What do you think?
Rate this book
Detective Madison Harper #5
Catch Her Death
“Mommy, wake-up,” he cries, pulling at her beautiful blonde hair. She’s silent, and her skin is deathly white. Tears roll down his cheeks as he realizes something is very wrong…
As snow falls on the small town of Lost Creek, Colorado, a three-year-old boy is found playing quietly in his car seat, his mother, cold as ice, slumped against the steering wheel in front. Tearing herself away from reconnecting with her special agent father who abandoned her for his career, Detective Madison Harper is haunted by the fear in the boy’s sky-blue eyes, and vows to find justice for this innocent child, left motherless just days before Christmas.
Madison works around the clock on her only clue: a perfect circle of clean glass found on the car’s rear window. But she’s stopped in her tracks the moment another mother is found dead outside a church during Midnight Mass, her young boy left sucking his thumb on the frozen ground beside her. It can’t be a coincidence.
The need to spare the children might hint to the suspect being a woman, but the deeper Madison digs, the closer she gets to a serial killer her own father spent a lifetime chasing. Has the killer followed her father here? Could Madison, single mother to a son herself, be next?
As a blizzard closes in, wreaking havoc on the investigation, Madison hits the same dead ends her father did all those years ago. But when her closest friend goes missing, Madison must dive into the mind of this twisted soul and risk it all to stop another heart-shattering tragedy. But will she make it in time?
As snow falls on the small town of Lost Creek, Colorado, a three-year-old boy is found playing quietly in his car seat, his mother, cold as ice, slumped against the steering wheel in front. Tearing herself away from reconnecting with her special agent father who abandoned her for his career, Detective Madison Harper is haunted by the fear in the boy’s sky-blue eyes, and vows to find justice for this innocent child, left motherless just days before Christmas.
Madison works around the clock on her only clue: a perfect circle of clean glass found on the car’s rear window. But she’s stopped in her tracks the moment another mother is found dead outside a church during Midnight Mass, her young boy left sucking his thumb on the frozen ground beside her. It can’t be a coincidence.
The need to spare the children might hint to the suspect being a woman, but the deeper Madison digs, the closer she gets to a serial killer her own father spent a lifetime chasing. Has the killer followed her father here? Could Madison, single mother to a son herself, be next?
As a blizzard closes in, wreaking havoc on the investigation, Madison hits the same dead ends her father did all those years ago. But when her closest friend goes missing, Madison must dive into the mind of this twisted soul and risk it all to stop another heart-shattering tragedy. But will she make it in time?
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 9, 2022
1977 people are currently reading
649 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Dranfield
21 books622 followersWendy is the author of the Detective Madison Harper series. Her novels and short stories have been shortlisted and longlisted for various writing competitions and awards, including the International Thriller Writer Awards.
Please note; as Wendy writes crime fiction, including police procedurals and psychological thrillers, her books contain plots, characters and actions dealing with a variety of crimes, including physical and psychological.
Wendy does not use social media, so if you find an account pretending to be her on any platform, it’s 100% fake! Visit her website for the most accurate and up-to-date information about her books: wendydranfield.co.uk
The final book in the Det. Madison Harper series will be out in May 2026.
Please note; as Wendy writes crime fiction, including police procedurals and psychological thrillers, her books contain plots, characters and actions dealing with a variety of crimes, including physical and psychological.
Wendy does not use social media, so if you find an account pretending to be her on any platform, it’s 100% fake! Visit her website for the most accurate and up-to-date information about her books: wendydranfield.co.uk
The final book in the Det. Madison Harper series will be out in May 2026.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
September 11, 2022
Another belter from Dranfield!
I have loved the books in this series I have read so far (though I have yet to read them all) but this is just a novel of drama, tension, blood and gore!
The opening scene threw me straight into the drama, a woman is found killed in her car with her 3 year old son unharmed with her.
The drama literally does not let up- the reader is constantly given clues and I admit to having baffled fascination through the entire book! I love this quality in thrillers- and the darker the better! The ending was a 'woooaaahhhh' jaw-dropping moment, but so clever!
Madison Harper is fast becoming a favourite character of mine! Her story really adds something to her character, and that is what I want from reading series.
Highly recommend.
I have loved the books in this series I have read so far (though I have yet to read them all) but this is just a novel of drama, tension, blood and gore!
The opening scene threw me straight into the drama, a woman is found killed in her car with her 3 year old son unharmed with her.
The drama literally does not let up- the reader is constantly given clues and I admit to having baffled fascination through the entire book! I love this quality in thrillers- and the darker the better! The ending was a 'woooaaahhhh' jaw-dropping moment, but so clever!
Madison Harper is fast becoming a favourite character of mine! Her story really adds something to her character, and that is what I want from reading series.
Highly recommend.
