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Saving Kelby Creek #5
Cold Case Captive
A tragedy kept them apart
…until a dangerous reunion brought them back together.
Returning to Kelby Creek only intensifies Detective Lily Howard's soul-crushing guilt and anger. As a teenager she chose to rescue her friend and childhood crush, Anthony Perez, rather than pursue the man abducting his sister. Years later, investigating the cold case with Ant stirs up even more troubling emotions in the usually guarded detective. Soon another teen girl's disappearance offers a tantalizing new lead. To justice? Or inescapable danger?
…until a dangerous reunion brought them back together.
Returning to Kelby Creek only intensifies Detective Lily Howard's soul-crushing guilt and anger. As a teenager she chose to rescue her friend and childhood crush, Anthony Perez, rather than pursue the man abducting his sister. Years later, investigating the cold case with Ant stirs up even more troubling emotions in the usually guarded detective. Soon another teen girl's disappearance offers a tantalizing new lead. To justice? Or inescapable danger?
- GenresRomantic SuspenseRomance
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2022
25 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Tyler Anne Snell
188 books127 followersTyler 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 17, 2022
The fifth book in the Saving Kelby Creek series follows Lily Howard, a detective newly returned to Kelby Creek, and Anthony Perez, her teenage crush. Lily and Ant have a long and tragic history. Bound together by an abduction that happened when they were kids, both struggle with guilt and wounds from the past. Now, years later, Ant is back in Lily’s life, and they work on investigating his sister’s abduction, now a cold case, together.
This story is intense and suspenseful, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. Kidnappings, attempted murders, terrifying explosions, creepy carnival settings, suspicious boxes buried in the woods, and a cold case that might have ties to a new missing teen make for an exciting and layered read. I was hooked from the first pages and became so immersed in the story that I read it in one sitting. There are so many nail-biting scenes, from the intense scenes in the woods to the climactic scenes at a local carnival and more!
Of course, I live for the swoon-worthy romances, and Ant and Lily do not disappoint! Lily and Ant have amazing chemistry and a fantastic love story. You can tell from the start that there are unresolved feelings between the two, and though they have a lot to work through, their feelings are undeniable. They are both well-developed characters, and their bond, even though they haven’t seen each other in years, is strong. They are connected by tragedy, but there is so much more to this couple, and I love how their relationship progressed. And their first kiss is positively swoon-worthy!
Other characters are also quite interesting, and I like that we see many of the characters and couples from previous books in this one too. I always enjoy seeing how their lives and relationships have progressed. I also have to mention the wonderful canine companion Cook. What an exceptional dog! There’s nothing better than a loyal, brave dog with a great personality, and Cook is beyond fabulous.
I think this is my favorite in the series yet. I adored Ant and Lily’s romance, their investigation is captivating, and the overarching plot is intriguing and layered. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, and I’m so thankful to Tyler Anne Snell for sending me a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
This story is intense and suspenseful, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. Kidnappings, attempted murders, terrifying explosions, creepy carnival settings, suspicious boxes buried in the woods, and a cold case that might have ties to a new missing teen make for an exciting and layered read. I was hooked from the first pages and became so immersed in the story that I read it in one sitting. There are so many nail-biting scenes, from the intense scenes in the woods to the climactic scenes at a local carnival and more!
Of course, I live for the swoon-worthy romances, and Ant and Lily do not disappoint! Lily and Ant have amazing chemistry and a fantastic love story. You can tell from the start that there are unresolved feelings between the two, and though they have a lot to work through, their feelings are undeniable. They are both well-developed characters, and their bond, even though they haven’t seen each other in years, is strong. They are connected by tragedy, but there is so much more to this couple, and I love how their relationship progressed. And their first kiss is positively swoon-worthy!
Other characters are also quite interesting, and I like that we see many of the characters and couples from previous books in this one too. I always enjoy seeing how their lives and relationships have progressed. I also have to mention the wonderful canine companion Cook. What an exceptional dog! There’s nothing better than a loyal, brave dog with a great personality, and Cook is beyond fabulous.
