Murder on the Third Try

Pastor Matt Hayden Mystery #3

by K.P. Gresham

Mike Hogan, former undercover cop who worked the Miami drug scene, wakes up in an Austin, Texas, hospital ICU. Not only is he missing part of his skull, he is missing four years of memories. In those four years he learns he’s become a pastor, taken a church in rural Texas, and fallen in love with the beguiling, red-headed owner of the town’s local bar.At least he remembers why he’s on the run in the Fed’s Witness Protection Program. Howard Rutledge, former Miami Chief of Police killed Mike’s father and brother, and wants Mike dead too. Mike’s testimony will put Rutledge in jail for racketeering, smuggling, and murder. When Mike wakes up in that ICU, he can only assume that Rutledge has found him. Mike is helpless with a broken body and an unsettled mind. Who are his friends and who are his foes? Can he trust the kindly sheriff who has hired security to guard him? Can he trust the woman whom his soul remembers but his brain does not? Who in this unfamiliar world is his assassin? Mike Hogan must stay alive to put Rutledge away, and the hole in his head and his piecemeal memory are not going to stop him.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

410 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 19, 2019

About the author

K.P. Gresham is an Illinois girl gone Texan. Her stories are based on her wide-range of experiences from living in Chicago and small town Illinois to making the move to Texas where's she’s called both Houston and Austin home. K.P. was a law school media librarian, taught literature to middle school students and conducted K-8 as well as adult choirs. Besides her novels, she has written two musicals, several plays and has worked in theatre since graduating from Illinois State University.

Reviews

[Peter Younghusband · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great addition to this ongoing series! I love all in this series and this one is no exception. All the plot arcs from the previous novels and especially the previous to this one are further developed. I love this community of characters, the mystery and suspense, the developing romance between the two main characters and now others!

There is a great balance between all this. This series is one you can lost in and feel very comfortable being part of this series' world!

I pray there are many more.

Highly recommended.

[Cindy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting

Excellent plot, well drawn characters, lots twists, and a satisfying conclusion make for an excellent reading experience. Recommended.

Tried the text to speech reader on this book — ok but not a human narration experience.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (8/9/2020)! 🎁

[Jaimie Rogers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would give this book 2 1/2 stars

I read it pretty quickly but overall I didn't love it.
Some of those sayings we're gold though 🤣
Maybe I would have liked it better if I read the other 2 previous on the series but tbh I have no interest now.

Angie was alright but really what u do expect from someone who just got shot in the head?! Boo hoo Matt/Mike doesn't remember & was mean to me... umm he got shot in the lady.. grow up!
Pearl & Bo we're cute.
I liked James W but like why do u have to use the W? 🤔
His wife Elsbeth drove me INSANE!!!

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this series and this was a good book. Twists and turns in the character were great.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: These stories should be read in order because the plot continues from the preceding book. From the end of the last book, we know that Pastor Matt Hayden is in intensive care after a gunshot to the head. Before long, they find that the suspected killer did not shoot the Reverend.

Now, there is a frantic race to help Matt survive and find the guilty party. Matt used to be an undercover cop in Miami. The police chief killed his father and brother, and he is now searching for Matt because he is to testify against Rutledge in December.

Matt is part of a Witness Protection Program that doesn't work well for the Pastor. But now Matt is in a difficult predicament because he has lost many memories that would protect him. Who can he trust? Who wants to kill him? This is a great series that keeps getting better and better. It is so good that I finished it in a single day.

Pastor Matt Hayden Mystery – Total of 5

1. The Preacher's First Murder (2016)
2. Murder in the Second Pew (2017)
** 3. Murder on the Third Try (2019)
4. Four Reasons to Die (2021)
5. Murder Takes the Fifth (2023)

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder on the Third Try is the 1st Matt Hayden Mystery I have read. Both the storyline and the characters provided a solid foundation for my reading enjoyment and the twisty journey toward the identification of the person behind the crimes was well done.

Worthwhile 4 star read.

My thanks to goodreads and the book's giveaway sponsors for the opportunity to obtain and read a copy of this book.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice action mystery that had lots of twists and turns. However, the best part of the book for me were the various and sundry characters and the small Texas town of Wilks. Everyone and everything was interrelated and had a past history. That made the story lots more fun. There's sure to be some more intrigues in the future for this group.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.

[Dorothy J. Kasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written mystery must read

Once again I was hooked by book one as a freebie.so now I have read two and three and just ordered#4. Matt/mike has been shot in the head in book 2 and everyone is trying to keep him alive or hunt him down
A very good example of good vs evil, love vs hate
Surprise ending you have to read to know who the good guys really are looking forward to #4.

[James A. Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spell binding! Now that I have finished I wish I hadn't!

Had to keep going back to try to keep the narrator identified it got to be very difficult to follow through the more intense action. However I hated to have to put this down in order to do what I had to do as a parent.

[Rod Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a page turner and I couldn’t put it down until I had finished the entire book. I certainly did not see some of the twists coming that the author put into the story. What an ending!!! Now I am on to book four. Got to see what happens next!!

[Donna Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth told with love

Excellent story that keeps you engaged, wonderfully fleshed out characters, life is made up of our choices and this novel makes it clear that not only is the choice yours but also that you reap what you sow

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

This is book is one that has so many different crimes being commited in this area as different lives work.

[J.D. Schechter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost outstanding

The writing is excellent and the plot sufficiently intricate, the characters well written, but if you plan to write about things like a C-130 HELICOPTER???

[Mickey Kay Troxell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Read!

I enjoyed this mystery book very much and I look forward to reading the rest of the series and anything else she has written!!

[Julie Odil]

It was a very poorly written book. The Colorado River does NOT run through Texas! KP Gresham needs to do a bit more background information to make his books believable.

[Diana Kudsk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

[paulette sarelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great police thriller

This story kept you on your toes until the end. Lots of drama and suspense. A good happy ending for all. Loved the Southern metaphors. Would definitely recommend this author.

[Mary Bezanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like the series. I never guessed who was trying to kill the pastor. Would love to read more about him.