the present-day investigation. In many ways, Mari uncovering the family secrets became far more compelling than the mystery surrounding the washed-up leg and the question of who it belonged to.
That said, I struggled with the investigative side of the story. At times, it felt less like Beans and Fe were using actual detective skills and more like truths and coincidences conveniently revealed themselves along the way.
As for the audiobook itself, BJ Harrison’s narration for Beans felt natural, grounded, and well-matched to the character’s easygoing personality. Hannah Choi’s narration for Mari, however, felt more detached and difficult for me to connect with. During conversations between characters, instead of switching back to BJ Harrison for Beans’ dialogue, Hannah performed a male voice impression that came across a bit awkward and distracting.
Overall, I was hoping for a more gripping Alaskan thriller, and while the story had strong moments, it ultimately fell a little short for me. The highlight was definitely the family secrets woven through the dual timelines and seeing how they connected back to the present day mystery.
I’ll preface this by saying I did not read the first installment in the series, though I was still able to follow the story overall.
Going into this, I expected more of a psychological thriller, but I’d classify it much more as a small-town mystery. The strongest aspect for me was the dual timelines and the way the family history slowly unraveled and intertwined with the present-day investigation. In many ways, Mari uncovering the family secrets became far more compelling than the mystery surrounding the washed-up leg and the question of who it belonged to.
That said, I struggled with the investigative side of the story. At times, it felt less like Beans and Fe were using actual detective skills and more like truths and coincidences conveniently revealed themselves along the way.
As for the audiobook itself, BJ Harrison’s narration for Beans felt natural, grounded, and well-matched to the character’s easygoing personality. Hannah Choi’s narration for Mari, however, felt more detached and difficult for me to connect with. During conversations between characters, instead of switching back to BJ Harrison for Beans’ dialogue, Hannah performed a male voice impression that came across a bit awkward and distracting.
Overall, I was hoping for a more gripping Alaskan thriller, and while the story had strong moments, it ultimately fell a little short for me. The highlight was definitely the family secrets woven through the dual timelines and seeing how they connected back to the present day mystery.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with the audiobook to listen to pre-release.
Rounded up from a 3.75.
Really enjoyed this listen. It's what I tend to refer to as cosy small town mystery; Nothing too graphic or shocking but a few different subplots and a "know everybody and everything attitude".
There were certain moments that created light comic relief, such as the main character having the name Beans (I assumed that is how it is spelled anyway), that really helped to stop this from being a dark and gritty thriller. At times I wish it had leaned a little more dark and gritty but it also reminded me of some other more comfortable police procedurals I've read in my time.
Among all the chaos of a washed up prosthetic leg, a drug ring and a controlling family there was also more gentle and realistic life problems being thrown at us; A woman with dementia, adoption and grief/trauma too. It was all blended seamlessly.
This could very easily be turned into a series, or at least perhaps it could have been if it felt like every side plot wasn't wrapped up so perfectly, it would currently involve an introduction of many more characters and settings in its current form. I had been hoping at the end it would have been a "I decided to move back to my hometown and make us into a two person team" with his childhood friend to create the weaving of more books in.
Would be interested to continue, should it ever become more than a stand-alone, and see if it could take a bit more oomph on along the way.
Rounded up from a 3.75.
Really enjoyed this listen. It's what I tend to refer to as cosy small town mystery; Nothing too graphic or shocking but a few different subplots and a "know everybody and everything attitude".
There were certain moments that created light comic relief, such as the main character having the name Beans (I assumed that is how it is spelled anyway), that really helped to stop this from being a dark and gritty thriller. At times I wish it had leaned a little more dark and gritty but it also reminded me of some other more comfortable police procedurals I've read in my time.
Among all the chaos of a washed up prosthetic leg, a drug ring and a controlling family there was also more gentle and realistic life problems being thrown at us; A woman with dementia, adoption and grief/trauma too. It was all blended seamlessly.
This could very easily be turned into a series, or at least perhaps it could have been if it felt like every side plot wasn't wrapped up so perfectly, it would currently involve an introduction of many more characters and settings in its current form. I had been hoping at the end it would have been a "I decided to move back to my hometown and make us into a two person team" with his childhood friend to create the weaving of more books in.
