A reluctant witness. A chilling crime. And a revenge that turns fatal.
Decanter, Illinois is a town ruled by a powerful trucking family headed by Sylvia Zecca. It’s where Scout Ledger crosses paths with Caroline, witness to a horrifying crime committed by the matriarch’s son. Caroline fears Zecca will spare no one to protect her family’s interests. If she comes forward with the truth she risks her life and her sister’s.
So Caroline turns for help to a stranger in town. Ledger possesses a dizzying array of physical skills that just might buy some justice. But when Ledger promises her support, that decision will cost lives. And leave Ledger in the crosshairs of a cunning enemy.
This fast-paced story with authentic and highly-developed characters will keep you glued to the pages as you root for Ledger’s fight for justice against a ruthless enemy. If you like Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, L T Ryan’s Rachel Hatch or Vargus and McBain’s Violet Darger, then you’ll find Scout Ledger’s pulse-pounding thrillers just as compulsively addictive.
Praise for Scout Ledger
Scout Ledger is an awesome character and Elleby Harper really writes great books!!! *****
I love the character of Scout Ledger as we definitely see her tough side again but we also witness her caring side. I highly recommend this book if you want to be turning the pages quickly as you can't wait to see what happens next. *****
Just WOW! *****
Adrenaline Rush! The story starts off with a bang - four bangs actually. It keeps you hooked from beginning to end. It is jam packed with action, adventure, murder and a smattering of romance. *****
If you like a great thriller with a kick-ass (yet believable) heroine who takes no names, stop reading here and one click now. You won't be sorry! *****
Elleby Harper was born in England and raised in Australia. She has also lived in North America. She has previously worked as a medical receptionist, a croupier in a casino, an exhibition curator, a librarian and a journalist.
Just WOW! Scout Ledger leaves Indianapolis heading west to the ocean, a motorcycle trip she and her dad planned before he died. She stops for the night in Decanter, Illinois, where she rescues a drunk woman in a bar who’s been knocked down with her purse stolen. Ledger takes her back to her own motel room, and the next morning discovers that the woman, Caroline, had followed and witnessed her brother-in-law rape then murder a woman, setting her house on fire as he left. Caroline had helped the woman get out and then tried to warn her sister, Scarlett. This opens the second book in this series and it is action-packed till the very end. Ledger is an incredible lady with amazing strength and skills, and it’s fun and exciting to watch her right wrongs she encounters! I received an ARC from the author and write this review voluntarily.
I received a review copy from the author at my request and this is my honest opinion. Scout Ledger is a strong, capable female character. In a world usually dominated by men (that of an investigator, even though Scout wouldn't say that's what she was) she is quite able to hold her own, and sometimes even come out ahead. She shows indomitable spirit, determination to see justice done, honor, and impressive skills. The "bad guys" usually mix it up with Scout to their eternal detriment. (Yes, Scout has her own little fan club going on over here!) I loved her parkour abilities. I don't run across many characters who exhibit those abilities, so it's always a fun addition to any book I'm reading. There is plenty of action going on, a few twists and turns, and a touch of romance, or is it lust? I have to admit that I thought I knew what was going on, but once again Ms. Harper surprised me. The ending is fulfilling and just what I was hoping for. I have been a long-time fan of Ms. Harper's Bex Winters and Bram Carver series and I'm happy to say I am a solid fan now of the Scout Ledger series. I highly recommend it.
This is a page turning thriller. Caroline is a witness to murder. Scout Ledger is riding her motorcycle and stops at a small town. She persuades Caroline to go to the police. When Caroline comes out of the police station she is shot to death. Scout Ledger decides to get justice for Caroline. She has to go against a very powerful family with an illegal hidden business. A kick butt woman in a uphill battle. I could not stop reading.
This is a great book. It’s the second in what I hope will be many books in this series. The female protagonist is strong, smart, and not afraid to show a guy how to solve a murder even if he’s a cop and she isn’t. The book is well written and there’s plenty of action with a little romance on the side. A great read!
I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.
I love the Scout Ledger series but this one completely gripped me, from the start. Believable characters both good and evil. A great story of control, evil, destruction, comeuppance and justice, with Scout at the centre - excellent!
I received an ARC and I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Scout Ledger is a truly brilliant character. Her Bosnian background and he step father's military service combined means she wants to right wrongs. In this story she bumps into a lady drunk in a bar. As ever Scout wants to understand why she is drunk so gets talking to her. Learning her story Scout is charged with protecting the lady and seeking to right the wrongs that have been done to the lady and her family. The tale them follows Scout through a dangerous journey, involving Chicagan Criminals and a small town trucking operation reaping rewards more than seem correct. Great story telling, great writing and a real heroine. Read it in one day and cannot wait to read another Scout Ledger adventure.
This is book two of the Scout Ledger Thrillers series and Ledger stops off on her bike ride across the country, in the small town of Decanter, Illinois, after getting saddle sore and needing a break. She picks a motel and then goes out for a drink, and spots a very drunk woman having her purse stolen and runs to help her. She is a tad too late to stop the thief and helps the woman, Caroline Matchett, who was drinking to forget what she had just seen! She had followed her brother in law Kyle Ungless, when he saw her get into a strange vehicle with a blonde woman, who was definitely not her sister Scarlett! He ended up at this woman’s home and Caroline sneaked around to see what he was up to, through a window. She saw him having sex with the woman against her wall, but then shooting her with a gun repeatedly and pouring alcohol over her and the furniture, before setting it on fire. Caroline saw him run out the front door once the fire took hold, thinking the woman, Jayme Serkis, was dead but Caroline could see her chest moving and ran in to try and pull her out of the fire. She was helped by a passing dog walker, but she told the police she was only passing by and saw the flames, rather than tell them the truth of what she has really seen. Kyle Ungless worked for his mother, Sylvia Zecca, at the family firm of Zecca Trucking and Logistics, a business that employed a lot of locals and who were thought to have a lot of influence on the police and mayor of the town. Caroline told her sister Scarlett what she had seen her husband do, but Scarlett didn’t even believe her and refused to leave her husband. Caroline worries that if Ungless finds out about her being a witness to his crime, he will kill her, her sister and mother! Ledger offers to support her in telling the police the truth, after her attempts to speak to her sister again at an elite fundraiser failed, but it soon ends in tragedy and loss of life. Ledger won’t give up however and is determined to make Ungless pay for his crimes and find out what secrets the trucking business must be hiding. What Caroline didn’t know, is that Ledger is a former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent and is well trained and not afraid of danger. The detective who questioned Caroline, Detective Matteo Del Santro, may not have believed Caroline because of some of her actions after the fundraiser and a misleading statement from Ungless which painted her in a completely different light. Ledger decides she can trust Del Santro and pushes him to investigate the trucking company and to also find out more about Ungless himself and his relationships with women. Ledger shows her hard side here, with also her gymnastic and athletic abilities, plus the way she can defeat men much bigger than her, just with her hands. There is a bit of light relief with a touch of romance for Ledger, but she has a path she wishes to follow in memory of her father and it is not one she will divert from for long. This isn’t a straight forward case and she is misled by more than one of the people involved, as she tries to stop an evil man and save someone from harm. A ruthless family who do anything needed to keep their base of power and influence. An addictive thrill of a read with an exciting main character who fights for justice for the underdog and who I can’t wait to see what they do next! I would recommend this book and series to one and all who love a thrilling read and justice found. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Dead Witness, the second Scout Ledger thriller, is great, well-written novel. Whilst travelling on her father’s Ducati on a trip they were to take together before his untimely death, Scout finds herself in Decanter, Illinois. Here, she runs into Caroline, a young lady who has seen a horrendous crime, one that has her wondering if she should do the right thing and report it, or try to save her sister, Scarlett, who is married to the monster. As Ledger tries to help her, she will find that the people Caroline fears have a powerful hold over the town. Justice, however, is something Scout Ledger lives for and when someone else is murdered, she will work to reveal the truth. What she will uncover will be much bigger than she anticipated. I love the Scout Ledger character as well as all the goodies and baddies in this book. The storyline is very interesting, and the vivid descriptions add to this wonderful thriller. Elleby Harper has done it again and I look forward to the next book in this series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
You don't expect to die because you saw your brother-in-law with another woman -- 4.5 stars
Starting off with a woman noticing a man forcing a woman into a car, the action ramps up big time. Bullets, arson, and bruising are the choice of a local tough guy. An out-of-town hitman joins in as the violence escalates.
Scout Ledger has ridden her classic motorcycle into town and winds up committing to putting the bad guys away. Scout cannot abide by the violence; she gives better than she gets.
One of the highlights of Scout's activities is offering to play a game of strip poker with Kyle Ungless, who is one of the principals of a trucking company. Scout not only manages to save her skin but also extracts a partial confession from Kyle.
Scout uses her unusual athletic skills to go over seemingly impregnable barriers. She kindles a relationship with a local police detective, Matteo Del Santro, without incurring a Hollywood ending.
The plot comes together displaying Scout Ledger's quick thinking while the bad guys' attempts to muscle through are woefully inadequate.
Another great book by Elleby! Scout Ledger is riding her dad's old motorcycle cross country on a trip the two of them planned before he died. She stops at a motel in Decantor, Illinois and goes into a bar. She sees a woman who is very drunk and is being robbed. Now Scout can't prentend she didn't see this. And of course she wants to see justine done. She takes this woman whose name is Caroline back to her hotel room. She discovers Caroline saw a murder being commited. She doesn't know if she should do what's right or keep quiet and protect her sister. The murderer is her brother-in-law. This is not a spoiler as it is mentioned very early in the book. This is a very powerful family. Characters are well fleshed out, good drscriptions, excellent plot, suspense, twists and turns, and you will be kept on the edge of your seat from start to finish. How will Scout solve this one? I voluntarly receiped as copy of this book from the author and I'm voluntarily posting a review.. My opinion is entirely my own.
Ms. . Harper has written another winner! This book was as great as the first one! I would love to be able to do everything that Scout Ledger is able to, she should be a member of the super heroes! Ledger seems to be in the right place at the right time to find herself in the middle of a real sticky situation. Zecca and her son Ungless as he is known as, are quite the pair. It seems to me that Zecca had raised one spoiled, messed in the head son. I'm sure that at times she wishes she had given him some tough punishment for the predicaments he gets himself into. I feel sorry for his wife Scarlett, yet why stay if things are so bad that even your sister comes to you and tells you the things he has done. Decca Trucking must have some high personalities in its pockets of Decanter, the town where they reside. This book is full of suspense and I just loved reading it! Even some romance this time around.I can hardly wait for the next book in this series! I received a free download of this book from the publisher. This review is my own honest opinion.
Scout Ledger is certainly one very tough, quick-thinking, physically fit woman with unique fighting skills who knows her way around all kinds of weaponry and is determined to help those who have been mistreated. Still in mourning and celebrating the life of her father while biking cross country, we see a deeper and softer side of her character and her family ties. However, when trouble crosses in her path she cannot resist getting involved – involved with solving a crime and seeing justice prevail, as well as, involved in a little romance. This book has it all – interesting characters and well-written story, mystery, plenty of action and a satisfying ending. As incredible as Scout is, this is entertaining to read…I received an arc and this is my honest and voluntary review.
The action starts right away as Scout aids a drunken victim of a purse snatching. She finds out there is much more to the story as a tale of murder, family secrets, an illegal business, a well-connected family and ongoing violence unfold. There is a bit of romance for Scout which was a surprise and I had to laugh at some of the conversations she had with the detective as she would assure him that, yes, he knew what he was doing but would then tell him how to do his job anyway. Lol. Scout is put in danger and has to use her unusual skills to get herself out of a nearly impossible situation. Scout is a terrific protagonist and I can’t wait to see where she travels to next and what she finds there.
Elleby Harper has created a really fun, strong and hugely entertaining character in Scout Ledger. Ledger, as she likes to be known, is back having stumbled across a young woman that has been mugged. She soon finds the town of Decanter has a lot going on under the surface and some of its most successful people may not necessarily be some of its nicest. The story features Ledger taking on a rich and powerful family as she tries to get justice for those unable to do so themselves. The author combines great action scenes with an engrossing story that also features some interesting characters. Overall, this is a well written fast paced read that is also a worthy follow up to One Way Out.
