I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Two homicide detectives must separate the puzzling truth from a growing web of lies while investigating a murder victim’s friends and lovers in Lost Beach, Texas.

Detective Nicole Lawson is fed up with her job and nonexistent love life. Her first date in months gets cut short by an urgent call from the chief of police. A body has been discovered at Lighthouse Point, and the medical examiner finds an array of strange clues. When the death is ruled a homicide, the news quickly reverberates through Nicole’s beachside hometown.

The Lost Beach police department swings into high gear. Leading the investigation is Emmet Davis, a veteran detective who is Nicole’s fiercest rival at work and also the man she has secretly harbored feelings toward for years. With Emmet calling the shots, Nicole sets out to search for leads, starting with the enigmatic yoga instructor who first discovered the body. Nicole is certain the witness knows more than she’s revealing and may even hold the key to unlocking the case.

When another person turns up dead under suspicious circumstances, Nicole sees a bizarre pattern, but no one believes her theory. Under the gun to solve the case, Nicole must put aside her tumultuous feelings and work closely with Emmet to figure out who is targeting her beloved hometown . . . before she becomes a target herself.

Fast paced and entertaining! Laura Griffin’s Texas Murder Files series is a little looser than some in bringing the past couple’s back into the forefront as this police force works crime together, but we often hear mention of several of them. With this particular case, a slow burn romance is teasing beneath the surface for Detectives Nicole Lawson and Emmet Davis, so that’s a highpoint that keeps the angst high as we meander through the daily lives of the Lost Beach Police Department. The characters are easy to like, the mystery playing out throughout is very interesting and the camaraderie between these coworkers really warms the scene. I felt like the completion of the case was a tad weak, but I was really invested in it throughout the book.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a good mystery but also enjoys a common cast to get to know along the way of solving the crimes.