Would be interested to continue, should it ever become more than a stand-alone, and see if it could take a bit more oomph on along the way.
May 23, 2026
There’s something especially chilling about a thriller where the danger feels rooted in family, memory, and the ghosts a hometown never truly buries and Too Deep to Cross absolutely delivers that feeling.From the very first pages, this story pulled me into the icy isolation of the Yukon River village and refused to let go. Detective DeHavilland Beans is the kind of character who carries emotional weight into every scene, and watching him return home while already unraveling from a traumatic officer-involved shooting made this mystery hit even harder. The case itself is gripping, but it’s the deeply personal layers underneath that made this book unforgettable for me.The atmosphere in this novel is INCREDIBLE cold beaches, buried secrets, strained family histories, and tension that builds like a storm rolling in over dark water. Every character seemed to be hiding something, and every revelation felt sharper than the last. I especially loved the dual timelines and how the story stretched from World War II into the present day without ever losing momentum.
If you love emotionally layered crime thrillers with small town secrets, complicated family dynamics, and detectives who feel painfully human, this is absolutely one to add to your list. Fans of atmospheric mysteries and slow-burn suspense are going to eat this up.
If you love emotionally layered crime thrillers with small town secrets, complicated family dynamics, and detectives who feel painfully human, this is absolutely one to add to your list. Fans of atmospheric mysteries and slow-burn suspense are going to eat this up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I enjoyed this multi layered tale of small town secrets, family sagas and an exciting delve into the past. This was a sequel to Cold To The Touch, which I hadn't read but that didn't cause any issues when reading this book.
We meet Homicide Detective DeHavilland ‘Havi’ Beans who has been invited back to his hometown of Galena, Alaska, to assist the sole police officer, when a prosthetic leg washes up from a lake. I loved the icy cold Alaskan setting. The writer really brought thy chilly, atmospheric setting to life on the pages as we go from one thrilling encounter to another.
Spanning a sprawling time frame ranging from World War II to the present day. There is a lot packed in. As we come across scenes as diverse as a WW2 detention centre, the contemporary setting of Silicon Valley as we dig deeper into deadly secrets. The plotting and characters are really well done.
At times it felt more like a family drama, rather than a crime fiction, which was good but I think I wanted more from the police investigation side of things. But the twists were great and I really enjoyed reading this.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this eARC.
We meet Homicide Detective DeHavilland ‘Havi’ Beans who has been invited back to his hometown of Galena, Alaska, to assist the sole police officer, when a prosthetic leg washes up from a lake. I loved the icy cold Alaskan setting. The writer really brought thy chilly, atmospheric setting to life on the pages as we go from one thrilling encounter to another.
Spanning a sprawling time frame ranging from World War II to the present day. There is a lot packed in. As we come across scenes as diverse as a WW2 detention centre, the contemporary setting of Silicon Valley as we dig deeper into deadly secrets. The plotting and characters are really well done.
At times it felt more like a family drama, rather than a crime fiction, which was good but I think I wanted more from the police investigation side of things. But the twists were great and I really enjoyed reading this.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I went into this one really excited, especially because I love a good mystery, and it definitely had its moments. The setting and overall premise pulled me in straight away, and I liked the idea of everything feeling a bit personal and being able to put yourself into the main character’s shoes and understand what he could of been feeling.
That said, I did find parts of it dragged more than I expected. There were sections where my attention slipped a bit, and I had to push myself to stay engaged, especially in the middle. I think the pacing could have been tighter because the story itself is actually really strong.
But the twist? I genuinely did not see it coming. At all. It completely caught me off guard and made me rethink everything I’d read leading up to it, which I always love in a thriller.
Overall, it was a bit of a mixed experience for me. Slow in parts, but with a payoff that made it worth sticking through. If you enjoy character-driven mysteries with a surprise ending, this one will still hit.
That said, I did find parts of it dragged more than I expected. There were sections where my attention slipped a bit, and I had to push myself to stay engaged, especially in the middle. I think the pacing could have been tighter because the story itself is actually really strong.
