Published: October 12, 2021

Creative Magnolia

I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Melinda Woodhall is the author of the new Veronica Lee Thriller series, as well as the page-turning Mercy Harbor Thriller series. In addition to writing romantic thrillers and police procedurals, Melinda also writes women’s contemporary fiction as M.M. Arvin. When she’s not writing, Melinda can be found reading, gardening, chauffeuring her children around town, and updating her vegetarian lifestyle website. Melinda is a native Floridian and the proud mother of five children. She lives with her family in Orlando.

“It’ll be a fresh start.”

Nessa is recently back from maternity leave, and she walks into a case accidentally. A case that is crossing over from Atlanta and takes Nessa’s breath away. The Eastside Ripper has made their way to Rosewood, and the pressure to find the killer is mounting. Can Nessa solve this case before she becomes a victim?

I have enjoyed these novellas so much. Getting to know Nessa, and seeing her be vulnerable, has been so lovely.

Nessa is such a bold, strong, stubborn, intelligent woman. And she is all these things in a male-dominated world. I love that she does things to the beat of her own drum. Nessa lives by the idea that it is easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission.

I enjoyed that we got to know Malik more in this novella and that the partnership entered a more personal level. My favorite part of this story was the development of Nessa as a mother.

She tends to have insecurities about being a detective, working crazy hours, and the toll it will take on her husband and children. But Nessa makes some powerful realizations in this novella, and that takes everything to the next level.