Tội ác câm lặng

Morgan Dane #1

by Melinda Leigh, Quách Cẩm Phương (Translator)

Sau khi người chồng mất trong thời gian làm nhiệm vụ tại Iraq, Morgan Dane trở về quê nhà là vùng Scarlet Falls để nuôi dạy ba cô con gái nhỏ với sự trợ giúp từ gia đình. Hai năm sau, cô đã ổn định cuộc sống và bắt đầu công việc mới là một trợ lý công tố.

Tuy nhiên, cuộc sống của cô có chút xáo trộn khi cô gái trông trẻ cho nhà cô là Tessa bỗng dưng nghỉ việc. Sau đó vài tuần, cô nhận được tin dữ: Tessa bị sát hại dã man, kẻ bị tình nghi số một là Nick, bạn trai Tessa và cũng là hàng xóm của Morgan. Mọi bằng chứng đều hướng về Nick, biến chàng trai trẻ thành một tên sát nhân máu lạnh nhất.

Đâu mới là chân tướng thật của vụ án này, liệu thị trấn bình yên này còn ẩn chứa những bí mật đen tối nào mà chưa được biết đến?

Melinda Leigh là tác giả của những cuốn sách bán chạy số 1 theo danh sách của Amazon và Wall Street Journal với số lượng bán ra lên đến 7 triệu bản. Cô từng làm việc trong ngành ngân hàng nhưng sau đó chuyển hướng và trở thành nhà văn.

Các tiểu thuyết của cô lọt vào vòng chung kết giải thưởng sách trinh thám quốc tế, hai đề cử giải RITA®, ba đề cử giải Daphne du Maurier, ngoài ra, cô còn góp mặt trong bảng vàng của Hiệp hội Tiểu thuyết gia Lãng mạn New Jersey.

"Cứ khi nào thấy tên của Melinda Leigh hiện diện trên trang bìa một cuốn sách, bạn có thể tin rằng mình sắp bước vào một cuộc phiêu lưu gay cấn nhưng không kém phần nóng bỏng và quyến rũ." — Báo USA Today

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Romance, Suspense, Romantic Suspense, Mystery Thriller

436 pages, Paperback

First published May 16, 2017

About the author

#1 Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon bestselling author Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker who learned that writing books is way more fun than analyzing financial statements. Melinda’s debut novel, SHE CAN RUN, was nominated for Best First Novel by the International Thriller Writers. Since then, she has garnered numerous writing accolades, including two RITA® Award nominations and an induction into the NJ Romance Writers Hall of Fame. Her novels have sold more than 15 million copies across the world. Melinda loves martial arts, rescue dogs, and sea turtles.

WEBSITE: https://www.melindaleigh.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/melindaleighauthorpage/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MelindaLeigh1

Reviews

[Tracy *To the point Reviews* · Rating 1 out of 5]

As I read this book, many things occurred to me.

1. I remembered that i am due for a cleaning at the dentist.
2. I wanted to try a strawberry shortcake recipe I saw on Create TV.
3. I also need an oil change... I think.
4. Baking soda. My fridge needs a new box of baking soda!

Oops, I'm reading this murder mystery! Or I am supposed to be. And its just not holding my interest. It's just not interesting enough. It's like chicken with no seasoning. Or tequila without lemon. Sex without an orgasm. You catch my drift yet? Something was just missing! I was re reading the same paragraph over and over again because I would just drift. (like in high school) If that's not a sign that a book had a capital B for Boring (For me anyhow) I don't know what is.

The writing is average and lacking life and originality. The main characters needs so many more layers. And the hero has ZERO appeal. The mystery in itself is mediocre and the conclusion ties itself too nicely. The romance... a fart in the wind. It could have gone so much deeper.

All in all... reading this book made me realize I got shit to do.

This just didn't float my boat.

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was fine. there were a few things i liked and some things that i didnt.

the case/plot is interesting, the pacing is pretty quick, and there is enough content that kept me interested in continuing the story.

but i didnt quite understand some of the writing choices. the narrative should have excluded the chapters from the murderers POV. they honestly dont add anything of value and ultimately remove any sort of suspense in terms of nicks innocence or guilt. it would have been much more interesting to leave that a mystery, allowing the reader process the evidence as it comes and to think one way or the other until the killers identity is revealed. knowing nick is innocent right from the beginning takes away this basic thrill.

i also didnt like that this is marketed as romantic suspense (its even published by a romance publisher!) and yet there is practically zero romance in this. two people deciding to not act on their feelings because the case is more important does not constitute romance for me.

overall, not quite the story i was wanting, but it was decent enough for me to see it through to the end.

↠ 2.5 stars

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great start to a new series by Melinda Leigh! Say You’re Sorry features attorney Morgan Dane who has returned to her home town of Scarlet Falls, New York after the death of her husband in Iraq. Living with her grandfather and her three young daughters, she’s finally decided to go back to work. However, her previous babysitter is killed and her neighbor asks her to defend his son who is accused of the murder. Morgan asks her childhood friend Lance Kruger to help with the investigation so they can identify the real killer.

