4*

I’m thoroughly enjoying Debra Webb’s new romantic thriller series, Shades of Death. Book #3, THE COLDEST FEAR, picks up immediately after the preceding book (A DEEPER GRAVE), with Montgomery PD homicide detective Bobbie Gentry following love interest Nick Shade to Georgia on his quest to recapture escaped notorious serial killer (and father) Dr. Randolph Weller. With that premise, how could THE COLDEST FEAR not be a white-knuckle thrill ride from the outset?? So I must admit I was initially a bit disappointed when instead it turned out to be fairly slow-paced. The new mystery at the centre of the book was intriguing, sure, and the tantalizing glimpses of Weller kept me turning the pages to seek out the next tidbit in his masterfully depraved plan… But. Everything. Was. Just. So. Sloooow. It wasn’t until after shit really got real in the final ~10-15% of the book and Ms. Webb dropped the mother of all plot twists that I realised she had just given a masterclass in the slow build. THE COLDEST FEAR won’t be out until late August/early September, but I already can’t wait for more of Bobbie and Nick!

Plenty of suspense along with some big secrets uncovered. A 32 year old cold case of 5 young kids who went missing along with the continued hunt for serial killer Randolph Weller all collide in Savannah, Georgia.

Detective Bobbie Gentry has swore she is going to be there for serial killer hunter Nick Shade even if he doesn't want her to. He brought her back from the brink of not caring whether she lived or died and there is no way she is going to let him hunt for his mastermind serial killer father on his own. Along the way she gets called to help out on the cold case in Savannah not realizing that Randolph is up to his old tricks of manipulating everyone to be where he wants them to be.

Along with some creative murders, the investigation to try and figure out what happened 32 years ago and wondering how Randolph is connected, a main character has some major secrets that were hidden from them come to light.

The overarching thread from the previous books is for the most part wrapped up but I certaily hope this isnt the last book. This is a intense at times, edge of your seat, thrilling suspense series and one I hope there are more books to come.

Full review to be published online in late August.

THE COLDEST FEAR picks up immediately where ‘A Deeper Grave’ left off, as Bobbie Gentry rushes after Nick Shade to help conquer his demons, just as he helped her with hers. There’s so much I like about this series and it's primarily because of the unusual partnership that we’ve got going between Bobbie and Nick; their pasts, their sheer capabilities to rise above their broken lives, their similar passions and the depth of their own feelings. Yet very little of that shows up in this book and without this defining feature that I’d found in the past two books, THE COLDEST FEAR stayed a very good read, but not an exceptional one.

There are however, shocking revelations towards the end and these strings are brought together quite masterfully by Webb as characters finally reveal the fractured history that they all share. It almost makes the long detour worth it, though it was difficult to see anything past the destruction of all the characters' lives after a while. The hunt for twisted, psychopathic serial killers is claustrophobically wearing and the characters do bleakly reflect this: their personal tragedies are worn deep on their skin and psyches and no one comes away untouched at all.

THE COLDEST FEAR is the third book in Debra Webb’s fascinating “Shades of Death” series, and is every bit as intriguing as the first two books. Bobbi and Nick’s partnership is moving along (mostly) nicely, and their adventures always interesting to the reader.

Thirty-Two years ago, on the same night, 5 young children mysteriously disappeared. They were never seen again. There were no ransom notes, no clues, nothing .... they just disappeared into thin air, leaving 5 families to grieve for the rest of their lives.

Today that all changes. The local veterinarian and his wife are found murdered in their home...each of them submerged in hardened cement. The plastic headstones on some of the graves in the pet cemetery have been broken. Inside each one is a pile of very small bones. But there are only 4 of them. Where is child # 5?

Detective Bobbie Gentry is summoned to Savannah to help work this very cold case. A serial killer ... Nick Slade's father ... is still on the loose ... still making it a priority to kill Bobbie in order to make his son angry enough to kill. Nick still has nightmares about becoming like his father.

Over the next few days, parents of the lost children begin to die .. in a horrible, gruesome manner. And no one is talking .... secrets are buzzing around like flies at a picnic.

What happened 32 years ago? Why were these children taken? What connects them to each other? And why is the secret of where they went just now becoming public knowledge? And why is the on-the-run serial killer hanging around now?

Bobbie and Nick are going to have to go back to the beginning and start putting all the puzzle pieces together. But their time is running short and the serial killer maybe moving up his timeline.

This is the 3rd book in the series ..and it's a doozie. I strongly recommend and suggest you read this series from the very beginning. Bobbie's and Nick's stories start in Book 1 and it's something you don't want to miss. THE COLDEST FEAR does okay as a stand alone. though.

I have come to expect so much from Debra Webb's books ... suspense and mystery ... strong characters .... evil killers .... and a little romance here and there. This one does not disappoint.

I'm really looking forward to the next one .....THE LONGEST SILENCE.

I wish to thank Debra Webb / Harlequin (US & Canada) / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.