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Book 1 of the Smoky Mountain Lawmen Series.

When a serial killer brought former Army Ranger turned FBI Special Agent Ben Davidson to North Carolina, he never expected to have his life turned upside down by a chestnut-haired dynamo. At forty-two, Ben thought forever with a woman wasn't in the cards for him and he was okay with that. Watching his entire family try and fail and try again at relationships only entrenched the idea that forever was a fleeting fantasy anyway. But fiery equestrian therapist Gemma Mabley put that conviction to the test.

When the serial killer began to target Gemma, Ben had to decide which was more important -- protecting his heart or protecting Gemma.

Gemma Mabley never dreamed that the one man who would stand up to her brother Tristan's big brother attitude when it came to her love life would be his former CO, Ben Davidson. When a serial killer investigation brought Ben into her life, it didn't take Gemma long to realize just how special he was. It was convincing Ben that they belonged together that was the problem while trying to evade a madman along the way!

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 13, 2016

553 people are currently reading
284 people want to read

About the author

Ashley Quinn

56 books3 followers

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5 stars
683 (59%)
4 stars
329 (28%)
3 stars
106 (9%)
2 stars
26 (2%)
1 star
10 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
1,149 reviews7 followers
September 22, 2022
Sappy

A serial killer targets an FBI agent's love interest.

This is just annoying. The romance is sappy. I am a,sucker for a good serial killer yarn but this was just dumb. The killer's motive was weak. The way he was identified required little in the way of skill. All around disappointing.
Profile Image for Carol S. Roeder.
73 reviews1 follower
February 14, 2026
Suspense and love? Who could ask for more!

Big muscled men! Now that's the way to go. Then you put them in uniforms and suits! Like the cherry on top! Add a spicy female with a mind of her own, even if the higher-ups try to keep her in line! Then the suit and the spicy female catch the room on fire! Oh yeah, you can't forget the serial killer that wants the spicy female! Now that makes for a lot of twists and turns with a little fun and a lot of humor mixed in! What do you have? A pretty great read!
7 reviews
March 10, 2025
Smokey mountain murder review

Such a great story. Had me wanting to know what happens from chapter 1. Definitely going to continue with this series.
Profile Image for Reading by Deb.
1,222 reviews34 followers
December 12, 2022
Gemma Mabley shared a house with her brother Tristan as their parents traveled enjoying their retirement. It didn't make sense to stay anywhere else since they still had to oversee their parents' home, but as she furiously plants the remaining flowers pretending it was her brother's face each time she stabbed the trowel into the earth, proves it isn't always such a wonderful situation.

She was twenty-eight and her overprotective brother had sabotaged four relationships in the past year...
Her ex-military, detective brother was great at intimidating them and if the stare didn't work the interrogation tactics had them running. But her brother contended that if the man was worthy of her he wouldn't run.

But her anger disappeared as he hurried out of the house with badge and gun at his waist as a murder victim had been found. He may frustrate her no end, but she hated when was in the line of fire and didn't know what she would do without him.

Special Agent Ben Davidson was with the local sheriff waiting as the medical examiner gathered his supplies before checking out the body which was found in a field. He had a sinking feeling it was the work of a serial killer he had been tracking and had the beginnings of a headache as he prepared for the gruesome sight he expects to see.

The killer had left clean crime scenes in the four previous murders leaving him little clues in the last year and he was trying not to show his impatience as he waited for the Sheriff's detective to arrive. He always tried working with local authorities, but he needed to know if this was his killer.

He turned in surprise when he heard someone call "Major Davidson", a name he hadn't been called in years. Captain Mabley was approaching him. Ben had been the commanding officer in their Ranger unit and Tristan had been his second-in-command.

I loved this book! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable. This book is full of action and grabs you immediately. It is full of suspense and danger as Ben tries to chase down a killer before he strikes again.

