Series: Callahan County Cold Case (Book 1)
Reunited lovers join forces to battle a killer. The
disappearance of 16 year old Mallory Jameson fifteen years ago shook the rural
mountain communities of Callahan County Colorado. When a hiker discovers
Mallory's remains, investigating the cold case reunites Sheriff's Deputy DJ
Harris with the woman he never forgot - and a danger that threatens what he
holds most dear.
Terrific start to the trilogy. I was sucked right into
the story and read it and the two others straight through. They certainly made
my trans-Atlantic flight "fly" right by. Each book deals with the
cold case investigation of Mallory Jameson's murder, but also has a new mystery
that is solved by the end of the book. All were gripping tales.
Lauren is a counselor at the high school she attended as
a student. She loves helping students plan their futures. I enjoyed seeing the
interactions between her and her students. It's evident that they love and
respect her. Her life had changed, and not for the better when her older sister
disappeared, and her high school counselor had a significant impact on her
life. I ached for Lauren as I read about how she was pretty much ignored by her
parents after Mallory's disappearance. The bright spot in her life was her
growing friendship with the school "bad boy" Donny Harris until he
was sent away.
Deputy DJ Harris came back to Diamond Springs after
turning his life around. I liked hearing about what changed his outlook and how
he turned it into positive action. It was pretty sweet to hear him tell Lauren about
what brought him back home, in spite of the bad memories that were there.
The story opened as DJ sat in front of Lauren's condo,
reminiscing on Mallory's disappearance as he works up to telling her that
Mallory's remains were found by a hiker. I liked his concern for her, the care
he used in telling her the news, and his willingness to help her through what
happens next. I was impressed by Lauren's calmness as she heard what he had to
say, and her need for the closure of seeing Mallory's remains. I loved the
scene at the coffee shop, as DJ gives Lauren a chance to process everything
before going home alone. I liked seeing them both remember their past
friendship and had to laugh at DJ's shock when she told him about her crush on
him. He never thought someone as good as her would even look twice at someone
like him. He was even more surprised by her emphatic belief that he was a good
person who just needed a chance.
I really liked the development of Lauren and DJ's
relationship. It didn't take long for their old friendship to reassert itself.
DJ's protectiveness kicked in with the threats against Lauren, and Lauren found
it very easy to trust him. The chemistry was clear between them, and I enjoyed
seeing Lauren take the lead in giving in to it. Both of them had grown up in
difficult circumstances giving them a solid empathy for each other and ease of
understanding each other's motivations. I loved the ending and Lauren's belief
that DJ would be there for her.
The suspense of the story was excellent. It starts with
the discovery of Mallory's remains, and the sheriff's department's
determination to solve the cold case. There are very few clues to go on,
leaving them to start nearly from the beginning. Things get more complicated
when Lauren begins receiving letters that are eerily like the ones her sister
received before her disappearance. The tension escalates when the note-leaver
breaks into Lauren's home to leave one of the notes. The attacks feel personal,
and several people are possible suspects. I was on the edge of my seat as the
book progressed and the intensity grew. The final confrontation itself was a
nail-biter, though the bad guy wasn't a complete surprise. I loved that a
sharp-eyed student played an essential role in Lauren's rescue.
The secondary characters are all well done. DJ's fellow
law enforcement officers show their determination to solve Mallory's murder and
also keep Lauren safe. I liked the scenes that showed their actions and thought
processes. Lauren's friend Mia was terrific. I enjoyed her teasing Lauren about
DJ, but also that she was right there when Lauren needed the support. I
especially liked the two students that we got to see. Sophie is exactly the
type of student that Lauren became a counselor to help. I ached for what she
was going through and loved that talking to Lauren gave her the strength she
needed to succeed. I liked Lauren's support of Trey and his plans for the
future, and her willingness to stand up to his parents to make them see past
their own desires. Jessica was a bit of comic relief with her over-the-top
reactions to the discovery of Mallory's remains. Her ability to make it all
about her made me shake my head in disbelief. The newspaper editor was a pain
in the neck. I hated the way he harassed Lauren and made snide comments about
DJ and the sheriff's department. I completely empathized with both Lauren and
DJ and their desire to inflict bodily harm on the man.
When I finished this book I was happy that I had the next
one so that I could see what was going to happen next.
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