This book is set in Black Rock Falls, a small town where nothing ever happens! Sheriff Jenna Alton and her new Deputy David Kane first meet when her car is forced off the road. Jenna thinks it was an accident but Kane thinks someone is trying to kill her. Jenna is also investigating two missing persons. Then a body is found and they have a killer on the loose. Is this connected to who is trying to kill the Sheriff. Alton and Kane both have secret pasts which may be revealed more in the next book. Plenty of twists and turns and I certainly didn’t guess the ending. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Don't Tell A Soul started off a bit slow but picked up and kept me interested until the end. It was suspenseful and kept me guessing until the last few chapters. I will be waiting for the next book to see what happens with Kane and Alton next.

I would like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Don’t Tell A Soul’ by D K Hood in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
David Kane is driving through thick snow to start his new position as Deputy Sheriff at Black Rock Falls County, Montana, when he sees a car forced off the road by a blue truck. When he rushes to assist he finds the driver of the car is Sheriff Jenna Alton.
His first investigation is when visitors to Black Rock Falls are mysteriously disappearing and their bank accounts emptied, then mutilated bodies are found. When Jenna Alton begins questioning possible suspects she realises she’s being stalked and her life is at risk. Is the person who’s trying to kill Jenna the same one responsible for the abduction and murder of the missing people?
‘Don’t Tell A Soul’ is a gripping and fast-paced thriller that kept me hooked from the start. The storyline has been cleverly written with lots of twists and turns to keep me guessing, and an ending that I wasn’t unexpecting. The only reason I haven’t given five stars is that the characters seemed to put food ahead of getting out and doing their jobs! Otherwise, a compelling and unputdownable novel.

With thanks to the publisher for the copy received.

Don’t Tell A Soul is the first in a new series. It was the second book in a row that I have read that featured adverse weather conditions which coincided with a very cold day locally. So it was a fitting read.
There were two lead characters, both of who work in the police department in a small town. Both of them are hiding from the past and living under assumed identities. Not much is revealed about either, but you are aware that Kane has had a personal loss. I did find his story more intriguing, and his character warmer than Alton’s. I felt both characters will become more likeable when the reader knows more about them. For now, they seemed a little remote.
On the other hand, Rowley was a character that I liked instantly. He was a rookie officer who was determined, honest and eager to please with the addition of a dry sense of humour.
The case which concerned missing people and murder was an interesting one. Both Alton and Kane found it difficult to get any help, this small town in America was full of corruption and superstition. I thought I had worked out who the killer was until fairly near the end when I was proved wrong.
I am interested in seeing how this new series develops, I can guess that it will be a popular one with readers of detective fiction.

Don't tell a soul by D.K Hood is the first book in the new detectives Kane and Alton series. I really enjoyed the story, I found the pace fast from the start with plenty of twists and turns that kept my attention throughout. The plot is well detailed and I found it difficult to put down it was that intense. I devoured it in one sitting and I cannot wait for the next installment.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my advance copy in return for my honest review.

Don't Tell A Soul is the first instalment in a brand-new detective series by D.K. Hood. Set in the small town of Black Rock Falls, you'd think nothing much extraordinary happens there. Which is exactly why David Kane ends up there, for a quiet life. But things don't turn out that way.

Kane and Alton meet in the most unusual circumstances that I won't talk about because hello, spoilers. Suffice to say, Kane's dreams of a restful existence soon bite the dust. Then a body is found dumped in a barrel at a landfill. It soon transpires more visitors to the town may be missing. What is happening to these people? And who is responsible?

Both Kane and Alton seem to have incredibly interesting backstories. While the author does allude to some events, we don't yet get a lot of information but it will keep a reader hooked and eager to find out more about them in the next book. There is a truckload of potential there! It did take me a while to warm to these characters as I felt most of them were just plain arrogant and unlikable but I'm glad I kept on reading.

As for the investigation, I figured things out quite early on but that didn't stop me from eagerly swiping the pages. My only misgiving was related to Jenna Alton. For most of the story, she's a strong and intelligent woman, capable of fighting her own battles until she suddenly makes a few stupid decisions and things become a tad too predictable. While I realise this was in an effort to move the storyline ahead, I can't help but wonder if maybe that couldn't have been done another way. 

Overall though, this is a solid start to a new series. Don't Tell A Soul has an intriguing and gripping plot and I enjoyed getting to know the residents of Black Rock Falls. I look forward to learning more about Kane and Alton and see their characters develop as the series continues.

Welcome to the town of Black Rock Falls, where people have hidden pasts, fake identities and dead bodies keep popping up…. other than that nothing really happens in this small town. Who am I kidding, this small town has it all and this read had me gripped from the get go! The first book in the Kane and Alton series by D.K. Hood and it’s kicked off in high gear, with its plot twists and turns, this new to me author has me gripped and wanting more!

I must admit I didn’t warm to Jenna Alton’s character, there’s just something about her that doesn’t gel with me David Kane on the other hand, love him! Maybe a little too nice at times but that’s just the kind of guy he is. These two work well together and I’m looking forward to seeing where the author takes this series. If you enjoy a good and gripping thriller then this is definitely one for you!

New author and a new series, what's not to like - especially with a title such as this one! My first impression of the book was intrigue. Lots of. Along with an automatic question of 'who can't tell a soul?'.

Annoyingly it took me a little while to warm up to this storyline. I couldn't seem to connect with the characters or the setting. It was as though I was a long way away from the contents of the storyline, looking down on it from above. For me, there was no instant connection. No hook. Despite that, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

Thankfully around the 40/50% mark my interest was piqued and I was starting to warm to the Sheriff and her deputies (aside from one incredibly arrogant deputy). Jenna's guard started to come down a little which meant I was able to gel with her a little more than before.

Despite taking a while to warm to the storyline, there was something I couldn't put my finger on which kept me from closing the book and giving up. Even now, after finishing the book, I can't tell you what that thing was, but I am incredibly glad it stopped me. The latter half of 'Don't Tell A Soul' kept my on my toes and in a state of shock until the very end. Seriously, I wouldn't advise eating whilst reading this novel unless you have a cast iron stomach. Whilst I did feel nauseous once or twice, I am incredibly impressed at how the author went from taking her characters to the local cafe for a coffee and a bite to eat, to then being face to face with the contents of someone's body, almost seamlessly. I guess the pessimist in me thought that the coffee stops were filling gaps in the storyline, but as a coffee lover myself, I'm not exactly going to complain about them! Speaking of which, where's mine?!

I mentioned above that there was a particular deputy whose arrogance rubbed me up the wrong way, unfortunately that didn't change but I marked his cards almost straight away. There was something about him which bugged me! Apart from him, I have to say that Kane is my favourite character at the moment. I'm curious to see what we will find out about his background the further we get into the series.

Even though I had a rocky start with 'Don't Tell A Soul', my opinion changed and I ended up being rather addicted to this gruesome and intense storyline. I am so looking forward to the next book in the series and what Jenna and Kane get up to next!

Thanks Bookouture.

Dissonance! I don’t often write a single-star review, so when I do, I try to explain to readers what prompted such a bad rating. The sloppiness with which this book appears to have been written merits such an explanation.

I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Written by D. K. Hood, and published by Bookouture, an imprint of StoryFire Ltd., London, U.K. in 2017, the book appears to have a definite British/Australian flavor. After reading only a few pages, I developed the distinct opinion that this novel was not very well written. The choices of words by the author is often grating, the dialogue generally is stilted and not believable, and many of the assertions are just plain wrong. I believe that the author failed to adequately research this story, which is set in Montana in the present day. I found the entire story to be unrealistic. I though, perhaps, it was meant to be YA or juvenile fiction, but at least one scene in the book was sufficiently explicit to dissuade me of that notion.

The story is about two former federal agents who are in some sort of witness protection program, having both gone through plastic surgery and a complete identity change. The first of these is Jenna Alton, who has become the sheriff of Black Rock Falls, Montana, where she has served for two years. The second is David Kane, who arrives in Black Rock Falls as the story begins. He is to serve as Sheriff Alton’s Chief Deputy. At least two people have gone missing, and the sheriff is run off the road by a mysterious dark Ford pickup truck in a hit-and-run incident. Deputy Kane sees the Ford, and hears the collision. He is first on the scene to render aid to the sheriff, who is still buckled into her upside down police car. This sets the stage for the intrigue, crime, and murders that ensue.

Logical inconsistencies abound. On Deputy Kane’s very first day on the job, he already has business cards, and he is handing them out to everybody he meets. Perhaps the sheriff had them pre-printed, but this is never explained to us. On the science fiction side, in Chapter Four the author would like us to believe that Deputy Kane can convert a diamond stud earring (which is largely transparent because diamonds refract light) into a hidden panic alarm system capable of calling him on his cell phone. That’s just fantasy, IMO. Does anybody really believe that a battery with enough power to dial and initiate a cell phone call, and small enough to be hidden in a diamond stud earring, has ever been developed — or even could be? (Assuming that the required electronic circuitry could be sufficiently miniaturized to fit into a diamond stud earring, which it might not.)

At the end of Chapter Five, Hood tells us that Kane carries a “Zig nine-one-one backup pistol.” There is no such thing. Zig, a Turkish firearms manufacturer, makes a semi-automatic pistol called the “Zig 1911 Pistol,” but it appears to be more suitable for use as a primary weapon, rather than a backup, because it has a five inch barrel and comes chambered in .45 ACP caliber ammunition. We have been told that Kane’s primary weapon is a Glock 22, which is a .40 caliber weapon with a 4½ inch barrel, so why would the backup weapon be even bigger, and more powerful, than the primary weapon? It makes no sense. Another gun inconsistency in the book is the assertion that Deputy Kane is creeping through the snow “straining to listen for another gunshot. He would have a millisecond to react . . .” Umm . . . Nope! Rifle bullets travel faster than the speed of sound. If he was shot, he would never hear the gunshot before the bullet struck him. Another gun inconsistency is that Kane “slid a bullet into the chamber” of his Glock before putting it back into his holster. Why wouldn’t there already have been a cartridge in the chamber? If not, why carry a Glock? Cops have to rack the slides of their handguns before using them only in poorly made TV shows and movies, and in poorly managed law enforcement agencies. The notion is very realistic, in my view.

Early in Chapter Six, the author implies that Montana might be in the “Upper Midwest.” Most Americans would probably tell you that Montana is a part of the West, and not the Midwest. A little research could have told the author this.

At location 2509 in the Kindle format version of the novel, we learn that a body was found “In the root cellar behind the bunk beds.” But earlier (at location 2331) we had been told that the root cellar was in the barn, and not in the bunk house. Later, we learn that the deputies have put “cartons of milk and cream packed in snow on the kitchen windowsill.” We know it is outside of the window because Kane has to lift the window to access it. Never mind that, if it is as cold in Black Rock Falls, Montana as the author would like us to believe it is, then milk and cream would freeze rather quickly if left outside on a window sill.

Continuing, at location 2747, Deputy Kane inspects a bunk house at a long-abandoned ranch and has “no doubt someone had used the shower.” Never mind that there was no electricity to pump the water, no heat to prevent the water pipes from freezing, and no heat to prevent person taking the shower from being frostbitten, or worse, by very cold water. No emergency backup generator was used by the perps, and the power was definitely disconnected, as we learn at location 3381 where we are told that the ranch has water (in the ground?), “and it only needs reconnection to the [electrical] grid.” And at location 2720, we are told that the bunkhouse “was built to store preserves and protect from twisters . . .” However, it is pretty clear that the story is set in the mountainous area of Western Montana, where the likelihood of seeing a twister (tornado) is practically zero. Perhaps some Montanans would build tornado shelters, but that would more likely be in the flatter Eastern part of Montana. Also, we are told that “bugs and seeds” are found on a dead body in mid-Winter Montana. Most insects are dormant in the winter, and would not be active on a dead body.