September 9, 2022
I read this as a recommendation from a fellow bookstagrammer. It is the fifth in the Detective Madison Harper series; the first one I have read. Although there is a lot of tragedies the histories of the main characters, I think this does work well as a stand alone, although I was left with some unanswered questions about their background.
The snow is falling, Christmas is neigh, and a woman is found bludgeoned to death in her car in her parking lot; her young son in the backseat is untouched. After a second similar murder, Lost Creek, Colorado wonders if there is a serial killer afoot. Madison Harper, a detective who had spent years wrongly incarcerated is on the case, along with her new partner, who seems more a hindrance than a help Her father, a former fed who chased serial killers in Alaska, has recently reentered her life, as has her son. Supporting her is good friend and private investigator, Nate, someone also who was also wrongly imprisoned for a period of time.
This is a suspenseful, engrossing read. I stayed up late into the night to finish it. The main characters are damaged individuals striving to do their best. Some of aspects of the story strain credulity, but that didn’t take away from it. This is not a cozy mystery; there are some gruesome murders here.
I enjoyed this book. I don’t think I will go back and read the prior ones, but do look forward to the next one in the series.
The snow is falling, Christmas is neigh, and a woman is found bludgeoned to death in her car in her parking lot; her young son in the backseat is untouched. After a second similar murder, Lost Creek, Colorado wonders if there is a serial killer afoot. Madison Harper, a detective who had spent years wrongly incarcerated is on the case, along with her new partner, who seems more a hindrance than a help Her father, a former fed who chased serial killers in Alaska, has recently reentered her life, as has her son. Supporting her is good friend and private investigator, Nate, someone also who was also wrongly imprisoned for a period of time.
This is a suspenseful, engrossing read. I stayed up late into the night to finish it. The main characters are damaged individuals striving to do their best. Some of aspects of the story strain credulity, but that didn’t take away from it. This is not a cozy mystery; there are some gruesome murders here.
I enjoyed this book. I don’t think I will go back and read the prior ones, but do look forward to the next one in the series.
August 3, 2022
Wendy Dranfield's book Catch Her Death (Detective Madison Harper Book 5) is a hair-raising page-turner. The author is an expert at misdirecting readers who are desperately trying to figure out her plot twists. As one of my favorite novelist, Dranfield always delivers a bone-chilling story.
Synopsis:
As Christmas approaches in the small community of Lost Creek Colorado, a young child is found buckled in his car seat. Just inches from the little boy, his mother's lifeless body lies in the front seat of their car. Her attacker brutally bludgeoned her to death. Detective Madison Harper is called to investigate the horrific murder. Will Madison be able to track down the killer and bring them to justice before they strike again?
Catch Her Death grabs your attention from the first chapter. A blizzard is approaching during the holidays. Madison and her team must catch the killer of a mother murdered while her child watched. Is there anything scarier than that? In fact, there is, but you'll have to read the book to find out more. In her latest installment of the Detective Madison Harper series, Wendy Dranfield ticks off all the boxes of a suspenseful thriller.
Catch Her Death (Detective Madison Harper Book 5) by Wendy Dranfield is available on September 9th. (4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫)
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture, for sharing this exciting book with me. I enjoyed trying to figure out this wonderful whodunit! My goal is to read all of Wendy Dranfield's books by the end of next year!
Synopsis:
As Christmas approaches in the small community of Lost Creek Colorado, a young child is found buckled in his car seat. Just inches from the little boy, his mother's lifeless body lies in the front seat of their car. Her attacker brutally bludgeoned her to death. Detective Madison Harper is called to investigate the horrific murder. Will Madison be able to track down the killer and bring them to justice before they strike again?
Catch Her Death grabs your attention from the first chapter. A blizzard is approaching during the holidays. Madison and her team must catch the killer of a mother murdered while her child watched. Is there anything scarier than that? In fact, there is, but you'll have to read the book to find out more. In her latest installment of the Detective Madison Harper series, Wendy Dranfield ticks off all the boxes of a suspenseful thriller.
Catch Her Death (Detective Madison Harper Book 5) by Wendy Dranfield is available on September 9th. (4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫)
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture, for sharing this exciting book with me. I enjoyed trying to figure out this wonderful whodunit! My goal is to read all of Wendy Dranfield's books by the end of next year!
September 7, 2022
Many thanks to Bookouture, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Catch Her Death.
As snow falls on the small town of Lost Creek, Colorado, a three-year-old boy is found playing quietly in his car seat, his mother, as cold as ice, slumped against the steering wheel in front. Detective Madison Harper works around the clock, and in a blizzard, to figure out the identity of the serial killer terrorizing her small town!
