Reviews: Gone to Her Grave by Melinda Leigh

See it on Goodreads

Via Net Galley I was introduce to the Rogue River Novellas that are written by Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot.  Gone to Her Grave is Book 2 of the Rogue River Series. It can be read as a stand alone, but you can get more immersed in all the characters if you read them all and in order.  Book 1 and Book 2 are complete and Books 3 and 4 are scheduled to be released in November. Each book costs $2.99 (approx 100 pages for each book) for a total cost of $11.96 for a final page count of 392 pages. I did think the price tag was a little high compared to other full length novels which sell for 3.99 to 5.99.

Book Description: In Solitude, Oregon, everyone has secrets…and some will kill to keep them. When she believes a teen is falsely accused of drug dealing, social worker Carly Taylor takes on a high-risk case and her estranged husband—the detective in charge of the investigation—to prove the boy innocent. A deadly new designer drug has taken hold of her small rural hometown of Solitude, Oregon, and Carly is determined to find the real dealer and clear the teen’s name. But the deeper she digs into the case, the more danger she unearths, until someone decides it’s time for Carly to move on…permanently. Investigator Seth Harding knows he can’t stop his wife when she has a child to protect. But he risks any chance of reconciliation with Carly if he can’t learn to accept her dangerous job. When a drug dealer decides Carly is getting too close, will Seth lose her altogether?


My 3.5 Star Review for Book 2 only: I received this book from Net Galley for an honest review. This was a little under 100 pages and was a pretty quick afternoon read. I enjoyed the characters and the story and wished I had read the 1st book in the series (although it wasn't necessary). I think as you get to Book 3 and Book 4 it is going to be more important that you read the books in sequence.  I am not a fan of cliffhanger series and am pleased that that the subplot for this novella was resolved. There are still open relationship issues and there is still an open underlying major plot, but the thread of this novella was completed and gave you the feeling that some questions were answered. However, there is still a lot left unanswered. The top of the drug chain dealers is still an unknown and will be part of the continuing plot. 

I like the development of Solitude, Oregon and I like the characters that the authors are developing. It is hard to develop a full range of plots and characters in a novella, but the authors are doing a good job and the cast of secondary characters is impressive. I like the underlying major plot line and the fight against drugs. It's a real life fight in lots of small towns across America and it feels real in the book. I do think the novella format holds the story back and it could have played out really well as a full book versus divided up into four novellas. This novella took the drug problem and showed how it impacted children that Carly, our heroine, is trying to protect in her job as a social worker. The story around the children she is trying to protect was better developed than the relationship subplot of Carly and her estranged husband, Seth. Seth didn't seem like he got the attention and development that a true H, or hero, would get.

I enjoyed this book and would read more from this author and more in this series. I did like her writing style. If you like an on-going series, this would be a good read (plus all four novellas are either written or scheduled for release). If you like romance, this novella didn't focus on the romance and left the relationship sub plot open. Without reading all four books, it is difficult to tell how the romance will be handled. If you like a serious and well though out suspense plot, this series looks like it will deliver that.

When I give a 1/2 star, I round up when I really enjoy the read and round down when I have too many conflicting feelings. I did really enjoy this read and therefore rounded up.

Summary: 
Setting: A
Plot and Subplots: A
Character Development: B+
Relationships: Overall B
Romance: B-

Lisa Clark O'Neill

Lisa Clark O'Neill is one of the authors I found by electing to read a free book offered on Amazon. I have since found myself working through all of her past books. Still have a couple to go, but I am definitely enjoying the backlog. Lisa has found an excellent niche in romantic suspense by creating small towns that have a good dose of problems that need to be solved and characters that heat up the page.

Her most recent book, Mr. Write, is at the top of my "to be read" book list.

Mr. Write Book Description: They say you can’t go home again… When Tucker Pettigrew returns to Sweetwater, South Carolina after a thirty year absence, he knows that his reappearance will stir the town pot. The sole grandson of the most powerful man in town, Tucker wants to understand why his recently deceased mother fled Sweetwater all those years ago with little more than the clothes on their backs. What he discovers will rock not only his own foundation, but that of the town itself. Sarah Barnwell is a woman with her own ghosts to face, and they’re there to greet her on her first night back in town. The bully who made her already rocky childhood a kind of living hell is all grown up now, but he still has Sarah in his sites. At first antagonistic, Sarah and Tucker eventually realize that a shared property line isn’t all they have in common. And that roots, whether the plant be beautiful or deadly, run deeper than you think...







The first book I read by Lisa was Nemesis. This discovery has made me a big fan of Lisa's.

Nemesis Book Description: What happens when your childhood nemesis turns out to be the love of your life?
That’s only one of the dilemmas Sadie Rose Mayhew must face when she returns to her childhood home. Seeking a fresh start after her broken engagement, Sadie moves into the house she left behind as a teen. Neglected since the death of her grandmother, Sadie sets about putting the place back together just as surely as she’s repairing her life – the main problem at first being her next door neighbor.
Sadie remembers Declan Murphy as the pesky little brother of her best friend Kathleen, the fly in the ointment of her childhood. And when they encounter each other again on an adult playing field, the sparks they struck against each other as kids turn to full-fledged pyrotechnics – especially when Sadie’s life is threatened on one of her first nights in town by two very aggressive burglars with an agenda.
There is something in Sadie’s grandmother’s house that her last renter left behind, something valuable enough to drive men to kill. 
And as both Sadie and Declan learn, sometimes your enemies are closer than you think.

My Four Star Review ****
I found this as a free read on Kindle and its one of my better finds. Southern suspense and great characters create a really good read. Lisa Clark O'Neill has woven together some well developed and likable characters - they have just the right mix of flaws and strengths that makes them human and likable. Even with Declan's issues (more than a little a surly) , he makes a great hero because he deals with his issues and does the right thing. It doesn't hurt that he's steeped in southern awesomeness. The author has you liking the good guys and wanting the bad guys caught. In addition to well developed main characters, the secondary characters are nicely developed but they don't overshadow the main story. The suspense plot is solid and the story moves well. I would read more from this author and would recommend this book.


Lisa has a bio and author's page on Goodreads that you might want to check out. Although she does have a BA in English she didn't put it to use immediately. All I can say is that I'm glad she is now.

Bev Petersen

Bev Pettersen writes stories that revolve around horses and although I am quite a novice horsewoman (I've ridden horses about 5 times in my life.) and I was never horse crazy, I have thoroughly enjoyed her books. I imagine that if horses are your passion, you may enjoy them even more.

She is a three-time nominee in the National Readers Choice Award as well as a two-time finalist in the Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart® Contest. She competed for five years on the Alberta Thoroughbred race circuit and is an Equine Canada certified coach. 

She lives in Nova Scotia with her family, and when she's not writing novels, she's riding. Visit her at http://www.bevpettersen.com

Currently on my list of books to read is Jockeys and Jewels.  I absolutely love this cover!

Racehorse trainer, Kurt MacKinnon, resents being yanked into undercover police work. But when his ex-partner is murdered, Kurt is determined to find the killer and moves his third-string Thoroughbreds to the backwater track where his partner was last seen alive. 

Julie West, struggling apprentice jockey, pins her dreams of an elusive win on the new trainer in town, never suspecting she’s a person of interest—and not because of her riding ability.

Kurt didn’t expect his contrary colt to flourish under Julie’s feminine touch nor for his own rusty heart to soften. However, his deceit sucks them both into the cross-hairs of a killer, and suddenly much more than their love is in danger.

Book Description: Her dreams of stardom are jeopardized by a hot trainer...and a ruthless murderer.

Emily Murphy isn't afraid to swap her fancy wardrobe for a borrowed pair of barn boots. Working on the set of a Kentucky movie might be just the ticket to landing a real acting job and proving to her sister she can accomplish something worthwhile.  

Dan Barrett knows a lot about hard work and even more about horses. And while he's drawn by Emily's beauty and pluck, he wants a stay-at-home ranch girl. But fighting their attraction is difficult, and soon they both realize what they thought they wanted isn't what they really need. 

Unfortunately, Dan isn't the only person watching Emily. And the other one is a ruthless killer determined to keep an old secret buried.

My Review: I really like Bev Pettersen's writing. There are parts that go a little slow and then there are parts that need more detail, but all in all she writes books I like to read. I thought Emily (our h) was vain and ditsy in the beginning of the book which made it hard to like her. She wanted to be an actress but didn't do any research of a movie. Then she decides she likes horses, which since she been around them all her life, seemed a little late for the discovery. As the book progressed, so did her character (thank goodness). I really appreciate when authors can show the development of a character as the story progresses. I started our not liking Emily and then that changed and I was wanting her to get her HEA. Dan ( our H) was a good guy and easy to like. And of course, he was on the yummy side. I thought the supporting cast was a good fit of characters. The story pulled me in; I liked the mix of movie making, horses and a cold case murder. Although a little predictable, it was still a very fun read. Since I didn't want to put it down until I finished it I gave it 4 stars; almost 5!




Other sites that you can find Bev's books:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/66054

http://lavenderandwhite.co.uk/category/books/