Toxin Alert

Tactical Crime Division: Traverse City #2

by Tyler Anne Snell

Ride along on the riveting cases of the Tactical Crime Division — TCD. An elite team of FBI agents specializing in high-risk threats.

After biological terrorism rips through an Amish community, the Tactical Crime Division is called in to find out why.

Following a deadly anthrax attack, TCD’s biological weapons expert Carly Welsh springs into action. Problem is, the Amish trust no one—especially not an FBI special agent. That’s where Noah Miller comes in. Even though the rancher left the fold decades ago, the community trusts him…and so does Dr. Welsh. But even their combined courage and smarts might not be enough against sinister forces that want them both to perish.

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Harlequin, Audiobook, Fiction

248 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 1, 2020

About the author

Tyler Anne Snell spends her days plotting murders, creating mysteries, and weaving sexual tension, romance, and can't-live-without-you love throughout each. When she isn't writing romantic suspense she's reading urban fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and falling even more in love with Netflix.

Tyler lives in South Alabama with her same-named husband, their mini lions, and a burning desire to meet Kurt Russell.

Visit her: www.tylerannesnell.com

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a suspense mystery with Amish, and This is the second in the Tactical Crime Division: Traverse City series. I have not read the first book in this series, but I do not think it took anything away from this book. I found this book overall just ok. There was great parts, but there was also boring parts. I feel this book had a pacing problem, and I really do not think the characters where super developed. At the end of reading it I did not care about the characters which I love a book with characters that jump off the page and I fall in love with. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Intrigue) or author (Tyler Anne Snell) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an Amish Romantic Suspense, and This is the second in the Tactical Crime Division: Traverse City series. I have not read the first book in this series, but I do not think it took anything away from this book. I found this book overall just ok. There was great parts, but there was also boring parts. I feel this book had a pacing problem, and I really do not think the characters where super developed. At the end of reading it I did not care about the characters which I love a book with characters that jump off the page and I fall in love with. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

[Steph's Romance Book Talk · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars / 1 Steam Fans

The FBI Tactical Crime Division stationed in Traverse City, Michigan get another case. Carly is the biochemical specialist of the TCD who has to solve a biochemical attack upon two farms in an Amish community.

Video review available in Week 46: Nov 8 – Nov 14 weekly book reviews.

For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.

[Bea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm working on a binge of Linda Castillo's Amish mystery series, the Kate Burkholder series, and loving it, so when I saw this on NetGalley, I snapped it up. Yay for pre-approval! Thanks Harlequin!

Unfortunately, the book did not live up to my hopes. It's not bad, and I kept reading, but the heroine, Carly, definitely had some TSTL moments. Some of her actions of strained credibility for a professional agent, and that her boss didn't call her out on them and she didn't get in any trouble, not even a slap on the wrist, just ratcheted down believability. And the motive of the villain and the overall plot just...too complicated and hard to believe. It did keep me guessing; I was throwing out theories left and right. I don't mind that at all but I prefer it to be because the plot is complex not because it's ridiculous.

I did like Carly, her team, and Noah. While not as well-developed as I would have liked, they were interesting. They just weren't always believable as FBI agents. Well, Noah was a farmer and that was fairly believable, other than how much free time he seemed to have. I liked that initially Carly and Noah's romance was a slow burn. So slow, in fact, that at times I questioned if there would even BE a romance. But that picked up bit and then the ending, WHAM! We hit warp 10 light speed. The pacing of the book was uneven and it was easy to put it down.

So what did I like? The setting, the concept, the team's closeness, and the potential for this series. Snell's writing was meh but I expect I'll check out more in this series and hope for better results.

[Chennette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story, but the narrative style is choppy and gimmicky, often leaving me wondering what happened next and leaving little room for reasonable plot or character development. That was distracting. There’s nothing wrong with a variation in writing style to convey tension or mood but throughout the book it made it hard to follow.

[Paula Brandon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This felt like a really, really bad episode of Criminal Minds or something.

Carly Welsh is a biological weapons expert for the Tactical Crime Division, and is instated as the lead agent when there's an anthrax attack on the Amish community at Potter's Creek. She heads there with her team of thousands, where they employ local farmer Noah Miller to act as their liaison, as the Amish don't trust anybody and won't answer the team's questions. Noah actually left the Amish community during Rumspringa, so I'm not sure why the Amish would speak to him either. But anyway, despite Noah being mostly devoid of personality, Carly develops the hots for him as they work together to uncover who orchestrated the anthrax attack.

Your romantic suspense story is in major trouble when you basically have to synthetically inject your hero into the proceedings. For the whole book, I couldn't really understand what Noah was doing there, other than provide the required love interest. Why would the Amish speak to him when they have effectively shunned him? (The team also already has a liaison in the form of Rihanna Clark.) It's not like Noah ever gets any answers out of them for the team. He's also allowed to be a major part of the investigation, even going with Carly on an assignment to question someone. Would that even happen? He's a surly shit for the majority of the book, too, so that didn't help matters! The number of times he shows up to save the day when Carly makes another too-stupid-t0-live decision is silly, annoying and embarrassing.

There are too many characters running around. The task force consists of Selena, Aria, Max, Axel and Rihanna (plus a couple extra), and they all get equal time, though none get fleshed out and it's hard to tell them all apart. Because Carly is off doing her job with the other team members, she spends just as much time apart from Noah as she does with him. What was he doing there again? This should have been a straight-forward suspense story and the romance removed entirely. Noah wasn't interesting, barely likeable, and it was entirely obvious the author was struggling to find ways to have him be present in the story that go against believability.

Then we have the TSTL moment that basically finished me off from having any more investment in the proceedings. Carly, lead agent in a BIOTERRORISM case, basically acts like this: "Ooh! A lead! I'll just follow this person with no back-up, not tell anybody where I'm going, and not take a loaded gun with me! That shouldn't go south!" It provides another opportunity for Noah to unbelievably and improbably show up to save the day, because, hey, the author has to find a way to include the lead male love interest in the story somehow!

The dialogue was goofy. There were glaring editorial errors: why was Levi, the rabbi, in custody? Why did Talia's surname change from Clark to Jones?

While the plot held together and there were refreshingly no loose ends dangling, this story just didn't work for me at all on any level. Stay alert and avoid this one!

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The FBI Tactical Crime team is called into a meeting. A bioterror event has occurred in Amish country. Carly Welsh is the team's biological weapons expert so she is named lead on this case. What a nasty case it is. Powdered anthrax was spread out on the fields of three Amish family farms in Potter Creek. Many cows died, but more importantly, a father and son died. Carly is determined to get to the bottom of this case. There is a big problem though. The members of the Amish community are not cooperating even though the team is there to find the culprit who perpetrated this heinous act. The solution to that problem was to talk Noah Miller, a former member of Potter Creek community, into being their intermediary. Carly managed to get Noah's cooperation and his attention. Noah got Carly's attention too. They are from different worlds. Could this lead to anything meaningful?

Noah Miller left the Amish community during the time of his Rumspringa. Rumspringa is a rite of passage during adolescence for Amish youth around the 14-16 years of age range. The youth is free to spend time outside of the community before choosing baptism with the Amish church or leaving the community. Noah found a good home with the Tuckett family on their farm just outside of the Amish community. He ended up inheriting the farm. Noah is basically shunned by the Amish except when they need his help. He can live with that. The anthrax attack on the three farms rocked him. These types of attacks didn't happen to Amish communities. At first he wasn't going to assist the FBI's team but changed his mind after meeting the lead agent Carly Welsh. He was surprised at his reaction to her. Instant attraction

Toxin Alert by Tyler Anne Snell is the second book in her Tactical Crime Division: Traverse City series. This story consists of a complex plot, great characters and plenty of suspense. At first Carly and Noah don't seem to make sense as a couple. But the attraction is there. I found it quite interesting to follow along as their relationship developed. Once again the TCD team comes out on top of their crime investigation. I really enjoy reading about their teamwork and sense of camaraderie. I can't wait to read about their next case.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book with romance and some intense suspense. The Tactical Crime Division is sent to investigate biological terrorism in an unexpected place - a local Amish community. Someone spread deadly anthrax around three Amish farms, killing cattle and murdering two people. As the team's biological weapons expert, Carly becomes the lead agent for the investigation. She runs into trouble right away because the local Amish don't trust outsiders, especially law enforcement, and no one will answer questions. Fortunately, they find Noah Miller to help them.

Noah is a former Amish farmer who left the community when he was sixteen. He has a tenuous relationship at best with his family and keeps mostly to himself. The Amish community trusts him, and he often serves as a link between them and the English world. Though reluctant to get involved at first, Noah agrees to help them get the answers they need.

I liked seeing Carly and Noah together. Not only did they work well as a team, there were sparks of attraction too. Both of them have events in their pasts that made them who they are today, things that they don't share with others. As they spend time together, they get to know and trust each other. I especially liked how Noah was protective toward Carly but also respected her abilities. I loved seeing him call out his father on his attitude toward Carly and the rest of the team. Noah's ability to listen and understand Carly led to several sweet and emotional scenes. I loved the ending, and seeing how nearly losing each other opened their eyes to what is important. Noah's big moment was beautiful (I loved the ring).

The suspense of the story was excellent. The anthrax angle reminded me of the stories years ago of mysterious white powder mailed to prominent people. The knowledge of how deadly anthrax gave an added layer of intensity to the book. There were some interesting twists as the team began unraveling what happened. A boneheaded move on Carly's part put her in extreme danger, and I was on the edge of my seat until it was all over. I loved the instincts that told her that something didn't add up and the team's persistence in figuring out what it was. The final confrontation was a nail-biter with Carly in the hot seat again.

[Matilda Dix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man! I really wish I would have reviewed this book when it came out. I read it a while ago and wanted to write a review right away...but time sort of got away from me. So, I am really into this series because it’s set in Michigan. This book is part of the Tactical Crime Division: Traverse City series (how fun!!!) and they are deployed to different parts of the state. This particular book also follows Carly and Noah’s budding relationship. Carly is actually Dr. Carly Welsh, a biological weapons expert. Noah Miller is a former Amish community member who decided to leave, but he still stayed close by in town. He is shunned and his family has disowned him. The setting is in an Amish community named Potter’s Creek. I’m not sure if the town is fictional or not, but there is a Potter’s Creek near Midland, Michigan. So I like to think is real ;)
Cows and people are getting sick in Potter’s Creek and the soil seems to be poisoned on a large scale. It’s so big that the TCD is called in because it could be biological terrorism. The Amish community does not trust outsiders, but they sort of do trust Noah. He agrees to be the liaison between the TCD team and the Amish farmers. Part of the difficulty of this story is the unwillingness of the community to talk to the FBI. However, after being attacked with anthrax, everyone knows that the mystery must be solved. Noah really is valuable to the team in helping them solve the crime.
The suspense really hits the storyline as Carly and Noah are realizing their feelings for each other. The focus stays on the mystery, but I am a big fan of crime solving with a dash of romance. As they started closing in on the criminal, I could NOT put the book down. I love how the team supports each other in this series and I acknowledge that I love it even more that it takes place in Michigan. It might be a big dark for a beach read escape -- but grab a glass of wine and indulge in this exciting story on a rainy day. It’ll be perfect.

[Katie Mettner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toxin Alert opens with the Tactical Crime Division being sent to a small Amish town to investigate deaths by anthrax. Our heroine, Carly, is no stranger to dangerous toxins, as she's a biochemical weapons expert. Our hero, Noah Miller, is no stranger to the Amish community, as he left when he was sixteen to live life outside of the community.

There were a lot of twists and turns in this book that kept bringing you back to the same place for a lot of the center part of the book. Once the threads starting unraveling, though, the action didn't stop until the bad guy was found and the reasons for what he did were revealed.

There are definitely more interesting characters in this group than Carly, but she was good at her job and in the end got her guy, nearly dying twice to do it. Overall, I enjoyed this intrigue as part of the series, but I gave it four stars because the romance was basically nonexistent until 70% of the book and then it was rushed into instalove so fast you got whiplash. There was no doubt the romance was forced between Carly and Noah in the last few chapters just to make it fit as a Harlequin. The team also let the civilian tag along into dangerous situations and searches and that just wouldn't happen, even if the head of the team "really kind of liked the guy."

I live in Amish country, and we have many Amish in our community and places of business. I will say, when the Amish are in the room, you KNOW they are in the room due to their scent. There is a scene in the book that totally bombs because of that fact and it was a good reminder that solid and extensive research about lifestyles of the communities you're writing about is so very important if you want to feel authentic.

[k2148 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toxin Alert (Tactical Crime Division: Traverse City #2). By Tyler Anne Snell. 2020. Harlequin Intrigue (ARC eBook).

Toxin Alert, the second book in the TCD: Traverse City series has the team responding to a biological threat in a rural community where several Amish farms were targeted with an anthrax attack. This has left numerous cattle and two people dead. Dr. Carly Welsh, the TCD’s bioweapons agent is leading the case but the Amish are reluctant to talk to outsiders. This leads to neighboring rancher, Noah Miller, acting as liaison for the two groups. Noah was born and raised as Amish but he didn’t take the vows at sixteen, so he is only privileged to only as much information as strictly necessary for assisting the investigation. But Noah is still an asset in providing Carly with the lay of the land and insights into the community.

I’m like the concept of the series more than the results. Very little groundwork is laid to have a romance, as well as little investigative work into the detecting and tracing the anthrax and other possible biological threats, or any other aspects to highlight Carly’s expertise, is done. The premise of navigating an anthrax attack was intriguing and I thought Noah was an interesting character. I also like that the series changes the locale with each book. I’m hoping that there is more delving into the professional strengths for Max’s, Axel’s and Serena’s stories.

*Harlequin Intrige ARC via NetGalley

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carly, an biological weapon expert, and her team is called for help in a small Amish community when a bunch of cow and some people working with them end up dead. Signs point to anthrax and the question is why, who would do this to a peacefully community? They get help from Noah who is a farmer, former Amish, to get in with the people and get a bit of insight of who is behind all of this.

I thought that this was a pretty good book. I'm not into book that feature the Amish community, usually ends up dull to me but this book was actually pretty good. I loved the mystery side of what was going on learning a bit more of the Amish community and seeing if any of it had to do with what was going on. There was clearly something going on and since the community doesn't trust those outside of their group it made things a bit complicated. There was so much going on that left the readers wanting more and I just couldn't get myself to put this book down. I was really enjoying it. There was also that bit of romance between Noah and Carly and they are so different but lets see what becomes of that. Overall great book I really enjoyed it.

[Dana Busenbark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who is Noah? What does he do for a living? What warning is given to him and by whom? Who are Carley, Alana, Aria, Alex, Opaline, Rhianna, Amanda, Selena, and Max? What do each of these folks do for a living? Where is Potter's Creek? Why are they asked to go there? Who are Dyal, David, Willa, Talia, and Aaron? How do each of them fit into the plot of the story if at all? Oh goodness, I never saw that plot twist coming that happened! There was actually more than one that kept me on my toes reading this story! I need to read more by this author now! Holy smokes, enjoy the suspense and plot twists!

RECEIVED THIS BOOK from Harlequin through Netgalley AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.

[Kate Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of the Tactical Crime Division: Traverse City series in which the team is sent to an Amish community to find out who used anthrax to kill cattle and two people. Carly Welsh leads the team but needs to find someone who can get the Amish people to talk to the FBI crew. Noah Miller agrees, but reluctantly, given that he's no longer part of the group into which he was born.