Wow! Catch Her Death had me hooked from the beginning to the end! Honestly, I was resentful every time life demanded I put the book down! I loved Madison and her son, Owen. Because this was my first read of the series, I have to confess I found myself wanting to smack Nate once or twice when I felt he was being a twit. The pace of the story was so FAST and there were a lot of twists and turns - the biggest one being the identity of the killer!
Because I hadn't read the previous books, I still don't know how it came about that Madison had been falsely imprisoned but that was okay. I still feel this one can be read as a stand-alone. I highly recommend Catch Her Death. Readers who enjoy unputdownable thrillers will love this book!!
As snow falls on the small town of Lost Creek, Colorado, a three-year-old boy is found playing quietly in his car seat, his mother, as cold as ice, slumped against the steering wheel in front. Detective Madison Harper works around the clock, and in a blizzard, to figure out the identity of the serial killer terrorizing her small town!
Wow! Catch Her Death had me hooked from the beginning to the end! Honestly, I was resentful every time life demanded I put the book down! I loved Madison and her son, Owen. Because this was my first read of the series, I have to confess I found myself wanting to smack Nate once or twice when I felt he was being a twit. The pace of the story was so FAST and there were a lot of twists and turns - the biggest one being the identity of the killer!
Because I hadn't read the previous books, I still don't know how it came about that Madison had been falsely imprisoned but that was okay. I still feel this one can be read as a stand-alone. I highly recommend Catch Her Death. Readers who enjoy unputdownable thrillers will love this book!!
September 7, 2022
Catch Her Death is the fifth book in the Detective Madison Harper series and is a crime thriller featuring a police detective in Colorado. She has just been paired with a new partner to investigate the murder of a woman found in a mall parking lot, whith her three-year-old son left alive and crying in the car. Now Madison and her team have to determine the motive for this killing and decide if a serial killer could be on the loose in the small town of Lost Creek.
I've read all the books in this series and although the descriptions of the crimes are well outside the cozy realm, it is a well-written, entertaining series. Madison has been through a lot in her life, including being falsely imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit, but is getting her life back on track and proving herself as a detective. I'm a little disappointed that Madison and P.I. Nate Monroe, (her friend and potential love interest), didn't work together very much in this book. That is a shame because Madison and Nate are better together, both on and off the job! Madison's estranged father plays a large role in this book and he is a hard character to like. On the other hand, Madison's son Owen is also important to the story and he grows more likable with each book.
This book works as a standalone, but reading at least the first book in the series will give you more details and what Madison and Nate have been through and help you to appreciate where they are now in their lives.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Bookouture at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
I've read all the books in this series and although the descriptions of the crimes are well outside the cozy realm, it is a well-written, entertaining series. Madison has been through a lot in her life, including being falsely imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit, but is getting her life back on track and proving herself as a detective. I'm a little disappointed that Madison and P.I. Nate Monroe, (her friend and potential love interest), didn't work together very much in this book. That is a shame because Madison and Nate are better together, both on and off the job! Madison's estranged father plays a large role in this book and he is a hard character to like. On the other hand, Madison's son Owen is also important to the story and he grows more likable with each book.
This book works as a standalone, but reading at least the first book in the series will give you more details and what Madison and Nate have been through and help you to appreciate where they are now in their lives.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Bookouture at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
September 9, 2022
Welp.
She did it again. I read this in a matter of hours.
I. Could. Not. Put. It. Down.
Wendy Dranfield is a wizard. She sucks you in then spits you out. As one point I was cheering then once again she ripped out my frazzled heart. Her plots are so tight and they leave you with whiplash. I’m crossing my fingers that there’s a glimmer of hope at the end. For the love of all that is holy Wendy give me a dang bone. 😂
I love this author…she is a master of macabre. Bring on the next book. NOW. Please.
She did it again. I read this in a matter of hours.
I. Could. Not. Put. It. Down.
Wendy Dranfield is a wizard. She sucks you in then spits you out. As one point I was cheering then once again she ripped out my frazzled heart. Her plots are so tight and they leave you with whiplash. I’m crossing my fingers that there’s a glimmer of hope at the end. For the love of all that is holy Wendy give me a dang bone. 😂
I love this author…she is a master of macabre. Bring on the next book. NOW. Please.
July 29, 2025
obsessed but lost a star for the twist being too complicated
August 12, 2022
Catch Her Death is the fitfh book of Detective Madison Harper series and just like her previous book, this is a five starred book and a nail biting thriller that will put you on the edge.
It's almost Christmas Eve and a three year old boy was found in the car with his mother dead by the steering wheel. His mother had been brutally beaten to death. Madison Harper along with her colleague was called to the crime scene. Meanwhile, another woman was also found murdered in the similar fashion with a small boy playing next to her. As the investigation moves on, the detectives find that this case was similar to the ones that committed by an infamous serial killer back in 1990s--the one that Madison's father was investigating as a special Agent FBI. Meanwhile, Nate gets a Facebook message from someone from his past.