Another wonderful book! It didn't take me long to get into this excellent vigilante thriller, so much so, that it was super hard to put down. Never a spoiler in my reviews, here's what you need to know: Action packed, moves right along, and filled with believable and well-written characters that will keep you riveted and swiping your Kindle. It was hard for me to find a good place to stop due to the action, twists and turns, and surprises that are truly unexpected. If you like a great thriller with a kick-ass (yet believable) heroine who takes no names, stop reading here and one click now. You won't be sorry!
I got hooked on the Bex Wynter series by this author so am happy to see another series of similar theme. The story is believable and even though Scout Ledger is super strong and agile, she could get that way by working out. Anyway, the story follows a pastern where she gets involved because something didn’t look right. She got hooked in finding out what was going on, helped the police detective get information, and then solved the case. It is worth the read. And, it is a Kindle Unlimited book.
Elleby has done it again! Scout Ledger is a wonderful character and I can’t wait to read the next adventure that Elleby crafts. Scout is an ex-ICE agent who is a parkour expert and definite underdog champion. She has a strong sense of honor and tries to right the wrongs she encounters. Although this is the second book in the series it could definitely be read as a stand-alone. I’m ready for the next one!
After the first few pages, I knew this was a book I wasn’t going to be able to put down, until I got to The End. Compulsive and gripping! Suspenseful, addictive and complex! Will keep you swiping the pages furiously. If you like absolutely unpredictable, riveting suspense as much as I do, you can't go wrong with this book!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
Dead Witness: Scout Ledger Thriller (Scout Ledger Thrillers Book 2), my sixth read from author Elleby Harper. Each book I've read by this author has been better than the last and this one is no exception. Wonderful characters & a plot that takes off like a jet plane from an aircraft carrier. Very good read! I was given a Kindle copy of this book & am voluntarily reading & reviewing it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
Skillfully crafted this is one of Ms. Harper's best books written with a masterful hand. Legend has her hands full with despicable characters engaged in deplorable acts. The bonus chapter sets the stage for the next electrifying book. Superb. Very Highly Recommended. Given to me as an ARC, this is my honest review.
This is a brilliant read. Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start. Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable. Great suspense and action with wonderful world building. Can't wait to read what the author brings out next. Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Scout is just riding her father's motorcycle through a small town when things get out of control. She helps a stranger out, and in doing so ticks off Sylvia Zecca. Sylvia will and does do ANYTHING to preserve her matriarch and bail out her son. But she has never come up against someone like Scout. May heaven help them all! I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Scout Ledger, a strong (in every sense of the word) female character, stops in Decater, IL by chance but remains long enough to see that the bad guys get their due. She feels an obligation to help solve the murder of a young woman who is the dead witness of the title.
What has Carolyn got herself into seeing a murder, by a man she knew. Later at a bar, blind drunk, her purse was taken, she wanted to report it but was hesitant, because of what she saw earlier. Money bought people, she knew the man’s wife, she was in big trouble. Scout Ledger comes to her rescue, at what cost. All Scout wanted now was his motorcycle and a trip planned to fulfill, along with memories. Good plot, of helping others when needed, and of someone who had an interest in her life. Readers will enjoy, and look forward to the next phase in her life. Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion
I so enjoyed reading this story. The Scout Ledger series grabs you from the beginning with her no nonsense sense of attitude and fighting spirit. Nothing wrong with a little romance as well! I am an ARC member and very
Scout Ledger is the main character in this book. She ends up helping a woman that witnessed a murder. But it's not that simple. She gets deeply involved in the investigation with a twisted plot. Will the murderer pay for his crimes? I absolutely loved this book and hope there are more!
This is an amazing book. Love every minute of it. Very well developed characters, page turner, well written. Excellent job. I have read all her books from this author and they’re incredible good. I received a copy and voluntary leaving a review.
Even if you haven't read the first in the series there is no need to hold off as this could easily be a standalone novel. It has great characters, lots of action and some unforeseen twists. Everything an action thriller should have.
I liked the book, but Scout is a very rash, and a vicious opponent. I found her a bit over the top when it comes to going after the bad guys. She left herself open to some very nasty pay back. There is suspense and action and it kept me reading to the end.
Scout Ledger at her best. This is a fast pace racy story which will have you turning those pages, the story line is great with twists and turns lots of detail and a soft side to Ledger that she tries to hide coming out can't wait for the next book.