Complications abound even as the TCD team is endangered before clues begin to come together, but not before Carly is injured not once but twice.

Will she act on her attraction to Noah? Will he take the initiative? And if so, how will they get together when each loves their respective jobs? Then there's his estranged family. What's their role in his decision-making?

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one did not have to yell at me twice to take a look at it. It fits into what I read alot of late with a plus it is from Harlequin. This is also so fitting in a way because of the crazy world right now. I do not read many involving the Amish so this was interesting especially since I grew up where some communities were not far away. coming into picture is a former member and a Carly whom as a doctor will have to figure this out quickly. This has plenty of action so it will keep you involved. I have also not read this author to many times so find it refreshing in that aspect.

[Stasia Bruhn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was the hardest book to get into and I stopped reading it halfway through. The pacing was turtle slow, the characters were not fleshed out at all, there was zero chemistry between the main characters. The idea of the book is what intrigued me on alot of levels biological toxin ok Amish living I’m down but it just didn’t deliver at all. The blurb actually is the best thing about this book. Save your money for a better book

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series about The Tactical Crime Division of the FBI. Someone has unleashed a biological weapon on an Amish community. Needless to say the FBI is not a welcome visitor in this community. The only man willing to help is a farmer named Noah who left the community years ago. This was an interesting mystery with plenty of suspense and intrigue. The characters are also interesting. I love the Christmas portion of the story as well.

[Lynnette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noah is asked to come to her Father’s Amish farm. Several of their cows were dead and his Father needed in him. Noah soon realized there is more to this than what everyone thought! Some two of the Amish were dead! Anthrax was the cause! Carly and her team were sent to their community to find out what is going on. Can Noah help Carly figure out what is going on?

[Harlequin Books]

Categories
Romantic Suspense, Terrorism Thrillers, Police Procedural Mystery & Detective
Miniseries
Tactical Crime Division: Traverse City (Book #2)

[Harlequin Books]

Categories
Romantic Suspense, Terrorism Thrillers, Police Procedural Mystery & Detective
Miniseries
Tactical Crime Division: Traverse City (Book #2)

[Samantha Clysdale · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappoint that there was no lab work in this book and only one person was shown to actually use the laptops they brought.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Good suspense story. Kept me reading.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only like my previous Tyler Anne Snell book, this one pulled me in almost right away. You do not need to read the first book in this series to enjoy this one as it is very much a stand alone type of book (all the books feature the same cast of Tactical Crime Division team members but are written by different authors). Because there is nothing about this book other than it's publication date to clue readers in to the fact that this book takes place during the week leading up to Christmas I'm here to tell you that the second half of this book really leans into the Christmas time setting so if you don't like reading Christmas books when it's not Christmas than save this one for December. The mystery in this book is more intense and deadly than my previous Harlequin Intrigue book, but in ways that I like - anthrax poisoning, old grudges come to light, and reluctant witnesses. If you liked the first season of Amazon's Jack Ryan then I would recommend giving this book a try.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anthrax spread on fields belonging to Amish farmers provides the crime and rationale for this suspense story. The main character on the Amish side is carefully set up to be someone just on the outside of his community, so he can talk with the law enforcement operatives and explain about his culture. However, this man's devotion to the farming lifestyle, makes it extremely improbable that a romance would occur with one of the female agents from the city.

The writing style is poor. We constantly open a chapter at a plot point and then spend a few pages backtracking to find out how we got there, slowing down the story and spelling out tricks and traps, something any editor should have removed if it occurred more than once. If the editor dictated that the book be written this way, move editor.

The bitter, wintry weather and outdoor atmosphere come across well.
I read this e-ARC from Net Galley and Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.

[Girl Reading Books Too · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I'd try this Harlequin Intrigue story since I've seen books from the line pop up in my feed many times. As much as I wanted to like this book, it didn't grab me. I struggled to feel connected with the characters and get engrossed in the story. Everything seemed very clinical and distant to me. It was a struggle to stay interested in the story and what was happening.



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