This was really an intriguing read! The author really does a good job of making the reader hook into the story and making the reader wrong whenever the reader would think that this was going to happen--which in other words means the author does a good job of surprising the reader with completely unexpected twists and turns! The story itself is fast paced and too many suspects to really know who could be the actually killer. I do like the relationship between Madison and Nate and how her relationship with her father grew towards the end. Overall, this book would take you on a rolle coaster ride and you wouldn't really want to put the book down. Guaranteed that this book will keep you up all night--worth five stars!
Cannot wait for the next book of Madison Harper series!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
It's almost Christmas Eve and a three year old boy was found in the car with his mother dead by the steering wheel. His mother had been brutally beaten to death. Madison Harper along with her colleague was called to the crime scene. Meanwhile, another woman was also found murdered in the similar fashion with a small boy playing next to her. As the investigation moves on, the detectives find that this case was similar to the ones that committed by an infamous serial killer back in 1990s--the one that Madison's father was investigating as a special Agent FBI. Meanwhile, Nate gets a Facebook message from someone from his past.
This was really an intriguing read! The author really does a good job of making the reader hook into the story and making the reader wrong whenever the reader would think that this was going to happen--which in other words means the author does a good job of surprising the reader with completely unexpected twists and turns! The story itself is fast paced and too many suspects to really know who could be the actually killer. I do like the relationship between Madison and Nate and how her relationship with her father grew towards the end. Overall, this book would take you on a rolle coaster ride and you wouldn't really want to put the book down. Guaranteed that this book will keep you up all night--worth five stars!
Cannot wait for the next book of Madison Harper series!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
August 19, 2022
Oh wow. I absolutely loved this book. Number 5 in the Madison Harper series and it's the best one yet!
When a woman is found brutally beaten to death with her young son left unhurt in the car, Madison has to find out who could do such a dreadful act. When a second woman is killed she finds herself in a race against time to find them before they kill again.
With a new partner to get to know and things still uncertain in her personal life this case gets very personal.
I was hooked from that haunting prologue and I absolutely raced through it. I had no idea who it was and it kept me reading late into the night trying to work it out.
I will happily recommend this book to all crime loving fans and I eagerly await the next one.
When a woman is found brutally beaten to death with her young son left unhurt in the car, Madison has to find out who could do such a dreadful act. When a second woman is killed she finds herself in a race against time to find them before they kill again.
With a new partner to get to know and things still uncertain in her personal life this case gets very personal.
I was hooked from that haunting prologue and I absolutely raced through it. I had no idea who it was and it kept me reading late into the night trying to work it out.
I will happily recommend this book to all crime loving fans and I eagerly await the next one.
August 10, 2022
Detective Madison Harper is called to the scene of a brutal murder, a young woman killed in front of her little boy. The body count rises quickly while Madison and her team race to find a killer it becomes clear that Madison’s dad has a connection to this case. This is a wild ride. Highly recommend reading the entire series as the back story to these characters is quite complex.
Can’t wait to see what happens next!
Can’t wait to see what happens next!
December 22, 2024
Za zaslání pokračování série s detektivem Madison Harper moc děkuju nakladatelství kniha Zlín a nakladatelství Albatros.
Lost Creek se ocitá pod sněhem a blíží se Vánoce. Ale k Madison se blíží něco daleko temnějšího a hrůznějšího než období klidu a míru. Musí zjistit kdo stojí za dvacet let starým případem, který mrazí až do morku kostí.
Musím říct, že jak jsem na začátku nebyla odvařena ze začínající série o Madison a Nateovi… v průběhu dílů se moje záliba stupňovala. A přiznávám, že pro mě byl tento díl zaručeně nejlepší.
„Chlape, ženským se uniformy líbí. Nemůžou si pomoct.“
Už jen tím, že nás autorka zavedla do hlubší minulosti Madison. Ale dala nám trochu i ze života Natea.
Ctivost je čím dál větší! Stačí nakouknout a hned máte knížku přečtenou, protože i díky kratším kapitolám. Navíc i samotný případ mě neuvěřitelně bavil a překvapil. Zvlášť když autorka naservíruje více možných pachatelů a stejně z vás udělá naprostého hlupáka na samotném konci!
V tomhle díle se stalo i více událostí ze kterých mám neuvěřitelnou radost. Potvrdil to i dopis od Wendy, který píše na závěr každé knihy a mám pocit jako kdyby byl přímo pro mě! Takže doufám v nějaký vývoj v dalších dílech.
Tentokrát bych mohla o knize povídat dlouho! Ale nechám na vás jak to zvládnete. Půjde totiž o život! A budete se bát. To vám zaručuji. Madison a Nate už na vás čekají!
