Căn Hầm Tối

Tracy Crosswhite #1

by Robert Dugoni, Thu Phong (Translator)

Tracy Crosswhite là một điều tra viên có năng lực của đội điều tra án mạng ở Seattle. Tuy nhiên trong lòng cô luôn canh cánh một gánh nặng, đó là tìm được xác của em gái và điều tra ra chân tướng sự việc về cái chết của em gái cô hai mươi năm trước.

Hai mươi năm trước, trong một ngày mưa gió, vì có hẹn với bạn trai mà Tracy đã để em gái mình là Sarah lái xe về nhà một mình sau một cuộc thi bắn súng mà cả hai chị em đều tham gia. Cô không ngờ đó là lần cuối cùng mình nhìn thấy em gái. Vụ mất tích của Sarah đã gây xôn xao dư luận ở cái thị trấn nhỏ bé Cedar Grove, khiến ai nấy đều thương tiếc và lo sợ. Sau đó, kẻ thủ ác đã bị bắt. Đó là Edmund House, một kẻ từng có tiền án hiếp dâm, phải ngồi tù 6 năm và vừa mới được phóng thích không lâu. Tuy nhiên, Sarah vẫn cảm thấy có điều gì đó không đúng trong vụ kết án này. Xác của em gái cô vẫn chưa được tìm thấy. Lời khai của nhân chứng không đủ sức thuyết phục, luật sư biện hộ cho bị cáo không bắt bẻ những điểm không hợp lý trong lời khai của nhân chứng, và điều quan trọng nhất là vật chứng tìm được trong xe hơi và nhà của bị cáo tuy đúng là đồ của em cô nhưng lại không phải là món đồ mà hôm đó em cô mang trên người. Vì những chi tiết này mà Sarah luôn cảm thấy dường như Edmund House chỉ là kẻ bị hãm hại để chịu tội thay cho kẻ thủ ác thực sự vẫn đang nhởn nhơ ngoài vòng pháp luật. Cô bắt tay vào điều tra vụ án, quyết định từ bỏ công việc giáo viên mơ ước để thi vào Học viện Cảnh sát, và chuyên tâm tìm hiểu về vụ án của em gái. Việc này đã khiến cô đánh mất hạnh phúc của chính mình khi người chồng mới cưới quyết định rời bỏ cô. Tracy lao vào điều tra vụ mất tích của em gái suốt mười năm nhưng rốt cuộc vẫn không tìm hiểu được điều gì. Cuối cùng cô đành bỏ cuộc nhưng trong thâm tâm vẫn chưa thể bình tâm được.

Hai mươi năm sau, sau biết bao năm tìm kiếm xác em gái mà không thấy, cuối cùng thì cũng có người phát hiện ra nơi chôn xác của em gái cô. Cô bé bị chôn trong một cái hố để lại sau khi người ta đã nhổ cả một cái cây đi. Vì trước đó hố này bị chìm trong nước nên không một ai phát hiện, nay vì nước rút nên cái hố mới lộ ra. Sau khi lo liệu tang lễ cho em gái, Tracy lại có động lực để tiếp tục điều tra vụ án. Nhờ sự giúp đỡ của Dan O’Leary, người bạn học thời thơ ấu, cô bắt đầu bằng việc giúp Edmund House được kháng án để mở một phiên tòa mới xét xử lại vụ án mạng của em gái cô. Họ thuận lợi giúp Edmund House ra tù, nhưng Tracy không ngờ hắn thực sự chính là thủ phạm. Khi được ra tù, Edmund House bắt đầu đi tìm những người đã đẩy hắn vào tù để hãm hại, bao gồm cả ông cảnh sát trưởng Calloway, người đã trực tiếp chỉ đạo vụ án năm xưa. Phát hiện ra sai lầm của mình, Tracy buộc phải nỗ lực hết sức để truy đuổi Edmund House, ngăn chặn hắn tiếp tục gây ra tội ác.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Audiobook, Suspense

520 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2014

About the author

Robert Dugoni is the critically acclaimed New York Times, and #1 Amazon bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite police series set in Seattle, which has sold more than 11 million books worldwide. He is also the author of The Charles Jenkins espionage series, the David Sloane legal thriller series, and The Keera Duggan legal thriller series. He has written several stand-alone novels including the historical novels A Killing on the Hill and Hold Strong, as well as the suspense novel The 7th Canon, and Damage Control. He has written the literary novels, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell - one of Newsweek Magazine's Best Books of All-Time and Suspense Magazine’s 2018 Book of the Year, for which Dugoni’s narration won an AudioFile Earphones Award. He has also written the critically acclaimed novel, The World Played Chess; as well as the nonfiction exposé The Cyanide Canary, a Washington Post Best Book of the Year. His novels have been optioned for movies and television series. Dugoni is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Award for Fiction and a four-time winner of the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He has also been a finalist for many other awards including the International Thriller Award, the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction, the Silver Falchion Award for mystery, and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award.

Robert Dugoni’s books are sold in more than thirty-five countries and have been translated into more than thirty languages.

Visit his website at www.robertdugoni.com, and follow him on twitter @robertdugoni and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorRobertDugoni

Reviews

[Christina Loeffler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can not
I can not
I can not give
I can not give
I can not give this book the full 5 stars
I can not give this book the full 5 stars but I can give it 3.5 and round her up to 4 stars!!!

Most mystery/thriller novels are fairly formulaic but while I know this, I generally don't feel it while I'm reading. I've spent some time in *deep meditation* culling through all the reasons this could be and after communing with some book gods and spirit animals I've come up with my top three:

1) I am a maverick. I cannot be held down by the confines of typicality.
2) I have an incredible ability to connect with all stories.

Jury is still out but I'll put all my money on what's behind door number three.

3) I'm a pure and simple GARBAGE DETECTIVE and therefore am surprised constantly.

This was such a juxtaposition of formulaic and fresh for me it's hard to put into words. As I mentioned, I've never really felt the true formula of mystery novels until My Sister's Grave. At times I was painfully aware of the equation and it made it impossible to ignore and engross myself. However, despite this I found myself surprised and delighted by the twists and turns of this story.

Tracy Crosswhite lost her sister Sarah 20 years ago. Since her disappearance her body has never been found and a man named Edmund House rots in jail - all the while Tracy feels like she never got the full story and was ignored when she presented key findings that contradicted the evidence. The story pretty much starts with the uncovering of remains that turn out to be Sarah's and thus it reopens old wounds for the town and for Tracy, who lost everything the day she lost her sister.

This is told in third person narrative and is segmented into two parts. Part one, starting with the finding of Sarah's remains and with ever increasing flashbacks to Tracy and Sarah's childhood and her subsequent disappearance. Part two, I'll leave for future readers to figure out on their own so I don't spoil anything but know that it packs a punch!

The characters here were all, for the most part (aside from the "bad guys") really likable and believable. There really isn't any wasted time on superfluous red herrings but I still felt myself questioning everything as the story was laid out. There is a lot of subtlety here and it was a nice break from the 'in your face-ness' that happens a lot in this genre.

I ultimately rounded up instead of down for this one because I've been reading a lot of thrillers recently and while they're all emotional to some degree I've not been brought to tears by any of them. This surprised me with the depth of the characters, especially the relationship between Tracy and Sarah. There were multiple points here that had my eyes misting and texting my own sister how much I love her.

This was a smartly written, slow simmering mystery that I enjoyed quite a bit. It was character driven and the development here was top notch. It was enjoyable and well paced and I think I'll certainly be picking up the second novel in this series down the line!

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was doing a book sort and read this back in 2014 and decided to give it a second whirl. Glad I did. I have read some really good books over the years in this genre and this is no exception. My Sister's Grave has a really interesting plot and grabbed me from the word go, I read up to the 80% mark in one sitting, then sadly had to sleep, but finished it when I woke up. Not one minute of boredom whilst reading this.

Tracy Crosswhite has spent twenty years questioning the facts surrounding her sister Sarah’s disappearance and the murder trial that followed. She doesn’t believe that Edmund House—a convicted rapist and the man condemned for Sarah’s murder—is the guilty party. Motivated by the opportunity to obtain real justice, Tracy became a homicide detective with the Seattle PD and dedicated her life to tracking down killers.

When Sarah’s remains are finally discovered near their hometown in the northern Cascade mountains of Washington State, Tracy is determined to get the answers she’s been seeking. As she searches for the real killer, she unearths dark, long-kept secrets that will forever change her relationship to her past—and open the door to deadly danger.

You know the term "let sleeping dogs lie?" - yes, well Tracy should have done this. But despite warnings to leave the case alone, Tracy won't rest until she sees the investigation into her sister's death reopened. She doesn't believe the evidence presented and with the help of her friend/lover/blast from the past lawyer, the can of worms is indeed opened up again.

It's got one of those plots where you really can see some things coming, but they are planted to be that obvious because even the reveals are interesting and contain a few things you would not expect. I liked that. I liked that I was tipped slightly off-kilter a few times. The build up to the finish of this book is gradual, with tension mounting and events rolling out until nothing can stop where it is heading. And it ain't pretty.

The characters are really well written, I loved Tracy's loyalty and love for her dead sister, admired her for not giving up on seeking answers. I want her to be my sister, I know at least if I got murdered, my sister would not rest until the truth was out there. I digress slightly into fantasising about not being an only child anymore...

It's just a really good book, it's highly entertaining and keeps you alert and wanting more, you will want to power through pages to get to the final outcome. I freaking loved the last few chapters, I was out of my seat and cheering for some characters and yelling at others.

I am not afraid of the dark,
I am not afraid of the dark,
I am not afraid.

Thanks so much for reading my review of this book. Join me as a friend or follower and feel free to browse my shelves for your next great book! I love to connect with other readers.

[James Thane · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Sister's Grave introduces Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite. Twenty years earlier, her younger sister, Sarah, who was then eighteen, disappeared after the two had participated in a shooting competition. As Tracy went off to dinner with her boyfriend, Sarah left to drive home in the rain and was never seen again.

The two sisters had been best of friends and Tracy has never forgiven herself for allowing Sarah to drive home alone. Twenty years later, the pain is still sharp and ultimately led Tracy to give up her career as a teacher to become a homicide detective.

A previously convicted rapist named Edmund House was arrested and convicted of Sarah's murder, largely on the basis of circumstantial evidence and on the testimony of the local sheriff who claimed that House had confessed to killing Sarah, even though there was no tape recording or witness to back up the sheriff's claim. Tracy has never been totally convinced of House's guilt and has continued digging into the case in an effort to satisfy herself of the fact that justice either was or was not done.

As the book opens, Sarah's remains are finally found by two hunters in a heavily wooded area that had previously been covered by a lake. The discovery of the body raises even more questions about the case against Edmund House and makes Tracy even more determined to make sure that the person who killed her sister pays the price. Her efforts will antagonize a good number of people in the small town where she grew up and where the crime occurred. They will also place Tracy herself in a considerable amount of jeopardy.

This is a very compelling story that combines the best elements of a legal thriller with that of a gripping police procedural. Tracy Crosswhite makes a very engaging protagonist and the story moves at such a fast clip that it's almost impossible to put the book down once it gets rolling. All in all, a very good introduction to this series.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well now.....

"You're not a crazy person, Tracy. Obsessed, maybe."

Tracy Crosswhite still looks over her shoulder in the direction of her sister's murder twenty years ago. You never get over the death of a loved one and you can never quite cross the bridge. That bridge is paved with the stones of so many unanswered questions and no physical remains.

Tracy and her sister, Sarah, were inseparable until the night of her disappearance. Gone. Vanished. Out of sight. But the tragedy lingers and takes its toll. The family dynamics change forever. Tracy re-invents herself from chemistry teacher to a Seattle detective leaving the likes of her small town of Cedar Grove in the rearview mirror.

Her experiential background leaves an unsettled feeling about how the murder case was handled by the local police. Although Edmund House was convicted of the crime, Tracy is not sure that justice prevailed. She is convinced that there is more to what meets the eye here. The memory of it all is suffocating her mind, heart, and soul. And the only road to peace is to tread down its pathway once again.

I like my mystery/thrillers smart and aboveboard with no eyerolling adventures that take you in an illogical free-fall off a deluded cliff. You all know what I'm talking about.

Robert Dugoni creates his lead character as an intelligent, no nonsense, analytically reasoning female. Just the way I like it.

And here's the bonus. Dugoni knows his way around a courtroom. The dialogue reflects just that. He reaches into corners untapped and left behind in the shadows. His characters are well-developed and the coffee cup doesn't overflow with unnecessary bogus information. There is plenty of deep-seeded emotion here without leaving sticky footprints behind. Just the facts, mam, just the facts.

I'm sold on this series and am looking forward to the rest of them in this Dugoni Dynasty. Simply good writing and a solid storyline. You've got my attention, Dugoni. On to the next!

[Sheila · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going to be a curmudgeon for a moment.

It takes two things to make a great book (OK, that's oversimplified, but bear with me a sec): Being able to tell a good story, and being able to write well. This book has a pretty good grasp on the first part, but utterly fails on the second.

The book's plot is fine, if unoriginal--it's nothing we haven't seen before (a cop with a murdered sibling/spouse/child is practically a requirement for a suspense novel), but it makes sense and has a good grasp of how to move characters around, push the story forward, and resolve things adequately. (That's not easy to do, it's worth noting.)

However, the writing is atrocious. I'm a copy editor, but when I read for fun, I like to shut off that part of my brain and leave it at work. When a book's grammar is so bad it pulls me out of the story and makes me get out my mental red pen, I get cranky! This book (like all Amazon's imprints--at least that I've read) needs a good proofreading: it lacks important commas, uses the wrong word repeatedly (compliment instead of complement; board instead of bored), and misplaces modifiers all over the place. Dialogue is clunky too. But even fixing those things wouldn't make this good writing. The book's worst failing is its lack of sentence variety. Almost every sentence starts with subject, verb, over and over again. (There were 10 sentences in a row that started this way. "He went..." "Tracy noticed..." "They took..." etc.) This is dull and repetitive. Characters could use some work too--I'm not sure any of them rose above stereotypes (but, this seems to be another standard of the genre).

I'm giving this 2 stars ("it was okay") instead of 1 because, like I said, the story held together. I read to the end to find out "who dun it." There was even a court scene in the middle which I thought was nicely done, and I appreciate that the author didn't give us the gory details of what happened to the victim. But I doubt I'll read any more of this author's work unless his writing significantly improves.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

My interest in this series was peaked by two prequel short stories focused on Detective Tracy Crosswhite’s earlier days. I was really drawn to Tracy while reading The Academy, set during Tracy’s Police Academy days, and knew after reading Third Watch, set during her days as a beat cop in Seattle, that I wanted more of this detective. Though it’s not necessary to read the prequels before launching into the novels, Tracy’s early relationship with her future boss, Johnny Nolasco, is very entertainingly set forth in these shorts, especially The Academy, and both short stories are rated 5 stars by me.

As My Sister’s Grave opens, Tracy is 42 years old and a Homicide Detective. Tracy decided to become a law enforcement officer after her sister Sarah disappeared twenty years previously and was never found. Tracy’s ultimate goal is to find out what happened to Sarah and bring justice to her sister. There is an unexpected break in the very cold case, and Tracy is determined to find out once and for all who is responsible for her sister’s disappearance.

This is an easy book to fly through. The plot, though pretty straightforward, held my interest throughout, though there are some slower spots during the first third of the story. Once the story gets rolling there is plenty of suspense and some nifty little twists to relish. There is a bit of possible romance, which I never object to. Most importantly, I was fooled in the end, always a plus. There is more courtroom action than I expected, but I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed it. I must read more legal thrillers as I think I’ve been missing out.

I loved, loved, loved Tracy’s character and especially delighted in how she interacts with Johnny Nolasco. Tracy is actually nice! She has no issues relating to others, a positive change from many of the protagonists we see in crime fiction these days. Don’t misunderstand; she is not a wimp and definitely does not let anyone steamroll her. I am stoked to read more Tracy Crosswhite.

My Sister’s Grave is a good solid start to the series. From what I’ve heard from others, the novels only get better from here. I plan to be on board for the full run.

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder, mystery, justice, and suspense take center stage in Robert Dugoni’s first book in the Tracy Crosswhite series: My Sister’s Grave . It’s been twenty years since Tracy’s younger sister Sarah disappeared and the murder trial that followed it. However, Tracy doesn’t believe, the man convicted of Sarah’s murder, Edmund House, is guilty. She wants real justice and has dedicated her life to finding killers by becoming a homicide detective with the Seattle police department. When Sarah’s remains are found near their hometown of Cedar Grove, Washington, Tracy is determined to get answers, but gets more than she expected.

Tracy felt very realistic and authentic as she struggled with the death of her sister and the guilt she felt for not being there to protect Sarah. High school friend Dan O’Leary was adept, sensitive, strong, and an excellent lawyer. However, he uses humor to hide his pain and it’s not always appreciated by others. Edmund is more of an enigma. The author deftly uses the secondary characters to round out the story.

Dugoni uses vivid descriptions that help a reader to better understand the small-town environment as well as the weather, secrets, lies, and emotions that are prevalent in the book. While this book has some action at the end, it is mostly a legal case. There are numerous flashbacks to 1993 when Sarah disappeared and the succeeding searches and eventual murder trial. Themes include disappearances, murder, guilt, revenge, family, romance, integrity, and duty.

Overall, this was a fantastic book with well-developed characters, a great setting, realistic dialogue, and a page-turning story line. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I purchased a copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date was November 1, 2014.

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My 4.04 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Sister’s Grave by Robert Dugoni is a 2014 Thomas & Mercer publication

This book has been sitting in my TBR pile for a long time, but finally made it to the top of the heap. This is a pleasure read for me and I am so glad I finally got to enjoy it.

This is a unique thriller that kept me guessing all the way to the horrifying conclusion that had me on the edge of my seat and in complete shock.

Twenty years ago, Tracy Crosswhite’s world caved in when her younger sister disappeared. Although there was a conviction in the case, her sister’s body was never found… until now.

In the years since her sister disappeared, Tracy quits her teaching job, moved to Seattle, and became a homicide detective, while working on her sister’s case whenever possible. Tracy never bought into the theory that the man accused of killing her sister was guilty. Now that Sarah’s body has been found, Tracy hires her childhood friend, Dan, to help her prove the wrong man was convicted. But, the local sheriff pulls out all the stops to make sure a new trial never takes place. Was there a conspiracy? Who really killed Sarah and how will Tracy manage to prove it?

It took only a couple of chapters to hook me into this story. Tracy is a person riddled with guilt over what happened to her sister, but is tenacious to the point of obsession in her determination to see justice done. I was enthralled by the small town secrets, manipulations, and the legal wrangling which was top notch, and something I really miss in crime novels these days. The twists are subtle and I fell headlong into the clever trap set for me. I was a little miffed, I suppose, by being fooled so handily, but also by the faulty reasoning of some people. I can’t say more than that, but it was a sticky situation and perhaps a moral dilemma that could provoke some heated debate. I know what side of the fence, I would come down on because the truth does have a way of coming to light no matter how deeply it’s buried.


I think this book dabbled in many sub-genres of crime fiction adding a dab of legal thriller, a smidgen of psychological thriller, a slice of whodunit mystery and a sprinkle of suspense, blending them all together to create a top notch thriller. The dialogue is smart and believable, and I appreciated the portrayal of a lead female character as being both smart and sensitive, and thankfully level headed and grounded. I’m not sure how she felt about the whole sordid mess once all was said and done, and I wonder if she feels the same way I do, but I do think she will be able to live her life fully now that she knows the whole truth about Sarah and what really happened to her.

I have continued to ruminate over this story and think about how everything played out which means it made an impression on me and has stuck with me for a while, and that’s always a good sign the author has done a good job in keeping me engaged, even after the book is finished.

Overall, this is an emotional story, a very smart thriller, through provoking and very original. I will most definitely be back for more Robert Dugoni novels!!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish to thank Amazon Publishing, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"MY SISTER’S GRAVE" by Robert Dugoni is a great legal thriller mixed with a classic police procedural. It is a gripping emotional and strong character-driven suspense legal thriller, of one woman’s mission to find her sister’s real killer.

This book was very entertaining. The short chapter format briskly moves the story along. The characters are well-written, engaging, and the plot was believable.