I think this is my favorite in the series yet. I adored Ant and Lily’s romance, their investigation is captivating, and the overarching plot is intriguing and layered. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, and I’m so thankful to Tyler Anne Snell for sending me a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
March 16, 2023
Intense story that kept me hooked from start to finish. The book opens with a scene from Lily and Anthony's past - the abduction of Anthony's sister, Ida. Both teens witnessed the abduction but could not stop it, and each carries the guilt from it to this day.
Fourteen years later, Lily has returned to Kelby Creek as a detective, hired to work on the town's cold cases. Ida's kidnapping is one of those cases, and when she discovers a new lead, the first person she calls is Ant. Though they haven't seen each other during that time, they have stayed in touch. As soon as he hears the news, Ant quits his job in North Carolina and heads back to Kelby Creek, determined to find the truth. Lily was not happy to have Ant show up on her doorstep. She had expected him to wait until she followed up on the new information, while Ant made it clear that wasn't happening. There were some harsh words exchanged before she sent him off.
Meanwhile, Lily gets a call about a puzzling scene she and the sheriff had seen earlier that day. Ant follows her as she rushes off to follow up on the call. A terrifying time follows as she and Ant hear a woman's voice screaming from beneath the ground. As they attempt to dig her out, Lily is attacked by a shovel-wielding man who seems determined to stop them. It's a tense few minutes until Ant subdues the man, and they can get back to the digging. The situation turns odd when the woman turns out to be a recording.
This begins a convoluted and interconnected investigation that links two missing-person cold cases with one current case. Attempting to locate a person of interest gets Ant and Lily almost blown up. Every time a new piece of information is uncovered, it creates a new twist in the investigation. A carnival clown, a missing roommate, and a married lover led to a confrontation at the local fair. I was on the edge of my seat as Lily found herself in the crosshairs of a desperate man while racing to rescue a woman buried alive. The final confrontation was intense, with a full-circle moment for Lily and Ant. I loved the unpacking of the timeline when it was all over, with the last pieces of the puzzle coming from a surprising source.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Lily and Ant. They hadn't seen each other since they were teens, so their first face-to-face meeting was a bit of a shock. The boy Lily had crushed on had grown into a big, sexy man, and the girl who was his friend was now a beautiful woman. Their first meeting was somewhat contentious, partly because of Lily's reaction to him. Under the antagonism that flared between them was an attraction they each tried to deny. But Ant can't deny the protectiveness he feels when Lily is hurt and is determined to keep her safe. Lily's independence makes it difficult to accept his help, but she can't help admitting she feels safer with him around.
Ant and Lily still feel immense guilt over their inability to stop Ida's kidnapping. I liked that they finally had an honest conversation about those feelings and realized that neither was at fault. With that out of the way, their attraction and bond continue to grow. But it took nearly losing each other for them to realize the depth of their feelings. The epilogue was great, and I loved seeing couples from the other books and catching up on their lives. Ant was sweet with the surprise he had for Lily.
Fourteen years later, Lily has returned to Kelby Creek as a detective, hired to work on the town's cold cases. Ida's kidnapping is one of those cases, and when she discovers a new lead, the first person she calls is Ant. Though they haven't seen each other during that time, they have stayed in touch. As soon as he hears the news, Ant quits his job in North Carolina and heads back to Kelby Creek, determined to find the truth. Lily was not happy to have Ant show up on her doorstep. She had expected him to wait until she followed up on the new information, while Ant made it clear that wasn't happening. There were some harsh words exchanged before she sent him off.
Meanwhile, Lily gets a call about a puzzling scene she and the sheriff had seen earlier that day. Ant follows her as she rushes off to follow up on the call. A terrifying time follows as she and Ant hear a woman's voice screaming from beneath the ground. As they attempt to dig her out, Lily is attacked by a shovel-wielding man who seems determined to stop them. It's a tense few minutes until Ant subdues the man, and they can get back to the digging. The situation turns odd when the woman turns out to be a recording.
