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Evidence #8
Silent Evidence
The man of her fantasies is finally hers. Sort of…
Two things haunt forensic anthropologist Hazel MacLeod: the bones of victims of genocide she examines for her work, and former SEAL Sean Logan’s rejection. But within days of moving to her cousin’s estate to take a much needed break, she finds herself faced with both.
First, she’s called in to examine a mass grave in Virginia, then, her politician cousin receives a threatening letter and insists Hazel needs around the clock protection—from none other than Sean Logan. To make matters worse, because the threat to her is classified, Hazel and Sean must pretend to be lovers to hide that he’s her bodyguard.
Sean has spent years trying to avoid his boss’s sexy cousin, but now he’s guarding her twenty-four seven and even bringing her as his date to a romantic destination wedding. As the heat between them intensifies, Sean can’t lose sight of the danger that brought them together. But when bullets start flying, new questions arise. Are the senator’s political rivals really behind the threat, or is someone trying to silence Hazel from speaking for the dead?
Two things haunt forensic anthropologist Hazel MacLeod: the bones of victims of genocide she examines for her work, and former SEAL Sean Logan’s rejection. But within days of moving to her cousin’s estate to take a much needed break, she finds herself faced with both.
First, she’s called in to examine a mass grave in Virginia, then, her politician cousin receives a threatening letter and insists Hazel needs around the clock protection—from none other than Sean Logan. To make matters worse, because the threat to her is classified, Hazel and Sean must pretend to be lovers to hide that he’s her bodyguard.
Sean has spent years trying to avoid his boss’s sexy cousin, but now he’s guarding her twenty-four seven and even bringing her as his date to a romantic destination wedding. As the heat between them intensifies, Sean can’t lose sight of the danger that brought them together. But when bullets start flying, new questions arise. Are the senator’s political rivals really behind the threat, or is someone trying to silence Hazel from speaking for the dead?
337 pages, ebook
First published December 28, 2018
380 people are currently reading
470 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Grant
49 books1,630 followersCOMING SOON
AVAILABLE NOW:
USA Today bestselling author Rachel Grant also writes thrillers as R.S. Grant. She worked for over a decade as a professional archaeologist and mines her experiences for storylines and settings, which are as diverse as excavating a cemetery underneath an historic art museum in San Francisco, survey and excavation of many prehistoric Native American sites in the Pacific Northwest, researching an historic concrete house in Virginia (inspiration for her debut novel, CONCRETE EVIDENCE), and mapping a seventeenth century Spanish and Dutch fort on the island of Sint Maarten in the Caribbean (which provided inspiration for the island and fort described in CRASH SITE).
She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her archaeologist husband and demanding cat.
AVAILABLE NOW:
USA Today bestselling author Rachel Grant also writes thrillers as R.S. Grant. She worked for over a decade as a professional archaeologist and mines her experiences for storylines and settings, which are as diverse as excavating a cemetery underneath an historic art museum in San Francisco, survey and excavation of many prehistoric Native American sites in the Pacific Northwest, researching an historic concrete house in Virginia (inspiration for her debut novel, CONCRETE EVIDENCE), and mapping a seventeenth century Spanish and Dutch fort on the island of Sint Maarten in the Caribbean (which provided inspiration for the island and fort described in CRASH SITE).
She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her archaeologist husband and demanding cat.
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July 14, 2023
I feel this is a tale of two reviews and that is why I did not give this Evidence book my usual 5 Stars.
If you have read the previous books in the series:
The first half of the book is a lot of fun as you become reacquainted with all the couples from previous books in the series as they all get together for Ian and Cressida's wedding. The romance that never happens finally does between Sean and Hazel. The second half of the book is more like the romantic suspense I expect from a Rachel Grant book, but it is tied to a previous book's secrets and crimes that were not tied up. If you have read the previous books, you will love this book.
If you have not read the previous books in the series:
The first half of the book will be either confusing or boring with all the characters thrown into the mix. The second half of this story is a good romantic suspense, but it does solve a previous book's secrets and crimes that were not tied up. If you have not read the previous books, I do not think you will be happy with this book.
To really enjoy this book, I believe the previous books must be read and preferably in order.
If you have read the previous books in the series:
The first half of the book is a lot of fun as you become reacquainted with all the couples from previous books in the series as they all get together for Ian and Cressida's wedding. The romance that never happens finally does between Sean and Hazel. The second half of the book is more like the romantic suspense I expect from a Rachel Grant book, but it is tied to a previous book's secrets and crimes that were not tied up. If you have read the previous books, you will love this book.
If you have not read the previous books in the series:
The first half of the book will be either confusing or boring with all the characters thrown into the mix. The second half of this story is a good romantic suspense, but it does solve a previous book's secrets and crimes that were not tied up. If you have not read the previous books, I do not think you will be happy with this book.
To really enjoy this book, I believe the previous books must be read and preferably in order.
February 24, 2019
I've given this a B- at AAR, so that's 3.5 stars rounded up.
Rachel Grant is my favourite author of romantic suspense and her recent Flashpoint series has been amazing; action-packed, steamy, topical stories featuring complex, engaging characters and edge-of-your-seat plots that have never failed to pull me in and keep me glued to the pages from start to finish. Now that series is finished (or maybe just on hiatus?), the author has returned to the world of her Evidence series to bring us book eight, Silent Evidence, which once again features a heroine whose area of expertise is related to archaeology (in this case, she’s a forensic anthropologist) and a hero who is a member of Raptor, the high-end private security firm owned by former Army Ranger – now US Senator – Alec Ravissant. While the plotlines in most of the other books in the series more or less stand alone, Silent Evidence is very strongly linked to earlier stories – particularly Incriminating Evidence (book four) and Poison Evidence (book seven), and I suspect that much of the impact of this story may be lost on anyone who hasn’t at the very least read those books before tackling this one.
Dr. Hazel MacLeod – sister of Ivy from Poison Evidence – has just returned from Croatia where she spent several months working for the International Commission on Missing Persons, examining the remains of the victims of war and genocide. Not surprisingly, that work has badly affected her mental health, and she had begun to experience nightmares and panic attacks before coming back to the US. While she recuperates and works out what she wants to do next, she’s staying at the home of her cousin Alec Ravissant and his wife Isabel, an archaeologist. Isabel is currently working on a time-sensitive assignment, inspecting and recording finds at the site of a drained reservoir before repairs are made, and the discovery of a pile of bones in the water means she needs expert help. She asks Hazel to come out to the site to confirm these are human remains – and once there, Hazel is appalled to realise that the small pile she’d been called to look at is just the tip of the iceberg, and that there are thousands of bones there, thousands of bones that belong to at least two dozen individuals… a mass grave.
Sean Logan is Raptor’s top operative and one of Alec’s most trusted friends. So when Alec calls him and asks him – without explanation – to get out to the site and bring Isabel home, he’s curious, but doesn’t stop to question and makes his way out there immediately. On arrival, he’s stunned to recognise the auburn-haired woman standing with Isabel; he hadn’t even known Hazel MacLeod, subject of many an inappropriate fantasy, was back in the states.
Later, Alec reveals why he’d sent Sean to escort Isabel home. A man in his position gets hate mail and death threats on a regular basis and most of the time they’re insignificant, but he’s recently received one that indicates knowledge of certain events in Alec, Isabel’s and Hazel’s pasts which lead him to take this particular threat seriously. He’s unable to share details with them because there’s an implication for national security, but they all know Alec, and know that he wouldn’t be telling them anything unless he was genuinely worried.
