Last Chance Investigation

Sierra's Web #12

by Tara Taylor Quinn

USA TODAY  bestselling author

Haunted by his last case…

And his first love!

When a message in a bottle points to the possible copycat case of a just-solved crime, Detective Levi Griggs is determined to find closure and the potential new victim. Even if at the case’s center lies Kelly Chase—the woman who shattered his heart.

Renowned psychiatrist Kelly certainly doesn’t expect to find herself pursuing a mystery with the high school love she left behind. But as she and Levi untangle the past, they’re running out of time in the present…

From Harlequin Romantic Danger. Passion. Drama.

Feel the excitement in these uplifting romances, part of the Sierra's Web

Book 1: His Lost and Found Family
Book 2: Reluctant Roommates
Book 3: Tracking His Secret Child
Book 4: Her Best Friend's Baby
Book 5: Cold Case Sheriff
Book 6: The Bounty Hunter's Baby Search
Book 7: On the Run with His Bodyguard
Book 8: Their Secret Twins
Book 9: Old Dogs, New Truths
Book 10: Not Without Her Child
Book 11: A Firefighter's Hidden Truth
Book 12: Last Chance Investigation
Book 13: A Family-First Christmas
Book 14: Danger on the River
Book 15: Deadly Mountain Rescue

Genres: Romantic Suspense

277 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2023

About the author

Tara Taylor Quinn began her love affair with Harlequin when she was fourteen years old and picked up a free promotional copy of a Harlequin Romance in a hometown grocery store. The relationship was solidified the year she was suspended from her high school typing class for hiding a Harlequin Romance behind the keys of her electric typewriter. Unaware that her instructor loomed close by, Ms. Quinn read blissfully on with one finger resting on the automatic repeating period key. She finished the book in the principal’s office. Forced to leave her romances in her locker after that, Ms. Quinn’s typing skills improved - a fact for which she is eternally grateful.

With over 80 original novels, published in more than twenty languages, Tara Taylor Quinn is a USA Today bestselling author with more than seven million copies sold. She is a winner of the 2008 National Reader's Choice Award, four time finalist for the RWA Rita Award, a finalist for the Reviewer’s Choice Award, the Bookseller’s Best Award, the Holt Medallion and appears regularly on the Waldenbooks bestsellers list. Ms. Quinn writes for Harlequin and MIRA Books. Reviewer, Cindy Penn, wordweaving.com says, “Amazing character development is the hallmark of author Tara Taylor Quinn’s work. Indeed, Taylor’s profound observations of human nature and intimate understanding of values and priorities lends extraordinary psychological depth to all her work.”

Tara Taylor Quinn was born and raised in Ohio. Though she wrote her first story at the age of seven, her professional writing career began ten years later when she was hired as a stringer with the Dayton Daily News in Dayton, Ohio. She attended Wright State University and graduated from Harding College in Arkansas with a degree in English and Journalism. She published several magazine articles before turning to writing as a full-time occupation.

Ms. Quinn is a Past President of the Romance Writers of America and served for eight years on the Board of Directors of that association. She has a wide range of experience as a public speaker and workshop presenter for writers groups around the country.

When she’s not home with her owners, Jerry Lee and Taylor Marie, or fulfilling speaking engagements, Tara loves to travel with her husband, stopping wherever the spirit takes them. They’ve been spotted in casinos and quaint little small town antique shops all across the country..

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book with an unusual storyline. Levi was the detective who solved a fifteen-year-old case, ending the life of a man who had kept a woman prisoner for many years. Unfortunately, the man killed his victim before Levi could free her and shot Levi. As the book opens, Levi is recovering from his injury and dealing with the guilt he feels about the victim's death. He's surprised when the sheriff shows up with a new clue like the ones in the case he just closed. He's stunned when he finds out who discovered it.

Kelly returned to Idlewood for the first time in thirteen years to clean out and sell the cabin she inherited from her grandparents. She has mixed feelings about the house, many tied up in the memories of her high school boyfriend, Levi. Kelly left the town and Levi behind when she went to college and pursued her dream. Now, she is a psychiatrist who works with law enforcement in Arizona. The last thing she expected was to get involved in chasing a mystery with Levi.

This was an intriguing story. As Levi and Kelly get into the investigation, they explore multiple possibilities. The notes could be from a copycat, with another victim hidden in the hills. It could be a stalker focused on Kelly, either by chance or as retribution for a case she has worked on before. It could be another victim reaching out for help. Levi and Kelly have differing ideas of who it is and must keep their minds open as they work together to uncover the truth. The conclusion had a twist I didn't see coming and had me on the edge of my seat until it was over.

I enjoyed watching the rekindling of Levi and Kelly's relationship. Neither had forgotten the other, and their chemistry was evident from the moment they met. However, Kelly has her life and career far from small town Idlewood, and Levi has never wanted to live elsewhere. They couldn't deny the attraction that still flared between them or the connection they felt. Both fight their feelings, knowing nothing can come of it. I liked seeing them get to know each other as adults, and especially liked Levi's growing respect for Kelly's abilities. I ached for them both when the case was over, knowing they each had lives that were far apart. I loved the ending and their plan for the future.

[Harlequin Books]

Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Suspense
Miniseries
Sierra's Web (Book #12)