Lost Creek se ocitá pod sněhem a blíží se Vánoce. Ale k Madison se blíží něco daleko temnějšího a hrůznějšího než období klidu a míru. Musí zjistit kdo stojí za dvacet let starým případem, který mrazí až do morku kostí.
Musím říct, že jak jsem na začátku nebyla odvařena ze začínající série o Madison a Nateovi… v průběhu dílů se moje záliba stupňovala. A přiznávám, že pro mě byl tento díl zaručeně nejlepší.
„Chlape, ženským se uniformy líbí. Nemůžou si pomoct.“
Už jen tím, že nás autorka zavedla do hlubší minulosti Madison. Ale dala nám trochu i ze života Natea.
Ctivost je čím dál větší! Stačí nakouknout a hned máte knížku přečtenou, protože i díky kratším kapitolám. Navíc i samotný případ mě neuvěřitelně bavil a překvapil. Zvlášť když autorka naservíruje více možných pachatelů a stejně z vás udělá naprostého hlupáka na samotném konci!
V tomhle díle se stalo i více událostí ze kterých mám neuvěřitelnou radost. Potvrdil to i dopis od Wendy, který píše na závěr každé knihy a mám pocit jako kdyby byl přímo pro mě! Takže doufám v nějaký vývoj v dalších dílech.
Tentokrát bych mohla o knize povídat dlouho! Ale nechám na vás jak to zvládnete. Půjde totiž o život! A budete se bát. To vám zaručuji. Madison a Nate už na vás čekají!
September 10, 2022
I'm already a huge fan of this series, having read all five books now, and I think it continues to go from strength to strength. I honestly think Catch Her Death is my favourite in the series so far!
Just before Christmas, a little boy is found unharmed in the back of a car, his mum dead in the front. Madison is tasked with investigating during one of the worst snowstorms they've had in a long time in the small town of Lost Creek. More bodies turn up, similar to the first, which could mean she has a serial killer on her hands.
This book was absolutely packed with tension that once I picked it up, I just couldn't put it down. I had to know what happened next!
The relationship between Madison and her PI friend Nate gets more and more complicated with each book. Will they get it together? Won't they? I'm very much looking forward to seeing what Wendy Dranfield has in store next for the pair.
The ending was just... wow. I'm still a bit emotional about it, to be honest!
Catch Her Death is a hard-hitting police procedural that pulls you in from that very first chapter and doesn't let up for a second throughout. I'm already eagerly awaiting the next book!
Just before Christmas, a little boy is found unharmed in the back of a car, his mum dead in the front. Madison is tasked with investigating during one of the worst snowstorms they've had in a long time in the small town of Lost Creek. More bodies turn up, similar to the first, which could mean she has a serial killer on her hands.
This book was absolutely packed with tension that once I picked it up, I just couldn't put it down. I had to know what happened next!
The relationship between Madison and her PI friend Nate gets more and more complicated with each book. Will they get it together? Won't they? I'm very much looking forward to seeing what Wendy Dranfield has in store next for the pair.
The ending was just... wow. I'm still a bit emotional about it, to be honest!
Catch Her Death is a hard-hitting police procedural that pulls you in from that very first chapter and doesn't let up for a second throughout. I'm already eagerly awaiting the next book!
September 5, 2022
This is the fifth book in the Detective Madison Harper series and is every bit as gripping as the previous four. It begins with a killer who murders a woman in a parking lot but leaves her small son alive. Straight away the story plunges you into the investigation. When a second woman is murdered under similar circumstances, Madison begins to wonder whether a serial killer is operating in Shadow Falls.
All the familiar faces are there: Madison and her team, her son Owen, father Bill who has recently returned from Alaska, as well as Nate Monroe and his dog Brody.
It's a complex plot. Nothing is as it seems. It's well written, with the usual twists and turns and red herrings which predictably take you in the wrong direction. One thing I love about Wendy's writing is the detail. It gives an authenticity that leaves the reader feeling they are actually there with Madison. Bill and Nate's sub plots dovetail in well to the main story, which as usual, ends with a situation that says Madison will be back. Wendy Dranfield at her best - a great five star read!
My thanks to Wendy Dranfield, Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC of Catch Her Death in exchange for an honest review.
All the familiar faces are there: Madison and her team, her son Owen, father Bill who has recently returned from Alaska, as well as Nate Monroe and his dog Brody.
It's a complex plot. Nothing is as it seems. It's well written, with the usual twists and turns and red herrings which predictably take you in the wrong direction. One thing I love about Wendy's writing is the detail. It gives an authenticity that leaves the reader feeling they are actually there with Madison. Bill and Nate's sub plots dovetail in well to the main story, which as usual, ends with a situation that says Madison will be back. Wendy Dranfield at her best - a great five star read!
My thanks to Wendy Dranfield, Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC of Catch Her Death in exchange for an honest review.
September 9, 2022
Madison is back. She’s getting a new partner and when she discovers who it is, she is not happy. She pays him back at the end of the book, a part I appreciated.
We learn more about Madison’s father and his backstory in this edition of the series. It’s the holidays and a sicko is knocking off moms while their young sons watch. It’s chilling and no thrilling this Christmas for Madison until she unravels the crime.
A major development between Nate and Madison occurs. Brody was a bit muted in the story, but Janine made up for that in spades. She was my favorite character because of her flippant, irreverent attitude.
Bring on the next!
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the early read.
We learn more about Madison’s father and his backstory in this edition of the series. It’s the holidays and a sicko is knocking off moms while their young sons watch. It’s chilling and no thrilling this Christmas for Madison until she unravels the crime.
A major development between Nate and Madison occurs. Brody was a bit muted in the story, but Janine made up for that in spades. She was my favorite character because of her flippant, irreverent attitude.
Bring on the next!
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the early read.
August 31, 2022
Madison Harper is back with a new and disturbing case to solve, and a new partner to work with. But unfortunately for her it's not the one she wants, in fact he's an outsider. Who thanks to Google knows all about her past and isn't the least bit impressed.
Yet, that's the least of Madison's problems. As its Christmas in Lost Creek and there's a serial killer targeting mothers with sons and when Madison's friend Kate is caught on a hot mic she appears to become the next target.
And just as things are going right in her private life with son Owen back, her dad no longer a stranger and her feelings growing ever stronger for Nate the man who helped prove her innocence cracks appear and as the murder investigation intensifies Madison starts to feel like she's more alone than ever before.
However, the answer to who this killer is could be closer than she thinks and with fantastic pacing, heartbreaking moments, and plenty of twists. This was a gripping read and it's a series that has just got better and better!
Furthermore, I really had no clue who the killer was, which is really the best compliment I can pay.
I would happily recommend Catch Her Death to others.
**I was kindly provided with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
Yet, that's the least of Madison's problems. As its Christmas in Lost Creek and there's a serial killer targeting mothers with sons and when Madison's friend Kate is caught on a hot mic she appears to become the next target.
And just as things are going right in her private life with son Owen back, her dad no longer a stranger and her feelings growing ever stronger for Nate the man who helped prove her innocence cracks appear and as the murder investigation intensifies Madison starts to feel like she's more alone than ever before.
However, the answer to who this killer is could be closer than she thinks and with fantastic pacing, heartbreaking moments, and plenty of twists. This was a gripping read and it's a series that has just got better and better!
Furthermore, I really had no clue who the killer was, which is really the best compliment I can pay.
I would happily recommend Catch Her Death to others.
**I was kindly provided with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
September 12, 2022
How am I just discovering this author!?! I loved “Catch Her Death!” It chilled me to the bone, and it was so scary I couldn’t read it right before bed.
“Catch Her Death,” is about a detective who is tasked with catching a serial killer who is killing moms in front of their children. While a very disturbing premise, it was not too much for me as a mom. I liked the main character, Detective Madison, so much that it was easy to be on her side. I also loved the element of her complicated relationship with her father.
The pacing of this book is great, and best of all- I didn’t figure out who the killer was! This is the perfect read for this “spooky” time of year! Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
“Catch Her Death,” is about a detective who is tasked with catching a serial killer who is killing moms in front of their children. While a very disturbing premise, it was not too much for me as a mom. I liked the main character, Detective Madison, so much that it was easy to be on her side. I also loved the element of her complicated relationship with her father.
The pacing of this book is great, and best of all- I didn’t figure out who the killer was! This is the perfect read for this “spooky” time of year! Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
September 1, 2022
Another brilliant book in one of my favourite series.
Madison is called out as a woman’s body has been found in her car and her baby son is strapped in his car seat trying to get her attention.
The woman has been beaten to death in front of her son so Madison is fuming and wants to catch this killer.
Another mother is soon found dead and again her young son is left next to her body.
This killer clearly has issues but Madison and the team have no leads to his identity.
There’s a few other things happening alongside the main story but I can’t mention them without spoiling it but I can say that there’s a few twists in store.
I love Madison and Nate and have followed the story from the beginning and just wish they’d get together!
A brilliant crime thriller that I’d highly recommend.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Madison is called out as a woman’s body has been found in her car and her baby son is strapped in his car seat trying to get her attention.
The woman has been beaten to death in front of her son so Madison is fuming and wants to catch this killer.
Another mother is soon found dead and again her young son is left next to her body.
This killer clearly has issues but Madison and the team have no leads to his identity.
There’s a few other things happening alongside the main story but I can’t mention them without spoiling it but I can say that there’s a few twists in store.
I love Madison and Nate and have followed the story from the beginning and just wish they’d get together!
A brilliant crime thriller that I’d highly recommend.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
September 17, 2022
I LOVE this series! This is the 5th book and they just get better. This book has so many twists and turns. I don't care for Madison's new partner at all. I like the relationship between her and Nate and hope it grows. I thank Netgalley for the advanced copy. I strongly recommend this book and the whole series. I can't wait for book 6!
September 18, 2022
WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW!!! BOOK 5 in the detective madison harper series was INCREDIBLE i think it is the BEST ONE IN THE SERIES SO FAR!!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS SERIES wendy dranfield blew this one out of the park!! so many twists and turns my mind was spinning i cannot wait for the next one!!!
February 19, 2023
fantastic
I can’t get enough of this series, I’m shattered there isn’t another one, hopefully in the future. Completely gripping series that sucks you in to wanting more.
I can’t get enough of this series, I’m shattered there isn’t another one, hopefully in the future. Completely gripping series that sucks you in to wanting more.
May 30, 2025
Hodnocení: 3,5/5 ✩
Musím přiznat, že tahle kniha pro mě byla zatím nejslabší z celé série – přestože téma sériového vraha slibovalo napínavý a temný příběh. V předchozích dílech autor dokázal překvapit nečekanými zvraty a udržet čtenáře v nejistotě, což jsem zde bohužel postrádala.
Zhruba od poloviny knihy mi bylo poměrně jasné, kdo je vrah – ačkoliv se autor snažil čtenáře zmást různými falešnými stopami a podezřelými postavami, tentokrát to na mě nefungovalo. Rozuzlení tak nepřineslo žádné překvapení, což mě trochu zklamalo, protože příběh měl určitý potenciál, který zůstal nevyužitý.
Další věcí, která mě vytrhovala z temné atmosféry vyšetřování, bylo množství romantického dramatu – místy působilo až přehnaně a odvádělo pozornost od hlavní linie příběhu.
Přesto zůstávám fanouškem série a doufám, že další díl opět naváže na silnější momenty z předchozích knih, které mě dokázaly nadchnout a vtáhnout do děje.
Musím přiznat, že tahle kniha pro mě byla zatím nejslabší z celé série – přestože téma sériového vraha slibovalo napínavý a temný příběh. V předchozích dílech autor dokázal překvapit nečekanými zvraty a udržet čtenáře v nejistotě, což jsem zde bohužel postrádala.
Zhruba od poloviny knihy mi bylo poměrně jasné, kdo je vrah – ačkoliv se autor snažil čtenáře zmást různými falešnými stopami a podezřelými postavami, tentokrát to na mě nefungovalo. Rozuzlení tak nepřineslo žádné překvapení, což mě trochu zklamalo, protože příběh měl určitý potenciál, který zůstal nevyužitý.
Další věcí, která mě vytrhovala z temné atmosféry vyšetřování, bylo množství romantického dramatu – místy působilo až přehnaně a odvádělo pozornost od hlavní linie příběhu.
Přesto zůstávám fanouškem série a doufám, že další díl opět naváže na silnější momenty z předchozích knih, které mě dokázaly nadchnout a vtáhnout do děje.
August 18, 2022
Once again, I was very happy to be back in Lost Creek, Colorado, invited to follow Detective Madison Harper's newest investigations. And once again, it was an enthralling story, full of twists, told in short chapters that made it very easy to decide to read "one more" several times in a row.
This time, we also learn more about Madison's father (who left Lost Creek to work for the FBI in Alaska when Madison was a teenager) and a serial killer he's been chasing for many years.
Obviously, it's another must-read for everyone who enjoyed the previous four books in the series. I think it would also work well for new readers, but I must warn those that mentions of previous events would spoil parts of the other books' plots if you started with this one.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This time, we also learn more about Madison's father (who left Lost Creek to work for the FBI in Alaska when Madison was a teenager) and a serial killer he's been chasing for many years.
Obviously, it's another must-read for everyone who enjoyed the previous four books in the series. I think it would also work well for new readers, but I must warn those that mentions of previous events would spoil parts of the other books' plots if you started with this one.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2022
Catch Her Death (Detective Madison Harper Book 5) by Wendy Dranfield starts off with a bang. A woman is killed in her home as her 4-year-old son is a witness. Then, in the mall parking lot, another woman is found with her son alive in the back seat. I liked the 1998 case and Madison's father remembering that time in his life and how the cases converged. Madison's journey keeps getting better and better.
Catch Her Death has very well-developed characters that are relatable and believable. The plot was interesting and played out well. It is a captivating serial killer story that takes the reader on a breathtaking journey that doesn't let up until the very end. Catch Her Death did have a sad ending. Also, reading the author's note, it was sad that her cat died while she was writing this book.
I would recommend this book and this series. I would rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars because there were 32 instances of characters "raising their eyebrows," which got distracting at times when the same facial expression was being used, and it got tedious for me. But, overall, the story was great, and I really like this author and her writing style.
