On Christmas morning, Solitude, Oregon, unwraps murder…
This wasn’t how Police Chief Zane Duncan expected to spend his first Christmas with fellow officer and girlfriend Stevie Taylor. But when a local motel calls in the discovery of a dead body, the couple’s holiday takes a grim turn. This is the second murder in Solitude within the week, despite the fact that their primary suspect is already in custody. Together, Zane and Stevie must face a disturbing truth—their small town may be harboring two killers.
As their investigation digs deep into the backgrounds of newcomers and longtime residents alike, Zane and Stevie also struggle to adjust to life under the same roof. Even if the stress of homicides and cohabitation don’t bring an end to the couple, the murderer lying in wait just might.
EXCERPT: Zane had just steered his SUV into a spot on Main Street in front of the Solitude Police Station when his cell phone rang. Please, no more bad news. 'Not another body,' muttered Stevie in the seat beside him. 'It's Christmas. This isn't how it's supposed to be in this town. I moved back here to spend time with my family on holidays, not smell decomp.'
ABOUT 'DEAD IN HER TRACKS': On Christmas morning, Solitude, Oregon, unwraps murder…
This wasn’t how Police Chief Zane Duncan expected to spend his first Christmas with fellow officer and girlfriend Stevie Taylor. But when a local motel calls in the discovery of a dead body, the couple’s holiday takes a grim turn. This is the second murder in Solitude within the week, despite the fact that their primary suspect is already in custody. Together, Zane and Stevie must face a disturbing truth—their small town may be harboring two killers.
As their investigation digs deep into the backgrounds of newcomers and longtime residents alike, Zane and Stevie also struggle to adjust to life under the same roof. Even if the stress of homicides and cohabitation don’t bring an end to the couple, the murderer lying in wait just might.
MY THOUGHTS: A quick easy read but with little suspense.
I had no problem with either characters or plot, but I did object to references to 'my woman' and 'my man' by the two main characters. Even thought this was published in 2015, I thought we were well past that sort of possessive terminology even then, especially when those using it are police officers.
Entirely forgettable.
⭐⭐.5
#DeadinHerTracks #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: She grew up in the lush Pacific Northwest and still lives there with her family and two cats. She's fascinated with forensics, refuses to eat anything green, and dreams of living every day in flip flops.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Amazon Publishing, Montlake Romance via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Dead in Her Tracks by Kendra Elliott for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Once I started reading this novella, I didn't want to put it down until I had finished. The great thing is that it really easy to do exactly that since this is a pretty short piece at only approximately 100 pages or so. I enjoyed the first novella in this series and decided to jump right into the second one. I actually ended up liking this one more than the first.
This novella picks up right after the events of the first in the series. There is some continuation of the story from the first novella so it is probably best to read these in order if at all possible. Although, I do think that readers who decide to read this novella as a stand alone will be okay since the bulk of the plot is contained within this installment with only a few threads taken from the first in the series.
This novella was really almost non-stop action which I absolutely loved. The more action the better. This story focuses on Stevie and Zane. Zane and Stevie work together in the police department which has been quite busy in this little town. They are called when a dead body is found at the local motel and before long they are trying to solve two different murders that are quite possibly linked.
I liked following Stevie and Zane as they worked to solve the murders. The alternating voices in this novella worked well and it was nice to be able to spend time in both Stevie and Zane's head. The relationship between the pair worked well for me this time. I never felt that anything was forced or sappy. The excitment in this story really built until the very end and I was almost holding my breath before it was over.
I would highly recommend this novella to others. This is the first time that I have read any of Kendra Elliot's work but I plan to look for her books in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Amazon Publishing - Montlake Romance via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts I liked this novella a little more than the first one. Lots of excitement for such a short piece.
3.5 stars. These last two novels were devoid of sex. And it's was sorely missed. In such short books, I missed that connection and I don't need sex in books. But it would have been nice here. I figured out the mystery before the police. It was a little to obvious, hence the rating. But I enjoy the town and characters. And would continue on with the series of it continues.
Dead In Her Tracks, by Kendra Elliot, is the second Rogue Winter novella. Together with Melinda Leigh they have teamed up to bring us more of the trouble that keeps coming to Rogue River surrounding the Taylor family. Stevie and Zane investigate another murder in Solitude. They discover a link between this murder and the one investigated by Carly and Seth in Tracks Of Her Tears. However, solving the murder proves more difficult than originally thought when things go amiss with their prime suspect.
Kendra Elliot delivers a fast paced thrilling story full of twists, romance and wonderful family dynamics. I would love to visit Solitude again some day.
Thank you to Net Galley, Kendra Elliot and Montlake Romance for the opportunity to read and review this novella.
In late 2014 I read a novella serial written by Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot called Rogue River. It was a four part serial where each writer wrote a novella. There was one overall story arc with two characters' point of view (two sisters). They are romantic suspense thrillers and I found myself really enjoying the books. While each author gave their character a distinct voice at times I would forget which author was writing as they were quite seamless.
In 2015, I was again offered to review two more novellas written by the same authors in the same town. This new two part serial is called Rogue Winter. I am not sure if there are more in this series or town but I am down to read them if they are!
DEAD IN HER TRACKS (Rogue Winter: #2) Written by Kendra Elliot 2015, 99 Pages Genre: romantic suspense, suspense, mystery, thriller, crime, novella
(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.)
★★★★
It is Stevie and Zane's first Christmas together and of course there would be a murder case that would have their attention. And, just as they are getting a handle on that case there is another murder. Stevie and Zane must race against time to find the killer but first have to investigate if both murders are connected and by the same killer?
I love Stevie and Zane...and love the way they work together. Again I figured out the killer in this book but the personal stories and the suspense of how they come to the conclusion is worth the read. I was sad there were only two parts to this series!
This is the second in a series of novellas (by two different authors) revolving around a small Oregon town. The first was so-so, but this one was a real winner. Taut, building suspense and well-drawn and sympathetic characters are just two of the reasons I'll return to the series. Kendra Elliot has what it takes to write a superior thriller!
Dead in her Tracks by Kendra Elliot is a 2015 Montlake Publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book in the Rogue Winter novella arc. The first book is “Track of Her Tears” by Melinda Leigh and I highly recommend reading it first, if possible, since the two stories tie in together. However, this one can be read a stand alone too.
Zane and Stevie have their hands full on Christmas day when the body of a young girl is found in a seedy motel room and the prime suspect is already sitting in jail. When a shocking and unexpected hitch in the case occurs, Zane and Stevie must start all over at square one to determine who is killing young women in Solitude.
On the personal side of things Zane is finally getting Stevie to consider taking the next step in their relationship, especially now that Stevie sees her mother's predictions seem to be accurate after all.
This is another well written, fast paced thriller by Kendra Elliot, and for such a short story, this one packs a solid punch. This is certainly not your typical holiday reading, that's for sure.
But, never fear, there are a few lighter moments and some really sweet romantic gestures too, which will put all the lurid crime elements into perspective in the end.
I really love this series and hope to see a lengthier novel- or two- in the near future.
This was my first book by this author. Her writing style is very similar to Melinda Leigh. Having said that I really enjoyed this book! She was able to achieve a lot, given that this was a 100 odd page novella. I’m impressed! The mystery had me guessing the whole time. The romance in this book was a continuation of a series, but since I hadn’t read the previous books I couldn’t enjoy it as much but it was still cute. 🥰 the 2 books in Rogue Winter can be read as a stand alone. I’m intrigued enough now to go back and read from the beginning.
This is the sequel to TRACKS OF HER TEARS by MELINDA LEIGH. It is now Christmas in the small town of Solitude, a time of celebration, family and friends and lots of good food and fun.
Unfortunately, Zane and Stevie are called away to investigate another murder. The young lady in the motel is dead and it looks like the died the same way as another young woman who was found weeks ago. The man who was arrested for the earlier murder is in jail ..... so did he have time to kill this one before he was thrown in jail ... or is this a copycat?
The mystery only deepens when they get a frantic call .... the accused man has been murdered in his jail cell.
There are all kinds of things happening .... Stevie's brother is recovering from an auto accident. Zane finally pops the question in the middle of the investigation. At one point Stevie finds she is in the murderer's eyesight. Add in some drug trafficking and it's enough to keep you engaged until the very end.