This begins a convoluted and interconnected investigation that links two missing-person cold cases with one current case. Attempting to locate a person of interest gets Ant and Lily almost blown up. Every time a new piece of information is uncovered, it creates a new twist in the investigation. A carnival clown, a missing roommate, and a married lover led to a confrontation at the local fair. I was on the edge of my seat as Lily found herself in the crosshairs of a desperate man while racing to rescue a woman buried alive. The final confrontation was intense, with a full-circle moment for Lily and Ant. I loved the unpacking of the timeline when it was all over, with the last pieces of the puzzle coming from a surprising source.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Lily and Ant. They hadn't seen each other since they were teens, so their first face-to-face meeting was a bit of a shock. The boy Lily had crushed on had grown into a big, sexy man, and the girl who was his friend was now a beautiful woman. Their first meeting was somewhat contentious, partly because of Lily's reaction to him. Under the antagonism that flared between them was an attraction they each tried to deny. But Ant can't deny the protectiveness he feels when Lily is hurt and is determined to keep her safe. Lily's independence makes it difficult to accept his help, but she can't help admitting she feels safer with him around.
Ant and Lily still feel immense guilt over their inability to stop Ida's kidnapping. I liked that they finally had an honest conversation about those feelings and realized that neither was at fault. With that out of the way, their attraction and bond continue to grow. But it took nearly losing each other for them to realize the depth of their feelings. The epilogue was great, and I loved seeing couples from the other books and catching up on their lives. Ant was sweet with the surprise he had for Lily.
May 27, 2022
Bound by tragedy from their past, Lily and Anthony work together to find answers to a cold case – his sister’s abduction, which seems to tie to a current missing teen and offers possible new leads. Old crushes, years of guilt, hurt, anger, and unanswered questions follow them both as they work to unravel the past and stay alive. Lily and Ant have a lot to work through and even though they have not seen each other in years, the chemistry between them is undeniable. I loved watching their relationship develop over the course of the story. With many twists and turns, this story is intense and full of mystery, suspense, and danger as Lily and Ant race to find answers. Edge of your seat excitement with a touch of romance. This book is engrossing from beginning to end.
April 20, 2022
Can I just say that Tyler Anne Snell has written quite possibly my favorite series of my adult years? The Saving Kelby Creek series has kept me on the edge of my seat through every page and Cold Case Captive is no exception. We get updates on the characters from previous installments, romance, kidnappings, gun fights, boxes buried in creepy woods, and a clown. What more could you ask for? My only complaint is that I now have to wait for the next book to see how the saga that is Kelby Creek comes to an end.
May 29, 2022
An engaging romantic suspense. Lots of action and a comforting dog. Thanks to a contest from another author I have now discovered Tyler Anne Snell. I enjoyed her writing and look forward to reading more of her works. My review is voluntary.
May 29, 2022
An engaging romantic suspense. Lots of action and a comforting dog. Thanks to a contest from another author I have now discovered Tyler Anne Snell. I enjoyed her writing and look forward to reading more of her works. My review is voluntary.
Read
May 1, 2022Categories
Romantic Suspense, Crime Thriller, Police Procedural Mystery & Detective
Miniseries
The Saving Kelby Creek Series (Book #5)
Romantic Suspense, Crime Thriller, Police Procedural Mystery & Detective
Miniseries
The Saving Kelby Creek Series (Book #5)
Read
May 1, 2022Categories
Romantic Suspense, Crime Thriller, Police Procedural Mystery & Detective
Miniseries
The Saving Kelby Creek Series (Book #5)
Romantic Suspense, Crime Thriller, Police Procedural Mystery & Detective
Miniseries
The Saving Kelby Creek Series (Book #5)
May 7, 2022
Holy crap. Bombs, shovels, abductions!! No stop action.., a little love and 1 hint of sex!! Great book..
February 5, 2025
Amazing mystery with an exciting twist.
April 29, 2025
Really good book! Lily and Ant are amazing when working together!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews