Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Good conclusion to this Colton series. Malcolm works on the family ranch and volunteers with the local search and rescue and his K9 companion, Pace. When he hears that the fugitive who terrorized his family is sighted on the mountain, he and Pace go out on their own to find him. However, the first person they found was Giselle, Malcom's almost sister-in-law. Malcolm and Giselle have avoided each other since the tragic death of his fiancée and her sister, Kate.
I enjoyed watching Malcolm and Giselle's relationship develop as they worked together to find the killer. Both are weighed down by their grief and survivor's guilt, determined to ignore the sparks that flare between them. The author did a terrific job of showing their conflicting emotions as attraction battled grief. I could feel both characters' pain when memories overcame them and rooted for them to find healing together. I loved Malcolm's support and encouragement of Giselle as she also battled to regain her confidence after a problematic professional setback. I also liked the resolution of that issue.
The suspense of the book was excellent. Two storylines run throughout the book. The first is Malcolm's ongoing search for those responsible for Kate's death. It has been three and a half years since the accident, but he hasn't given up. Things look up when he gets information that leads to the identity of the boat's driver.
The second storyline runs throughout the series as the Coltons and law enforcement pursue a cult leader and serial killer who has terrorized his family. His "off-the-record" search starts with encountering Giselle and their attempt to warn a neighbor about Markus Acker. The action intensifies throughout the book as Acker's attacks escalate. The occasional section from his point of view shows his growing desperation. The final confrontation was an intense, edge-of-the-seat scene that kept me glued to the pages until it was over.
Two of my favorite characters were Malcolm's dog, Pacer, and the puppy Giselle adopted. Besides being Malcolm's SAR partner, Pacer provides emotional support when Malcolm's grief overwhelms him. Scarlett is an enthusiastic beagle puppy that turns out to be unsuited for service dog training. I loved seeing her and Giselle connect and the effect Scarlett had on Giselle's grieving. There were some amusing scenes involving Scarlett, one of which was one in which she was instrumental in saving the day.
I loved the last chapter and how it wrapped up the series for all of the couples.
I enjoyed watching Malcolm and Giselle's relationship develop as they worked together to find the killer. Both are weighed down by their grief and survivor's guilt, determined to ignore the sparks that flare between them. The author did a terrific job of showing their conflicting emotions as attraction battled grief. I could feel both characters' pain when memories overcame them and rooted for them to find healing together. I loved Malcolm's support and encouragement of Giselle as she also battled to regain her confidence after a problematic professional setback. I also liked the resolution of that issue.
The suspense of the book was excellent. Two storylines run throughout the book. The first is Malcolm's ongoing search for those responsible for Kate's death. It has been three and a half years since the accident, but he hasn't given up. Things look up when he gets information that leads to the identity of the boat's driver.
The second storyline runs throughout the series as the Coltons and law enforcement pursue a cult leader and serial killer who has terrorized his family. His "off-the-record" search starts with encountering Giselle and their attempt to warn a neighbor about Markus Acker. The action intensifies throughout the book as Acker's attacks escalate. The occasional section from his point of view shows his growing desperation. The final confrontation was an intense, edge-of-the-seat scene that kept me glued to the pages until it was over.
Two of my favorite characters were Malcolm's dog, Pacer, and the puppy Giselle adopted. Besides being Malcolm's SAR partner, Pacer provides emotional support when Malcolm's grief overwhelms him. Scarlett is an enthusiastic beagle puppy that turns out to be unsuited for service dog training. I loved seeing her and Giselle connect and the effect Scarlett had on Giselle's grieving. There were some amusing scenes involving Scarlett, one of which was one in which she was instrumental in saving the day.
I loved the last chapter and how it wrapped up the series for all of the couples.