But the twist? I genuinely did not see it coming. At all. It completely caught me off guard and made me rethink everything I’d read leading up to it, which I always love in a thriller.
Overall, it was a bit of a mixed experience for me. Slow in parts, but with a payoff that made it worth sticking through. If you enjoy character-driven mysteries with a surprise ending, this one will still hit.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.25🌟 🎧 -
Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media & Kerri Hakoda for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook!
This one took me a while to get into. I did end up liking the storyline and the character connections, but I feel like I may have liked it, or been more hooked into the plot if I read the physical book. The multiple time frames may have been a little easier for me to grasp as well.
The narration is what threw me off a bit; while the multiple narrators had good voices, I didn't think they expressed the chatacters emotions accurately in alot of moments. For some reason their voices reminded me of "The House in the Cerulean Sea's" narrator, and while he is phenomenal at what he does, I just kept forgetting this was meant to be a thriller. I would call it more of a murder mystery.
Maybe I will read the physical copy once it comes out and give it another review as I think it may elevate the experience for me.
I did really like the underlying connection of the books title with the comic that George's father made! And the murder weapon had me chuckling 🤣
Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media & Kerri Hakoda for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook!
This one took me a while to get into. I did end up liking the storyline and the character connections, but I feel like I may have liked it, or been more hooked into the plot if I read the physical book. The multiple time frames may have been a little easier for me to grasp as well.
The narration is what threw me off a bit; while the multiple narrators had good voices, I didn't think they expressed the chatacters emotions accurately in alot of moments. For some reason their voices reminded me of "The House in the Cerulean Sea's" narrator, and while he is phenomenal at what he does, I just kept forgetting this was meant to be a thriller. I would call it more of a murder mystery.
Maybe I will read the physical copy once it comes out and give it another review as I think it may elevate the experience for me.
I did really like the underlying connection of the books title with the comic that George's father made! And the murder weapon had me chuckling 🤣
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The latest police procedural, Kerri Hakoda’s Too Deep to Cross (2026), is another Homicide Detective DeHavilland ‘Havi’ Beans tale. Set in Alaska, Havi is invited back to his hometown of Galena to assist the sole police officer, when a prosthetic leg washes up from the lake. The investigation soon discovers a connection to a historic disappearance case, that Havi and his mother had a part in. Although a supposed crime mystery, the narrative switches back and forth over time, revealing unknown, past family history links. It's more of a gentile family saga set against the Alaskan wilderness with multiple crime elements that include the solving of two murders, twenty years earlier. Whilst an enjoyable read, the heavy family history aspects counter the crime mystery element, giving it a three star rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement.
May 23, 2026
(Advanced listener copy from Net Galley)
This one is jam packed with small town secrets, twisted connections, and a slow burn that keeps you trying to piece it all together. The time lines fluctuate from present day all the way back to WWII era, spanning across multiple POVs.
Detective Havi Beans returns to his hometown to aid in solving a nearly two decade long cold case, but quickly, as the reader, you are just as tied up in connecting where all the lose ends could lead.
There are moments where it feels as if you are bouncing from thriller to unfolding family dirty laundry, which keeps you guessing for sure, but I definitely would have enjoyed more depth in the murders within this story, rather than trailing off through the details of some of the family history.
This one is jam packed with small town secrets, twisted connections, and a slow burn that keeps you trying to piece it all together. The time lines fluctuate from present day all the way back to WWII era, spanning across multiple POVs.
Detective Havi Beans returns to his hometown to aid in solving a nearly two decade long cold case, but quickly, as the reader, you are just as tied up in connecting where all the lose ends could lead.
There are moments where it feels as if you are bouncing from thriller to unfolding family dirty laundry, which keeps you guessing for sure, but I definitely would have enjoyed more depth in the murders within this story, rather than trailing off through the details of some of the family history.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When I finished book 1 of the series, I remember thinking it was set up well for a series. Then the author goes and removes Havi from all the supporting characters and sticks him in his hometown. Yet his mom is out of town. It made the setup from book 1 kind of worthless.
