The Next Grave Columbia River #6

Kendra Elliot — 2024

Following a murder and a woman’s sudden disappearance, investigations into old crimes and new collide in an alarming novel of suspense by a Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author. Detective Evan Bolton is gutted by his latest investigation. His friend and mentor, retired detective Rod McLeod, has been murdered, his body left in the trunk of a junkyard car. When McLeod’s daughter and grandson abruptly vanish, Evan knows it’s not a coincidence. Search and rescue canine specialist Rowan Wolff agrees as she and her dog, Thor, track the missing family. The two cases converge in a puzzling twist. Evan discovers that McLeod has been reinvestigating old crimes―solved but not forgotten. Evan takes them on, one by one, and a disturbing suspicion forms that someone in law enforcement has something to hide and would do anything to keep those secrets buried. But Evan and Rowan’s time is slipping away. They have to find the killer now. Before someone else disappears. Before someone else dies.

Reviews

Nicola Sarah Brooks@nikkisbooknook

Dec 12, 2024

Small town Oregon has a freakishly high homicide rate! Evan is the local kid turned sheriff and when his mentor is found dead he vows to find the killer. But the case gets more complex when the victim's daughter is also targeted and then Evan himself becomes a target.

Rowan and her SAR dog Thor are settling into life with Evan. Rowan and her family are settling into their new normal with the return of their lost son/sibling and she relishes the sibling nights they have. However, Evan is not the only one pulled into this latest case, Rowan is targeted too and poor Thor almost becomes a crispy critter! Who wants Evan tagged as a crooked cop and killed?

OOh this was a twisty thriller of the best kind. It was really difficult to figure out who was after Evan and why. There were a few misdirects and it didn't help when witnesses and victims weren't giving them all the facts. I thought Zack, the original victim's grandson, was a brave lad and really tried to help the investigation but he ultimately was just a kid and the big bad used that to their favour and muddied the investigation further.

The background romance between Evan and Rowan isn't the focus of the book, the suspense/thriller is the main storyline but it was nice to see them settling into their new life and planning for the future. It gave them a very normal day to day relationship instead of once forged in adventure - life after the HEA if you like.

Evan really goes through the wringer in this one and poor Malcolm doesn't exactly have a stellar time either, those big feelings of his nearly get him into real trouble! You can't really go wrong with a thriller from Ms Elliot!