Dead Ringer

Whitehorse, Montana: The McGraw Kidnapping #2

by B.J. Daniels

Can a stubborn cowboy recapture the one who got away?

Ledger McGraw may know all about horses, but he doesn't know anything about the lie that broke up his first romance with waitress Abby Pierce. Abby, tricked into marrying the wrong man, is at the end of her tether in her abusive relationship. When she learns the truth about her terrible marriage, she becomes desperate to escape it--before her jealous husband kills her.

Though Ledger's heart was wounded by Abby, he'll still do anything to protect her and free her from her violent spouse. He's determined to win her back and reignite their passion...

Genres: Romance, Mystery, Westerns, Romantic Suspense, Harlequin, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

B.J. Daniels started her life in Houston, Texas, before her family moved to Montana at age five. She grew up in a cabin in the Gallatin Canyon near Big Sky and later on Hebgen Lake near West Yellowstone. Because of her love for Montana, most of her books are set there.
Born into a storytelling family, all she'd ever wanted to do was write stories. After a career as an award-winning newspaper journalist, she wrote and sold 37 short stories before she finally wrote her first book, ODD MAN OUT. Since then she has won numerous awards including a career achievement award for romantic suspense.
She lives in Montana with her husband, Parker, two Springer Spaniels. When she isn't writing, she quilts, boats and. makes rope/fabric baskets. She always reads, loving to lose herself in a good book.

Reviews

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

B.J. Daniels is one of my favorite western/cozy authors. I always request her books and usually enjoy them. Even really good authors can have an off series and this one is hers. I didn't like the heroine, at all. She was just plain stupid.

The over-arching mystery of what happened to the McGraw twins who were kidnapped 25 years ago is a focus also in this book. No hope of finding out until Book #3 so this is tale of Ledger McGraw and the one who got away, (and really wished she hadn't) Abby Pierce.

Abby wakes up in the hospital with a concussion, bruised ribs and no memory of the preceding 24 hours. Her nasty of a husband, Wade, tells he she fell off a ladder, but even with no memory of the event, she knows that is a lie. Finally, Abby grows a spine and tells this piece of garbage to take a hike, but she knows that there is more to it than the fact he beat her, again.

Ledger loves Abby and is helpless seeing what Wade is doing to her but she won't leave and he has family problems of his own. Ledger's siblings, fraternal twins were kidnapped when they were six months old - twenty five years ago. It appears the boy has been found. His father is overjoyed but the three other brothers just aren't so sure. Now Abby is asking for his help and Ledger is going to do everything he can to make sure she stays with him, forever.

[Paula Brandon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wavered between 2 or 3 stars for this, because it's B.J. Daniels, whose books I generally like. But it's nowhere near as good as the previous book in the series, which I gave 3 stars to. This one also had a dead-in-the-water romance, and didn't have the intriguing plot of the previous book to make up for it.

Here, we get the story of Ledger McGraw, who is hopelessly in love with waitress Abby Pierce. Alas, she is trapped in abusive marriage with Wade Pierce. She turned to him and married him, despite not loving him, because she believed a lie that was fed to her that Ledger had cheated on her while away at college. This time, his abuse has landed her in hospital with no memory of the previous 24 hours. After what felt the longest time, she eventually makes moves towards leaving him, ready to turn to Ledger. However, Wade and his deputy sheriff father Huck may be connected to the young man, Vance Elliot, who has shown up at the McGraw household, claiming to be Oakley McGraw, one of the twins kidnapped 25 years earlier. Whatever it is that led to Abby losing her memory could be the vital key to establishing who Vance really is, and that knowledge could put her in danger.

The biggest problem here was that Ledger and Abby barely even felt like main characters! We get the viewpoints from so many other characters, including that damn sheriff who barely even needs to be there (and she's only in like 2 scenes), that they almost felt like background players! I didn't get a feel for either of them at all. There's not enough information about why they broke up to give me much investment at their second shot. Most annoyingly, Abby seemingly didn't trust in him enough to listen to his side of the story, and instead ran off to get married to someone else! MARRIED! THAT'S A BIG STEP, ABBY! She says she was forced into it because of her mother and extenuating circumstances, but I didn't buy it. I find it hard to swallow that Abby was forced. She knew what she was doing. It's a real bug-bear of mine when a H or h MARRIES someone they don't love as a way to get over their true love.

While I understand and am sensitive to the feeling of being trapped that abused wives suffer when in a violent relationship, leaving them unable to leave their spouse, I never got that sense here. Abby is supporting herself with a job as a waitress. She seems to have no trouble later on calling Ledger for help and support. The sheriff is supportive and believes she's being abused. Even the whole town seems to know he's knocking her around! Abby staying in the marriage despite Wade beating her up didn't make sense, and only served to make her look stupid. Literally the only thing keeping her there was the fact she wanted to give her marriage a fair go. WTF?!?

And Ledger going to her restaurant every morning for breakfast so he could be near her (or something) just felt way too moon-faced and stalker-ish to me. But it's true lurrrrrrv, so I guess it's okay? Who knows? So Ledger and Abby's story never came to life for me. In fact, it was the supporting characters who were much more interesting! Even though Wade is unsympathetic and unlikable, he was far more interesting. He really does love Abby. He understands his own personality flaws. He often wants to be a better person. He's still a cowardly jerk, but he gets far more character development than Abby or Ledger. Same applies to Vance Elliot. He's scamming the McGraw family in cahoots with the Huck and Wade, but he's extremely conflicted about it, and wonders what life would have been like with Travers as his real father. He's also much more interesting than Ledger or Abby.

The plot isn't as intriguing as the previous book. It's very soap opera-ish, so it remains interesting, but didn't really feel like a mystery or thriller. Abby conveniently getting memory loss all the time was often groan-inducing. There were no real surprises and not much suspense. But basically, if you want me to get behind the main characters' romance, give me the feeling that they ARE the main characters! Abby and Ledger got lost amongst the sea of other character perspectives.

[Donna Repsher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Ringer is the second installment in the Whitehorse, Montana: The McGraw Kidnapping series but it's the first installment I've read, and I'm grateful that Ms. Daniels, whose Montana Hamilton's series I absolutely loved, thoughtfully provides a Cast of Characters summary at the beginning of this novel so that the reader isn't completely confused by the eight primary characters and their relationships to one another. Since this novel hits the ground running and doesn't let up, that list was helpful and much appreciated, and while this novel can be read as a standalone, I found myself wishing I'd read the first book in the series before this one, which gets a 4-star rating from this reviewer.

As the novel opens, we meet the heroine, Abby Pierce and her husband, Wade, as she wakes up in the hospital. They've been married for 3 years, and his abusive behavior began after the first year of their marriage, but Abby feels honor-bound to try to make it work. When Wade tells her that she fell from a ladder while getting jars for peach jam, even with a concussion Abby knows he's lying since peaches aren't even in season, and this isn't the first time he's beaten her. Their marriage is not a love match--she married Wade on the rebound when she was led to believe that the man she'd loved for years, Ledger McGraw, cheated on her, and both her lying mother and Wade's father, Huck, convinced her to move on and marry Wade. They had their reasons, and you'll eventually find out what they were later in the novel.

In addition, there are many mysteries to solve in this deftly and intricately plotted novel--the abduction and disappearance of the 6-month old McGraw twins, Oakley and Jesse Rose, 25 years earlier, which I'm sure was included in the first novel. This event apparently landed their mother in a sanitarium after she broke down and became completely catatonic. Their father, Travers McGraw, recently suffered a heart attack, and has now stepped up efforts to find his missing son and daughter, offering a $500,000 reward, and, suddenly there's Vance, a man claiming to be the missing male twin, but is he really?