Detective Tracy Crosswhite,42 years old, from the Seattle homicide, lost her younger sister Sarah, over twenty years ago, when she disappeared and feels somewhat responsible. The sisters had been involved in the sport of shooting, and after a championship, Sarah, was kidnapped and murdered, her body was never found. A local man on parole for rape, was arrested and convicted of the crime. Tracy never believed he was the real killer.

When a young woman’s remains are discovered, in a shallow grave,Tracy returns to her mountain hometown of Cedar Grove, WA.

Tracy is now determined to solve the mystery and find the real killer. With the help of Don O’Leary, a childhood friend and now a lawyer, agrees to help her.


But what really happened that one night so long ago?

This novel will appeal to fans of legal crime thrillers, courtroom dramas, investigations, and police procedures with well-developed characters, in a small town setting...with a twisted ending.

I definitely enjoyed reading this novel, and had it not been for Christmas and the holidays , I would have devoured it faster.

[Theresa Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twenty years ago, Tracy Crosswhite’s sister went missing. Since then, Tracy has become a detective. Though a convicted rapist was found guilty of her sister’s death, a body was never found, and Tracy has never felt certain that Edmund House was actually the killer. When a body is found, Tracy returns to the small town in Washington state where she grew up and works with a friend from college who is now a lawyer to go over the court case again and find any holes in it in an effort to make sure they have the right killer.
The characters are likeable and the ending is filled with satisfying twists and turns.

[Virginie Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good and quick read! I liked the mix between mystery, drama and legal thriller, but I was very disappointed with the ending.


All that fuss for that?

I also think the characters could have handled the situation so differently... If it wasn't for this ending, I would give a strong 4-stars rating. Since I really enjoyed 75% of the book, I'm gonna settle for 3.5 stars rounded down (and stop there with this series, to avoid any other disappointment!).

[Panic!_at_the_Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

This thriller fell a bit flat for me. Perhaps it was because this book combines aspects of thrillers with courtroom dramas and the law. But that can’t quite be it because I also like books in those genres. Therefore, I can only surmise that the book didn’t live up to a 4+ star review because:

-there wasn’t a typical thriller twist. The twist we did get was kinda like “that’s it?”
-the whole basis of the story = lies. Had anyone been honest from the get go, this story didn’t need to happen.
-I like the FMC, but almost all the men in this book seem to infantilize her
-the story is pretty static in general — we don’t have a lot of ebbing and flowing
-how the police overlooked a significant place to hide a victim is beyond me (not a spoiler; refers to the FMC’s sister, whom we know is deceased)

I’m going to give this author another try, but with lowered expectations this time.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... I was intrigued by this author, and wanted to try one of his series. So, I started at the beginning of this one.

The basis of this beginning series is this:

My Sister's Grave introduces Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite. Twenty years earlier, her younger sister, Sarah, who was then eighteen, disappeared after the two had participated in a shooting competition. As Tracy went off to dinner with her boyfriend, Sarah left to drive home in the rain and was never seen again.

The two sisters had been best of friends and Tracy has never forgiven herself for allowing Sarah to drive home alone.

Twenty years later, the pain is still sharp and ultimately led Tracy to give up her career as a teacher to become a homicide detective.

This is a very compelling story that combines the best elements of a legal thriller with that of a gripping police procedural.

Tracy Crosswhite makes a very engaging protagonist and the story moves at such a fast clip that it's almost impossible to put the book down once it gets rolling.

All in all, a very good introduction to this series.

I like this author. I think I am going to be reading more of him.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this after reading the succeeding 3 books. It's one of the best of the series. Very interesting, well done mystery with some great twists and turns.

[Carol]

The Hook - My Sister’s Grave has been on my TBR list for a long time. The price was right and so was my mood.

The Line - The epigraph

”Better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer.
--SIR WILLIAM BLACKSTONE, Commentaries on the Laws of England”

The Sinker - It’s twenty years, twenty long years to wonder where the body of your sister has been buried. You were the big sister, you were responsible for her and yet you put your own happiness ahead of that and let her drive home alone during a bitter, brutal winter storm. You warned her to stick to the highway and avoid the dark, isolated country road to your home. When your truck is found on that road, locked and empty, at first you think she’s home. But no, she’s gone and the guilt is yours.

The character outlined above is Tracy Crosswhite, now a Seattle homicide detective. While working a case she receives notice that two hunters have found the remains of a body in the hills above her hometown, Cedar Grove. Is this the body of her long missing sister Sarah?

Robert Dugoni drew me in like a spider to his web. In flashbacks we come to know the Crosswhite family, particularly the bond between the sisters. Cedar Grove, north of Seattle, is a small town with all that comes with that. People know people, the friendships go back years and everyone takes care of their own. Dugoni is a very descriptive in this chilly cold case mystery both in character development and setting. Winter and all its fury come to life under his pen and he fleshes out the characters so I feel an emotional connection. Some may consider the pacing slow for a mystery/thriller. I thought it was just right, brooding at times, thoughtful, building momentum and tension as I accelerated to its finish.

Dugoni has many books under his belt. My Sister’s Grave was intended as a standalone but fans wanted more and I can see why. There are now three Tracy Crosswhite police procedurals and a 0.5 that I’m assuming is a prequel. Tracy Crosswhite is a strong and determined woman with a potential for complexity that I’d like to explore. I’ve already grabbed the second in the series.

[Zain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tracy Crosswhite is determined to find her sister’s killer. She believes that the man in jail for her disappearance is innocent.

When her body is found she is definitely determined to reopen the case and she gets her wish.

Four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List



I thought the book was good! There are a lot of twists and turns for sure! And I didn't even pay attention that this is the first book so I'm guessing this is a series! Yay! I like Tracy Crosswhite's character.

Tracy is a detective, she decided this when her sister Sarah disappeared 20 years ago and there was never any closure for Tracy. The town of Cedar Grove put a man named Edmund House away for the crime, but something seemed off to Tracy...none of the evidence seemed right, but no one would listen to her. The town, including her father, said it was Edmund because he was in jail for a short 6 years for beating and raping a girl...6 years.. yeah..

The book goes back and forth between now and when Tracy and Sarah were last together. You get little clues along the way. Most of it was pretty obvious at one point but then they turn around and throw a twist in there!

Anyway, so these remains were found by a mans dog while they were out in the woods. These remains were proven to be Tracy's sister Sarah. Tracy immediately goes to Cedar Grove from Seattle to be involved in what is going on. Sarah's remains were found in the woods, but something was weird about the findings....no.. I'm not saying what!



Tracy and Sarah were friends with Dan and a bunch of kids growing up.. it is a small town. Anyway, Tracy catches up with Dan and he is a lawyer, she asks him to take a look at all of the work she has kept on the case for 20 years. She tells him there are some things that don't add up. Dan decides to take on the case with Tracy because he can see the things she pointed out to him. It's like really... you people just let this go through?

Oh and Dan has two cool dogs named Sherlock and Rex, they are Rhodesian Ridgeback/Mastiff mixes. Needless to say they are huge and cool. I always have to mention the dogs... moving on...

Every turn that Tracy and Dan make, they find more secrets and someone starts threatening their lives. I mean you have to have that right?



It all comes out in the end and it wasn't what I was expecting. Like I said before, some things you know right off the bat, but then the author just twists it around a little bit and your like.. REALLY!?

All in all, I liked the book a lot and I plan on reading more Tracy Crosswhite books.

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 Sterne
Eigentlich eine spannende Geschichte, bei der es um ein altes Verbrechen geht, das jetzt - 20 Jahre später - neu aufgerollt wird. Ein Mädchen verschwand spurlos, ihre Leiche wurde nie gefunden. Erst jetzt - 20 Jahre nach dem Verschwinden - tauchen die menschlichen Überreste auf. Tracy, Schwester des Opfers und inzwischen Polizistin, versucht, die Wahrheit herauszufinden.
Ich mag ja grundsätzlich diese Geschichten, die sich um einen alten Kriminalfall handeln und erst später geklärt werden, richtig gerne. Meistens sind sie geheimnisvoll, rätselhaft und spannend.
Auch hier waren die Ansätze richtig gut. Der Anfang des Buches war für mich sehr vielversprechend, aber dann zog es sich immer mal wieder auch sehr in die Länge. Zwischendurch gab es dann wieder sehr spannende Abschnitte, aber die wurden für mich mit jeder Seite weniger.
Ich bin noch unschlüssig, ob ich die Buchreihe weiter verfolgen werde.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracy Crosswhite has never forgotten the night her younger sister Sarah disappeared twenty years ago. They had been competing in the finals of a shooting competition and afterwards Tracy went out to dinner with her boyfriend Ben leaving eighteen year old Sarah to drive her car home alone. She never made it home and although Tracy's car was found on a lonely backroad, Sarah was never found. A local man, Edmund House, was later convicted of her abduction and murder in with what Tracy has always considered to be circumstantial evidence. Tracy never got over the pain of Sarah's loss and left her teaching job to retrain as a detective and has kept looking for answers to what happened to Sarah that night. Now Sarah's body has been found by some hunters in the mountains with fresh evidence that has Tracy asking for Edmund's conviction to be appealed.

This is a great introduction to a new series featuring Tracy Crosswhite. I really like that she is a likeable, normal person without a drinking problem or dysfunctional family life, although quite obsessive in her quest for justice. There are other well drawn characters in Tracy's school friend Dan, now a lawyer, the well loved but flawed Sheriff, Roy Calloway and the convicted killer Edmund House, who is a nasty piece of work, even if Tracy thinks he was framed. The courtroom drama in the scenes where Dan is defending Edmund during his appeal were also well done, as might be expected with the author's legal background and the final dramatic twist made for a very thrilling ending. Overall an exciting mix of legal drama and compelling thriller and a great start to a series. 4.5★

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seattle Detective Tracy Crosswhite chose law enforcement as a career because of what happened to her younger sister, Sarah, twenty years ago. She disappeared one night on her way home from a shooting event they both attended. Tracy doesn’t believe the man they convicted of killing Sarah, Edmund House, was the right one because of issues with the evidence. When Sarah’s remains were finally found in the Cascade Mountains near her hometown of Cedar Grove, Tracy returns to finally get justice for her sister.