The immediate problem – and why he’s brought Sean into the mix – is that he and Isabel, along with a large group of friends – are headed to a wedding at the weekend, and Alec doesn’t want to leave Hazel alone. He insists she accompany them, but Hazel demurs, protesting that she doesn’t know the bride or groom (Cressida and Ian from book five, Covert Evidence) and doesn’t want to crash their wedding, but Alec has that covered and won’t listen to her protests. Sean is the best man, and Hazel can go with him as his date.
Hazel isn’t keen on the idea, but not because she doesn’t like Sean; in fact, she likes him way too much for her peace of mind, and is worried that having to pose as his girlfriend will tip everyone off to that fact. Added to this is her lingering embarrassment over an incident some months earlier when she propositioned him and he turned her down; she’s not comfortable around him and can’t see how such a charade can possibly work.
I generally like fake-relationship stories and I was all set to enjoy this one from a favourite author, but something about it didn’t work for me. For one thing, the mental lusting on both sides – because of course Sean didn’t rebuff Hazel because he wasn’t interested – is pretty excessive, and for another, Sean is so blow-hot-blow-cold towards her that his lightning quick switches between ‘full steam ahead’ and ‘this can’t happen’ made me dizzy. And he’s not the only one; literally minutes after Hazel tells him he’s not getting any (after he tells her he’s not interested in anything other than sex), they’re shagging against a tree in the woods. I know Ms. Grant is capable of creating fabulous sexual tension between her protagonists, but it just didn’t happen here; I liked the idea of Sean and Hazel when Hazel was introduced at the end of Poison Evidence, but their romance is underdeveloped and seems to be based almost wholly on physical attraction and mutual lust.
The suspense plot –when it gets going – is as well thought out and intriguing as ever, and the author highlights a number of very relevant issues with insight and sensitivity. I was pleasantly surprised when the plot turned out to have links back to the experimental technology that featured in Incriminating Evidence, and I was also glad to see Matthew – aka Dmitri Veselov, from the previous book – playing a major role, as I have a bit of a soft spot for him 😉 But on the downside, all this doesn’t really get going until around two-thirds of the way through; in previous books, the suspense plot and the romance have been really well woven together and have progressed alongside one another but here, after the initial set up, the romance takes centre stage while the plot treads water for a bit, which isn’t normally the case with this author. There’s a fair bit of padding in the first parts of the novel, and I came away from it thinking that it might have worked better as a novella.
To sum up, Silent Evidence is a bit of a mixed bag, and my final grade is a compromise. Had the whole novel been in the same vein as the final third, I’d have been awarding at least a B grade, but unfortunately, that’s dragged down because the romance didn’t convince me and while the suspense plot was enjoyable, it wasn’t enough to carry a full length-novel. I’m a big fan of Rachel Grant’s and will be snapping up whatever she comes up with next, but sadly, Silent Evidence isn’t going down as one of my favourites.
Rachel Grant is my favourite author of romantic suspense and her recent Flashpoint series has been amazing; action-packed, steamy, topical stories featuring complex, engaging characters and edge-of-your-seat plots that have never failed to pull me in and keep me glued to the pages from start to finish. Now that series is finished (or maybe just on hiatus?), the author has returned to the world of her Evidence series to bring us book eight, Silent Evidence, which once again features a heroine whose area of expertise is related to archaeology (in this case, she’s a forensic anthropologist) and a hero who is a member of Raptor, the high-end private security firm owned by former Army Ranger – now US Senator – Alec Ravissant. While the plotlines in most of the other books in the series more or less stand alone, Silent Evidence is very strongly linked to earlier stories – particularly Incriminating Evidence (book four) and Poison Evidence (book seven), and I suspect that much of the impact of this story may be lost on anyone who hasn’t at the very least read those books before tackling this one.
Dr. Hazel MacLeod – sister of Ivy from Poison Evidence – has just returned from Croatia where she spent several months working for the International Commission on Missing Persons, examining the remains of the victims of war and genocide. Not surprisingly, that work has badly affected her mental health, and she had begun to experience nightmares and panic attacks before coming back to the US. While she recuperates and works out what she wants to do next, she’s staying at the home of her cousin Alec Ravissant and his wife Isabel, an archaeologist. Isabel is currently working on a time-sensitive assignment, inspecting and recording finds at the site of a drained reservoir before repairs are made, and the discovery of a pile of bones in the water means she needs expert help. She asks Hazel to come out to the site to confirm these are human remains – and once there, Hazel is appalled to realise that the small pile she’d been called to look at is just the tip of the iceberg, and that there are thousands of bones there, thousands of bones that belong to at least two dozen individuals… a mass grave.
Sean Logan is Raptor’s top operative and one of Alec’s most trusted friends. So when Alec calls him and asks him – without explanation – to get out to the site and bring Isabel home, he’s curious, but doesn’t stop to question and makes his way out there immediately. On arrival, he’s stunned to recognise the auburn-haired woman standing with Isabel; he hadn’t even known Hazel MacLeod, subject of many an inappropriate fantasy, was back in the states.
Later, Alec reveals why he’d sent Sean to escort Isabel home. A man in his position gets hate mail and death threats on a regular basis and most of the time they’re insignificant, but he’s recently received one that indicates knowledge of certain events in Alec, Isabel’s and Hazel’s pasts which lead him to take this particular threat seriously. He’s unable to share details with them because there’s an implication for national security, but they all know Alec, and know that he wouldn’t be telling them anything unless he was genuinely worried.
The immediate problem – and why he’s brought Sean into the mix – is that he and Isabel, along with a large group of friends – are headed to a wedding at the weekend, and Alec doesn’t want to leave Hazel alone. He insists she accompany them, but Hazel demurs, protesting that she doesn’t know the bride or groom (Cressida and Ian from book five, Covert Evidence) and doesn’t want to crash their wedding, but Alec has that covered and won’t listen to her protests. Sean is the best man, and Hazel can go with him as his date.
Hazel isn’t keen on the idea, but not because she doesn’t like Sean; in fact, she likes him way too much for her peace of mind, and is worried that having to pose as his girlfriend will tip everyone off to that fact. Added to this is her lingering embarrassment over an incident some months earlier when she propositioned him and he turned her down; she’s not comfortable around him and can’t see how such a charade can possibly work.
I generally like fake-relationship stories and I was all set to enjoy this one from a favourite author, but something about it didn’t work for me. For one thing, the mental lusting on both sides – because of course Sean didn’t rebuff Hazel because he wasn’t interested – is pretty excessive, and for another, Sean is so blow-hot-blow-cold towards her that his lightning quick switches between ‘full steam ahead’ and ‘this can’t happen’ made me dizzy. And he’s not the only one; literally minutes after Hazel tells him he’s not getting any (after he tells her he’s not interested in anything other than sex), they’re shagging against a tree in the woods. I know Ms. Grant is capable of creating fabulous sexual tension between her protagonists, but it just didn’t happen here; I liked the idea of Sean and Hazel when Hazel was introduced at the end of Poison Evidence, but their romance is underdeveloped and seems to be based almost wholly on physical attraction and mutual lust.
The suspense plot –when it gets going – is as well thought out and intriguing as ever, and the author highlights a number of very relevant issues with insight and sensitivity. I was pleasantly surprised when the plot turned out to have links back to the experimental technology that featured in Incriminating Evidence, and I was also glad to see Matthew – aka Dmitri Veselov, from the previous book – playing a major role, as I have a bit of a soft spot for him 😉 But on the downside, all this doesn’t really get going until around two-thirds of the way through; in previous books, the suspense plot and the romance have been really well woven together and have progressed alongside one another but here, after the initial set up, the romance takes centre stage while the plot treads water for a bit, which isn’t normally the case with this author. There’s a fair bit of padding in the first parts of the novel, and I came away from it thinking that it might have worked better as a novella.