#CatchHerDeathDetectiveMadisonHarperBook5 #NetGalley @bookouture
Catch Her Death has very well-developed characters that are relatable and believable. The plot was interesting and played out well. It is a captivating serial killer story that takes the reader on a breathtaking journey that doesn't let up until the very end. Catch Her Death did have a sad ending. Also, reading the author's note, it was sad that her cat died while she was writing this book.
I would recommend this book and this series. I would rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars because there were 32 instances of characters "raising their eyebrows," which got distracting at times when the same facial expression was being used, and it got tedious for me. But, overall, the story was great, and I really like this author and her writing style.
#CatchHerDeathDetectiveMadisonHarperBook5 #NetGalley @bookouture
August 13, 2022
This is the fifth book in the Madison Harper series by author Wendy Dranfield. This series is growing on me and the more I read the more I like it. Madison Harper is a complicated character which nearly always makes an interesting read. The author comes up with intriguing plot, fascinating characters and lots of twists and surprises and ‘Catch her Death’ is no different.
A car is discovered with the body of a dead woman and her young son still alive strapped into his child seat. It appears the woman was brutally murdered while her three year old boy was inches away. Detective Madison Harper is called to investigate the horrific murder, is this a random killing or is the killer going to strike again. Madison and her team must act fast to stop any possible repeat of this horrific crime and bring the killer to justice.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
A car is discovered with the body of a dead woman and her young son still alive strapped into his child seat. It appears the woman was brutally murdered while her three year old boy was inches away. Detective Madison Harper is called to investigate the horrific murder, is this a random killing or is the killer going to strike again. Madison and her team must act fast to stop any possible repeat of this horrific crime and bring the killer to justice.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
November 6, 2022
Catch Her Death
OMG. I could not put this book down. This book is full of suspense and excitement. This is a must read book if you love thrillers. I highly recommend this book. Can't wait for the next book In this series.
OMG. I could not put this book down. This book is full of suspense and excitement. This is a must read book if you love thrillers. I highly recommend this book. Can't wait for the next book In this series.
September 12, 2022
Absolutely brilliant, a compelling serial killer tale but with so much more. I have enjoyed this series so far so had high expectations for this book and my hopes were more than surpassed.
A killer is targeting women who are accompanied by their young sons but is leaving the child untouched physically, albeit psychologically traumatised. The detective on the case has a great backstory and has recently become reunited with her father but the case becomes much more of a family affair than you would’ve imagined.
The action is tense and exciting and there are various twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. The whole thing is also an intense emotional rollercoaster and I did cry several times! I can’t say much more without giving spoilers but I would wholeheartedly recommend this, both as a stand-alone but also a real treat at the background storylines unfold further so worth reading them all in sequence for the full effect. Brilliant, thank you.
A killer is targeting women who are accompanied by their young sons but is leaving the child untouched physically, albeit psychologically traumatised. The detective on the case has a great backstory and has recently become reunited with her father but the case becomes much more of a family affair than you would’ve imagined.
The action is tense and exciting and there are various twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. The whole thing is also an intense emotional rollercoaster and I did cry several times! I can’t say much more without giving spoilers but I would wholeheartedly recommend this, both as a stand-alone but also a real treat at the background storylines unfold further so worth reading them all in sequence for the full effect. Brilliant, thank you.
September 22, 2022
Oh this is an absolutely brilliant, extremely addictive read. I'm hooked to this series and will read anything by this author and this book - wow! One of the best I've read this year. Five stars are not enough.
August 5, 2022
Oh my goodness I cannot believe what I have just read, a brilliant fast paced thriller read in this series that just get better and better.
I just love this Madison/Nate series and I think this is the best one yet, it kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning until the very last page, sad in parts but what an absolute brilliant ending it was. I just hope that Madison and Nate get together some time soon and I am hoping Detective Adams will be in the next book too, who knows?
I have no hesitation in recommending this brilliant book, well done Wendy a very worthy five+ star read from me and I look forward to Detective Madison Harper Book 6, just don't keep us waiting too long!
I just love this Madison/Nate series and I think this is the best one yet, it kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning until the very last page, sad in parts but what an absolute brilliant ending it was. I just hope that Madison and Nate get together some time soon and I am hoping Detective Adams will be in the next book too, who knows?
I have no hesitation in recommending this brilliant book, well done Wendy a very worthy five+ star read from me and I look forward to Detective Madison Harper Book 6, just don't keep us waiting too long!
August 8, 2022
WOW! Amazing book in this fabulous series. Someone is killing mothers but leaving their child alive beside them. Madison and Nate have their work cut out for them. Love the characters. Love this Author’s writing. Please write faster. Thanks to NetGalley, Bookoutre and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews