The first in a series where two former FBI agents leave after a horrific tragedy, move to St. Louis to be near River's mother, and decide to put their skills in a new space as private investigators. Their first case together happens when a mother approaches them to ask for help in solving the case of her son who has been missing for a long time and she just wants closure as to what happened. River and Tony take this on with the hope of finding something and starting their new company on the right track.

I like to make folks aware of elements of books without spoiling, so you can make a decision on if this book would be right for you. This book and the second that I will be reviewing tomorrow both have heavy elements of Christianity woven in the story. While this is a mystery, I would personally shelve this book in the Christian fiction book as it is strong in its language about that faith.

Now for the mystery itself, it is self-contained in this book and the mystery is resolved, but as I know how book two starts, I for sure would recommend starting at book one as there are a lot of character developments and plot points that are needed from book one to book two. I loved that this mystery had depth and layers so it took a bit for all the pieces to be put into place and while it took me awhile to figure it all out, I don't feel as though it came out of left field. AND the pacing - spot on. I love when a mystery book really gets sprinting towards the end and you just can't put it down - such was the case for this one!

Cold Pursuit by Nancy Mehl is a high stakes novel about the hunt for a serial killer. I have long been a fan of this author. This novel has a distantly different feel from her previous books. The crimes and circumstances are just as complex and interesting as her previous novels. The pace feels a bit different and it takes a little longer to set up the series. Overall, I loved this book and would highly recommend it. I can’t wait to see what happens next. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Cold Pursuit is the first book in Nancy Mehl's Ryland and St. Clair series. which are cases investigated by a newly opened private detective agency by two retired FBI agents. Their first case is to locate the missing teenager who disappeared four years ago. Mehl adds in a serial killer, mental illness, and well-rounded characters to make this a great start to a series. Is book 2 out yet?

River and Tony, former FBI profilers, have started their own investigative business. Their first case is full of twist and turns, complicated by past trauma from the case that almost broke them and from the current trauma of a loved one navigating dementia. Folded into the story is a message of God’s redemptive love. A clean who-dun-it and maybe the whispers of a romance. (Or that could just be wishful thinking on my part) The layered mysteries, some answered and others left unrevealed, drew me in and left me hoping for the next installment.

Queen of St. Louis suspense once again knocks it out of the park with a story that engages the reader from the opening chapter and doesn't let go until the very end. Just the right amount of faith content for me and a story that kept me up late into the night.

River Ryland and Tony St. Clair were best of friends at the same time were behavioral analysts for the FBI. River had been diagnosed with PTSD making her not able to face a job. Also Tony had temporary memory loss. River moves to Virginia leaving her parents to start a new life. And she starts Watson's investigations as a private investigator along with Tony. The novel gets interesting as River is asked by Chief Martin with the St Louis Department to investigate a missing rebellious teenage boy Chris for almost four years. Amy Stover mother of Chris approaches River and Tony and opens the case to find out about Chris's disappearance who had gone out with some friends to a concert and never came home. River and Tony move forward with the case when they get clues that help them along their way. They find Chris's best friends Jason and Kyle had been with Chris. The novel is all about finding missing Chris and figuring out whether any chance Kyle or Jason could have been involved in Chris's disappearance. Some drug connections and drug deals come in the picture.

Tony followed River to Virginia to open a detective agency. This novel also focuses on River's damaged relationship with her divorced parents and coping with their problems. Also, there is another incident where a strangler a killer who is running free at the Salt River tried to kill her and Tony one night. Different incidents and a variety of characters make this crime novel very outstanding. A must-read for crime novel readers. A Christian crime-based story. Why were River and Tony targeted by the lone killer strangler that night? Many twists and suspense along the way kept me wide awake to get to the end of the novel. Interesting plotline and vivid characters.

Thanks to Partners in Crime Novel Tours, Bethany House Publishers, and Netgalley for an advance copy for my honest review.

Novel Nerd Blog: https://smithareading.blogspot.com/

A great romantic suspense that is clean, action packed, and as chilling as it is thrilling!

River Ryland can’t get over the case that went wrong and left her with PTSD. After leaving the FBI, she moves to be near her mother who has dementia and her partner, Tony, comes with her to open a private investigation firm. The local sheriff sends them a grieving mother who wants answers for what happened to her son who disappeared years ago. River and Tony know they have to help this mother find closure even with the case being cold. The more they investigate the case, the more danger they find themselves in with a murderer not wanting anyone to find out their secrets.

Nancy Mehl starts her new series off with a bang! This series is looking to be a great one if the next follow the path of this one. River was a great main character, the dynamic she had with her mother really hit me and made me feel for her. She dealt with so much and had to be strong for her mother and now the new client they are trying to help. Seeing her vulnerable with her mother really made her a better character and I loved the way that aspect of the story was written. This book follows the same formula as most romantic suspense stories but still a very enjoyable read. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy clean romantic suspense reads.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

River Ryland and her partner, Tony St. Clair, are former FBI profilers. They are both still suffering the aftereffects of an encounter with a serial killer. Now, they have moved to a town near St. Louis and opened a private investigation firm. River has moved in with her mother, who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's.

Their first case involves the disappearance of a young man from a concert. His mother, Amy, knows that Chris is probably dead, but after four years, she just wants to be able to give him a proper burial. He didn't have any enemies, so who could have killed him?

While this story is developing, the reader is also introduced to another young man suffering from schizophrenia, Synesthesia. Brian Walker is tired of being taunted and ridiculed and has a lot of anger issues. The parts of the book that describe Brian's thoughts and actions are truly chilling but also sad.

The author has delved into several areas that make this a unique book. She has a character with obvious mental issues, a character with PTSD, another with Alzheimer's, and one with aphasia and memory problems. All of this makes this book more believable since we all have something going on in our lives that helps to determine our behavior and mold our character.

The book also deals with faith, as River deals with the loss of her belief in God, Tony's total reliance on God, and the hope that comes from God. As one character says, "I operate on the belief that everyone can be helped. God is a miracle worker."

There are plenty of tense moments throughout the book and lots of emotion. The interactions between River and her mother were especially poignant and truly captured the facts of dealing with dementia. Brian is also a sympathetic character, even though he has devolved into evil. The book has a lot of inspiration in it as River comes to terms with her past and realizes that God is always there for her, no matter what.

The story opens up the possibility of many more books featuring this duo, and I look forward to reading more of their adventures. If you enjoy a suspenseful thriller with a lot of inspiration, this is a great way to get both.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House through Interviews & Reviews. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

When Ex-FBI profiler River Ryland opens a private investigation firm with her friend and former FBI partner, Tony St. Clair, they are asked to follow a cold case and find out what happened to a young man who disappeared. Wow, if they had know what this case would lead them into.. they probably still would have wanted to dig down to the truth. Danger, suspense and watch out for the terrible return to the past as they follow the clues.

Phew! Nancy Mehl writes such intriguing characters and storylines! I love that Mehl is not afraid to write about topics that may not be familiar to the general population at large.

Cold Pursuit tells the story of Ex-FBI partners Tony St. Clair and River Ryland. Both experienced a traumatic experience before this story takes place, and as a result, they decide to start fresh in St. Louis where River can care for her ailing mom and Tony has ties to local law enforcement - which will aid in them getting started with their private detective agency.

Their first case has them searching for a boy who has disappeared. Mom wants to find closure, despite the fact that she knows he's probably no longer living. This case takes several unexpected twists and turns, and I was fully engaged to the end!

River and Tony both carry the weight of their traumatic event and must learn how to work through the pain and trauma while moving forward in their day to day lives as well.

I look forward to seeing how River and Tony continue to process and solve crimes together!

Cold Pursuit
by Nancy Mehl
Pub Date 11 Jul 2023
Bethany House,Bethany House Publishers
Christian| Mystery & Thrillers| Romance


I am reviewing a copy of Cold Pursuit through Bethel House and Netgalley:


Whenever you're looking for a good, clean Mystery/Suspense novel, Nancy Mehl's works are always a good choice, and Cold Pursuit didn't disappoint.


A case that went horribly wrong still leaves former FBI profiler River Ryland suffering from PTSD. In search of a fresh start, she moves to St. Louis to be near her ailing mother and starts a private investigation firm with her friend and former FBI partner, Tony Clair. Soon, they are approached by a grieving mother who seeks answers about her son, who went missing four years ago. Despite River's knowledge of the boy's near-certain death, his mother must find closure, and River and Tony must solve the case, no matter how cold it might be.



However, as they follow the boy's trail, which gets more complicated at every turn, they find themselves in the path of a killer determined to punish anyone who stands in his way. River and Tony race to stop him before he kills again, but an even more dangerous threat emerges, stirring up River's past and plotting to destroy her future.


I give Cold Pursuit five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This is the first book in a new thriller series by this author. I wanted to really like it, but there was a little too much religious content for me and some of the occurrences that led to the resolution seemed a little contrived...such as the luck that led to the final result. That being said there was entertaining moments and if a lot of religious content does not bother you it may be a good choice. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. 3/5 stars.

When I saw that Nancy Mehl had a new series coming out, I just knew I had to read it! I have come to expect creepy villains and heart pounding plots from her and Cold Pursuit did not disappoint in either area. I was hooked from the prologue and I stayed on the edge of my seat until the very last page. The villain had some quite unique issues which made the story even more interesting. For lovers of romantic suspense, I will say that this book was much heavier on the suspense than the romance. After reading other Nancy Mehl series, I have come to expect the romance between the main characters to be a slow build through the series and it appears that will be what happens again. I can't wait for book 2! Just hate that readers have to wait until January!

Thank you to Bethany House and Netgalley for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Wow! This is my first book by Nancy Mehl and I can’t wait to read more. I love a good psychological suspense and this book was definitely it. From the get go I was hooked and ended up devouring it.

River Ryland is an ex-FBI profiler who still suffers from PTSD after almost ending up a murder victim in a case she was investigating. Her friend and former partner Tony St. Clair suffered lasting effects as well. Now River’s moved to St. Louis to start an investigative firm with Tony and to be near her mother who suffers from Alzheimer’s.

Their first case involves a mother who needs closure concerning her son’s disappearance. As they investigate, they discover a serial killer on the loose who suffers from schizophrenia and a rare condition called synesthesia. Told from several points of view including the killer’s, this fast-paced, complex, inspirational psychological thriller will keep you quickly turning the pages to find out what happens next.

I enjoyed the friendship between River and Tony. They both have a lot of baggage yet work well together and are such a support to each other. There’s a hint of romance and I look forward to seeing how this plays out in future books. The faith element is woven beautifully and naturally throughout the story and I enjoyed seeing River rediscover her faith.

The killer’s point of view is both disturbing and heart wrenching. It’s clear he’s been mistreated and fallen through the cracks of the mental health system. His anger and delusions add a frightening twist to the story.

It’s an exciting start to a new series with an ending that leaves you wanting and needing more, especially when River’s past comes back to haunt her. Highly recommend to inspirational romantic suspense and suspense fans! While there are some instances sensitive readers may find disturbing, it’s a clean read with minimal violence and descriptions. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily given.

Nancy Mehl is one of those authors who I know is going to always deliver a great story. She is a master at suspense that will keep me on the edge of my seat every single time... and Cold Pursuit was no exception to that.

Right from the beginning, this story drew me in and had me wanting to see what was going to happen next. I mean seriously... that intro! Unlike some suspense story where part of the fun is trying to figure out who the bad guy is, in this one we know pretty early on. In fact, we get several glimpses inside of their head, which adds quite a unique element to this story, and really added to the overall creepiness of the story too.

While I really enjoyed the story, I must admit that because it was dealing with a killer who we know struggles with mental illness (schizophrenia among them), I struggled with that a bit and worried that it would perhaps paint all mental illness or at least with that particular one in a negative light. As someone who struggles with various mental illnesses myself (different to those in the book), I was definitely probably overthinking that just a bit as I do tend to be more sensitive to such things. In the end, it does make mention that not all people with schizophrenia are dangerous or bad people so that made me feel a little better about it.

Another thing that I really appreciated in the story was how it took on the topic of faith in a way that felt very realistic to the characters. They weren't perfect by any means, but I particularly enjoyed seeing River's perspective change throughout.

Overall, it was definitely a page turner and a great set up for the series to come! If you enjoy Christian suspense, this is certainly one to check out.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All opinions are my own.

This is the first book in a new suspense-filled series, and I look forward to reading the others!
River Ryland and her partner Tony St. Clair have opened a PI firm. This goes well with both of their histories of FBI.
But...something keeps coming after them. They'd thought they'd put the Strangler behind them, but this awful serial killer from their past somehow has popped up again and is trying to kill them again.
(this is a mystery that remains unsolved, and I'm guessing it will carry over through out the series...creepy!)
The primary mystery in this story is the cold case of a teen boy who disappeared four years earlier. His mother really wants closure, so asks River and Tony to try and solve the case.
Lots of action. Suspense. Mystery. Danger. Thrills.
This book is a page-turner and kept me glued to the very end. And left me wanting more.

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Another wonderful mystery by Nancy Mehl! I look forward to reading more about the characters and see where their story takes them. I like that there is an on going mystery.

In "Cold Pursuit," Nancy Mehl masterfully weaves a chilling tale of suspense and psychological intrigue that will have readers hooked from the very first page. With a gripping plot, well-drawn characters, and a relentless pursuit that keeps the adrenaline pumping, this thriller is a must-read for fans of the genre.

The story introduces us to U.S. Marshal Madison James, a determined and resourceful protagonist with a haunted past. When she receives a threatening message from a mysterious stalker, she is forced to confront her darkest fears. Mehl crafts Madison's character with depth and vulnerability, making her an authentic and relatable heroine. As the plot unfolds, Madison finds herself entangled in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game, where the line between hunter and hunted blurs, and the stakes are raised to life-threatening levels.

Mehl's writing style is engrossing, and she knows how to create and maintain tension throughout the novel. From heart-stopping action sequences to moments of introspection and self-discovery, "Cold Pursuit" keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The author's ability to build a palpable atmosphere of fear and uncertainty adds an extra layer of depth to the story, immersing readers in the world of danger and intrigue.

One of the strengths of "Cold Pursuit" lies in its supporting cast. Secondary characters are well-crafted, each contributing uniquely to the narrative. From allies with their own secrets to potential suspects, the diverse personalities add intrigue and complexity to the story. The relationships between characters are realistically portrayed, adding emotional depth that enhances the overall reading experience.

Furthermore, the pacing of the novel is well-balanced. Mehl skillfully mixes action-packed scenes with quieter moments of character development, allowing readers to catch their breath while eagerly anticipating the next twist in the plot. The seamless integration of investigative procedures and law enforcement protocols adds an air of authenticity to the story, highlighting the author's meticulous research.

In conclusion, "Cold Pursuit" is an enthralling and nerve-wracking thriller that will satisfy fans of the genre. Nancy Mehl has crafted a captivating tale of suspense, featuring a strong female protagonist and a relentless pursuit that will keep readers guessing until the final pages. If you're looking for a gripping thriller that delves into the depths of fear and courage, "Cold Pursuit" is a definite recommendation that will leave you eager for more from this talented author.

This New Series Will Have You Looking Over Your Shoulder!!!



From the moment the book starts you are in the thick of an intense situation and it continues throughout the book. Lots of twists and turns and holding of breath as things progress! This book will definitely keep you interested and the faith stories expressed will tug at your heart. What will happen next? 

I will try to wait patiently for the next book in this series, Cold Threat in January 2024!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

Cold Pursuit by Nancy Mehl is a tight and tense thriller. River and Tony are former FBI analysts who’ve opened a detective agency but find themselves being stalked. Mehl lets us live inside several characters’ minds, making the threats and danger feel personal. She also makes us question our assumptions. This story should haunt readers beyond the back cover of the book. Much fun.