Wild Hearts by Sharon Sala

Book Description:
Past Sins Cast a Long Shadow 

Dallas Phillips refuses to believe her father committed suicide, even though things were tough on his farm and he was deeply in debt. When she hears he'd told a neighbor about an upcoming windfall, she grows suspicious, and her suspicion only deepens when she realizes someone is lurking in the nearby mountains after dark. 

For help, she turns to Trey Jakes, local police chief—and her former lover. As they begin to investigate, another mystery comes to light. Trey's mother is beginning to remember events from thirty years ago, something shadowy that happened in the mountains, and Dallas's father was there, too. Is what happened that night connected to his "suicide"? As they search for the truth, Trey and Dallas struggle to fight their attraction, but they may not be able to fend off another force—a killer who's more than willing to kill again to make sure old secrets stay buried.

My Thoughts:
Great book!  Why would a killer come back after 30 years for people who were drunk teenagers and can't remember what they witnessed?  He wouldn't unless he needs to hide his skeletons.  Dallas doesn't believe her father committed suicide and no one can convince her otherwise.  When she discovers his plan to keep the farm out of foreclosure, she knows there is more to his death than anyone knows.  Trey is the local police chief and he and Dallas have a past.  He can't say no when she asks for help, even if it brings a killer after them.
I absolutely love Dallas.  She is strong and determined on many, many levels.  I love how she was going to save her father's farm in his way.  The mountain people are always amazing and I adore how they came to Dallas' aid.  Trey was great, strong man.  He was awesome with his family and their interactions were a great addition to the story. There was plenty of suspense and the story never slowed down.
Solid 5/5.  Great start to a new series from an awesome author!

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this book (via Netgalley).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Admit to Mayhem by DJ Adamson

Book Description:
With a contrary attitude and an addiction for independence, Lillian Dove admits she has not been a success in life. In fact, she considers failing as one of her addictions. Yet, when she comes across a suspicious house fire with a history of arson and murder, she instinctively attempts to help someone trapped. Lillian becomes the only possible eyewitness to criminal arson, and her life begins to spiral out of control. 

Lillian Dove is an endearing “everywoman” struggling with life issues, emotional complexities and a habit of doing just the opposite of what she’s told to do. These qualities in a heroine give the reader an ability to vicariously struggle along with the protagonist in this intriguing Midwest Noir mystery.

My Thoughts:
This was an intriguing book.  Lillian hasn't been perfect in life but she is still human.  When she thinks she hears someone trapped in a fire, she tries to help.  Then she is the only witness to arson and everything in her life changes.
The author does a good job with the mystery portion of this book.  It is orchestrated so that it flows well and goes through the book.  I liked that Lillian wasn't a perfect person.  She had a past, she had personal issues, and she dealt with both.  She tries to be better, and knows she has issues but has a sense of right and wrong.  I will absolutely be reading more from this author.
It was a 4/5 for me.  Good writing of a mystery.

Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book (via PUYB).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Stand by Becky Johnson

Book Description:
Charlotte Marshall survived a nightmare. But moving forward past the trauma is a daily battle. Self-defense training, a high security home, and a trusted circle of family and friends help her improve. But fear still lives. Charlotte can’t lean on ritual and routine forever. She must stand on her own. 
Desperate to move on Charlotte finds hope in volunteering with FindMe, an organization dedicated to finding people who are missing and helping their families. Her first case ends up being more than she bargained for and Charlotte soon learns that a little hope can be a dangerous thing. 
She is strong. She is smart. But new threats come. A new danger lurks. Someone evil wants to destroy her.
The FBI has no answers.
A man is missing. His family deserves the truth.
But Charlotte is not alone in this new quest. Her sparring partner, Skeet, is far more complicated than he appears. Together they search for a missing man and discover that death is never far away. Death haunts, the truth taunts, and answers are just out of reach.
Charlotte will have to choose to stand and fight or to give in to the fear that waits for her.

My Thoughts:
Great continuation of the series!  This book picks up a few months after the first book in the series 'Run'.  Char hasn't gotten over what she went through but wants to move past it.  New home, self-defense, and surrounded by family/friends, this is how she is coping.  Then she starts volunteering, looking into missing persons cases and her first one pulls her in.
I loved how realistic the author made the main character in Run and she just continued that in this book.  The story was great, there was plenty of mystery and suspense throughout.  The author made you feel for the families of the missing and see how hope is a good and bad thing.  Add to it, the past coming back to haunt you!  I will absolutely read more from this author.
This is a 5/5 for me.  I loved reading more about Char.
Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book (via PUYB).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Run by Becky Johnson

Book Description:
A decades old mystery and a deadly game of cat and mouse will change Charlotte Marshall forever.
Charlotte has a good life: friends, family, a successful career. Her perfect life is destroyed when research for a book and a connection from her past plunges her into the middle of her worst nightmare. 
On the run, with no one to trust, Charlotte begins to unravel the work of a sadistic murderer. Afraid and alone, she will learn the meaning of trust and just when to run.

My Thoughts:
Good book. Charlotte is a writer. She is under a deadline and has zero ideas when she remembers a news story she heard when she was young. A young girl found dead where she lived. Research leads to her conclusion that there is/was a serial killer. With this information, she is in his sights and she must run.
I really liked how the author wrote Charlotte. She wasn't an always have it together female. She wasn't scatterbrained either. She had honest to goodness reactions to events. The story flows well and is really good. There were enough questions left unanswered that you will want to read the next book to find the answers.
This was a 5/5. It is a quick, suspense read that I really enjoyed!

Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book (via PUYB).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Breaker's Reef by Terri Blackstock

Book Description

A Cape Refuge teenager is dead . . .

Then another body is found . . .

Will Sadie Caruso be the next to die?

When a famous mystery writer moves to Cape Refuge, ex-con Sheila Caruso-mother to Sadie and Caleb-is thrilled to get a job working for him. But when a teenage girl is found murdered, Sheila discovers that a scene in one of the eccentric writer's novels matches the crime scene. Exactly.

Then a second dead girl is discovered by Police Chief Cade and Blair Owens. And when this murder mirrors a scene in another of the writer's books, Cade is drawn into a web of trickery and deceit. Shockingly, evidence turns up in Cade's truck-evidence that points to Cade himself as the number one suspect!

Cade tries to clear his name, but when eighteen-year-old Sadie Caruso disappears, tensions mount to a fever pitch. Can Cade find the real killer before Sadie winds up dead? Is the author a demented killer or a hapless victim? And what does Sadie's own mother have to do with the crimes? Secrets are uncovered while lessons are learned about the sins of the fathers being visited upon their children. Will the consequences of Sheila's poor choice in life be fatal, or is there redemption and mercy for her and her children?

My Thoughts:

Good suspense.  When a teenager is murdered, it looks suspiciously like the story of the new mystery writer in town.  Still, Cade isn't convinced and since it is his investigation, he looks further.  Another teenager is found and evidence then points to Cade as the murderer!  A teen girl he knows goes missing and Cade has to find the real killer to save the girl and clear his name.
There was plenty of mystery and suspense through this story.  Cade is still a great character.  I enjoyed revisiting all the characters already from the series and meeting the new ones.  I did figure everything out before the end of the book, but it was still enjoyable to read.  If you have read the series to this point, you have to read this book.  If you haven't, I say start with the first book!
4/5.  This was a good addition to the series.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this book (via BookLook).  I received this book in exchange for a review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.