To sum up, Silent Evidence is a bit of a mixed bag, and my final grade is a compromise. Had the whole novel been in the same vein as the final third, I’d have been awarding at least a B grade, but unfortunately, that’s dragged down because the romance didn’t convince me and while the suspense plot was enjoyable, it wasn’t enough to carry a full length-novel. I’m a big fan of Rachel Grant’s and will be snapping up whatever she comes up with next, but sadly, Silent Evidence isn’t going down as one of my favourites.
January 10, 2019
I love Ms. Grant's books as all well know! :)
I liked this one too, but here the romantic part was much more present. Still I appreciated that she was white, while he was black and all the complications (yes, there're still some who don't approve, even in this time period... *shaking head*) a mixed racial relationship can face.
I loved that Hazel didn't even think about it! :)
As usual the mystery was convoluted and complicated, but it was not as action packed as in the other books. It was pretty obvious, at least to me, who the villains were.
I liked also that the couples from the other books were actively involved here! It was nice meeting them again.
I liked this one too, but here the romantic part was much more present. Still I appreciated that she was white, while he was black and all the complications (yes, there're still some who don't approve, even in this time period... *shaking head*) a mixed racial relationship can face.
I loved that Hazel didn't even think about it! :)
As usual the mystery was convoluted and complicated, but it was not as action packed as in the other books. It was pretty obvious, at least to me, who the villains were.
I liked also that the couples from the other books were actively involved here! It was nice meeting them again.
September 7, 2019
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
There is much to like about this book, but also there are some I just didn't care for. I love Rachel Grant and have given all the books in the Evidence Series 5-Star ratings. "Silent Evidence" has some of the best elements of her previous books: strong ties (family, friends and work), hot romance, some humor and an intriguing suspense plot that has you off balance from the beginning. Some of the elements I didn't particularly like were the heroines lack of care for her own mental health, the mercenary (when it comes to money) hero (at first anyway), and the PC politics.
Dr. Hazel MacLeod is a forensic anthropologist who has traveled to many places and helped catalogue the bones of hundreds of genocide and murder victims. Her last trip, to Croatia, deeply affected her. She couldn't sleep and had nightmares to the point it affected her health and work. She is at her cousin's country estate to take a mental health break, but has been called to examine a mass grave in a reservoir near the elite security firm, Raptor, training compound owned by Hazel's cousin, Alec Ravissant, a US Senator. Rav received a threat and has directed former SEAL and Raptor operative Sean Logan to guard Hazel. These two have a history and it isn't pretty. Hazel has had a thing for the Sean for years, she thinks he is "perfect". He has labeled her as a "party girl" in order to dismiss the instant attraction he has for her, never showing that he cares for her beyond her being a job to him.
The last person Sean wants to see is Hazel and now Rav has insisted that he be her around the clock bodyguard and since the threat is classified Sean and Hazel need to pretend to be involved to both friends and family and attend a romantic destination wedding where Sean is the best man. Sean and Hazel are fairly certain the threat is directed at Rav's wife, Isabel, until the bullets start flying at Hazel. Who is behind this? Lots of suspects and motives to choose from. But the attempt on Hazel's life gives Sean a major wakeup: he could have lost the woman he loves and she would have never known that.
There is much to like about this book, but also there are some I just didn't care for. I love Rachel Grant and have given all the books in the Evidence Series 5-Star ratings. "Silent Evidence" has some of the best elements of her previous books: strong ties (family, friends and work), hot romance, some humor and an intriguing suspense plot that has you off balance from the beginning. Some of the elements I didn't particularly like were the heroines lack of care for her own mental health, the mercenary (when it comes to money) hero (at first anyway), and the PC politics.
Dr. Hazel MacLeod is a forensic anthropologist who has traveled to many places and helped catalogue the bones of hundreds of genocide and murder victims. Her last trip, to Croatia, deeply affected her. She couldn't sleep and had nightmares to the point it affected her health and work. She is at her cousin's country estate to take a mental health break, but has been called to examine a mass grave in a reservoir near the elite security firm, Raptor, training compound owned by Hazel's cousin, Alec Ravissant, a US Senator. Rav received a threat and has directed former SEAL and Raptor operative Sean Logan to guard Hazel. These two have a history and it isn't pretty. Hazel has had a thing for the Sean for years, she thinks he is "perfect". He has labeled her as a "party girl" in order to dismiss the instant attraction he has for her, never showing that he cares for her beyond her being a job to him.
The last person Sean wants to see is Hazel and now Rav has insisted that he be her around the clock bodyguard and since the threat is classified Sean and Hazel need to pretend to be involved to both friends and family and attend a romantic destination wedding where Sean is the best man. Sean and Hazel are fairly certain the threat is directed at Rav's wife, Isabel, until the bullets start flying at Hazel. Who is behind this? Lots of suspects and motives to choose from. But the attempt on Hazel's life gives Sean a major wakeup: he could have lost the woman he loves and she would have never known that.
December 25, 2018
Silent Evidence by Rachel Grant was a powerhouse of action and suspense as well as a steamy romance. This book actually stirred up a lot of different emotions for me as I read it and that's a good thing to me.
Ms. Grant is an author that always brings in elements of today's world whether it be international politics, corruption or illegal and immoral biohazard testing. This time the story is set in the United States and centers around the sad but truthful issues of racism, illegal testing of technological weapons using humans as test subjects and the positive attributes of requesting help for mental health issues.
Hazel MacLeod is a forensic anthropologist who is taking a much needed vacation after helping in Croatia. She is smart and funny and she knows she needs help at this point in her life because her job has taken a huge toll on her mentally and emotionally. Sean works for Alec Ravissant at Raptor and has been assigned to be Hazel's pretend boyfriend when Alec receives an email threat regarding his family. I liked Sean because he is down to earth, great at his job and has a huge heart. Hazel and Sean have a past which makes sparks fly as they (especially Sean) resist the attraction between them. Did I say sparks? It's flames and when they finally give in to the attraction, it's an inferno.
The plot is fast paced filled with ex-spies, a sleeper agent, unidentified bones, a car chase, an explosion and a twist that I never saw coming. I could not put the book down and I can hardly wait for the next one.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. All of the above opinions are my own.
Ms. Grant is an author that always brings in elements of today's world whether it be international politics, corruption or illegal and immoral biohazard testing. This time the story is set in the United States and centers around the sad but truthful issues of racism, illegal testing of technological weapons using humans as test subjects and the positive attributes of requesting help for mental health issues.
Hazel MacLeod is a forensic anthropologist who is taking a much needed vacation after helping in Croatia. She is smart and funny and she knows she needs help at this point in her life because her job has taken a huge toll on her mentally and emotionally. Sean works for Alec Ravissant at Raptor and has been assigned to be Hazel's pretend boyfriend when Alec receives an email threat regarding his family. I liked Sean because he is down to earth, great at his job and has a huge heart. Hazel and Sean have a past which makes sparks fly as they (especially Sean) resist the attraction between them. Did I say sparks? It's flames and when they finally give in to the attraction, it's an inferno.
The plot is fast paced filled with ex-spies, a sleeper agent, unidentified bones, a car chase, an explosion and a twist that I never saw coming. I could not put the book down and I can hardly wait for the next one.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. All of the above opinions are my own.
March 27, 2020
4.5 stars
I loved Sean and Hazel! Hazel is a forensic anthropologist with a quirky, yet smart personality, but I was drawn to her emotional vulnerability. I loved how she wasn’t afraid to admit she needed help. As for Sean, he was a protective and calm rock of support...unless it involved Hazel. He twisted himself into knots trying to deny what was between them! As I was reading, Katy Perry’s Hot and Cold chorus just kept buzzing through my brain as Sean and Hazel danced around each other! The slow-burning tension eventually delivered delightfully steamy satisfaction and oh my, what a journey! I also loved the sweet moments of humor that came out at the most unexpected times. Hazel may have kept Sean on his toes, but he wasn’t complaining!
Potential homicide case, threats, sleeper agents, political issues...I mean, this wouldn’t be a Rachel Grant book if there wasn’t a thread of political suspense to go along with the hot romance! This time there was a twist. Instead of an international setting, Silent Evidence was set on domestic soil and highlighted problems in our own backyard. She touched on topics such as mental health, profiling, and racism, with the last obviously being a delicate topic, but I felt Grant did a good job balancing the good-and the bad-using Sean and Hazel’s interracial relationship in the best way possible. All in all, book 8 in the Evidence series delivered Grant’s trademark romantic suspense with humor, a detailed eye for current events, and a rockin’ romance!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved Sean and Hazel! Hazel is a forensic anthropologist with a quirky, yet smart personality, but I was drawn to her emotional vulnerability. I loved how she wasn’t afraid to admit she needed help. As for Sean, he was a protective and calm rock of support...unless it involved Hazel. He twisted himself into knots trying to deny what was between them! As I was reading, Katy Perry’s Hot and Cold chorus just kept buzzing through my brain as Sean and Hazel danced around each other! The slow-burning tension eventually delivered delightfully steamy satisfaction and oh my, what a journey! I also loved the sweet moments of humor that came out at the most unexpected times. Hazel may have kept Sean on his toes, but he wasn’t complaining!
Potential homicide case, threats, sleeper agents, political issues...I mean, this wouldn’t be a Rachel Grant book if there wasn’t a thread of political suspense to go along with the hot romance! This time there was a twist. Instead of an international setting, Silent Evidence was set on domestic soil and highlighted problems in our own backyard. She touched on topics such as mental health, profiling, and racism, with the last obviously being a delicate topic, but I felt Grant did a good job balancing the good-and the bad-using Sean and Hazel’s interracial relationship in the best way possible. All in all, book 8 in the Evidence series delivered Grant’s trademark romantic suspense with humor, a detailed eye for current events, and a rockin’ romance!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 31, 2018
Another excellent installment in the Evidence series. And always the perfect combination of intrigue that keeps you guessing with amazing emotion and sexy romance. Loved it!
December 28, 2018
Loved this latest installment in the Evidence Series! Two realistic and empathetic characters you can fall in love with as they fall in love with one another.
December 31, 2018
The unfulfilled, unrequited type stories are what I tend to go after and 'Silent Evidence’—touted by Rachel Grant as such—was one that I immediately pounced on when it came. Then again, reading Grant’s works is always an enthralling, absorbing experience.
'Silent Evidence’ isn’t exactly a standalone to begin with. Characters from Grant’s previous books do play a substantial part in here—with the many references to the events of previous books providing much-needed context for how well we can understand what’s really going on—this far into the series where Grant’s speculative ‘world-building’ so to speak, is sufficiently developed to entangle everyone else apart from her protagonists in the building mystery and suspense.
The romance itself however, is fairly straightforward: Hazel MacLeod has always wanted Sean Logan, whose rebuffs have not only put her on edge and eager to avoid him, but that circumstances have somehow conspired to put them back in each other’s orbits when it becomes clear that there are odds and ends that don’t add up—with more than a touch of danger that sweeps in.
Like all Grant books, her plot and characters are layered and complex, with a hard, detailed look into fascinating fields such forensic anthropology, political manoeuvrings and a thread of racial tension woven through it all. But it did take a while to get to the meat of the story and the conspiracy as Sean and Hazel did their will-they-won’t-they dance in a fake boyfriend/bodyguard ruse that felt somewhat amateurish for this high-octane story. If Hazel suffered from all the pining, Sean’s own indecision got rather aggravating until a near-fatal accident took it all out of him and got him to buckle down for the ride.
The big reveal and the unravelling of the conspiracy did seem kind of a let down after the elaborate setup however, when it all peaked and then wrapped in the last 15 or so pages of the long, long read where telling took over showing. Left with the niggling feeling that I’d been taken for a huge, circular joyride with political and human-experimentation inserts from time to time, I finished 'Silent Evidence’ semi-content that Sean/Hazel rode off into their HEA but wondered if the story could have been shorter and tighter.
'Silent Evidence’ isn’t exactly a standalone to begin with. Characters from Grant’s previous books do play a substantial part in here—with the many references to the events of previous books providing much-needed context for how well we can understand what’s really going on—this far into the series where Grant’s speculative ‘world-building’ so to speak, is sufficiently developed to entangle everyone else apart from her protagonists in the building mystery and suspense.
The romance itself however, is fairly straightforward: Hazel MacLeod has always wanted Sean Logan, whose rebuffs have not only put her on edge and eager to avoid him, but that circumstances have somehow conspired to put them back in each other’s orbits when it becomes clear that there are odds and ends that don’t add up—with more than a touch of danger that sweeps in.
Like all Grant books, her plot and characters are layered and complex, with a hard, detailed look into fascinating fields such forensic anthropology, political manoeuvrings and a thread of racial tension woven through it all. But it did take a while to get to the meat of the story and the conspiracy as Sean and Hazel did their will-they-won’t-they dance in a fake boyfriend/bodyguard ruse that felt somewhat amateurish for this high-octane story. If Hazel suffered from all the pining, Sean’s own indecision got rather aggravating until a near-fatal accident took it all out of him and got him to buckle down for the ride.
The big reveal and the unravelling of the conspiracy did seem kind of a let down after the elaborate setup however, when it all peaked and then wrapped in the last 15 or so pages of the long, long read where telling took over showing. Left with the niggling feeling that I’d been taken for a huge, circular joyride with political and human-experimentation inserts from time to time, I finished 'Silent Evidence’ semi-content that Sean/Hazel rode off into their HEA but wondered if the story could have been shorter and tighter.
January 27, 2022
Sean Logan, uno de los operativos de Raptor, especializado en guardar las espaldas de los poderosos por todo el globo, tiene que proteger a Hazel MacLeod, antropóloga forense y teóricamente fiestera (en la realidad, la procesión va por dentro). No es algo que les guste a ninguno de los dos. No porque se caigan mal. Al contrario. Ella le tiró los tejos, él dijo que no –because reasons. Para enrevesar las cosas más, su protección debe desarrollarse de incógnito, así que... fake relationship al canto, en una boda superpoblada de parejas de los libros anteriores. Bastante confuso si no sigues la serie. Entretenida, aunque no sea una de las mejores de la autora.
Reseña más amplia, en mi blog.
Reseña más amplia, en mi blog.
June 11, 2024
3.5 stars Looking forward to the nect one.
December 28, 2018
In the midst of bones, politics and intrigue, lies a past they can no longer ignore…
I have read some amazing books throughout 2018. I end the year with an incredible book called SILENT EVIDENCE - Evidence series - Bk 8 by Rachel Grant.
While familiar with the Flashpoint series, SILENT EVIDENCE was my first book read of the Evidence series. WOW!! Incredible!! It’s a book that will resonate with you, one that leaves you feeling so much yet also reeling, astonished and hopefully will challenge perspectives of social culture, politics and mental health awareness and love. This story is a journey of suspense and romance but woven with additional layers on all levels. It’s a book that draws you into the emotional fabric of the story from its beginning to its conclusion...what drives us, how we respond, how we deal and how we cope when life isn’t always going our way or when things become too much. What has shaped our lives, what taunts our emotional, mental and physical wellbeing.
Reading SILENT EVIDENCE, prompted me to purchase the entire series, to go and start from the beginning, to see exactly the chain of events, the journey that each has faced, that has lead to SILENT EVIDENCE. It’s that GOOD.
Note: The job that Hazel does as a forensic anthropologist, is captivating yet leaves you feeling heartbroken at the devastation, destruction and innocence lost at the hands of power and greed.
Rachel Grant is one of those authors that takes your reading journey to the next level. She has gifted you an emotionally charged, impeccable story. Beautiful intensity of connection, compassion, strength, and vulnerability. There is such detailed attention to the story line, it’s character depth, dialogue and continuity with previous characters and their pasts and presents. You delve into the suspense and murkiness that is real life. One filled with political intrigue, innocence destroyed, racism and dealing with mental health - you are left wondering if there is enough goodness in this world to fight the insidious evilness and systematic greed and corruption that pervades this world.
Yet though all the muck, the danger and awfulness faced, there are the threads of hope, love, trust and compassion and humour - that always in the right hands, are the very definition of love, you are safe and cared for. It’s a past, intensely personal, that Hazel and Sean can no longer ignore.
Rachel delivers you an engaging, page-turning, captivating story. A story that crosses the structures of excessive greed, political coverups and depraved evilness to the beautiful heart those that fight to bring about change and justice with voice and hands . It is filled with intrigue, twists and turns. A compelling romantic suspense. Devastating and well thought out in its accuracy and description of content.
Such a touching and heartfelt story. While there are aspects that will provide emotional triggers for some, they are handled with extreme care and compassion by the author. So worth every moment of your time to sink inside the words and thoughts, as you get swept up into this storm of drama, intrigue and vulnerability. SILENT EVIDENCE is Sean and Hazel’s journey to share… you will fall in love with them both.
I have read some amazing books throughout 2018. I end the year with an incredible book called SILENT EVIDENCE - Evidence series - Bk 8 by Rachel Grant.
While familiar with the Flashpoint series, SILENT EVIDENCE was my first book read of the Evidence series. WOW!! Incredible!! It’s a book that will resonate with you, one that leaves you feeling so much yet also reeling, astonished and hopefully will challenge perspectives of social culture, politics and mental health awareness and love. This story is a journey of suspense and romance but woven with additional layers on all levels. It’s a book that draws you into the emotional fabric of the story from its beginning to its conclusion...what drives us, how we respond, how we deal and how we cope when life isn’t always going our way or when things become too much. What has shaped our lives, what taunts our emotional, mental and physical wellbeing.
Reading SILENT EVIDENCE, prompted me to purchase the entire series, to go and start from the beginning, to see exactly the chain of events, the journey that each has faced, that has lead to SILENT EVIDENCE. It’s that GOOD.
Note: The job that Hazel does as a forensic anthropologist, is captivating yet leaves you feeling heartbroken at the devastation, destruction and innocence lost at the hands of power and greed.
Rachel Grant is one of those authors that takes your reading journey to the next level. She has gifted you an emotionally charged, impeccable story. Beautiful intensity of connection, compassion, strength, and vulnerability. There is such detailed attention to the story line, it’s character depth, dialogue and continuity with previous characters and their pasts and presents. You delve into the suspense and murkiness that is real life. One filled with political intrigue, innocence destroyed, racism and dealing with mental health - you are left wondering if there is enough goodness in this world to fight the insidious evilness and systematic greed and corruption that pervades this world.
Yet though all the muck, the danger and awfulness faced, there are the threads of hope, love, trust and compassion and humour - that always in the right hands, are the very definition of love, you are safe and cared for. It’s a past, intensely personal, that Hazel and Sean can no longer ignore.
Rachel delivers you an engaging, page-turning, captivating story. A story that crosses the structures of excessive greed, political coverups and depraved evilness to the beautiful heart those that fight to bring about change and justice with voice and hands . It is filled with intrigue, twists and turns. A compelling romantic suspense. Devastating and well thought out in its accuracy and description of content.
Such a touching and heartfelt story. While there are aspects that will provide emotional triggers for some, they are handled with extreme care and compassion by the author. So worth every moment of your time to sink inside the words and thoughts, as you get swept up into this storm of drama, intrigue and vulnerability. SILENT EVIDENCE is Sean and Hazel’s journey to share… you will fall in love with them both.
December 27, 2018
Rachel Grant is back with the eighth book in her Evidence series, SILENT EVIDENCE. After what turned out to be a spectacular break for her Flashpoint trio, it’s exciting to finally see if Hazel MacLeod, cousin to half of my favorite couple in the series (Alex Ravissant from 'Incriminating Evidence'), finally gets the man she’s been crushing on for years.
One thing you can count on in any of Grant’s stories is that her heroes and heroines are equally intelligent, accomplished and are always well-matched for each other — she’s a professional archaeologist herself, so it’s no surprise that she doesn’t write about simpering women or dumb brutes. And you’re always going to learn something.
But back to the action at hand. Hazel is a forensic anthropologist and has spent the last few months in the Balkans, identifying victims of genocide. She had to come back early because she needed a mental break, but when Alec’s wife, Isabel, calls on her to check out a burial site at Anderson Lake in northwestern Virginia, near Raptor land, she doesn’t hesitate. Isabel, after all, is frantic when she calls.
Sean Logan has known Hazel for a couple years and has been attracted to her from the beginning. He never let himself make a move because she’s Alec’s cousin. As in Senator Alec Ravissant, the former owner of Raptor and Sean’s boss. He didn’t have a death wish. But despite his resolve, the Fates kept putting them together. First in Grand Cayman and now in Virginia. When Rav got a call from Isabel letting him know there was a problem at the dig site, he sprang into action and sent his No. 1 guy, Sean. Too bad nobody told him Witch Hazel would be there.
What Rav didn’t share was that he’s been getting threats. He takes it in stride, because that’s what U.S. senators who were former special forces soldiers-turned-security company owners can expect. But this, specifically, gives him pause:
Resign, or the redhead will pay the price.
Archaeology isn’t for the faint of heart, nor is history. Despite our potential for goodness, humankind can be shockingly brutal. Burying the evidence of that brutality doesn’t silence it — it increases the potential for repetition. This is a ripped-from-the-headlines story that focuses on the balance of race and disparity, of acknowledging and righting the wrongs of history and of ensuring that intelligent, thoughtful people are using the forward momentum to move forward. Hazel and Sean are exactly the right pair of characters, at exactly the right time in our political theater, for exactly the right kind of story that needs to be told. This is the thinking reader’s romantic suspense, and it’s dynamite.
*Originally published with USA Today's Happy Ever After: https://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2...
One thing you can count on in any of Grant’s stories is that her heroes and heroines are equally intelligent, accomplished and are always well-matched for each other — she’s a professional archaeologist herself, so it’s no surprise that she doesn’t write about simpering women or dumb brutes. And you’re always going to learn something.
But back to the action at hand. Hazel is a forensic anthropologist and has spent the last few months in the Balkans, identifying victims of genocide. She had to come back early because she needed a mental break, but when Alec’s wife, Isabel, calls on her to check out a burial site at Anderson Lake in northwestern Virginia, near Raptor land, she doesn’t hesitate. Isabel, after all, is frantic when she calls.
Sean Logan has known Hazel for a couple years and has been attracted to her from the beginning. He never let himself make a move because she’s Alec’s cousin. As in Senator Alec Ravissant, the former owner of Raptor and Sean’s boss. He didn’t have a death wish. But despite his resolve, the Fates kept putting them together. First in Grand Cayman and now in Virginia. When Rav got a call from Isabel letting him know there was a problem at the dig site, he sprang into action and sent his No. 1 guy, Sean. Too bad nobody told him Witch Hazel would be there.
