Midnight Dunes by Laura Griffin - ARC Review

After a scandal derails her television reporting career, Macey Burns comes looking for a change of pace in Lost Beach, Texas. She’s ready to focus on her first passion—documentary filmmaking—and has a new job working for the island’s tourism board, shooting footage of the idyllic beachside community. Her plans for a relaxing rebound are dashed when she realizes the cottage she’s renting belonged to the woman whose body was just found in the sand dunes.

Detective Owen Breda is under intense pressure to solve this murder. Violent crimes are rising in his small town, and he can’t stand to see anyone else hurt…especially not the beautiful documentarian who keeps crossing paths with him.

With the clock ticking, cameras rolling, and body count climbing, Macey and Owen must use all their resources to find the killer without getting caught in the crosshairs.

Laura Griffin titles are like catnip for me.  They just are.  One appears for me to read, and who cares if I am reading about murder while drinking hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music, I am not waiting to read it.

Macey and Owen.  She is in town briefly (isn't that what they all say?) and her attraction to Owen is instant, although this book is far from instalove and rather is about 2 people who are attracted to one another, but remain their own people and figure out a way to make that work for them as a couple.

I also liked that Macey's past was not allowed to define her.  Yes, it was there, and it was why she was no longer employed in her former profession, but it wasn't something she had to keep dwelling on...she was making efforts to move forward, and the book allowed her to do so.

For some reason, Joel from the previous book left me wanting to know what happens next for him and Miranda, and as he is Owen's brother, he fits naturally into this story, making him excellent for the plot and giving him almost an extra epilogue from his title.

There's also a pretty compelling murder mystery going on in this one, although it's almost like it's one of the main characters.  It never feels like it's pushed to the side, but it also never feels like too much focus was placed on the suspense portion of the novel.  It's balanced well between the romance and the suspense.

I enjoyed and recommend this title.

Laura Griffin's Author Website

Pre-Order this Title - Releases May 22, 2022

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Flight by Laura Griffin- ARC Review

When former forensic photographer Miranda Rhoads moves to the seaside town of Lost Beach, she's decided to make her living as a wildlife photographer and put crime scenes behind her. But her plans are quickly upended when one morning, she comes across a couple sleeping in a canoe, entwined in an embrace. Looking closer, she realizes the man and woman aren't asleep – they've been murdered.

Detective Joel Breda sets out to find answers – not only about the unidentified victims in the marshy death scene, but also about the aloof and beautiful photographer who seems to know more about his investigation than he does.

As they begin to unravel the motivation of a merciless serial killer, Miranda and Joel must race against the clock to make an arrest before the killer can find them first.

Hidden by Laura Griffin - ARC Review

When a woman is found brutally murdered on Austin's lakeside hike-and-bike trail, investigative reporter Bailey Rhoads turns up on the scene demanding access and answers. She tries to pry information out of the lead detective, Jacob Merritt. But this case is unlike any he's ever seen, and nothing adds up.

Bailey has a hunch the victim wasn't who she claimed to be and believes this mugging-turned-murder could have been a targeted hit. When she digs deeper, the trail leads her to a high-tech fortress on the outskirts of Austin where researchers are pushing the boundaries of a cutting-edge technology that could be deadly in the wrong hands.

As a ruthless hit man's mission becomes clear, Bailey and Jacob must embark on a desperate search to locate the next target before the clock ticks down on this lethal game of hide and seek.

Her Deadly Secrets by Laura Griffin - ARC Review

Private Investigator Kira Vance spends her days navigating the intricate labyrinth of Houston’s legal world, and she knows all of its shadowy players and dark secrets.

On a seemingly normal day, she’s delivering a report to her top client when suddenly everything goes sideways and the meeting ends in a bloodbath. Twenty-four hours later, the police have no suspects but one thing is clear: a killer has Kira in his sights.

Fiercely independent, Kira doesn’t expect—or want—help from anyone, least of all an unscrupulous lawyer and his elite security team. Instead, she launches her own investigation, hoping to uncover the answers that have eluded the police. But as Kira’s hunt for clues becomes more and more perilous, she realizes that she alone may hold the key to finding a vicious murderer. And she knows she must take help wherever she can find it if she wants to stay alive.

There's a reason Laura Griffin's titles are favorites of mine...and, it's books like this one.  I am a picky reader (yes, this is a surprise to no one) and when there's a new book by her in my hands, I know it's going to be a good read.

Kira is wonderful, and interesting, and the story is very engaging.  I love that the main character in this is a strong, but also vulnerable, woman.  She's likeable, and you want things to go well for her, and from the very first scene (which gives you a pretty good idea how the rest of the story is going to go) you are worried about her, and how she is going to get out of the mess she finds herself in.

I enjoy romantic suspense when it has characters in law enforcement, detectives, private investigators, all of it.  And, when Laura Griffin writes them, they are interesting, the characters...well, you care about them from the beginning.

This one is twisty, and it kept me guessing.  I was really positive I knew what was going on in this.  I didn't.  I was totally wrong.  By the end, I had figured it out, and it made sense, but I was not right in the middle.  And, this was a lot of fun.

As always with a Laura Griffin title, I enjoyed and recommend this title.

Buy This Book!

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Stone Cold Heart by Laura Griffin - ARC Review

When local rock climbers stumble upon abandoned human bones in a remote Texas gorge, Sara Lockhart is the first to get the call. She has a reputation as one of the nation’s top forensic anthropologists, and police detective Nolan Hess knows she is just the expert he needs to help unravel this case. Although evidence is scarce, Nolan suspects the bones belong to a teenage climber who vanished last summer.

But as Sara unearths strange clues, she finds chilling similarities to a case from her past—a case that now threatens to rock Nolan’s community. While Sara digs deep for answers, the stakes rise higher as another young woman disappears without a trace. Investigators work against the clock as Sara races to discover the truth, even if her harrowing search brings her face to face with a stone-cold killer.

DESPERATE GIRLS BY LAURA GRIFFIN - ARC REVIEW

Defense attorney Brynn Holloran is right at home among cops, criminals, and tough-as-nails prosecutors. With her sharp wit and pointed words, she has a tendency to intimidate, and she likes it that way. She’s a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom, but in her personal life, she’s a mess.

When a vicious murderer she once helped prosecute resurfaces and starts a killing spree to wipeout those who put him behind bars, one thing becomes clear: Brynn needs to run for her life.

With no help from the police, Brynn is forced to take matters into her own hands, turning to a private security firm for protection. But when Brynn defies advice and gets involved in the investigation, even the former Secret Service agent assigned to protect her may not be able to keep her safe. With every new clue she discovers, Brynn is pulled back into the vortex of a disturbing case from her past.

As the clock ticks down on a manhunt, Brynn’s desperate search for the truth unearths long-buried secrets and reignites a killer’s fury.

I am not a fan of spoilers, and while you find it out quickly, the hero's name, and role in the story, are not in the blurb. so I am going to be careful with this review.

Laura Griffin always tells an interesting story, and one that you believe.  The trick, I think, to writing romantic suspense is having characters that believe their situation...and acknowledge that making out in the elevator after being chased through the streets of (insert city) and, in this book, they get it, they resist the attraction, and then when they act on it, you believe it.

This book, as you find out in the blurb, is about a woman who is on the top of her game professionally and who really doesn't believe the threat against her is real and that the security is necessary.  As it becomes more clear that the threat is real, Brynn becomes more determined to be a part of figuring out what is happening, and of figuring out how to get herself out of the situation...which causes more issues than it solves.

The romance in this is real, and I loved the ending.  I love it when a romance works with the characters, and the lives they lead, and figures out a way to still make it work.  It works in this one, I enjoyed it, and I recommend it.

BUY THIS BOOK!