Romantic Suspense ... light on the romance, heavy on the suspense. Very well written book. I thought it was fascinating that Book 1 was written by Melinda Leigh and Book 2 by Kendra Elliot .. both terrific authors in their own right.
I'm giving this one .. and the series ... 5 Stars.
My thanks to the author / Amazon Publishing - Montlake Romance / NetGalley who furnished the digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
3.5 Stars. I liked this, if not quite as much as the first book. It was a little shorter, and although I enjoyed the investigation, it wrapped up far too quickly for my tastes. Stevie and Zane's relationship loose ends tied up nicely, though.
Dead in Her Tracks starts where Track of Her Tears and Bruce is recovering from the accident and the police have Bob in custody after he admitted to killing Bruce's girlfriend Amber-Lynn. In Dead in Her Tracks, Zane and Stevie are called on Christmas day to the local trucker's motel owned by Charlie as a dead body has turned up in one of the rooms. The dead girl is named Vanessa Phillips and bears a striking resemblance to Amber-Lynn which makes the police think that Bob might have killed her as well. They would have been able to find out except someone has broken into the police station and killed Bob. Is someone cleaning up the house and making sure no-one solves the murders? Of course, Stevie and Zane aren't the types of cops to sit on their bottoms and eat doughnuts and soon will uncover a series of missing females and no bodies. Have the pair of them uncovered a potential serial killer living in the once peaceful town of Solitude, Oregon? What will happen though when the same night Stevie says Yes to Zane, she ends up in the killer's crosshairs - will the engagement be over before it even properly begins? I have to admit this book was a twist as I didn't see the person who was revealed as the killer - a suspect. It did make me wonder as I am a fan of murder stories, that sometimes the person you least expect can be hiding one of the most gruesome secrets and it brings the classic saying of "you can't judge a book by the cover". Dead in Her Tracks was another great murder mystery by Kendra Elliot and a good mystery to read curled up by the fireplace.
I really enjoy Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh’s various series that they write together. The stories flow great and you can’t tell much of a difference of who’s writing them (which I like) because they flow the same. The mystery/thriller of each book is always gripping and I can read them quickly. This continues to be a good series.
The book begins when a young woman's naked body is found in a motel room on Christmas Day. The local law enforcement, Police Chief Zane Duncan and his girl friend and fellow police officer, Stevie Taylor, are called to the scene. Their chief suspect is already in custody in the town jail after admitting to killing another young woman. Did he kill this young woman as well? I wont give away any more of the story line but I will say, I enjoyed their investigation and the cast of characters in the book. There is a reveal at the end of the book and I liked how it all came together. I thought the Author did a great job of tying everything up at the end.
I really enjoyed this book. I was drawn into the story right away. I liked how the Author gave us information about the couples romantic life while having them remain professional while conducting their investigation into the murder of the young woman. The story was told at a fast pace as this is a Novella. It did not feel rushed in any way, yet I wanted more. I found that I really liked the characters of Zane and Stevie and will definitely be reading the first book in the series to see how "it all began".
I think this is a great book for those who enjoy some mystery. It also has a light romance yet nothing "intimate" happens. There are no sex scenes. The investigation seems real and was interesting. I did not read the first book in the series but I image it was good as well.
Dead in her tracks starts off where Track of her tears leaves off completing the mystery. This novella
is more police procedural than book 1 and we have to follow the clues to find out if Zane and Stevie are chasing after a serial killer. I will admit I was a little surprised at who the killer ended up being.
I love that Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot they are able to write two different stories and yet be able to blend the novella as one. As a reader I have have enjoyed every book both of these amazing authors have written and I can't wait to read the next book in all of their series.
Each books has it own twist and turns that will keep the reader wanting more even when the story ends. Dead in Her tracks has the perfect blend of suspense even when you find our who and why the person or persons is killing you can't help but pray everything ends happy.
I love this story and can't wait to read more in this series of Novella's.
And so it continues…another female body is found on Christmas day, which only asks more questions than finding answers in this 2nd installment to the series.
We met Stevie in the first installment. She’s the sister of Carly and is a police officer. She also happens to be dating the Chief, Zane. Instead of spending Christmas day with family and friends, Stevie and Zane find themselves looking at another female body in one of the only motels in town. We find out pretty fast that being a police officer in a small town where everyone knows everyone and everything about each other is very difficult.
With the main suspect behind bars, dead, this investigation keeps both Stevie and Zane on their toes until the very end. There are a few twists and turns that definitely keep you guessing. But in the end, you’ll still be surprised.
*I was given a copy of this book as a gift from The JeepDiva in exchange for an honest review.
Dead in Her Tracks is book 2 in the Rogue Winter series and follows on from Tracks of Her Tears, which should be read first. It's Christmas, but Zane and Stevie, who first featured in the Rogue Rivers series, are called out to a motel where the body of another young woman has been found. Is the suspect for the previous murder, who is in jail, innocent or is there another killer in Solitude? Considering this is a novella, it is amazing how much is going on in this story. It captivates you from start to finish. Again, there was more suspense than romance, though Zane and Stevie's relationship is developing nicely. Kendra Elliot is a fantastic writer, and I will continue to devour anything she publishes. Thank you to the author and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Kendra Elliot delivers a faced past thrilling story in the latest installment of Rouge Winters Novellas. “Dead in Her Tracks,” opens up in a rundown motel room shortly after where the previous novel left off with Sheriff Zane and his fellow officer/girlfriend Stevie Taylor investigating a murder of a female college student. Zane and Stevie are not sure if there is a connection to a previous murder, but they do know that the problem is bigger than the young girl who was just trying to surprise her family for the holidays. Ms. Elliot spins a tale of intrigue that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end. I was given this book by the author in exchange for and fair and honest review.
Dead in Her Tracks was an excellent conclusion to the Rogue Winter series with a mystery connected to the one in Tracks of Her Tears.
Police Chief Zane Duncan was hoping his first Christmas with his girlfriend Stevie Taylor would be a relaxing one. But after the local motel calls in to report a dead body, the second murder victim this week, those plans go out the window. With the primary suspect in the first murder already in custody, Zane and Stevie realize they have a second killer on their hands. As the pair begin to dig into the victim's background, the killer decides to escalate raising the stakes to find them before it's too late.
Stevie and Zane's working relationship continues to be fantastic. They trust each other and are in sync when it comes to interviews and the like. They've come a long way from their wariness in On Her Father's Grave and they definitely work together smoothly now. Stevie and Zane's personal relationship is more established by the time this book starts than it was when we last saw them in Her Grave Secrets. The pair have moved in together and are adjusting to how that has changed their relationship. I was happy to see the progression of their relationship and how Stevie is now more on the same page as Zane compared to how she was previously. They are in a great place by the book's end and I'm looking forward to seeing more of their romance in future books.
The plot in this book is a continuation of the one in Tracks of Her Tears with the victim being connected to characters involved in that book's murder. It was interesting seeing a different angle of the investigation as the initial part is from Carly and Seth's view. I liked seeing Stevie and Zane explore different avenues and I thought it was interesting how the two cases were tied together. I was ultimately surprised by who was behind everything as they're a character we've seen several times throughout the connected series and I never would have suspected them. The ending of the book has a bit of action and the suspense keeps the tension up in a fantastic way.
Overall Dead in Her Tracks was a great read and I enjoyed the conclusion to this duology. I'm looking forward to reading the first book in the Rogue Vows spin-off series soon.
On Christmas morning, Solitude, Oregon, unwraps murder....
I listened to this book on Audible and read the ebook because it’s a Kindle In Motion book. This book was okay. I didn’t like it that much. This book was heavy on the romance and light on the mystery. I wanted more mystery. I didn’t like the couple in this book that much. Will I read the rest of this series? I don’t know but these novellas were fun, quick reads. They’re set during the winter time and set during Christmas so they’re perfect to read during this time of year.
I enjoyed this novella more than the first one, but I thought they were both nice for a quick read. I'd definitely recommend reading the stories in order, as they build on each other. The twist at the end was surprising, though just before it was revealed I did suspect it...though that's probably expected - lol.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There was a good amount of suspense and mystery crammed into the short story. Great job!! It is the second that I have read from this author and will definitely be reading more.
Another great collaboration series with Melinda Leigh. Twists and surprises in this case kept me guessing till the end and I enjoyed the continuation of the story line with Stevie and Zane!
I love the style of these books with the added pictures and video, it seemed strange at first but by the end of this book I really liked it. I also love Zane and Stevie together, she is a larger than life character but has moments of self doubt and he always knows exactly what to say to ease her mind. Zane always hears Stevie....even when it's impossible.... I read this on Kindle Unlimited
On Christmas morning, Solitude, Oregon, unwraps murder… This wasn’t how Police Chief Zane Duncan expected to spend his first Christmas with fellow officer and girlfriend Stevie Taylor. But when a local motel calls in the discovery of a dead body, the couple’s holiday takes a grim turn. This is the second murder in Solitude within the week, despite the fact that their primary suspect is already in custody. Together, Zane and Stevie must face a disturbing truth—their small town may be harboring two killers. As their investigation digs deep into the backgrounds of newcomers and longtime residents alike, Zane and Stevie also struggle to adjust to life under the same roof. Even if the stress of homicides and cohabitation don’t bring an end to the couple, the murderer lying in wait just might. (Goodreads)
Review:
Police Chief Zane Duncan has his hands full when a dead body is found in a local motel room. Even though it is Christmas, it appears as though someone did not care to take the holiday off from their killing ways. With the help of his girlfriend, Stevie Taylor, who is also on the police force, Zane must solve the case before someone else is killed.
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Zane is a stand-up guy, who wants to keep the citizens of Solitude safe. He has a strong sense of right and wrong and will do whatever it takes to be sure that justice is served. Stevie is a tough-as nails kind of girl with the voice of an angel. I really like that contrast and I think it makes her seem even more realistic. Other characters from Solitude make an appearance in the book and it was great to visit with them again.
The mystery is carried on throughout the entire novella and there are enough suspects and twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. I did eventually figure out the killer but not before I suspected a few other people first. The author sure knows how to create suspense and tension that makes the reader anxious to turn the pages to find out what is going to happen next.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in creating characters that are likable and interesting, ones that you cannot help but care about. I really enjoy reading about all of Stevie’s family and wish that I could spend time with them in real life.
I would highly recommend this novella (and the whole Rogue River and Rogue Winter series) to anyone who enjoys a well plotted, well crafted suspense read. I would suggest reading them in order so that you get to know all the characters better, but this novella could be read as a stand alone. You definitely do not want to miss out on this series.
I received a free copy of this novella from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Montlake Romance for the opportunity to read and review this novella.
(PureTextuality.com)This is the second in this series, that features two authors, not writing the same book, but instead each writing every other book. This is the second time this duo has written a set of novellas about the small town of Solitude, Oregon. These are mysteries, with a thriller aspect, and each features one of two couples-the same two that were in the original set of books.I received a copy of this from Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Taking place soon after the first in the series,Tracks of Her Tears by Melinda Leigh, this one begins with the body of a murdered woman being found in a motel room. The police chief, Zane Duncan, and his girlfriend, police officer Stevie Taylor, are called in to investigate. Since in the previous book, another woman had been murdered and the murderer is in jail, their thought is that it could have been done by the same person because the body has been there awhile. So the question here is, is there one murderer in town, or is there two? And of course, why this girl, as they already know the motive for the first murder.
I enjoyed the characters of Stevie and Zane as much as I did in the first series featuring them, titled, Rogue River. In that series, Stevie had come back to town, after being a big city police officer for years. Her father had died, leaving her mother and brother alone on their ranch. Of course, Stevie and Zane fell in love in that novella. Stevie is still taking it slow(seven months), and won’t move in with him-although she is there most nights. For Zane’s part, he can’t wait to marry her.She’s everything he wants. So yes, this is both a mystery and a continuation of the couple’s relationship.
Since this is a novella, I am not going more into the mystery. I enjoyed this read, probably a tiny bit more than the first one, but they both are definitely worth the read. I recommend this, and the previous novella, to readers of romantic suspense or mystery. If you enjoy these, be sure to check out the previous series,Rogue River.
FYI-No sexual scenes, but some violence-for people probably 15+