What Rav didn’t share was that he’s been getting threats. He takes it in stride, because that’s what U.S. senators who were former special forces soldiers-turned-security company owners can expect. But this, specifically, gives him pause:
Resign, or the redhead will pay the price.
Archaeology isn’t for the faint of heart, nor is history. Despite our potential for goodness, humankind can be shockingly brutal. Burying the evidence of that brutality doesn’t silence it — it increases the potential for repetition. This is a ripped-from-the-headlines story that focuses on the balance of race and disparity, of acknowledging and righting the wrongs of history and of ensuring that intelligent, thoughtful people are using the forward momentum to move forward. Hazel and Sean are exactly the right pair of characters, at exactly the right time in our political theater, for exactly the right kind of story that needs to be told. This is the thinking reader’s romantic suspense, and it’s dynamite.
*Originally published with USA Today's Happy Ever After: https://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2...
January 4, 2019
Silent Evidence is the latest book in Rachel Grant’s Evidence series. It was fantastic! Ms. Grant certainly knows how to combine romance, suspense, current events and hold your breath suspense. I have read every book Ms. Grant has written and have loved them all.
Hazel MacLeod is our heroine. She is a forensic anthropologist and while home trying to cope with debilitating mental flashbacks from her last job in the Balkans, she is asked to help out a friend with a potential mass grave filled with bones. Because of the possibility of a potential threat, Sean Logan is assigned to be her bodyguard. Sean is the best man at his friend’s wedding and they devise a cover story to be boyfriend/girlfriend. Hazel and Sean do have a background and this seems to play out perfectly. They are both attracted to each other, but as Sean is assigned to protect Hazel, he feels he can’t act on those feelings. Hazel and Sean are both very intelligent, capable individuals. The pull and tug of their emotional journey seem very authentic. Their story is filled with highs and lows. There is humor when all the friends are together, as well as genuine friendships. Hazel finds herself longing for this too. I enjoyed following them in their pursuit to happiness.
Ms. Grant delivers an action packed book. This story delivers a strong cast of characters, an engaging romantic couple, a captivating story filled with suspense, greed, evil minded people and hard fought justice. I was up late finishing just one more chapter, until the satisfying end.
You will love this book. Ms. Grant is one of my favorite authors and I highly recommend this book.
Hazel MacLeod is our heroine. She is a forensic anthropologist and while home trying to cope with debilitating mental flashbacks from her last job in the Balkans, she is asked to help out a friend with a potential mass grave filled with bones. Because of the possibility of a potential threat, Sean Logan is assigned to be her bodyguard. Sean is the best man at his friend’s wedding and they devise a cover story to be boyfriend/girlfriend. Hazel and Sean do have a background and this seems to play out perfectly. They are both attracted to each other, but as Sean is assigned to protect Hazel, he feels he can’t act on those feelings. Hazel and Sean are both very intelligent, capable individuals. The pull and tug of their emotional journey seem very authentic. Their story is filled with highs and lows. There is humor when all the friends are together, as well as genuine friendships. Hazel finds herself longing for this too. I enjoyed following them in their pursuit to happiness.
Ms. Grant delivers an action packed book. This story delivers a strong cast of characters, an engaging romantic couple, a captivating story filled with suspense, greed, evil minded people and hard fought justice. I was up late finishing just one more chapter, until the satisfying end.
You will love this book. Ms. Grant is one of my favorite authors and I highly recommend this book.
January 21, 2019
I always love Ms Grant's works, and this one is no exception! Hazel and Sean are great characters, and I just adored them together. I somehow skipper over Poison Evidence (what's the fun in reading things in order?) but I had no problem catching up on the backstory, although I will definitely be going back to read that one now! Hazel is a smart and layered heroine, and it was refreshing to see how she handled her insecurities and set backs. This was a slower build romance, and I loved when they finally got together. I also appreciated the interracial aspect of their relationship and thought the author handled it well. There was lots of action in this story, and I was completely surprised by the villain! I loved the pacing and was definitely on the edge of my seat at points. Can't wait to read more in this series!
*I received an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
*I received an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
January 1, 2019
Ask yourself a question - what do you look for in a romantic suspense story? If it is strong, character driven plot lines, with off the charts chemistry, palpable tension and exceptional storytelling, then look no further.
And don't forget the chocolate martinis.
This is another wonderfully immersive tale from Rachel Grant. Each book, set within the same group, is completely different (with the exception of the strong lead characters). I don't know how she keeps producing these great stories, but I, for one, will keep reading them.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
And don't forget the chocolate martinis.
This is another wonderfully immersive tale from Rachel Grant. Each book, set within the same group, is completely different (with the exception of the strong lead characters). I don't know how she keeps producing these great stories, but I, for one, will keep reading them.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2019
So good I cannot wait to dive back into this series for the next book as soon as I finish this review. I love these characters. Spunky women and these hot hunky guys who protect their women no matter what while also helping them achieve what they wish.
Will Sean and Hazel get together or will she and Sean finally cut ties to one another completely? Read what happens when Hazel:s life is threatened and Sean has to be her bodyguard for twenty-four hours a day. And they have to pretend to be something their aren't.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Will Sean and Hazel get together or will she and Sean finally cut ties to one another completely? Read what happens when Hazel:s life is threatened and Sean has to be her bodyguard for twenty-four hours a day. And they have to pretend to be something their aren't.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2019
Good story, good book, but since I did not read the previous instalments I felt a lot likeI was missing chunks of the story and insider discussions. I might read the previous books and come back to this one though.
Best parts of the book : the very realistic approach on mixed couples (not sure how it is called in English), the strong and crazy smart heroine, the caring Hero who owned up his mistakes and apologised properly :)
Best parts of the book : the very realistic approach on mixed couples (not sure how it is called in English), the strong and crazy smart heroine, the caring Hero who owned up his mistakes and apologised properly :)
December 30, 2018
Silent Evidence is one of the best in the series. I know I have said this before but when you read a Rachel Grant book, you are reading a very well researched, thoroughly crafted story with characters so well developed they feel like family. The suspense, along with the romance, was perfect. I must admit, Sean needed to be smacked a few times, but once he finally acknowledged his feelings, he was all in. Hazel was a sweetheart with a side of dirty that you don’t expect from a nerd. There were also comical LOL moments in this story as well. Well worth the read. I will say that since quite a bit of time has occurred between this book and the last evidence book, you may want to refresh your memory.
March 6, 2019
Bad guys, politicians, mad scientists, mind control, spies...This book has all of the above...and steamy moments between an interracial couple. Fantastic book! Now I need to dive into the other books in the series!!
December 25, 2020
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Good story and considering our present state of politics very topical. Nice plot and really good reveal at the end. Also very obvious that the author took her research very seriously while writing this book. Something that I enjoyed very much. Nothing wrong with being educated while being entertained.
Buy it, read it and enjoy!!👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥
Good story and considering our present state of politics very topical. Nice plot and really good reveal at the end. Also very obvious that the author took her research very seriously while writing this book. Something that I enjoyed very much. Nothing wrong with being educated while being entertained.
Buy it, read it and enjoy!!👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥
December 23, 2024
It's been a long wait for Sean Logan's book, but it's finally here and it didn't disappoint!
I loved it! I loved the re-vamp of an older plot, I loved the romance, I loved seeing all the happy couples from previous books!
I can't wait for more!!!
I loved it! I loved the re-vamp of an older plot, I loved the romance, I loved seeing all the happy couples from previous books!
I can't wait for more!!!
September 9, 2019
**I received a complimentary ARC of this book via Netgalley but all opinions provided are my own.
Rachel Grant’s Silent Evidence is moving—tender and hot and filled with the romantic suspense drama that I love. The first half of the book was a little rough for me, but after one pivotal scene between the leads, I was all in.
Forensic anthropologist Hazel MacLeod is tasked with studying a large cluster of bones unearthed during a dam construction project. She has to determine when the bones were buried, and if they’re the result of a more recent crime, a historical one, or a prehistoric burial. Complicating this work is the mental anxiety she’s been experiencing in relation to her recent work with genocide victims; the series of threats made against her or her cousin’s wife Isabel; and her strong, but unrequited, feelings for her newly hired bodyguard Sean Logan.
Hazel’s had feelings for Sean for forever, and pretty much everyone knows it. I can handle apparently unrequited feelings in a romance, but the power dynamics at play in the first half of the book bothered me.
Sean makes repeated internal references to Hazel as a “party girl,” which felt condescending, especially because he didn’t give any real explanation for that point of view and it seemed hard to reconcile with other things he knew about her, like the fact that she examines the bones of people killed in genocides. She might have gotten drunk and propositioned him at a wedding months ago, but she also does something incredibly difficult/valuable to others as a profession, so calling her a “party girl” felt pretty reductive (even if Hazel does admit in one scene that that’s a “persona” she takes on when she’s around him).
Then if you juxtapose his internal references to her as a “party girl” and “broken” with her internal references to him as “perfect,” it became a little annoying.
Also, there’s the fact that everyone knows she likes him, and only he knows that he likes her. She’s constantly feeling embarrassed and meanwhile has no idea that he actually likes her/is attracted to her, etc.
But there’s a big moment in the woods between the couple, and Hazel finally comes into her own, Yes, girl! I wanted to clap for her. And Sean learns some things, too. After that critical point, I felt like I could really root for Sean and the two of them as a couple, and I was flipping pages like mad. Especially because the action ramps up around then, too.
The chemistry between Sean and Hazel is combustible, and their-getting-know-each-other phase is really sweet. Sean genuinely cares for her, and that comes across in their happier moments but also moments when she’s experiencing huge anxiety. I loved that Grant isn’t afraid to tackle mental and emotional health—or social justice issues, particularly those related to racial equality (of particular personal importance to our leads, since they’re an interracial couple). The book is substantive but doesn’t feel didactic.
In the end, Silent Evidence is a book that I grew to really enjoy—and I have big plans to read some of the other books in the series.
Rachel Grant’s Silent Evidence is moving—tender and hot and filled with the romantic suspense drama that I love. The first half of the book was a little rough for me, but after one pivotal scene between the leads, I was all in.
Forensic anthropologist Hazel MacLeod is tasked with studying a large cluster of bones unearthed during a dam construction project. She has to determine when the bones were buried, and if they’re the result of a more recent crime, a historical one, or a prehistoric burial. Complicating this work is the mental anxiety she’s been experiencing in relation to her recent work with genocide victims; the series of threats made against her or her cousin’s wife Isabel; and her strong, but unrequited, feelings for her newly hired bodyguard Sean Logan.
Hazel’s had feelings for Sean for forever, and pretty much everyone knows it. I can handle apparently unrequited feelings in a romance, but the power dynamics at play in the first half of the book bothered me.
Sean makes repeated internal references to Hazel as a “party girl,” which felt condescending, especially because he didn’t give any real explanation for that point of view and it seemed hard to reconcile with other things he knew about her, like the fact that she examines the bones of people killed in genocides. She might have gotten drunk and propositioned him at a wedding months ago, but she also does something incredibly difficult/valuable to others as a profession, so calling her a “party girl” felt pretty reductive (even if Hazel does admit in one scene that that’s a “persona” she takes on when she’s around him).
Then if you juxtapose his internal references to her as a “party girl” and “broken” with her internal references to him as “perfect,” it became a little annoying.
Also, there’s the fact that everyone knows she likes him, and only he knows that he likes her. She’s constantly feeling embarrassed and meanwhile has no idea that he actually likes her/is attracted to her, etc.
But there’s a big moment in the woods between the couple, and Hazel finally comes into her own, Yes, girl! I wanted to clap for her. And Sean learns some things, too. After that critical point, I felt like I could really root for Sean and the two of them as a couple, and I was flipping pages like mad. Especially because the action ramps up around then, too.
The chemistry between Sean and Hazel is combustible, and their-getting-know-each-other phase is really sweet. Sean genuinely cares for her, and that comes across in their happier moments but also moments when she’s experiencing huge anxiety. I loved that Grant isn’t afraid to tackle mental and emotional health—or social justice issues, particularly those related to racial equality (of particular personal importance to our leads, since they’re an interracial couple). The book is substantive but doesn’t feel didactic.
In the end, Silent Evidence is a book that I grew to really enjoy—and I have big plans to read some of the other books in the series.
December 28, 2018
Another smash hit by this author and now we get Sean, the delicatable Raptor who has made appearances in other books previous to this one. He has had a thing for Hazel, his boss’s cousin for years and even turned her down months before but now she needs his protection when Alec starts receiving threats that could be aimed at his wife or Hazel, and Alec isn’t taking any chances. Hazel is living with Alec and Isabel after returning from her latest find and is recuperating after finding her last dig has her suffering from panic attacks and questioning whether she can do her job anymore. When Isabel finds a mass grave she calls on Hazel to help her sort through it all and find out whether it’s a burial ground or a mass grave to hide murder. During her investigation Sean sticks by her side and they even go away for a his friend’s wedding, pretending to be a couple, something she has wanted for years but Sean is still a bit hesitant. So when the lines get blurred and Sean says some things that has Hazel scrambling...can he make up for it and will it be in time before the mystery person strikes again.
Oh my my my my what a read that I couldn’t put down. The sparks and fireworks between these two fly off the pages and the forest scene had me holding my breath. I LOVED Hazel and her fiery attitude, going after what she wants but also being able to stand up for herself and walking away when she had been wronged. I liked the slow burn between these two until it explodes and even though I wanted to shake Sean a few times, he comes out a better man in the end. I also loved how there was not much drama between them, how quickly Sean realizes that Hazel is the one.
Not only that but the descriptions of the scenes, had me feeling like I was right there and I LOVED reading about all the previous couples, making an appearance in this book and catching up with all of them. The story flowed beautifully and once again the descriptions were spot on, the characters were amazing, plenty of lust/love and steamy scenes, suspense, action, mystery and secrets that finally come out in the open, tying everyone and everything together. KUDOS to the author for another suspenseful romantic read that had me glued to the pages and wanting more more more !!!
*I voluntarily read an advanced copy and expressed my honest opinion*
Oh my my my my what a read that I couldn’t put down. The sparks and fireworks between these two fly off the pages and the forest scene had me holding my breath. I LOVED Hazel and her fiery attitude, going after what she wants but also being able to stand up for herself and walking away when she had been wronged. I liked the slow burn between these two until it explodes and even though I wanted to shake Sean a few times, he comes out a better man in the end. I also loved how there was not much drama between them, how quickly Sean realizes that Hazel is the one.
Not only that but the descriptions of the scenes, had me feeling like I was right there and I LOVED reading about all the previous couples, making an appearance in this book and catching up with all of them. The story flowed beautifully and once again the descriptions were spot on, the characters were amazing, plenty of lust/love and steamy scenes, suspense, action, mystery and secrets that finally come out in the open, tying everyone and everything together. KUDOS to the author for another suspenseful romantic read that had me glued to the pages and wanting more more more !!!