This book is steamy hot and Tristan realizes he may not have made the right decision when he invited his old commander to stay with him and Gemma while they search for a killer when he sees sparks start flying. Highly recommend!
187 reviews2 followers
October 30, 2022
Big miss

It's like authors all go to the same school and learn to craft women's characters as overly independent to the point of stupidity. It's like they can't write a plot around an intelligent woman.
Profile Image for Sheila.
3,408 reviews59 followers
February 16, 2025
Ben comes to Foggy Mountain to stop a serial killer from killing again. Gemma's brother served under him in the military so invites him to stay with them while he is in town. Gemma and Ben are attracted to each other but keep their distance for a short while. When a local woman with ties to Gemma is found in the forest near Foggy Mountain, Ben stays longer in town. When threatening notes start coming to Gemma, Ben knows he cannot leave her unprotected. She is stubborn but realizes he is right. Will Ben and the police catch the serial killer? Will the killer get Gemma?

I enjoyed this story. It is a good start to the series. I liked that Gemma did not wilt under the battle of wills with Ben. She stood her ground with both him and her brother. She takes precautions to stay safe, but we all know what will happen. It does but her thinking a few steps ahead of everyone keeps her safe. I appreciated the scene when they go to South Carolina and meet a dog on the beach. It was a fortuitous meeting.

I look forward to reading more of this series. I want to know what happens to her brother.
Profile Image for PepperP0t .
5,161 reviews88 followers
October 19, 2024
FBI agent Ben Davidson’s been tracking a serial rapist-killer suspect and is surprised to see sheriff Tristan Mabley, a face he hadn’t seen since their miliary days, Tristan invites Ben to stay at the house he shares with his sister, Gemma, a therapist while he’s in town they could catch up and work better together trying to catch their mutual prey.

Gemma’s anger at Tristan was replaced by the strong and instant attraction the moment her eyes met Ben’s, they both missed Tristan’s pursed lips at their actions. Doing their best to ignore their attraction, Gemma tumbles upon a clue to the case and shares it with Ben, giving him a break in the case. The killer spots Gemma and Ben together, noticing their growing closeness believes he can get Ben off his scent if he adds Gemma to his list of victims.
Rating: 4.25stars
Profile Image for Spinneretta.
2,908 reviews20 followers
February 25, 2021
Gemma and Ben

When FBI Agent Ben Davidson arrives at the site of a kill he thinks might be linked to a serial killer he is tracking, local detective Tristan Mabley invites him to stay at his house.
There he meets Gemma Mabley, Tristan’s sister, who proves to be pivotal in providing him with clues that might break the case.
When the killer begins to target Gemma, Ben needs to find him fast to keep her safe.

This is a fast paced romantic suspense, with interesting characters, beautiful scenery, and a scene stealing animal or two!
An entertaining read, the reader is drawn in and engaged almost from the word go.
The well balanced plot makes the mystery make sense, while still keeping it all mysterious. An enjoyable book that romantic suspense, and mystery lovers will enjoy.
456 reviews10 followers
October 6, 2021
Great crime drama

## I loved the crime drama in this story. Following along with the clues a la Criminal Minds was fun & interesting. I also loved that the hero was in his 40s. That was refreshing. The only thing I didn't like was the romance. Don't get me wrong, I adore a good love story as much as the next gal. However, this heroine literally bullied the hero into being with her. He kept saying "no", but she would not take no for an answer. Every time. He kept saying he didn't want to be tied down and he didn't want any permanent attachment, but again she bullied him until she got her way. Way too needy for my taste, hence the one star deduction. I will gladly read again, but will know to skip the romance.
Profile Image for Linda.
1,224 reviews25 followers
February 18, 2022
Excellent book! Great writing, editing and storyline. I lost some sleep because I just had to know how this ended. The bad guys were really bad; the good one...yeah, that. The h was no doormat. She consistently displayed her strength, compassion and intelligence. The H was a FBI agent who fought his attraction to the h but survival and love won out.

I thoroughly enjoyed the suspense the author created and how she kept you guessing. Great work.
Profile Image for Will Decker.
Author 23 books17 followers
October 9, 2022
I feel generous giving this story 4 stars, but despite the weak storyline, the characters were real and overall, I enjoyed it. Nothing brings a book to life like well developed characters. The actions and motivations of the killer are just too weak. I did like the red herrings that are thrown out along the way, making you wonder and building suspense.
183 reviews1 follower
October 16, 2022
Foggy Mtn #1

Loved the characters. This was a good book with a sense of mystery and the heroes and a heroine you can root for as the story progresses. It’s one of those books that could have been longer and it still would have kept your attention. Can’t wait to read the other books from this series
Profile Image for Kelly Smelcer.
422 reviews
January 31, 2024
WOW!!!