Morgan is a former prosecutor who is often underestimated by others. She’s independent, compassionate, and understanding. Kance is an ex-police officer turned private investigator after an on-the-job injury. He’s intense, courageous, and is his mother’s caregiver. Readers also get insight into a killer

This novel is part investigation, part family drama, and part crime thriller with a little romance. The storyline is engaging, suspenseful, and includes some very tense scenes. The first chapter pulled me into the tale quickly and kept me rapidly turning the pages all the way to its conclusion. This engrossing novel keeps you on the edge of your seat as the race is on to find the killer. As always, the world-building is great. The author has weaved another installment involving family, relationships, trauma, a slow-burn romance, murder, lies, violence, missing persons, and much more.

Overall, this book has twists, a little tension, and relatable main and secondary characters. If you are expecting a solid series that will have mysteries, crime, action, and a little romance, then this is a series that I recommend. 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. The publication date May 16, 2017.
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My 4.38 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Joey R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars —I decided to read “Say You’re Sorry”by Melinda Leigh after noticing she had most of the top ranked books in the Kindle Unlimited store. After reading Leigh for the first time, I now understand why she is so popular. The book is written through the eyes of several different characters and Leigh does an excellent job of making you care for the two main characters (the Lawyer—private detective duo, Morgan and Lance). They have a very flirtatious relationship and banter a lot —- reminding me of the old television series “Moonlighting”. The mystery itself is pretty good as Morgan and Lance are retained as Lawyer and investigator for Nick who is Morgan’s neighbor and chief suspect in a girlfriend’s murder. There are a lot of unexpected twists and turns that make the book hard to put down. The ending was a little too neat and clean for my taste and made me think back to the large number of red herrings that turned out not to have any connection with the murder or murderer that is eventually revealed. But, all in all very entertaining, and I will definitely be reading book #2 in this series to see what happens to these two likable characters

[Nazanin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Slow Stars

After two years grieving for her husband’s death, Morgan decided it’s time to get back to being her old self. She is a thirty-three-year-old assistant district attorney. Her first case after two years is the murder of her occasional baby sitter (Tessa, eighteen-year-old). For this case she uses Lance’s help. Lance was a former police officer but after a bullet on his leg, he joined to a PI firm. Morgan and Lance knew each other since high school. And They have some feelings toward each other from that time. He works on a case too, a missing girl. They think maybe these two case are connected to each other somehow.

Okay, this story was really, really, really slow. The author didn’t give anything to occupy my mind. I even didn’t bother to think about the cases. I read first 70% and the things that I knew till then was from the first chapters, nothing more! Therefor I started to skim and skip. It didn’t intrigued me, at all. The slowness of it was killing me. So many details that wasn’t necessary to be said.

The story is told in multiple POV, 3rd person. It’s the first installment in "Morgan Dane" series but it can be read as a stand-alone. And I definitely do NOT reading the next book! I really didn’t enjoy it. It fell flat for me but I hope you enjoy it more than me!

[Theresa Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel eventually has some decent twists – clues uncovered by prosecutor Morgan and private eye Lance.

When Morgan returns home to a small town after the death of her husband, she’s about to take a promising job when a beloved neighborhood girl turns up brutally murdered and the seemingly nice boy Morgan has known for years is accused of her death. Morgan volunteers to defend him because she can’t believe Nick did it. In doing so, she is potentially destroying her career and she is definitely incurring the wrath of her community.

Morgan and Lance uncover clues that the police, who are already convinced Nick did it because they found his DNA inside her, do not. There is a slight romantic spark between the two, but not enough to call this romantic suspense.

This novel was OK, but not compelling enough that I’ll be reading anymore books in the series.

[Tulay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suspenseful story.

One girl murdered and one missing. Good supporting family and some with lots of troubles. Also renewed relationship starting. Action, suspense, thrills of lawyer and two private investigators. More like 2.5 stars for me.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morgan Dane has returned home to Scarlet Falls with her 3 daughters Ava 6, Mia 5 & young baby Sophie after her husband John was killed in Iraq an IED exploded killing him. Morgan takes on a job as a prosecutor as her family went into law enforcement. She works with Logan Kruger an ex cop now PI they are looking into the death of Tessa a well loved girl who was much loved by the townsfolk, but when Nick Zabrowski was arrested for her murder Morgan is flabbergasted , she doesn't think Nick would kill her as he hated the sight of blood his father told both Morgan & Logan so now its up to both of them to try & find out who did it?



AS Dane & Kruger look deeper into the case they open a whole can of worms of suspects but they are yet to know who actually did it. There are a lots of twists & turns that keep you guessing right to the end, I just could not put this book down I usually don't read to many legal/ police procedurals but loved every minute it was fast paced well written strong premise. I also am intrigued whether the budding romance between Dane & Kruger goes, hopefully it will be a bit more written in the 2nd book Miss Leigh teases the reader by adding a bit of romance in the end.

This is my first read by Melinda Leigh and wont be my last I am not into full on romance / suspense but this was a big surprise & the best thing is I've found a new author which makes this more enjoyable & rewarding. 5 BIG STARS

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Attorney Morgan Dane is a widow with three young girls who is finally deciding to emerge following the death of her husband. It’s been a year and she’s ready to get on with her life and is considering a job as assistant district attorney in Scarlet Falls. Before she has a chance to decide, she’s asked by her former babysitter’s grandmother to help find her. Morgan gets former police officer Lance Kruger, now a private investigator, to assist her and together they find Tessa Palmer, brutally murdered. When her neighbor’s son Nick is arrested for the crime, Morgan volunteers to represent him as she’s convinced of his innocence.

The story begins from Tessa’s point of view as she’s being pursued by her killer so needless to say, I got hooked immediately and found it difficult to stop listening. We’re given small clues right from the beginning but not enough to deduce the killer. Morgan’s decision to represent Nick is not without consequence as the community believes he’s guilty and turns against her. It was interesting to witness the fragility of long standing relationships in these type situations when the public at large renders a verdict before the trial has even started. I was happy to see Lance again from the Scarlet Falls series and his and Morgan’s burgeoning romance is on low simmer. That’s refreshing as so often there’s an instalove rush but not here. Much time is being given as both of them have baggage to shed.

The rest of the story lived up to the promise of the prologue as the pace was rapid, the investigation compelling and the action exciting. I must admit to being caught flatfooted in figuring out the identity of the killer but also really didn’t care because the story was more engaging than my desire to deduce the villain (an anomaly for me!). The secondary characters were equally interesting and added texture to the story. This series is a spinoff of Scarlet Falls and while it stands alone very well, i benefitted by knowing a lot about Lance, the town and some other characters. You’ll enjoy this no matter but for die hards like me that are diligent about character development and reading in order, it’s something to consider. I chose to listen to the book and Cris Dukeheart delivered a strong performance. I’m committed to this format for the rest of the series with the same narrator.

Posted on Blue Mood Café

[CD {Boulder Blvd} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morgan Dane is a widow with young kids living with her father and a troubled young woman she has pulled into her home. Her husband was killed in Iraq two years ago and she hasn't really been able to pull herself out of her grieve and move on with her life. She has just accepted a job with District Attorney's office and is trying to move forward. But before her job can start, she is pulled into looking for a girl, Tessa, who had babysat her young children. The grandparents can't find her and are getting nervous. Asking her friend Lance Kruger to help look for her, they discover her body in a teen hangout area.

The police identify her neighbor Nick as the killer. She knows Nick. He plays chess with her father, her kids adore him and she doesn't want to believe he's guilty. Nick's dad doesn't have a lot of money, is working to mortgage his house for Nick's defense and asks Morgan for help.

Putting her new job on the line, she teams up with Lance to prove Nick's innocence and find the real killer. Lance is a great guy. Previously injured with the police department, he is now working as a PI. Morgan and Lance also dated in high school, so there is a lot of friendship and history between them. Lance is not an OTT alpha hero (thank goodness)! He sacrifices for those he cares about. And he cares about Morgan. The romance is a very believable and a slow burn.

The plot is really well paced as Morgan and Lance search for the killer of Tessa and try to prove the innocence of Nick. I don't want to give anything away, but it really pulled me in. You get a little bit of the killer's perspective (definitely a very sick individual) which adds to the overall suspense of the book.

Say You're Sorry by Melinda Leigh is an excellent start to the new Morgan Dane series and now my favorite book written by her. For me it was a true 5 star read and once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. The second book in the series comes out in September and it's definitely on my wish list.

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for an ARC of this book.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

Say You’re Sorry was a fantastic start to the Morgan Dane series, with wonderful characters and a compelling mystery that kept me guessing right until the very end.

After losing her husband in Iraq, Morgan Dane has returned to her hometown of Scarlet Falls to raise her three girls with the help of her family. Say You’re Sorry picks up two years after Morgan returned home as she plans to get back to work by starting a job at the DA’s office. However, Morgan’s life is thrown into chaos when her babysitter is murdered and her neighbor’s son is accused of the crime. Believing Nick to be innocent, Morgan agrees to take on the case at the request of her neighbor. With the help of an old friend turned private eye, Morgan begins her investigation and aims to prove her neighbor is innocent and the real killer is still at large.

Morgan is an incredibly strong character and really brave despite the difficulties she's facing while defending Nick's case. She also has a great sense of loyalty for those she cares about. I love how much she cares about her family and that even when she's busy with the case, she finds time to be with her daughters. Lance has had a difficult few months recovering from being shot while he was still on the police force. As a private detective, he has more freedom when it comes to his work, but he misses being on the force. Through his work as a P.I. he gets to work with Morgan, whom he has known since high school. I really enjoyed their working relationship, as well as the introduction of something more in their private life. I feel the two fit together very well and I'm excited to see where things go between them in future books.

The mystery surrounding Tessa's death was intriguing. There were several suspects over the course of the book which led to constant twists and turns. I suspected several people, but never actually the person who was the killer. Getting chapters inside the killer's head gave great insight into how twisted the killer really was. I also enjoyed how the author wove several other small scandals/mysteries into the story.

I read this book without reading the connecting series, Scarlet Falls, but had no issues understanding who everyone was and how they were all connected to each other. The author does a great job at making this its own series while including little Easter eggs for those familiar with the prior series. For being a romantic suspense book, Say You’re Sorry is more on the thriller/mystery end, but there are enough elements of romance that seem to imply that may take more of a center role in future books.

Overall, Say You’re Sorry was a fun read with a ton of action and a compelling mystery. I’m excited for more books to come out in this series as I really enjoyed these characters and the setting. I will definitely be checking out the connecting series, Scarlet Falls, soon.

**I received an advanced copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

[Monica (is working the heck out of · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not quite sure how to rate this one, because while I don’t necessarily agree with friends and other reviewers about the pace and entertainment value of the novel, I’m not exactly sold on this series. I’d go with 3.5 stars (I wish GR would allow that option), mostly because there was no sex (don't mind it in general but I have to actually be rooting for the couple) and because I enjoyed the investigation and uncovering of clues.

All in All, Say You're Sorry is your garden variety romantic suspense novel, complete with gender roles, battle-tested but seriously outmoded tropes, stock characters, unimaginative murder motives and "twists" you can see from miles away.

Were I even remotely interested or invested in the romance, I'd be disappointed, as there was little to no chemistry between the would be couple.

Their budding "relationship" basically boils down to “watchful alpha protector supervises and shakes his paternal finger at small and feminine lady lawyer,” and that's hardly heartthrob material.

Add to that some inconsistent characterization, convenient plot devices and some superfluous and hastily resolved subplots and you've got something that tries and fails utterly to distinguish itself from an eighty’s era Linda Howard, Tami Hoag, Sandra Brown or Nora Roberts stand alone.

With regard to gender, Lee tries occasionally to reassure us that her heroine is a capable and independent woman, but the steering, guiding, covering and multiple instances of shielding Morgan tolerates say the opposite.

Her depiction of Morgan as some “natural,” naïve, logic averse female who A, cries, trembles and freezes at the sight of unpleasant things, B, needs leading and looking after and C, embodies gender appropriate strength (the kind that widows and/or overworked housewives are often said to show in the face of heavy domestic and family responsibilities), only compounds things.

Morgan’s half-hearted and easily quashed shows of assertiveness, surprise self-defense training and gun (there is zero mention of her having or being given a gun at any earlier point in the story) in the last quarter of the book don’t really fly, because she spends most of the book allowing herself to be tended, led and lectured and dissolving into a pile of “human” response whenever anything dicey happens.

The ole damsel in distress trope was the final nail, but it was Morgan’s refusal to acknowledge her own heroism that hammered it in.

Also, at one point, I got the impression that writing Lance as a high-handed, hyper-vigilant and overprotective paternal figure was Lee’s sole strategy for capturing the essence of what constitutes “real” manliness.

To continue, I never got the sense that Morgan was in any real danger. Aside from some rather underwhelming “incidents” and occasional threatening thoughts from the killer, most of what I understood of the “threat” was filtered through Lance’s sexist paranoia.

The mystery was compelling but, as is sometimes the case, I identified the killer fairly quickly.

The motive was as…I’ll be charitable and say classic, as it was sickening.

Ultimately, this first installment of the Morgan Dane series was at once entertaining and irritating. Three stars.

[Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I have read a few other books by this author and quite enjoyed them. This one wasn't bad. Seemed to drag a bit. Romance is not high on the agenda here and it could have been. But maybe in the next in the series.


Ok, it's an old picture, but you get my drift ...

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

Solid mystery and the great start to a new series. The relationship between Morgan and Lance is sweet and Lance may be my new favorite Hero. I mean what woman can possibly resist a man who loves his mother with all her problems, loves her kids and plays the piano and sings to her? I'll add in blond, buff and hot, but, really isn't that just overkill?

Morgan Dane lost her warrior husband to an IED in Iraq two years ago. She is a widow with three little girls to raise, a grandfather to help care for them and a young woman living with them who has serious medical issues. She has a full plate and now feels the need to return to work as an assistant district attorney to help battle the malaise that seems to have settled over her life like a cloud. Her occasional babysitter, Tessa, goes missing and Morgan calls her old high school flame and former Scarlet Lake Police Officer, Lance Kruger, to help her find Tessa. They find her dead at a high school hangout spot at the lake. At first the evidence points to Morgan's neighbor, Nick. How can a young man who reads stories to her little girls and plays chess with her grandfather possibly have done this?

Morgan's answer is: He didn't. As Morgan begins to peal away the layers of the case against Nick, she uncovers a rush to judgment with serious political overtones that has put a lot of people in danger. She also discovers that she and Lance have the potential to become something other than friends and work associates.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morgan Dane has returned home to Scarlet Falls with her three young girls after the devastating loss of her husband in the military. She's agreed to take a job as a prosecutor following in her family's footsteps of putting away the bad guys until her neighbors son is arrested for murder.

When Tessa was found raped and murdered the whole town wants justice but Morgan just has a gut feeling that there is no way Nick could have committed this crime having known both of them. Morgan decides to help defend Nick and do her own investigating with the help of Lance Kruger, an ex-cop turned private eye, to get her client off and find the real killer.

