Catching Heat by Janice Cantore

Catching Heat by Janice Cantore

I hadn’t read any of the earlier books in this series, but this looked interesting.

Let’s begin with the summary:

Twenty-seven years after the deaths of Detective Abby Hart’s parents, she’s desperate to find the proof that will put the mastermind—the governor’s wife—behind bars. When she joins a newly formed task force and teams up with PI Luke Murphy, Abby is sent to San Luis Obispo to work the cold case of a murdered college student. Realizing their investigation will bring them near the town where Alyssa Rollins grew up, Abby decides to do a little digging of her own into the Triple Seven fire.

Luke is eager to help Abby close the books on a case they both have personal stakes in. But as she uncovers long-held secrets, Abby stumbles into an explosive situation, and Luke fears that her obsession may prove deadly.

And now, my review:

It’s always a plus to pick up a book written by someone who has the insider’s knowledge of a given career field. This author is a retired police officer, so her police procedural details were solid and they added a lot to the read.

The short chapters were a solid technique for creating swift pacing. Unfortunately, the characters weren’t layered enough to keep me reading.

I had a difficult time getting into this story. Perhaps that’s in part due to the fact that this is book three in the series. These characters were new to me, and their relevant story began long ago. The story’s opening chapters included a lot of backstory, which dulled the reading but didn’t help me care for the characters or get into the story.

Currently, funny enough, my husband is gladly reading away. He suggested that perhaps this just wasn’t my preferred genre. He may have a point. The romance moved very slowly.

All that said, readers who enjoy crime/detective novels and/or those who have read the earlier books in this series will enjoy this book.  

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.