AMAZON

TOUCH OF RED BY LAURA GRIFFIN ARC REVIEW

When crime scene investigator Brooke Porter arrives at the home of a murdered woman, the only thing more shocking than the carnage is the evidence that someone escaped the scene. But where is this witness now? A thorough search of the area yields more questions than answers, and before Brooke even packs up her evidence kit, she’s made it her goal to find the witness and get them out of harm’s way.

Homicide detective Sean Byrne has seen his share of bloody crime scenes, but this one is particularly disturbing, especially because Brooke Porter is smack in the middle of it. Sean has had his eye on the sexy CSI for months, and he’s determined to help her with her current case—even if it means putting his attraction on hold so he and Brooke can track down a murderer. But as the investigation—and their relationship—heats up, Sean realizes that keeping his work and his personal life separate is more complicated than he ever imagined; especially when the killer sets his sights on Brooke.

Laura Griffin has a talent with romantic suspense.  The balance of the suspense elements and the romance work in such a way that they feel totally natural, like they are actually two people who have met through work and are attracted to one another.

Sean and Brooke see each other at crime scenes and work situations.  She works as a CSI and he is a homicide detective, and the fact that they are both in the same world, so to speak, makes their reactions seem realistic.  Would they be able to put the things they see during the day behind them?  Well, to a certain extent, doing this is a part of their jobs, so when they put it aside for the romantic portions of the story, it feels real as you believe the transition.

The romance isn't the focus of the story, but the balance is such that you are invested in the relationship and in the case they are trying to solve. The tension given to the relationship through the tension of the case is also, as always, compelling.

Laura Griffin is a favorite of mine, as I know that when I pick up one of her stories, I will get a believable romantic suspense in which I can invest in the romance and in the suspense.

I recommend this title.

 

Book links for TOUCH OF RED:
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COVER OF NIGHT BY LAURA GRIFFIN-ARC REVIEW

Sparks fly when a journalist and a Navy SEAL cross paths in Thailand in this third entry in the thrilling and sexy Alpha Crew series from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.

Journalist Karly Bonham is on her first overseas mission, covering the new United States ambassador to Thailand, when she is taken hostage by terrorists, with only her wits and courage to keep her alive—until help arrives in the form of Navy SEAL Ethan Dunn.

As part of an elite SEAL team called Alpha Crew, Ethan has been on countless harrowing missions, but he knows this one is different the instant he meets Karly—the sexy young reporter who somehow managed to escape the terrorists’ clutches. Ethan is impressed by her, especially when he learns she has intel that could be the key to a successful rescue op. Ethan knows working with a civilian raises the stakes on an already dangerous mission. But with the clock ticking down, he enlists Karly’s help to thwart a vicious plot and bring a terrorist mastermind to justice.

I enjoyed this book. Karly and Ethan meet under intense circumstances, and share a connection. And, I loved that while that connection was acknowledged, it really was never inappropriate or to such a degree where I felt that it didn't make sense that the events would occur, no sex against the wall during the gun fights or other silliness that just made no sense.

I liked their relationship, and the idea that it was a one night stand, at first. And then it was a 2 night stand, and then it was more. This followed and felt real. The way the aftermath of what Karly experienced is handled also felt authentic. While not going into any details, and not giving anything away, I felt like she acted as someone who had been in a hostage situation would. I found this to not only be realistic, but also interesting.

I liked the way the book ended, after a second or so. It is a little abrupt, and at first I found myself wanting more, an epilogue, a further story, a what happens next...something. But, I have all I needed. I decided the reason I wanted more was that I genuinely liked the story, and Ethan, and I wanted to see what happened to them and wanted more of them.

Not a bad way to leave a reader, honestly. Enjoying what they read and wanting more is definitely the way to end a book.

I recommend this title. It does function as a standalone, although there are references to characters from the previous titles referenced in this one. If you have read those (and I recommend them) this is fun...if you haven't, they function as secondary characters who don't detract from the story.

Overall, this was enjoyable and I look forward to the next in the series.