Say You're Sorry if the first book of the Morgan Dane series by Melinda Leigh. The series is apparently a spin off from another series but I never found myself lost from not having read other books my this author and felt the story was built rather well without having read other background from other series but after this one I may just go back and pick up her other books.

The story is a romantic suspense read that changes the point of view all throughout including some chapters from the prospective of the killer. Morgan however is the main character in the story, a former attorney who became a stay at home mom that is just returning back to work. Along with her former high school boyfriend turned P.I. they tackle the case to find a killer. The romance isn't overly pushed in the story letting a reader get invested more into the thriller side of the book as the investigation goes on.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one from the explosive opening pages until the very end. I did decide to give this 4.5 stars just on one little detail from the end that I won't mention due to spoilers but otherwise a great read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Former Prosecutor Morgan Dane and her three young daughters have returned to her hometown of Scarlet Falls, following the death of her husband while serving our country in Iraq.

Now that she's near family and old friends, and with the promise of working with the District Attorney, she feels she's finally ready to put her grief aside and start her life again.

All goes well until her teenage babysitter is found murdered. The accused is her neighbor's son, Nick, who is just a few years older than the sitter. Nick was a frequent visitor in Morgan's home, entertaining her daughters, playing chess or checkers with her father. Nick's father begs for help for him and Morgan agrees. Deep down, Morgan just cannot accept that Nick could murder anyone.

Her decision turns her neighbors and friends against her and she loses the lucrative job before she even begins putting together a defense for Nick. Needing an investigator, she turns to her friend Lane Kruger, an ex-cop turned private eye. Morgan and Lance are going to have to battle the community, the cops, the DA.

As they systematically interview and question the girl's friends and family, they learn that just about every teenager in town knows something they aren't sharing. Meanwhile more evidence is stacking up against Nick.

Never a dull moment in this book! I really enjoyed how law enforcement worked with a private eye... just a touch of distrust on both sides, especially as the police looked in one direction only and never considered anyone else a suspect. There's an attraction between Morgan and Lance, she's a bit hesitant, he's determined not to scare her away.

There's a little bit of everything here .... a sadistic killer, a young murder victim who argued with her grandparents the very last time they saw her, a young man accused of a brutal crime, who only wants to continue helping his father with a landscaping business, a friend of the victim who seems to be in hiding... but from what?

Many thanks to the author / Montlake Romance / Netgalley for the digital copy of this romantic suspense. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[MariLou Schuman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the extreme privilege of reading an Advanced Release copy of this wonderful new series by one of my favorite authors - Melinda Leigh!
Morgan Dane is a widowed single mom with three young children, who abandons her new job, before it starts, with the Scarlet Falls District Attorney's office, to defend a young neighbor accused of the brutal murder of his girlfriend.
Joining her in her investigation is her friend, ex-cop turned private investigator Lance Kruger.
It was great reconnecting with characters from the Scarlet Falls series (I always secretly wonder what's happening with them when their story ends).
I loved this book, and cannot wait for the 2nd in the series - Her Last Goodbye.

[Gretos knygos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mėgstu, kai detektyvuose kalbama ne tik apie nusikaltimą, lavonus ir tyrimus, bet kai autorius įtraukia ir šiek tiek veikėjų asmeninio gyvenimo. Juk yra labai svarbu ir psichologinis portretas, tam tikri praeities įvykiai, juk jie parodo detektyvo asmenybę, o mes galime geriau suprasti, kodėl imamasi vieno ar kito veiksmo. Kodėl kažko bijoma. O kodėl, priešingai – puolama į ugnį plikomis rankomis. Būtent todėl ir mėgavausi skaitydama apie Morgan ir jos darbą bei gyvenimą. Nes spėjau ją geriau pažinti.

Morgan – prokurorė, viena augina tris dukreles, o buityje jai padeda tvarkytis senelis. Morgan po truputį stojasi ant kojų po vyro žūties, gauna gerą darbo pasiūlymą, tačiau likimas sumaišo visas kortas – dingsta mergaičių auklė Tesa, o į Morgan gyvenimą sugrįžta paauglystės laikų simpatija, buvęs policininkas, dabar privatus tyrėjas Lensas. Situacija išvirsta tragedija, kai Tesa randama negyva, o įtarimai pareiškiami Tesos vaikinui ir jų kaimynui Nikui. Morgan įsitikinusi, jog vaikinas nekaltas, tad imasi daryti visiškai priešingo dalyko nei įprastai – ji nusprendžia jį ginti teisme.

Knygos idėja matyta ir girdėta – paauglių dramos, kurios pasibaigia nelaime. Visi kalti, visi kažką slepia, tik vėliau paaiškėja, kad tos paslaptys nieko vertos; paaugliškos baimės viską hiperbolizuoja tiek, kad pats įtiki nebūtais dalykais. Bet neslėpsiu, įtariau kas antrą veikėją. Mintys buvo nuvedusios tamsiais keliais, kai kaltinau niekuo dėtus ir kaip tik gerus, sąžiningus veikėjus. Tokie jau esame, neturėdami visos reikiamos informacijos mėgstame susikurti scenarijus ir paskirstyti vaidmenis. Ir man patiko, kad nieko neatspėjau. Kad visą knygą abejojau.

Geras trileris. Kokybiškenis, nei penktadienio filmas, nes veikėjai įdomūs ir kiekvienas jų su cinkeliu. O būtent tai ir veža, norisi skaityti toliau ir aiškintis kas ten kalti, o kas tiesiog žiopli ir veliasi kur nereikėtų veltis. Ir dar patiko tai, kad beveik nebuvo tų „nesikalbam, bet varom save iš proto“ situacijų. Čia veikėjai aiškinosi viską – nuo tyrimų, iki santykių peripetijų. Didėlė padėka autorei už tai. Tiek už įtampą, tiek už atvirumą, kai jo reikėjo.

Leidyklos dovana

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[Salamon · Rating 3 out of 5]

باید اعتراف کنم که من متأسفانه یا خوشبختانه قبل از اینکه یک کتابخون باشم یک کتابخرم و البته به صورت جنون‌آمیز و مریض‌گونه. البته در دفاع از خودم باید بگم یک سری از رمان‌ها رو فقط با هدف سرگرمیِ سبُکِ میان‌وعده‌طور تهیه می‌کنم و برای انتخابشون به ریتینگ و خوندن چند توضیح کوتاه بسنده می‌کنم. به هر حال به همین خاطر اصلا عجیب نیست که تازه وقتی شروع به خوندن این کتاب کردم متوجه شدم که نقش اصلی داستان یک زن و یک مادره (شایدم می‌دونستم و فراموش کرده بودم). چیزی که برای یک مجموعه‌ی جنایی که من تا حالا خونده باشم، تجربه‌ی جدیدیه. جدید به خودی خود نه بد و نه خوبه. باید می‌دیدم که داستان طبیعی و باورپذیر جریان پیدا میکنه یا نه.

میتونم بگم که به غیر از چند ایراد جزئی داستان منو سرگرم کرد. شروعش به خوبی شما رو با لمس از نزدیک موضوع اصلی قلابگیر میکنه و بعد مقدمه‌‌چینی به جا و به اندازه‌ای کاراکترهای اصلی رو سر جای خودشون قرار می‌ده به طوری که شما خیلی سریع یه نقشه‌ی ذهنی از تارهای تنیده شده بین کاراکترها و نقش احتمالیشون توی ماجرا ترسیم می‌کنید و شروع می‌کنید به گمانه‌زنی. البته نمیشه گفت که حدس زدن انتهای داستان غیرممکنه ولی پیچ‌های قصه میتونه به خوبی آدرنالین رو به رگ‌های شما پمپاژ کنه. پایان‌بندی کمی به نظر عجولانه میاد ولی برای من به اندازه‌ی کافی راضی‌کننده بود. در مورد نوع کلی روایت، این مقایسم فقط حسیه ولی، کمی روش روایت من رو یاد سری جک ریچر میندازه.

یک نقطه‌ی قوت:

به کاراکترهای اصلی به اندازه‌ی کافی (مورد نیاز این ژانر) پرداخته میشه.
کاراکتر زن ماجرا که در موردش گفتم با توجه به اینکه دارای جنبه‌ی سنتی از تعریف زنانگی هست، در موقعیتی با همون تعریف سنتی غیرزنانه باورپذیر عمل کرد (البته که اضافه کردن یه کاراکتر شبه‌جک‌‌ریچرطور در کنارش بی تاثیر نبود).

یک نقطه ضعف:

گاهی به نظر می‌رسه نویسنده در تلاشه به سرعت عمق بیشتری به جنبه‌هایی از داستان یا کاراکترها بده که شتابش ملموسه و با ظرافت نیست.

در کل:

احتمال زیاد مجموعه رو ادامه میدم چون سرگرم‌کننده بود و فک میکنم میشه با جنبه‌هایی بیشتری از شخصیت‌ها آشنا شد.

پ.ن: ترجمه روان اما به صورت عجیبی تحت‌اللفظی بود. اگه نمی‌تونستم انگلیسیش رو حدس بزنم و یا جاهایی اصل کلمات رو تو پاورقی نیاورده بود واقعا میتونست گیج‌کننده باشه. آخه کی Coldplay رو "آهنگ بازی سرد" ترجمه میکنه؟ یا life in prison رو به "زندگی در زندان" برمیگردونه؟ متأسفانه تعداد قابل توجهی از این برگردان‌های خنده‌دار تو متن فارسی دیده میشه.با این وجود قصد دارم بعدی‌ها رو هم با همین ترجمه بخونم و اینکه سه تا کتابش رو خریدم یه دلیلشه.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morgan Dane is a widow, living with her grandfather, and has three young daughters. It's been two years since the death of her husband. Morgan is finally ready to move on with her life and accepts a job with the local District Attorney's office. When Morgan finds out that her children's babysitter, Tessa Palmer, has disappeared, Morgan enlists her friend, Private Investigator Lance Kruger, to help find her. Tess is found, brutally murdered. It doesn't take long for the local police to arrest Tessa's boyfriend, Nick Zabrowski, who happens to be Morgan's neighbor. Morgan has known Nick for a couple of years and does not believe he would kill anyone. She immediately volunteers to be his attorney, even though it could jeopardize her new job.

This is the first book in the Morgan Dane series. The story starts with Tessa's murder which hooks the reader right at the start. Morgan is determined to find evidence that clears Nick. She and Lance sift through the evidence and interview the witnesses. Lance is also looking for another missing teenager who may have ties to this murder.

I liked the mystery and I enjoyed the burgeoning romance between Morgan and Lance. They've been friends for a long time. Lance has wanted to ask Morgan out for a long time; but believes there is too much baggage between them for a romance to work. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. It was a little predictable, but the author did a wonderful job of balancing real criminal justice procedures and entertainment value. I'll definitely continue with the series.

["Avonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out all of my reviews at: http://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

I am so excited that Melinda Leigh is writing a spin-off of her wonderful Scarlet Falls trilogy. SAY YOU”RE SORRY (Morgan Dane #1) takes me back to one of my favorite fictional cities.

Morgan Dane returns home to Scarlet Falls with her three young daughters after the death of her military husband in the Middle East. Living with her grandfather and a teenager rescued in a previous Scarlet Falls book, two years has passed and Morgan decides to return to work as an ADA. She wants to start moving forward at least professionally with her life.

Lance Kruger was an SFPD officer, but is currently training to be a private investigator while recovering from a gunshot wound. His mentor, Lincoln Sharp started his own P.I. agency after retiring from the SFPD. Lincoln is more than just the ex-detective who worked Lance’s missing father’s case, he has been a father figure and an enormous help with Lance’s mother.

When Morgan’s sometimes babysitter, Tessa is found raped and violently murdered, the blame falls on her boyfriend, Nick. Nick is Morgan’s young neighbor who plays chess with her grandfather and reads to her girls. Even though the evidence is strong, Morgan just cannot believe Nick is guilty. Morgan turns down her ADA job and decides to not only defend Nick against false charges, but to find the real killer with the help of Lance and Lincoln.

This book takes off and keeps a fast pace throughout. With multiple suspects there are many unexpected twists and turns in the plot. As you turn the pages to find justice for Tessa, many other small town secrets become unearthed. You also follow the story through both Morgan’s and Lance’s points-of-views, with some internal insights from the killer and Nick’s time in lock-up. I loved the multiple views because they pull you into the head and intense emotions of each character in every situation.

I was happy to learn from the author that there are at least four more proposed books for this series and Morgan will continue being the main character. This book has the beginnings of a new romance for Morgan with Lance and I am looking forward to its progression. I love a series that not only gives me great thrills and/or mysteries, but I get to follow a couple that I want to succeed in love.

I am looking forward to the next book and a return to all of these great characters!

Thank you very much to Montlake Romance, Melinda Leigh and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura (Kyahgirl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always on the lookout for a new author to enjoy and this book was a pleasant surprise in the romantic suspense category. The feel of it put me in mind of Maggie Shayne writing.
I enjoyed the characters and the mystery.

[Kylie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the 'Morgan Dane' series and I really enjoyed it. Morgan is a lawyer who has returned to her home town to take up a job with the DA's office. She is a widow with three young daughters and lives with her grandfather who raised her.
Just before commencing her new job Nick, a neighbour is accused of the brutal rape and murder of a local girl. Morgan opts to ditch her new job and take on the defence of Nick. In doing this is she throwing away her career? Is she ostracising herself and her family from their own community? Can she trust her instincts or is she biased? A lot of skeletons come to the surface as the story unfolds.

[Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
This was a tough listen in some parts. But the fact that I cared about the injustices happening to fictional characters says a lot of good things about this author.
The story was fluid and kept me on my toes. It's more mystery/suspense than romance. But that's fine with me.
I didn't figure out who done it with absolute conviction. He (not a spoiler) was among my list of suspects, but I hadn't settled on him. This is a good thing.
I look forward to more in this series. Hell, there is a relationship to grow and more bad things that are happening in this small town. I look forward to it.

[Wendy Darling · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can overlook a lot in romantic suspense, but I had to stop when the three-year-old came flying out of the house to defend her babysitter from getting arrested.

[Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) · Rating 4 out of 5]

One missing girl known as trouble. One dead girl who everybody loved. A woman grieving the loss of her husband. And an individual who will do anything to make sure they get away with murder.

When Morgan Dane returns to Scarlet Falls following the death of her husband in Iraq, she’s hoping to start fresh with a job in the District Attorney’s office. But just after accepting the new job, Morgan gets pulled into defending her neighbor, Nick, who immediately becomes the prime suspect. Assisting her with the investigation of the case is Lance, a former cop who has become a private detective until he’s capable of rejoining the police department. With the community horrified by the death of beloved Tessa, the inquiry ramps up as Morgan and Lance’s lives are threatened more than once.