As a crime thriller fan, I loved this book. I will usually read a romance as a palate cleanser after a long string of thrillers, too. This book is the perfect blend of the two genres. It being set just across the mountain from me helps a lot, too. Definitely recommend this to crime thriller & romance lovers!
Profile Image for The Sewist's Bookshelf .
552 reviews100 followers
Did not finish
April 29, 2025
DNF at 43%

I really wanted to like this one, I was hoping it would be a spicy Criminal Minds esque story but for some reason it wasn't really grabbing my attention. There wasn't any one thing that really made me dislike it, just I couldn't get into it. I also don't enjoy age gaps very much and while this one seemed more reasonable (29 + 43) I still was just struggling with that.
220 reviews1 follower
November 11, 2025
I couldn't put it down

This one had my heart racing and not always in a good way. With a serial killer on the loose, Agent Davidson is hunting him. He ended up meeting up with Tristan who he served with, also working in law enforcement. They team up to catch him with Tristan's sister Gemma help. This was a brilliant read.
327 reviews4 followers
November 27, 2021
Great reading

Great reading about Gemma. She lives with her brother who us a detective with the local police. A local woman was killed and Ben an FBI detective shows up. Mystery and danger when the killer comes after them.
1,124 reviews3 followers
January 8, 2023
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED DRAMA

A very intense and intriguing drama as a serial murderer is being tracked by the FBI and local authorities. A fantastic read throughout by this new author who developed amazing characters and also created a very devious killer.
350 reviews
May 26, 2023
wow

What a great book. Lots of suspense and mystery. In the end love won out. Hope we hear more about Tristan,Caleb and Carter in the next books. As always keep writing and I will keep reading. Thank you.
Profile Image for Kathy Zuercher Diveley.
1,643 reviews11 followers
August 29, 2023
Gemma and Ben

Gemma is an equine therapist and works with autistic children. One of her patients' mother is murdered. Her brothers past Ranger commander from when they were in the military, is the FBI agent on the case. Ben and Gemma are attracted to each other.
512 reviews4 followers
October 18, 2023
Great story

This story has a lot of danger around every corner and suspence, keeping you turning the page to read what happens next until the end, looking forward to reading more books from this author
128 reviews1 follower
December 30, 2023
A serial killer!

This book is very action packed and exciting. The love story is an undercurrent to the search for a psychopath who appears to hate Ben (&many others, it becomes clear). I had trouble putting this one down. Thank goodness for an HEA!
170 reviews
June 5, 2025
Liked it enough but after reading the Broken Bow series it’s the same. Can’t be together, a madman is after the girl, couple finally gets together, girl is kidnapped no matter how much security she has, she escapes, male finds her, then they profess their love.
Profile Image for Shelly Celli.
2,248 reviews6 followers
September 18, 2022
edge of your seat intensity

I honestly could not put this book down at all. The murders, the stalking, the romance…it was perfect and I cannot wait to see what’s next!
5 reviews
September 22, 2022
My opinion

More story less sex and their thoughts would've made this an awesome read. Won't be reading any more of these.
Profile Image for Gerri  Johnson.
548 reviews2 followers
September 27, 2022
I have found another writer that I truly enjoy! I've read 2 of her books so far and loved both!
46 reviews1 follower
September 29, 2022
Good Book

This the second novel by Quinn that I’ve read and it’s perfect. Just the right amount of suspense and romance to make it interesting.
43 reviews
October 30, 2022
Smoky Mountain murder

The best story I have read in a long time. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put it down!!
45 reviews1 follower
January 15, 2023
CAPTIVATING

Great story line. The characters Ben and Gemma had an exciting chemistry. I went through this book in three days!
Profile Image for Sharon Thomasson.
5 reviews
February 1, 2023
really good book

Really good book. It just ended too soon. It held my attention and I didn’t want to put it down.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews

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