Sarah’s disappearance and presumed death not only changed the course of her family’s life but the character of the whole town. Most of the story is told from Tracy’s point of view but her comparisons of the present day and past characteristics of the town presented a stark contrast that I felt emotionally. That was a crucial aspect as Tracy sought to overturn House’s conviction so the case could be properly investigated. House’s past rape conviction made him an unsympathetic “victim” and that made the situation even more contentious. Tracy’s childhood friend Dan O’Leary is now an attorney who agrees to take it on after he sees the evidence conflicts but the two of them seem to stand alone.

This had a bit of everything I like in a mystery, including riveting courtroom drama, which I’m particularly drawn to when it’s done well as it is here. Tracy is smart and resourceful, having to go up against local law enforcement and her own brass. She manages politics adeptly and has strong investigative skills. I must admit that I was completely surprised by the ending, even though there were enough clues to prepare me. But they were subtle and nuanced, never quite conclusive. I’m also loving the narrator who’s a great storyteller. I’ll definitely be listening to the rest of this series. While Sarah’s mystery was solved, there are many open questions about what’s next for Tracy. I couldn’t put this one down.

Posted on Blue Mood Café

[Zoeytron · Rating 3 out of 5]

A smart murder mystery, well-written, and a plot that is not too convoluted. Lead characters are believable. I particularly liked Sheriff Roy Calloway, 'tough as a two dollar steak'. I got a real kick out of George Bovine stopping by the office of Dan O'Leary. Okay, so it's a small town in Washington and not Chicago, but this couldn't have been inadvertent on the author's part. Loved it!

This was a Kindle-First offering. Enjoyable read.

[Michael Slavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very interesting but explodes in the last third. A sister dies, and the other sister won’t let go for over 20 years. She even becomes a cop to search for the killer. This takes place in the mountains of Washington State and one of the biggest elements of this story is the snow storm. I love how it creeps into the story and finally takes over. You have courtroom drama, a really bad guy, and a woman who can shoot and won’t take no for an answer. You probably won't see the ending coming, even though it's right in front of you. Masterful!

This is a really good book from a really good author. Highly recommend!

[Magdalena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tracy's sister Sarah disappeared 20 years ago and Edmund House, a convicted rapist is accused and jailed for the murder, despite that they never found the body. But Tracy never believed that Edmund was the real killer. Now Sarah's body is finally discovered and Tracy sets out to find the real killer. But it seems that there are people out there that don't want her to know the truth...

I was quickly pulled into this story and read almost 60% of the book in one evening. The story is intense and moving and I was deeply moved by the story several times. This is a real page-turner. You really want to find out who killed Sarah and who hid her body. There was a moment towards the end when I was a bit confused about why she wanted Edmund released from prison, I mean, he was bad news and releasing him wouldn't bring her sister back. But then I released that with him cleared for the murder could she open the case again and find the real killer. So that made sense that she wanted free him especially since it seemed that he could be framed for the murder.

The ending. To be frank. I'm not sure that I really liked it, I saw it as a possibility that it could end something like this. And, it just didn't seem that surprising when the book ended it the way I suspected it would.

So this book had a very strong beginning and middle part, a less strong ending. Still good and I will without a doubt read the next book. Especially since I have it waiting for me to be read.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[STEPH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, I got so emotional at the end. That was so sweet. :(

After Kay Scarpetta and D.D Warren, Tracy Crosswhite is now added to my list of badass female protagonists. Being the only female homicide detective in the department, she is headstrong and won't let anyone underestimate her competence because of her gender. I like her sharp thinking, her compassion, her resolve and boy, her expertise with guns is awesome!

I have always loved legal thrillers, I like to know what goes on inside the courtroom, the legal process of a trial, the testimonies of the witnesses, the defense, the prosecutor. Dugoni's writing made me feel like watching an actual trial happening.

And the twist? What the? I didn't expect that, at all. I got played. HAHA. In a good way.
I feel so sad for Sarah. She had a pure heart.

Also, Rex and Sherlock! I love them!

I can't wait to read the next book!

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I am a FAN of this series but never read this book. It was nice to go back and read the beginning book.

Full review to follow

**A Buddy read with Brenda

[Mort · Rating 5 out of 5]

Legal thrillers are not really my thing, which is why I can only think of one I've read in the last decade. However, the blurb tickled me and the reviews seemed that it might be worth the risk.

One thing became obvious early on in this novel...Dugoni can write!
He pulled me into this story and kept it interesting throughout. I always cringe with the idea that a crucial piece of evidence will appear right BEFORE the end of the trial, or the lawyer will manage to break a seemingly intelligent person on the stand, making them confess in court and saving the day JUST when everything seems lost. This writer avoided that. In fact, there was very little of the story that happened inside the courtroom. And, add to that, everything was believable!
The best part? He had some wickedly interesting twists in this one and kept the guilty party hidden until very late in the book.

The story: Tracy Crosswhite is a Chicago detective, good at her job but haunted by personal demons (and that sounds like a thousand other stories out there, I know, but this gets interesting really fast). Her sister disappeared twenty years ago, her body never discovered, but somebody got caught and was sentenced to life in prison for the murder.
She receives notice that a body has been discovered and it might be her sister.
The evidence dug up with the body confirms what she has believed for twenty years: They convicted the wrong guy on false circumstantial evidence.
Can a detective free a convicted killer to re-open her sister's murder case?

If I was nit-picking, I could say that this book could have been a little shorter, but I think it would be unfair to the author. The story was great and everything worked. I loved it.
Looking forward to reading the next one.

[Bharath · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read and liked ‘Her Deadly Game’ and took up this book. This was excellent as well – a page turner.

Tracy Crosswhite is still haunted by events twenty years back. Tracy and her sister Sarah were very close. After a shooting context, Tracy left the place with her boyfriend Ben. Sarah was to return home on her own and never did. Her vehicle was found on a local highway and was out of gas. Their parents were out on vacation to Hawaii. Her body was never found and based on circumstantial evidence, Edmund House who has served prison term for rape, was found guilty of the crime and sentenced. After 20 years now, a body is found and identified as Sarah’s. Tracy has had doubts on the evidence and feels that Sheriff Roy Calloway under pressure to solve the crime, narrowed down to Edmund too quickly. A jury, however, did find Edmund House guilty. Tracy revisits the evidence with the help of her friend Dan, who is now a lawyer.

The story is told in two timelines – now and the events of 20 years back. The procedural work and the court scenes are all very well written. I loved Tracy’s character, and also many others including Tracy’s dad, Dan and Roy Calloway. The last sections I felt had some avoidable brutality which felt out of place with the rest of the story, and could also have been better. The audiobook narration was very good.

My rating: 4.25 / 5.

I look forward to reading more of the series!

[K.J. McGillick · Rating 5 out of 5]

What started out as a book I did not think would keep my attention wound up grabbing it and shook me around until the very end. What an outstanding ride to an end I never saw coming.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great introduction to Tracy Crosswhite. It shows Tracy and her younger sister, Sarah, during their childhood and teen years. Sarah is about to go to college when she's abducted, and her body was never found. Twenty years later, Tracy is a cop in Seattle, but returns to her childhood home when hunters find a burial site in the woods. It also shows how Tracy is dealing with the guilt and how she's believed all these years that the sheriff, district attorney, and others lied in court.

I was immersed in the story and couldn't put it down. The characters felt realistic, with their strengths and weaknesses. I liked Tracy's determination to do what she felt was right, her loyalty to her friends and colleagues, and her strength. I really enjoyed the courtroom scenes and testimony.

I read this book as a tribute to Kerry Hunter, a Goodreads friend, who recently passed away. I knew it was a book Kerry loved because she had given it 5 stars and written a strong review. I'm happy to say I agree with her, and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5★
“Tracy had pressed the silver belt buckle into Sarah’s palm along with the truck keys. She would not see either again for twenty years.”

Sisters Tracy and Sarah Crosswhite are best friends and shooting competitors. When Tracy wins a competition because Sarah ‘missed’ two targets on purpose, Tracy insists on giving her the medal. Tracy goes to dinner with her boyfriend, sending Sarah to drive home alone in the truck, for which she still feels guilty. Sarah disappears.

The book opens 20 years later when Sarah’s bones are suddenly discovered by a guy with a dog. The problem is, they are found in a shallow grave in an area which Tracy is quite sure was already searched.

Tracy is now a detective with the Violent Crimes team in Seattle, and she’s headed back to Cedar Grove, their hometown, to find out what happened to Sarah. Incidentally, the author makes a point at the end that this is a fictional town. He wasn’t aware there was a real Cedar Grove when he wrote the book.

I enjoyed the story, but it was too long and seemed to go off track. I was fine with flashbacks and mixed timelines. They were easy to follow, but I did get impatient with what felt like repetitive storytelling. We know Tracy is troubled.

“Laub set down the pencil. ‘Maybe you should talk to somebody?’

‘It’s been twenty years, Lieutenant. I’ve gone through it every day for twenty years. I’ll get through these days the same way I got through those, one bad day at a time.’”

She begins to question the evidence against the man who is in prison for Sarah’s presumed murder, but she is reminded regularly by Sheriff Roy Calloway that she has no authorisation to investigate.

“‘Let me make this clear to you. You may be a big-time homicide detective in Seattle, but here you have no jurisdiction. Here, you’re just a citizen. I’m the law. I suggest you remember that and don’t go running around chasing ghosts.’
. . .
“She watched the SUV drive off, the taillights illuminate as Calloway slowed to make the turn, and the car disappear around the corner.

‘Not ghosts, Roy. Not chasing ghosts. I’m chasing a killer,’ she said.”

The guy that’s in jail for Sarah’s murder is indeed, a seriously bad dude – he’d been in jail before for abduction and rape. Everybody seems content to leave him there and leave well enough alone. But – and this is Tracy's but – if he was framed somehow, then who is actually responsible? Someone who’s still at large, still a threat?

Her parents are no longer alive, but the same Sheriff and others involved in the original investigation and manhunt are still around, and she questions them all.

There’s a romantic thread when Tracy reunites with a childhood friend, and there’s extreme weather to contend with as the winter blizzards close the roads and cut off power and communications.

It’s very readable and straightforward, and I did want to see what was going to happen. When the narrative slowed down, I began skimming (not a good sign), but I was still interested. Then, as the results of Tracy’s investigations came to light, the story took a macabre turn and an ending that was too far-fetched for me.

I'm not sure if I will continue this series or not. Maybe. I did kind of like Tracy.