I had a hard time putting this book down (as evidenced by finishing it in one day). The main characters were deep and endearing, especially Morgan, who, despite knowing that she will lose her recently accepted job with the DA, has to follow her belief in Nick’s innocence. With themes of loss and justice ever present in this novel, the only thing I wasn’t fond of was the intermittent romance-like feel between Morgan and Lance. I’m not a huge fan of romance, but I’m glad I didn’t know that this was classified marginally as one as I might not have read it and would have missed out on a fantastic thriller. Can’t wait to read the next book in this Melinda Leigh series! Rating of 4.5 stars.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a little while to get into Say You're Sorry, but I ended up really enjoying this mystery thriller romance.

I borrowed this in audiobook format through Amazon Kindle Unlimited.

[Miki’s⚠️ Safety Reviews & Rants⚠️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars ⭐️ I liked this way more than I thought I would! I thought it was very balanced w romance/mystery. It was complex but told in a simple way that was easy to follow.
I was so surprised how invested I was in the storyline and characters! The characters had complexity and depth really quickly and I was invested for very early on!

🔪I love these suspense romance reads and have been reading more and more. So I’m gonna break them down differently from my other reviews.
I don’t want to give any spoilers away so you can go into it it blind and enjoy all the twists and turns❤️.

Ratings 0-5 Star Scale

😮Mystery/Suspense-
4 stars
I really enjoyed this at times I can see where it had a few slow spots but overall the storyline had multiple aspects that kept me guessing. I didn’t know who it was until the end!

❤️‍🔥Romance/Chemistry-
❤️gah me still my heart! But this was one of the most sweet beginnings of a romance FOR THIS GENRE that I’ve ever read! Bothe characters have such chemistry and attraction but they also have road blocks or complications that keep them from committing to even starting a relationship. But in the end chemistry wins out.
They are friends first.
They dated senior year in high school NOTHING SERIOUS AND NOT IN LOVE. They went their separate ways after and didn’t stay in contact. 15yrs later they reconnect. THIS DID NOT READ LIKE A SECOND CHANCE. They both really didn’t have deep feelings until they reconnected.
SUPER SLOW BURN! They have multiple books to grow their relationship and lots of complications to work through. We get some passionate kisses but not much else.

🚹Hero-
Gah❤️ 5stars!!
He’s protective, patient, understanding and he admires the h so much!!!
He takes care of his mentally ill mother and it’s kept him from serious relationships in the past. It’s also why he treads carefully with the h. That and the h issues.

🚺Heroine-
5 stars
Widow and mother of 3 young girls she is a lawyer and dealing with being a single mother after the death of her husband.
She was a VERY strong and resilient character with a moral compass.
She was a good character and very likable and enduring.

⚠️Safety-
H has mentally ill mother
No talks of H past other than he has some semi serious relationship that where derailed by his need to care for his mom.
h husband died in the line of duty 2 years prior
Underage sexual assault
Rape
Violent murder
Attempted murder

🎧Audiobook Narration-
5 stars
3rd person multi POV
Narrator did and amazing job with the voices. It was very easy to listen to.

🥰Overall Enjoyment-
I think if I was reading this I might find some slow parts but listening in audio? It was perfect! I really loved the whole dynamic of this entire story and the characters and I can’t wait for the next book!

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Say You’re Sorry was a fantastic start to the Morgan Dane series. I have not read the Scarlet Falls series that was published before this, so some of the connections were not clear at the beginning of the book, but it did not diminish the enjoyment I had while listening to this book. The narration was well done with a lot of expression that added to my enjoyment of the story.

After losing her husband in Iraq, Morgan Dane has returned to her hometown of Scarlet Falls to raise her three girls with the help of her family. This story picks up two years after Morgan returned home. She has been offered a job working at the DA's office when her life is thrown into chaos. Her young neighbour has been accused of murdering her old babysitter. The family can not afford a top notch lawyer, and on impulse, Morgan offers to take his case pro bono. She is sure that he is innocent. Recruiting an old boyfriend and ex-cop, who is now working as a PI, they begin their investigation to prove Nick innocent. The only way to do that is to find the real killer.

Morgan is an incredibly strong and brave character, in fact some may think she is rash and impulsive. She also has a great sense of loyalty for those she cares about which is how she ends up involved in this case at all. I love that, as busy as she is, she still makes sure she spends quality time with her daughters. Lance is dealing with his own issues. He was shot while still working on the police force and even though he enjoys the leeway he has working as a PI, he misses his prior job. I really enjoyed the working relationship Morgan and Lance have. They feed off each other well and Lance is very protective of Morgan. I will be watching to see if they develop a romantic relationship as this series moves forward.

The mystery surrounding Tessa's death and the disappearance of another girl was intriguing. There were several suspects over the course of the book which led to constant twists and turns. Each of these suspects often revealed another secret in Scarlet Falls. I suspected several people, but never actually the person figured out the killer until just prior to the reveal. Some other readers thought the book was slow, but I felt the pace was just right. I listened to it in one day and didn't want to take any breaks, as I was pulled right into the story. This book is listed as a Romantic Suspense, but I think it was more Suspense Mystery, as I mentioned earlier, perhaps the romance is yet to come. I recommend this story to Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, or Romantic Suspense lovers. If you have kindle unlimited, the audio version of this book is available for members right now as I write this review.