Marie Ferrarella

A good introduction to this series of Colton stories. We first meet Sean Colton, a detective with the NYPD and the oldest of the four Coltons (Sean, Cormac, Liam, and Eva), as he is working on a murder case. We immediately discover that he is a workaholic who, once he gets going on a case, will ignore everything else until he solves it. It has cost him two serious relationships, leading him to swear off them for good. He gets a call from the wife of the man who raised him and his siblings after their parents died, telling him that Humphrey appears to be missing. Sean calls in his siblings to help find out what has happened to him. One thing that comes to light is that if something happens to him, they are supposed to see real estate mogul Rockwell Roberts.

Next, we meet Orla Roberts, one of Rockwell's twin daughters. She is a bodyguard and a black belt self-defense trainer who is very independent and always has been. We see her reminiscing about her twin sister Aimee, who is just the opposite - a narcissist who believes that the world and their father owe her anything she wants. Aimee and her boyfriend were sentenced to prison for the crimes they committed but have recently escaped. Orla knows Aimee will come after her and their father and immediately heads for his apartment to protect him. Unfortunately, she is too late.

Orla and Sean encounter each other in the lobby of the apartment building and go up to the apartment together. There they discover the murdered man's body. Though initially suspicious of her, Sean quickly realizes that Orla could not have killed her father and listens to what she has to say about Aimee. He also stands up for her to his captain, who wants to arrest Orla. When Orla is nearly run down by a speeding car, Sean makes himself her protector. They also work together to track down Aimee and Joe, with Orla suggesting being bait to draw her out.

Neither Sean nor Orla expected the attraction that flared between them, and neither expected anything other than living in the moment. Both are surprised at the feelings that grow between them. But Orla is afraid of the pain that could come from risking her heart, so she pushes Sean away. It takes her a while to realize the mistake she made. On the other hand, Sean has finally found someone he's willing to commit to. I ached for him when Orla walked away from what they could have together and understood his cautiousness when she showed up to tell him she'd changed. I liked seeing them come together at the end and look forward to seeing more of them in later books.

The story's suspense was well done and focused mainly on the search for Aimee. I was invested in the story as Sean and Orla went back and forth on the best way to bring her to justice. As the story progressed, I felt like I was just waiting for Aimee to pop around some corner and start shooting. While the confrontation between Orla and Aimee was intense, it didn't go as I expected it to. In the end, the resolution felt anti-climactic after all of the buildup.

The search for Humphrey is mainly in the background during this book. With Sean involved in helping Orla, he has passed most of the investigative work to his siblings. I suspect this search will play out over several books, if not the entire series. I am curious about what is happening, and I will continue to read the series.… (mais)

Good book as another Cavanaugh disrupts the life of an unsuspecting fellow officer. This one is a little different because Cassandra Cavanaugh is the outsider here. The story opens as the senior Cavanaughs learn that the remains of a long-lost cousin have been found in New York City, possibly the victim of a serial killer. There is no question that the remains should be returned to California and laid to rest in the family plot, but that can't happen until the killer is caught. The Aurora PD offers two of its detectives to the NYPD to help with the investigation, and Cass and her cousin Travis are selected to go.

Detective Danny Doyle of the NYPD is unhappy to have a couple of California cops thrust into his investigation. He doesn't have time to babysit a pair of detectives from the land of surfers and celebrities, who likely don't have the same drive he does. He's stunned to find Cass and Travis at the station when he arrives in the morning (though Travis is off having breakfast with another officer). Cass's beauty throws him for a loop, and her positive attitude confuses him.

The working relationship between Danny and Cass gets off to a rocky start. Danny is just shy of rude in his interactions with Cass because of her effect on him. He sets her and Travis to reading the files "to get caught up" and then leaves them to it. When he returns hours later, he expects them to have quit for the day and is stunned to find both still hard at work. Not only that, Cass may have spotted a connection among the victims.

Danny doesn't take long to realize that Cass is very good at what she does. I enjoyed seeing them get to know each other, from sharing dinners to sightseeing. I liked their teamwork and how their differing styles mesh to form a successful partnership. Complicating that partnership is the chemistry that sparks between them. Those sparks don't take long to burst into flame, heating their nights. But what will happen when the case is over and it's time for Cass to go back to California?

The suspense of the story was good. The discovery of the first set of remains provided more questions than answers. I liked that it was Cass, looking at the pictures of the victims who had been identified, who suspected the connection between the victims. I wasn't surprised that Cass leaned on her cousin Valri, back in California, to dig up the information on their cousin that helped put them on the right track, but it had to frost the NYPD folks a little that she didn't go through them. But, Cavanaughs tend to depend on each other. As connections became more apparent, the team began to close the gap between them and the killer. It took them a while to realize that the killer was closer than expected. The final confrontation was short but intense.

I loved the ending and seeing that neither Danny nor Cass was ready to end their relationship. Danny's decision didn't come as much of a surprise. I wish there had been an epilogue because I would have loved to see Danny's introduction to the entire clan at one of Andrew's parties.… (mais)

Cavanaugh Justice: Up Close and Deadly by Marie Ferrarella

Sheriff Cody Cassidy leaves his small New Mexico town and goes to Aurora California. His twin Sister is not answering her calls, is missing (and) he knows something foul has happened.

He meets Detective Skylar Cavanaugh, together they begin their investigation. What they are about to uncover is horrifying, they won't stop until the killer is caught and justice is served.

A fast paced thrilling story, with likable characters, engaging dialog and attention to detail. The mystery slowly enfolds, with suspense filled moments and a splash of romance. A perfect mix for those who enjoy romantic/suspense.

Overall I enjoyed Cavanaugh Justice: Up Close and Deadly and feel those who enjoy this genre will like it as well.… (mais)