What I especially liked about this novel is that you're never really sure who to trust, because there's clearly a revenge plot in the works. Wade believes that Abby is still carrying on with Ledger, and his jealously turns into violent rages with Abby as his target. His father, Huck, is also an abuser, and encourages Wade to treat Abby the same way. Huck also has a grudge against Travers McGraw, a grudge he's carried for decades, and he too wants retribution.

Ledger, who never stopped loving Abby, can only try to protect her, and frequently stops at the restaurant where she works just to see her, thereby convincing Wade that something's going on, and fueling his rage. Thankfully, this novel is written in the third person, and from different points of view, which allows us to better understand these characters and their motivations and feelings.

Then there's Abby's faulty memory, the result of two concussions. There's something she needs to remember about her supposed fall but can't, and after the second concussion and the sudden appearance of Vance, she feels as though she's met him before-- she doesn't trust him, but she can't recall why.

If this brief introduction to the novel sounds like there's a lot going on that's because there is, and it made this novel almost impossible to put down. Ms. Daniel's knows how to write suspense, and although she certainly kept the suspense going, at times I wished this novel had a bit more romance in it, but with so much happening to and between all these characters, in the end I found that I didn't miss the romance that much. And be forewarned--all the loose ends in this novel and not tied up neatly in a bow, there's still another missing twin to find, and another McGraw brother who's unattached. If you like intricately plotted mysteries and suspense with a touch of romance, I think you'll find this novel, and Dark Horse, the novel which preceded it, and, which I can't wait to read, as enjoyable as I did.

I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Paula Legate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book Dead Ringer is part of the (Whitehorse, Montana: The McGraw Kidnapping) book series. I read it as a standalone. My heart broke for Abby. She was married to Wade, who abused. She ended up in the hospital several times. She knew she had to get away from her husband or end up dead. She had no one to turn to except her first love, Ledger. Ledger has always loved Abby. When she called and asked for help he was there. I admire Abby. She filled for devoice, and knew she had always loved Ledger. She never did anything with him while she was still married to Wade. Ledger never pushed, was just happy to keep her safe. Her soon to be ex-husband, and her father-in-law were working as a sheriff. They had a badge, and the power went to their heads. They thought they could get away with anything. The two men made me sick. Good book.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written, fast-paced and action-packed!

“Just tell me she’s alive.”

Dead Ringer is the second suspenseful installment in B.J. Daniels’ Whitehorse, Montana: The McGraw Kidnapping series. It can be read as a standalone if that is your preference, but you should know that the first book introduced the primary characters AND a major mystery plotline that will play out over the three books in this series. That said, the romance is self-contained in this book as is a danger plot and B.J. does seamlessly provide necessary historical information so newbies to the series will never feel lost.

In the first book, readers were introduced to the McGraw family consisting of the patriarch, Travers McGraw, his ex-wife residing in a sanitarium, and his three sons. Dark Horse featured the romance between one of the brothers and a true crime writer. Dead Ringer is the story of another of the brothers, Ledger McGraw, and a waitress, Abby Pierce. They had been a couple once, but their relationship was treacherously betrayed, and Abby married another, a Whitehorse deputy sheriff. The tale is told in the third person from multiple points-of-view allowing the reader to get into the heads of the major characters – both the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’.

Ledger McGraw is in love with a woman married to an abuser. He tortures himself by regularly having breakfast at the restaurant where she works. He has no idea how to rescue her from her husband’s clutches or how to make things right between them, but he’s not giving up…

Abby’s relationship with her husband is troubled. He is a jealous man and prone to violent outbursts. As the story opens, Abby wakes up in the hospital where she is recovering from an ‘accident’ that occurred at her home. She is also suffering from amnesia and, as her memory returns, she fears that her memories hold the key to multiple mysteries, but their return will also put her squarely in mortal peril.

An ample reward has been offered for any information regarding the whereabouts of the McGraw kids who were kidnapped twenty-five years ago. It appears that progress is being made towards solving the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question as a young man possessing an item that directly connects him to one of the missing children comes forth claiming to be Oakley McGraw. But, is he for real or is he a nefarious con man?

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from Dead Ringer:

“The past is just that.”
---
“Please don’t take offense, but I want no part of this family or what comes with it.”
---
He sighed deeply, pain in his eyes. “What is it you’re running from? Is it me?”
---
“Where are you taking me?” Abby asked from the passenger seat of the pickup.

B.J. is a masterful storyteller and she is known for ingeniously intertwining multiple plot lines in her series. Dead Ringer is no exception. This story is primarily a suspenseful tale with the clean romance being a distant second. The story is well-written, fast-paced and action-packed with captivating characterization. Danger and deception are prevalent throughout. I would highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys gripping western romantic suspense.

My full review is posted at Reading Between The Wines Book Club. Please check it out there: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good second book to the series. I somehow managed to read books one and three, and missed this one. I liked getting the gaps filled in. The overarching theme of the series is that the two youngest McGraw children, twins Oakley and Jesse Rose, were kidnapped as babies, twenty-five years earlier. Their father, Travers, has never given up hope of finding them. In the first book, Dark Horse, a true crime writer with a personal stake in the story, uncovered some new information. There are plenty of twists and turns, leading into this book.

In the first book, Abby was introduced as Ledger's former girlfriend and the woman he still loves. Unfortunately, she is married to someone else, an abusive man with a jealous streak. This book opens with Abby in the hospital, supposedly having fallen from a ladder. She can't remember what happened, but she knows that the story Wade tells the doctor is wrong. He's beaten her before, but this is the first time she's ended up in the hospital. Abby's gut feeling is right, as we also get the point of view of Wade and his father, Huck. Abby is in deep trouble, and the sooner she remembers the better chance she'll have of protecting herself.

I really liked Ledger. He is a good man who has never stopped loving Abby. He wants to protect her, but he can't do anything until she asks for help. The best he can do is to remain a presence in her life so that she knows she can count on him if she wants to. Ledger is also very protective of his family. The newest information on the kidnapping has him worried about the effect on his father if it isn't true. I liked the way that he was supportive of his dad, but still wary of blindly trusting.

I was frustrated by Abby at the beginning. She knew she was being abused, but she kept going back to Wade and trusting that he would change. She also knew that Ledger's attention was like waving a red flag at a bull when it came to her husband. I was relieved when she finally made a decision, though she very nearly left it too late. I also liked that she was very careful of her actions around Ledger while she was still married to Wade.

I liked the development of the relationship between Abby and Ledger. He was the one to come to her rescue and gave her a safe place to stay while she recovered. He was also protective of her, especially as her memories began to return. It was terrific to see that he controlled his temper over what had been done to her, and followed her wishes when it came to dealing with Wade. There was no doubt about the love that still existed between them, they just had to be patient before they could do anything about it.

There were multiple story threads going on during the book. First was whatever was going on with Wade and his father, that put Wade even more on edge. Abby's certainty that she had overheard something that put her in danger was borne out early in the book. There is also something going on between Huck and Abby's mother, something that had been their motivation for breaking up Abby and Ledger, and pushing her and Wade together. The McGraw family lawyer is also up to his eyeballs in something that has to do with Travers McGraw's second wife (see book 1). Then there is the appearance of a young man who claims to be Oakley McGraw. The evidence points to it being true, but there are also some things that raise questions.

The suspense of trying to figure out what it was that Abby couldn't remember, tied up with the threats made by Wade and Huck, kept me glued to the pages. Things got even more interesting as the McGraws got to know the man claiming to be Oakley. There were good things and bad things about him, and I couldn't decide if I wanted it to be true or not. A new player came through with some unexpected information as all the threads began to unravel. The final confrontation was very intense, with a satisfactory ending.

Having already read the third book, Rough Rider, I already knew the conclusion, but I liked getting the rest of the story. I highly recommend reading them in order, though!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book two for those of you just seeing this review and although this book is good on its own, it would be great if you'd check out the first book. Since I've read the previous book.

So tragedy struck when the McGraw twins were kidnapped many years ago. Assumed to be taken by the mother and so many years past little has been done.

Then in comes a guy claiming to be one of the missing twins with a item only one of the kids would have. The family is on the fence about this wondering if he who he claims to be. Meanwhile Abby on the other side is an abused women who is stuck with a bit of amnesia after what she is told about an accident. She's working on gaining back that memory but until then shes back with his husband and has a feeling that he she keeps staying with him, he just might kill her. Ledger loved Abby once and would do anything to help her.

You know what describing this book is hard without spoiling this book and I'm working on making this review spoiler free. But trust me when I say that I really loved this book. There was plenty going on. Wondering if that guy really was who he said he was. I loved getting his point of view for brief periods of the book. I also loved getting the point of view of the two main character Abby and Ledger, seeing what was going on in their side of the story as well as how they truly felt about each other. I wouldn't go around calling this book a romance because there was very little of it, and if you love a good clean book then this would be it for you. I Loved the character and the story line was really great and written well. Overall this book was pretty great and I'd highly recommend you lovely readers check out this book (But check out the previous first) . I look forwards to seeing what comes next for this family.

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed at Lovin'A Cowboy Romance

DEAD RINGER is full of lies, deception, and hatred — and a loving family that’s been through an unimaginable tragedy, two people who never stopped loving each other in spite of the lies they were told. This Romantic Suspense has it all and is delivered in a true nail-biting B. J. Daniels fashion.

An opinion — there may be triggers in this story as Abby is in an abusive marriage. Simply be aware of that should certain events be a trigger for you.

What Ledger and Abby have been through broke my heart, and their path back to each other mended it right back to full again. We’ll meet up with some truly vile villains, some worse than others because it takes a group to destroy, or try to destroy the McGraw family. In my opinion, they are all villains even though there are varying degrees of involvement and actions taken – but a lie is a lie when you know you’re telling it, so yeah villains every last one of them.

The 25-year-old McGraw twins’ kidnapping mystery is beginning to unravel with some answers discovered, and more questions to be asked. I was easily caught up in DEAD RINGER and enjoyed every moment in Whitehorse, Montana once again. It would be so easy to give away details, even though this book has been released for a while now, so I’ll simply say I loved it, it’s an intriguing story that completely satisfied my need for answers… and opened up more questions for the next story to deal with. If you love Modern Western Romance or Romantic Suspense then I’m certain that you’d enjoy this entire series. I’d not hesitate to recommend this one or any in these connecting series.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

[Valri Western · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I start a B.J. Daniels series, I know I'm in for a fantastic developed story, characters and lots of action! This is the second book in the "McGraw Kidnapping" series and I'm already anxious for the 3rd book! B.J. has a way of mixing up several characters so you get so many points of view going at the same time and I love that! There's always a hero and a heroine but I love the other characters too. In this book, we have Ledger and Abby. They were high school sweetheart and would have married but Abby was manipulated and lied to by her mother and someone else to believe that Ledger was cheating on her so she married Wade. Wade was an abuser, which she learned real quick. He got that from his father. Wade and his father are deputies but they have this illegal scheme going on and Abby finds out about it but Wade beats her up so badly that she goes to the hospital and with her head wound, forgets what she heard. Ledger has loved her for years and is sick of seeing Abby get beaten up. He knows she's going to get killed one of these days. When Abby is almost killed the next time, Ledger takes her back to the ranch! Meanwhile, there is movement on the kidnapping of the twins ---- did they just find the missing boy, 25 yrs. later....or is he a fraud? Read the book and find out!!!!

