5 out of 5 stars
With TRACES OF GUILT, Dee Henderson once again weaves together
intriguing plots and engaging characters, and does it with such fluidity; I
couldn’t help but be consumed by it.
Detective Evie Blackwell is good at what she does. Catching
the attention of the right people, it’s no wonder she’s assigned to a new task
force that will concentrate its efforts on cold cases. Wanting to get a head
start, Evie travels to Carin, Illinois, where she teams up with Sheriff Gabriel
Thane to solve two crimes that took place in his county; the disappearance of a
family, and the disappearance of a six-year-old girl. Evie, with Gabriel’s help
goes over old evidence and finds new leads. Evie instantly feels a connection
with Gabriel—their partnership easy and comfortable, but doesn’t think a two-cop
relationship is healthy; her schedule is complicated enough. Trying to work a relationship
around her agenda and that of a small-town sheriff seems like a recipe for
disaster. Deciding it is best to keep their relationship professional; Evie and
Gabriel find evidence that hits close to home for the Thane’s family. Emotions
run high and clues lead to dead ends, but Evie refuses to give up. She knows they
are on the cusp of solving not only the cases they intended, but others that
have been unearthed in the process.
At first, Gabriel Thane’s isn’t sure how he feels about Evie
Blackwell coming into his town and opening old wounds. However, he realizes Evie
brings a fresh perspective to the cases; something only an outsider can do. Intrigued
by both her process and the women herself, Gabriel is committed to following
the leads she finds, no matter how unorthodox, hoping to lay the unsolved cases
to rest.
TRACES OF GUILT is multi-faceted, with both old and new
characters. The chemistry between Evie and Gabriel is palatable, yet Henderson
keeps the reader guessing to the extent of their connection. Ann Falcon, from
FULL DISCLOSURE has a large presence in this novel, and name-drops others from
previous books. With the introduction of the Thanes family, Henderson has a
deep well of characters to draw from for future installments. Though the
stories of Josh and Grace and Will and Karen are introduced, there is so much
more to learn about these couples. I also hope Ann and Paul continue to be a presence
in this series. I can’t put my finger on what it is about Dee Henderson’s
style, that makes her books irresistible, but whatever it is, it was in full
force in TRACES OF GUILT.
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