*I voluntarily read an advanced copy and expressed my honest opinion*
December 27, 2018
Silent Evidence is the long awaited new installment in the Romantic Suspense Evidence series by Rachel Grant. Once again she has delivered another rollercoaster mystery ride packed with her distinctive signature, scientific insight, and awareness of today’s controversial topics such as the abuse of technology and science, the abuse of political and law enforcement power, and the resulting impact of that abuse on individuals unable to defend themselves while simultaneously leaving the reader chasing after clues the entire read.
Hazel MacLeod is a forensic anthropologist, Ivy MacLeod little sister (Poison Evidence) and Alec Ravissant (Incriminating Evidence) cousin, who after an incident in Ukraine has been left battling panic attacks while fighting to give a voice to the silent victims of genocides all around the world and her own homeland, and also battling her conflicting feelings towards her unreciprocated love for Sean Logan.
Sean Logan is a former Navy SEAL who is self-assured in his area of expertise, level headed, and always ready to protect and defend those who cannot do it for themselves. He battles with the vulnerability of feeling powerless and helpless against fighting the cancer that is killing another one of his loved ones as well as the panic attacks that are deteriorating the woman he has been in love with for years. Out of fear he has denied both of them the opportunity of being together.
I want to mention that one of my favorite things I experienced while reading this book was encountering all the characters from the previous books, Erica, Lee, J.T, Mara, Curt, Alec, Isabel, Undine,Luke, Mathew, Ivy, Trina and Keith going to Cressida and Ian’s wedding and competing in an scavenger hunt that led them to counter protesting a white supremacy rally. Racism is an evil monster that is still alive in the land of the free.
Without a doubt Silent Evidence is another favorited book in the Evidence series.
I am looking forward to someday reading a book about JT and another about Chase.
Hazel MacLeod is a forensic anthropologist, Ivy MacLeod little sister (Poison Evidence) and Alec Ravissant (Incriminating Evidence) cousin, who after an incident in Ukraine has been left battling panic attacks while fighting to give a voice to the silent victims of genocides all around the world and her own homeland, and also battling her conflicting feelings towards her unreciprocated love for Sean Logan.
Sean Logan is a former Navy SEAL who is self-assured in his area of expertise, level headed, and always ready to protect and defend those who cannot do it for themselves. He battles with the vulnerability of feeling powerless and helpless against fighting the cancer that is killing another one of his loved ones as well as the panic attacks that are deteriorating the woman he has been in love with for years. Out of fear he has denied both of them the opportunity of being together.
I want to mention that one of my favorite things I experienced while reading this book was encountering all the characters from the previous books, Erica, Lee, J.T, Mara, Curt, Alec, Isabel, Undine,Luke, Mathew, Ivy, Trina and Keith going to Cressida and Ian’s wedding and competing in an scavenger hunt that led them to counter protesting a white supremacy rally. Racism is an evil monster that is still alive in the land of the free.
Without a doubt Silent Evidence is another favorited book in the Evidence series.
I am looking forward to someday reading a book about JT and another about Chase.
September 16, 2019
Silent Evidence by Rachel Grant is the eighth book in the 'Evidence' series. I have read the previous books in this series and it was great to get to know two more characters. Hazel MacLeod is a forensic anthropologist and is making an assessment of a mass grave at the request of her cousin's wife, Isabel. There are security problems on the site and due to previous threats, Hazel is appointed a bodyguard, Sean Logan. Even though this book is part of a series, you can read it as a stand-alone book. There were some repetitive explanations and references to events from the previous books, but I suppose the author thought it necessary if a reader was not familiar with the series. This book seemed to focus more on lust and sex than actual suspense and intrigue. The theme of mind control, racial prejudice, and political corruption are interwoven very well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
January 1, 2025
Spoiler Notes - WIP - My notes are inaccessible at the moment. Will provide more details later. Spoilers are included. Stop reading if you don’t want to know.
Silent Evidence by Rachel Grant (1/19)
[Evidence - 8] (A- Warm) [12-31-24]
This book may be the conclusion of the arc started in Incriminating Evidence #4.
Interracial Romance with Raptor Operator Sean Logan (38) and Forensic Anthropologist Dr. Hazel
Exciting ending reveals the psychiatrist as a major player bad guy.
Evidence by Rachel Grant - My Audibles
Audible: Nicol Zanzarella- Recommend
1. Concrete Evidence (4/13) (A- Warm) [3-03-24] -New Author 2024
2. Body of Evidence (8/13) (B Warm) [9-02-24]
3. Withholding Evidence (5/14) (C Warm) [12-04-24]
4. Incriminating Evidence (3/15) (B+ Warm) [12-06-24]
5. Covert Evidence (5/15) (A- Warm) [12-07-12]
6. Cold Evidence (2/16) (A- Hot) [12-26-26]
7. Poison Evidence (10/16) (A- Warm) [12-30-24]
8. Silent Evidence (1/19) (A- Warm) [12-31-24]
Silent Evidence by Rachel Grant (1/19)
[Evidence - 8] (A- Warm) [12-31-24]
This book may be the conclusion of the arc started in Incriminating Evidence #4.
Interracial Romance with Raptor Operator Sean Logan (38) and Forensic Anthropologist Dr. Hazel
Exciting ending reveals the psychiatrist as a major player bad guy.
Evidence by Rachel Grant - My Audibles
Audible: Nicol Zanzarella- Recommend
1. Concrete Evidence (4/13) (A- Warm) [3-03-24] -New Author 2024
2. Body of Evidence (8/13) (B Warm) [9-02-24]
3. Withholding Evidence (5/14) (C Warm) [12-04-24]
4. Incriminating Evidence (3/15) (B+ Warm) [12-06-24]
5. Covert Evidence (5/15) (A- Warm) [12-07-12]
6. Cold Evidence (2/16) (A- Hot) [12-26-26]
7. Poison Evidence (10/16) (A- Warm) [12-30-24]
8. Silent Evidence (1/19) (A- Warm) [12-31-24]
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2019
4 1\2 stars out of 5
I found Rachel Grant a few years ago and found myself unable to walk past her books without buying my own copy. Her characters are smart, strong, and a little over the top romance.
The men fall in love hard and fast with the women. Silent Evidence is a mix of romance, reminder what PTSD does to a person and how hard it is to recover without help.
The book isn't really a stand alone as it bring out characters from other books that readers of the series loves. Not to mention things that happened in book 4 are bought up once again.
The author tries to keep readers updated but those starting would feel lost
The romance is traditional Rachel Grant with things happening in odd places. The author covers topics that are current social events.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of Rachel Grant Silent Evidence.
A little must lusting and not enough story.
I found Rachel Grant a few years ago and found myself unable to walk past her books without buying my own copy. Her characters are smart, strong, and a little over the top romance.
The men fall in love hard and fast with the women. Silent Evidence is a mix of romance, reminder what PTSD does to a person and how hard it is to recover without help.
The book isn't really a stand alone as it bring out characters from other books that readers of the series loves. Not to mention things that happened in book 4 are bought up once again.
The author tries to keep readers updated but those starting would feel lost
The romance is traditional Rachel Grant with things happening in odd places. The author covers topics that are current social events.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of Rachel Grant Silent Evidence.
A little must lusting and not enough story.
June 8, 2020
I had to ding this one by a star because the characters spent too much time thinking about their maybe/maybe not relationship. It was repetitive and I skimmed a lot. Still a good read and worth picking up if you’re into the series, it just takes awhile to get to the action.
October 9, 2021
3.5 stars. Some things didn't quite add up.
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