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Ringer is the second installment in BJ Daniels Whitehorse, Montana: The McGraw Kidnapping mini-series. To keep the overarching story moving, one of the twins has been found. As this is Whitehorse, things are not necessarily as they seem. In many ways, this is Abby’s story. Yes, Ledger is there to support her, but it is really about her learning to move on after being in a toxic situation and the victim of domestic abuse. At the same time, this is the story of finding the twins and how they would be reintegrated into the lives of all the McGraws. Daniels keeps the action moving and the focus on the suspense. The ending is somewhat of a surprise. I’m invested in this series and can’t wait to see how Daniels wraps it up.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fast paced page turner of a book. I could not put it down.. I had to find out what happened. Poor Abby her husband is so mean to her...Ledger wants to help her desperately and get her away from Wade. "Oakley" shows up to claim his birth right but is he really Oakley? Travers wants to believe he is his long lost son and according to a fast DNA he is..but is he really? WIll Abby remember where she saw him from? So much happens..this book was even better than the first and the first one was great....

[Cathie McManus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!!! Things are heating up. I felt so sad about Ledger and Abby. She finally had enough. Unfortunately, Wade and Huck weren't done.

[JL Coy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from the first paragraph. What could be better than a woman waking with amnesia and thinking it had something to do with her husband? We met Abby Pierce in the first book of this series: Dark Horse. We knew of the love she and Ledger McGraw had when they were younger and we knew she married Wade Pierce on the rebound. What we didn’t know was how all that was orchestrated by family. The action in this book is non-stop. The characters are real and it doesn’t take much to become vested in their stories. There’s suspense, danger and romance. Something for everyone.

When Vance Elliot shows up claiming to be Oakley McGraw, one of the twins kidnapped twenty-five years earlier, the McGraw family welcomes him into their home, some happily, some with guarded optimism. Is he the real Oakley or just a con man? The web of lies and deceit go deep in this book with surprise after surprise on who the bad guys really are. Abby holds the key to the whole story, but with her amnesia, she can’t quite put it all together soon enough to keep everyone safe.

We also get a nice nostalgic trip down memory lane when we get the backstory of the Sewing Circle and their illegal adoption ring and there is a brief encounter with Sheriff McCall Crawford and her grandmother, Pepper. All bring back fond memories of the other Whitehorse, MT books that B.J. Daniels has given us before.

I received this book for an honest review. Dead Ringer can be read as a stand-alone, but I like to read a series in the order they take place. Daniels has a way to weave many stories into one so that you almost feel like you are reading more than one book at a time. She’s a master story-teller, that’s for sure! I would heartily recommend this book to everyone.

[Monica Cardoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Ringer is the second installment in the Whitehorse, Montana: The McGraw Kidnapping and oh boy can I say I fell in love with this series again after reading the first installment. I knew automatically that Ledger and Abby were next in the series and they were going that have a bumpy ride in order for them to have their happily ever after. But that is not the only problem that they are going to have their brother has been found. I knew that the brothers were going to have a problem with believing that he came forward but only time would tell. Abby was finally going to make her move and leave Wade after years of physical and mental abuse when she ended up in the hospital. There were suspicions that she had not fell from the ladder like he said but until her memory came back she didn’t know the truth but she knew deep in her heart that he had hurt her again. Wade needed to keep a close eye on Abby because she overheard and saw what his father and him were planning to do. Now she knew she should have listened to Ledger to leave her husband but not only that she should have listened to her heart and believed in their love that he never would have cheated on her.

This story is full of suspense and twist and turns that I couldn’t keep up with what was unraveling. Not only that but who had helped the cook’s lover to kidnap the twins. I totally recommend this read along with the other books in this series.

[Kimberly Lund · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're reading this book hoping for a good romance, you won't get it here. If you're reading this book for the Intrigue part, it's not bad at all. The mystery is the focus of this novel and it keeps me entertained. I do like the characters and enjoy the interaction of the brothers and the core of the mystery of their siblings having been kidnapped 25 years ago. What I don't like is that this book tries to pass itself off as a romance book as well, and it's just not. There's no romance here. Just "oh, I married the wrong man ten years ago" and "oh, I forgive you and let's get married forever." No working through of all the issues that must be a part of their relationship. Nope, after living with an abusive husband for years, she just decides to move out, lets her new/old boyfriend move her into his house, and that's it. Despite my complete annoyance with the romance, it's still a good mystery and I'm looking forward to reading the last book in this series.

[Carole Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading this book yesterday!!! DEAD RINGER by BJ DANIELS this is the second in the series (3 book series--the McGraw Kidnapping) THIS is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! this can be read as a stand alone, but believe me--you will want to read the first and then I am certain the final will be just as awesome.
I was captivated from the moment I picked it up, and just couldnt stop reading it...incredibly fast paced and remarkably woven with other incidents in small town Montana! I fell in love with some characters, despised some, shook my head at what I was reading and even caught myself holding my breath...
Picked the book up on Saturday morning and finished it Sunday night...lol....yeah, that kinda story....It could have kept me entertained for days....so now, I await the next segment....I am excited to see where the story goes......I have my own ideas, but BJ has a knack for keeping one guessing!!!!!

[Judy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this series just keeps getting more interesting.

The saga of the kidnapped McGraw twins continues with Ledger and Abby story. Ledger has never stopped loving Abby even though she she is married. He knows she is unhappy and being abused by her husband, yet she still refuses to leave him. That is until she suffers two consecutive concussions and has no choice but to run because she know Wade or his father going to kill her. Ledger tries to protect her while his family is working through his long lost missing brother Oakley showing up. This is another love story with a fast paced moving mystery that grows even bigger when the plot thickens and more people are involved/hiding things about this kid napping for personal gain. I can't wait for the next installment to find out what really happened and where is the missing sister. Great read but I highly recommend you read the first book to get the full story. "I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Dead Ringer. Even though the focus is on another couple it picks up where Dark Horse left off. Without giving too much away, Dark Horse set up some twists and turns as pieces of an old mystery began to unravel regarding the disappearance and possible murder of the infant McGraw twins. Nearly 25 years later and the family is torn apart but still holding out hope the twins are in the world waiting to be found. Dead Ringer keeps up with new secrets revealed and another chapter in the kidnapping unfolding. While Ledger McGraw holds out hope his one true love Abby Pierce will find her way back to him, it’s quickly discovered that she may hold the key to a new plot to upend the McGraw family. No one can be trusted outside the family, more twists and turns will draw you in and an exciting end will leave you ready for the next brother’s story along with the next chapter in this mystery.

[Marilyn Upright · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as a stand-alone book. I am excited to read the rest of the books. I thought that Abby Pierce was in a bad situation with an abusive husband but things got worse. Ledger McGraw had been in love with Abby for years. But a lie told by her father in law broke them up and she married her husband instead of Ledger. After she is abused so badly that she is in the hospital with a 24 hour lapse of memory she decides to leave her husband. She goes home to pick up some clothes and had to run away quickly so she calls Ledger to come to get her. Ledger takes care of her at his place. Abby files for divorce. Meanwhile the McGraw's are still searching for the twins that were skidnapped as babies. Is the man that claims to be their brother really related to them.
I must say Abby's father in law who is a deputy is one of the most devious characters I have ever read about.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ledger McGraw had always loved Abby Pierce even after she married Wade but became very worried about her when she started sporting bruising from alleged falls. He knew she was being abused but could not convince Abby to leave Wade. When her husband finally hurt her enough that she ended up in the hospital, she knew it was time to make a change. Wade and his father, who were both Sheriff Deputies, were deep into a scheme to defraud Ledger's dad out of a lot of money and they did not need Abby to cause more trouble. For a short book, this story has a lot of intrigue. Can't wait until book three to finish the saga.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Ringer is The McGraw Kidnapping series by B.J. Daniels. This book is about Ledger and Abby. Lies had made Abby marry some one else. Ledger had always loved her. The McGraw twins were kidnapped six months after their birth. The boy shows up but he really isn't the son. The real twin does show up and says he wants nothing from the McGraw's. He just wanted them to know the other guy was a fake. The house is set on fire. Everyone is fine. Abby gets a divorce and marries Ledger. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Want to find out if the mother gets better and move home. Lots to look forward to in the next book.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby Pierce and Ledger McGraw have a history. Abby is a battered wife and this time she was nearly killed because of something she overheard. Ledger comes to her rescue. Abby's secret and the return of one of the kidnapped McGraw twins are the two elements that drive the story. Along the way both arrive at their HEA. There is still a mystery to be solved and one McGraw brother left to get an HEA. A nice story with predictable action but fun to read.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Ringer is the second book in the McGraw Kidnapping series and can be enjoyed as a stand-alone. This is about Ledger McGraw and Amy Pierce, the woman that got away and married someone else on the rebound. She ends up in an abusive relationship. The McGraw family continues to search for the twins that were kidnapped as babies. This is a suspenseful story with a lot of action. It is difficult to put this book down. I recommend it! I received a copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaways for an unbiased review.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor Abby, she's in love with her first boyfriend, but married to a man who beats the living daylights out of her for no apparent reason. Her mother (who isn't worth the salt she's made from, convinces her to marry Wade (actually told her that her boyfriend was cheating on her when he really wasn't)who has a heavy hand. Her mother is up to no good, she's growing weed in the root cellar with a deputy sheriff.
Ledger is the name of the guy she loves, and all he can do is try to support her when she ends up in the hospital (after the beatings) and tells her he loves her.
Very good!

[Patricia Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

second book in the McGraw kidnapping series of 3 ledger McGraw is worried about his ex girlfriend abby that married wade pierce because he has been abusing her.he goes into the dinner every morning where she works as a waitress....travers McGraw is still looking for his kidnapped twins that would be 25 now.when the lawyer finds vance Elliot and brings him to the farm with the toy horse that oaklay had with him when he was kidnapped things around the ranch are going to change but not for the better...

[Mary Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually like books by B.J. Daniels, and this was novel was well-written. I just don't like to read about abuse and people who are trapped in it. The book does have a rescuing hero who is determined to free the love of his life from an abusive husband. There are other plot threads in the novel too. To follow the Whitehorse, Montana series, one needs to read this book in order to know all that is going on with the McGraw family who are trying to find a son who had been kidnapped when he was a baby.

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Cowboy Second-Chance Romantic Suspense, and this is the second book in the Whitehorse, Montana: The McGraw Kidnapping series. There are some things in this book that can be very triggering for some people so look into triggers if you are a person that gets triggered reading some things. This is a very fast paced short book, but there is so much packed into this small book. I loved that there is a ton of drama, action, suspense, and romance put in this book. This book touched my heart so much.

[Linda George · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really enjoying this series about the McGraw kidnapping. Ledger McGraw has been in love with Abby Pierce for years, but she was tricked into marrying Wade Pierce who has been abusing her all of their marriage. Finally fearing for her life after a life threatening beating, she turns to Ledger. She know that her husband is in the middle of a terrible illegal act, but her concussions prevent her from remembering what the danger is. There are a lot of twist and turns in this novel and I am looking forward to readint the next installment.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in the McGraw kidnapping series. Lots of new clues, mystery and a rekindling of an old romance. Believe that Abby and Ledger are my favorite characters.

Will have to wait for the third book to find out the conclusion.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

[Karen Strang · Rating 5 out of 5]

BJ Daniels is amazing in the way she captures your attention from the very beginning of her books, until the finish. This book was no different. Ledger's story is full of tension, suspense and intrigue. You get into the story as if you were a part of it. I couldn't put this book down. I can't wait to find out how the McGraw kidnapping turns out! This is definitely a must read!