Susan F. (scoutmomskf) - , reviewed on 2/13/2021 + 2597 more book reviews

Good book. The Justice Seekers is a private investigative company made up of former law enforcement personnel. Each of them was pushed out of their job because they were framed, accused of wrongdoing, or pushed back against the wrong person. The only thing they were guilty of was being honest cops. Now they help others who have been let down by law enforcement.

The Seekers recently lost one of their own in a gruesome murder that may be linked to the murder of a local woman. Dalton, a former Montana cop, has been working hard on the case but is hampered by a local blogger, Hayley. She believes that Dalton murdered her friend Bethany himself. She stalks and hounds Dalton, using Bethany's notes and diaries to try to prove his guilt, but no one believes her. Then Hayley takes it a step too far by breaking into his home, searching for evidence, and ends up in jail for breaking and entering.

Strangely enough, Dalton isn't angry with her. He even offers to help her if she helps him. Hayley hesitates to trust Dalton, as she believes he may be playing her, but it's the only way she can get out of jail. I wasn't thrilled with Dalton's methods, though they were effective. It helped that he felt guilty about it. I liked watching him try to make amends. Dalton likes Hayley's loyalty to her friend, her determination to get answers and can't deny that he's attracted to her.

I enjoyed the development of Dalton and Hayley's relationship. Once they get past the mutually suspicious stage, they connect over their determination to get at the truth. Dalton is a little handicapped by his boss's cynical nature and over-the-top methods of trying to get answers. I ached for Hayley, who was jerked around by Mason's heavy-handed methods, and for Dalton, who was forced to participate. I was glad when Dalton finally put his foot down and stopped the harassment. I thought that Hayley was pretty forgiving once she knew that Dalton had confidence in her innocence. She and Dalton grow closer as they pursue the truth. When Hayley ends up in danger, both she and Dalton realize the depth of their feelings. They just have to stay alive long enough to do something about it.

The suspense was outstanding. Hayley's belief in Dalton's guilt wasn't easily overcome, and Mason's threats didn't help. Things started to change when Hayley showed them Bethany's pictures with the link to the one Seeker's death. The tension ramped up when Hayley's websites contained photos of the murder scenes, and she went from investigator to suspect. It quickly became evident that someone wanted Hayley to take the fall for the murders. As more and more evidence points to Hayley, can they convince the other Seekers that she is innocent? The twists and turns kept me glued to the pages until the end. The final confrontation was a nail-biter that I didn't see coming. I loved seeing Hayley use her computer skills to help save the day, and Dalton risk everything to save her life.

I liked getting to know some of the other Justice Seekers. Each of them appears to have a specialty, and I look forward to seeing more of them. I liked Brielle and her support of Hayley, as well as the way she teased Dalton. Mason was my least favorite because of his cynicism and the way he treated Hayley. He did appear to change some by the end of the book, so I will keep an open mind about him.

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