Carolyn Arnold

This is the twelfth in the Prince William County (VA) Detective Amanda Steele series. Amanda is enjoying a day off at an ice skating show with two of her friends and her adopted daughter. Her friend and colleague, Patty’s, niece, Michaela, is the star of the show.The pleasant day abruptly turns dark when a visit to Michaela’s dressing room finds her dead.There is a bunch of roses tied with a black ribbon and a card saying “you'll be sorry” left behind. Working with partner, Trent, to look into what turns out to be a murder, Amanda finds there are many investigative paths to pursue, especially after another dead body is discovered. On a personal level, will the obvious chemistry between Amanda and Trent continue to be a source of tension with her domestic partner, Logan?

This is yet another of Arnold’s fast paced, engrossing police procedurals. I read it in one day, long into the night, because I could not put it down. Arnold knows how to capture and maintain her readers’ interest. I love the repeating characters, especially Amanda who, despite an earlier tragedy in her life, is a strong, capable, independent female and I find the camaraderie among her colleagues quite entertaining.

Although I have read quite a few of the books in this series and have enjoyed seeing the repeating characters and relationships change and grow, I think this would work well as a standalone. The author does a nice job of filling in background information, including Amanda’s past history.

Carolyn Arnold is one of my go to authors. She has written more than thirty books featuring five series and spanning different genre including strong police procedurals, cozy mysteries, and adventure novels. I also really like her Madison Knight series. Check her out!

Thanks to #NetGalley and @Bookouture for the DRC.… (more)

In this, the eleventh of the Detective Amanda Steele series set in Prince William County (VA), Amanda and long time partner Trent are called to the scene of a grisly murder….a man has been burned to death. Trent recognizes the victim’s wedding ring as belonging to his estranged aunt’s abusive husband. As more and more clues point to his aunt as the possible perpetrator, can Trent separate love for her from his duty as a police officer? And will the spark between Amanda and Trent put further strain on her relationship with her domestic partner, Logan?

This book is advertised as “addictive” and it truly is. Well plotted and fast paced, it kept me guessing throughout. I really like the character of Amanda, who, despite an earlier tragedy in her life, is a strong, capable, independent female and I enjoy the camaraderie between her and Trent.

Although part of a series, this does work as a standalone. Arnold does a good job of filling in background information on the main characters and their histories. Fans of solid police procedurals and mysteries will enjoy this addition to the series, one of my favorites.

Just a personal note as an aside…the book is dedicated to Max the Beagle, “a sweet fur baby who will always be loved and remembered.” As someone who had Samantha the Beagle, I can really appreciate those sentiments.

Thanks #netgalley and @bookouture for the DRC.… (more)

It started with a smile….

Leah adjusted her reindeer antlers in the domed mirror that was nestled in the far corner of the store.

Her day ended in bloodshed and the race is on to find her killer. It is very sad that she was murdered, and it wiped the smile off my face. It’s one of those things, in the wrong place at the wrong time.

5:15 AM and Amanda is running out the door. Her and her partner, Trent, are on the case.

Amanda has an adopted daughter, Zoe, who is the sweetest thing, older than her years. She has a lover, Logan. Their relationship has advanced to the moving in together phase, but he is not a member of law enforcement and I foresee huge problems on the horizon. After all, it is not a 9 to 5 job. It would make more sense, to me, that her and Trent hook up. I think they are a match made in heaven. Will they? Are you just teasing me, Carolyn?

They discover that Katherine Graves, an ex police officer, was in the store and had been kidnapped. She has many enemies and it will be their job to figure out who has taken her.

Amanda yanked Lowell’s hair back, and pressed the nose of her gun to his skull, “I said, hands up!”

That is why I love Amanda Steele. She is fierce.

As the story unfolds, the past comes back to haunt Katherine, the pace picks up, the danger rises, and I am rapidly flipping pages. Carolyn Arnold does not make it easy to figure things out, leading me here and leading me there, at times fearing for Amanda’s life. Of course, I worry for the other characters, but, you know…she’s my favorite. 🙂 She does give me a satisfying ending and I always look forward to the next story.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Missing Before Daylight by Carolyn Arnold.

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The book opens with the rape and murder of a high school senior, Emily Kane. Although three of his friends, including Troy Matthews, testified that they did not think him capable of the crime, a fourth is arrested, found guilty, and imprisioned.

Skip ahead 24 years and the killer has been set free. It is the day of the wedding between Detective Madison Knight and fellow police officer Troy Matthews. Before the I dos can be said, the ceremony is crashed by a neighboring department’s detectives and Troy is arrested for the murder of Dylan Graham, one of the friends who testified for the defense in the long ago trial. There is concrete evidence of Troy’s guilt, as well as a journal entry by Dylan stating that Troy was Emily’s true killer. Out on bail, a second murder occurs, again with evidence pointing at Troy. As Madison races to clear her fiancee’s name, she uncovers a sinister plot and places her own life in danger.

Although I am a fan of Carolyn Arnold’s writing, Madison Knight is not my favorite of her characters. She is abrasive, impetuous, tenacious. But she is good at her job and has a strong sense of responsibility and justice. Fortunately, her partner, Terry, tempers that impetuousness when necessary. One would have hoped that Troy, as a police officer, even though threatened, would have played the situation a little smarter but who knows how we might respond if we were unjustly accused?

That said, the book is cleverly plotted and another addictive read by Arnold. She always pulls in her reader’s attention. Her police procedurals are engrossing and entertaining.

This can be read as a stand alone. However, there is a lot of history behind the repeating characters and as this is the thirteenth in the series, readers might want to go back and read some of the earlier installments.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #HibbertStilesPublishing for the DRC.… (more)