Then, as for the plot, it was hard to follow and grab me in the beginning. Then it required me to suspend too much belief.
I might give book 3 a try. Maybe. It'll depend on the synopsis.
Then, as for the plot, it was hard to follow and grab me in the beginning. Then it required me to suspend too much belief.
I might give book 3 a try. Maybe. It'll depend on the synopsis.
March 30, 2026
Havi Beans is back in his hometown of Galena, Alaska to help childhood friend Felicia Gunnerson with a missing persons case. Llyod Paul hasn't been seen or heard from since Havi was a teenager. Now his false leg has been found and Fee believes that Lloyd was murdered. Working with only a few clues Havi and Fee try to find out what really happened that night when Havi shot Lloyd after attacking his mother. While his mother Mari is in California helping her mother downsize she uncovers a trunk with letters and notebooks full of drawings and comic strips from her grandfather and the sacrifices that he made after WW2. Too Deep to Cross was a good follow up to Kerri Hakoda's first book Cold to the Touch. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for letting me read an advance copy of this novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A leg belonging to a missing man brings Detective DeHavilland Beans back to his hometown on the Yukon River. He will help sole police officer Felicia Gunnerson to investigate and find out what happened to Lloyd Paul years ago, the man with an artificial leg.
At the same time the clearing out of the family life will uncover evidence about hidden family history.
Very well written and well narrated novel (I listened to the audiobook). Excellent characters in a well paced, multi faceted novel lots of local colour and interest as well as good detective work. Really enjoyable novel.
At the same time the clearing out of the family life will uncover evidence about hidden family history.
Very well written and well narrated novel (I listened to the audiobook). Excellent characters in a well paced, multi faceted novel lots of local colour and interest as well as good detective work. Really enjoyable novel.
November 30, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy. Much like Hakoda’s first book, this does not disappoint. The plot twist at the end was a shocker and I always love when I don’t see something coming in a thriller mystery book. I would like to see more character development in a more complex way. The plot is what keeps this book moving forward, but knowing more about what makes the characters tick would have created a more enriching story. Well done! I hope there are more Beans books in the future.
May 19, 2026
4.25⭐️ This book was given to me by NetGalley as an ARC here is my honest and voluntarily review.
I really enjoyed this 📕 . Detective DeHavilland Beans comes back home to Alaska to help on a case and become much more once everything starts to reveal family drama , secrets comes to light. The plot twist at the end I didn’t see coming at all and The Alaska eerie scene makes it even more interesting. Definitely recommend.
I really enjoyed this 📕 . Detective DeHavilland Beans comes back home to Alaska to help on a case and become much more once everything starts to reveal family drama , secrets comes to light. The plot twist at the end I didn’t see coming at all and The Alaska eerie scene makes it even more interesting. Definitely recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an advanced listener copy of this novel. I will preempt this review by saying one of the narrators kind of killed this read for me. The voice was very monotone and detracted from the story for me. The story line has promise and overall is a decent plot. I may one day revisit this as a physical read. As a psychological thriller it just didn't grab my attention as much as I would have liked.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received ALC from NetGalley 🤍****
I wish I would have know this was a sequel, Not that it made a big difference but I think I would have loved it more. I love true crime stories. This one was good overall. I’m not sure I will read the first one, I wanted more thrills and didn’t get it from this one.
I wish I would have know this was a sequel, Not that it made a big difference but I think I would have loved it more. I love true crime stories. This one was good overall. I’m not sure I will read the first one, I wanted more thrills and didn’t get it from this one.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was a very enjoyable read. A prosthetic leg washes up. Told through a dual timeline with multiple point of views, this was full of small town politics, family secrets, illegal activities set against the picturesque backdrop of Alaska (mostly). This was more of a slow burn tension building thriller. A very engaging and interesting story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was an advanced listen from Netgalley and I really enjoyed it. I love cop/detective mysteries and this book did not disappoint. There were a few parts when the book hopped back and forth between timelines. I had to decipher what was going on and where I was in the book. This a could be made more clear with Chapter Titles and/or dates spoken when the chapters change. Overall, I'm happy that I got to read this story early.
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