About half-way through the book, we are told that Kane visits Miller’s Garage, where he is greeted by a “blast of heat” as he comes in from the cold. But then, in spite of the heat, he “pulled on his glove.” Why would he don his gloves while drinking coffee in a warm garage, and do so before he even begins his interview with potential witnesses?

Sheriff Alton asserts that the cameras in small town ATMs are “useless” because the photographs they take are “grainy.” Never mind that there are a limited number of manufacturers of such machines, and all of the cameras are pretty much the same. She assumes that, because they are located in smaller towns, the machines are somehow different. Actually the machines are available for purchase by any financial institution or business. Most of them take pretty good photos.

At another point in the story, we are told that a suspect tells Deputy Kane that “I own a Chrysler pickup.” Never mind that Chrysler never made a pickup truck. Dodge (now RAM) made (and still makes) pickup trucks. Plymouth made pickup trucks from 1937 to 1941, and from 1974 to 1983, but not Chrysler. In fact, Dodge Ram pickup trucks have been popular in the US for many years, and are still made today under the name “Ram.” I think most Americans would probably be aware of this. If the book was written for British and Australian readers, then it is misleading.

Throughout the story, we are told about how members of a local ice hockey team called the “Larks” might be suspects. (What self-respecting hockey team would name itself after a lark? A Penguin, a Thrasher, or a Mighty Duck, maybe, but not a Lark. ☺ ) Anyway, one suspect tells the deputy that [he] “went to the Larks ground and dumped my stuff in the bin.” Ground? Ice hockey is not played on a “ground.” Perhaps she meant to say “rink.”

The book is rife with British/Australian terminology. Hood constantly refers to Sheriff Alton and Deputy Kane’s former superiors as “commanders.” This might be proper terminology in the U.K. or Australia, but not in the United States. She also exclusively uses the British word “enquiries,” instead of the American word “inquiries.” She mixes the words “vacation” and “holiday.” Americans do not refer to their vacations as holidays, which are something different in the US. What Americans would refer to as “cubicles” in an office are regularly referred to by the author as “booths.” Not in the US, they aren’t. The characters in the book constantly drop “notes” on the table to pay for their food in restaurants. Most Americans would probably say “bills,” as in one-dollar bill, five-dollar bill, twenty dollar bill, etc. We tend not to call them “bank notes” in the US. The author also refers to what an American might call Scotch tape, duct tape or packing tape as “sticky tape.” It is not clear what kind of tape she is referring to, or why it might be found in the office of a motel.

We know that both the sheriff and her new deputy have blue eyes. The knowledge is constantly reinforced by the words “blue gaze,” like: “Her blue gaze moved over him.” Talk about inappropriate adjectives . . . At location 1449, we are told that the sheriff is sipping her coffee and sighing in “contentment.” This, while she is on her way to the scene of a gory murder. “Contentment” appears to be an ill-fitting word choice. And at location 3010, we are told that “Kane rubbed the back of his neck and his gaze raked her face.” Raked? Couldn’t she find a better word? The cognitive dissonance generated by this novel is more than I have experienced in years. In some places it is positively jarring.

Sheriff Alton is not a very appealing character. For one thing, she is incredibly stupid. There’s nothing like a stupid law enforcement protagonist to stir the affections of crime readers, eh? After bemoaning the fact that her deputies treat her as a woman first, and as the sheriff second, she blabs about her secret earring panic button to the other deputies in her office. So naturally the bad guys find out about it and are able to take it away from her. Duh! Even her new deputy, Kane, is “Dumbfounded.” She also fails to follow up on a telephone number scrawled on a bill in a victim’s possession. This turned out to be a very important clue that was completely overlooked by our sheriff. Finally, Sheriff Alton tells us: “I feel like an incompetent fool.” Well, duh! Do you think? She makes one stupid decision after another that would cost most sheriffs in most American towns their jobs. Yet, the author seems to believe that this is an attractive trait.

It is glaringly obvious to me, as it should be to most readers, that writing a good novel takes a tremendous amount of work, meticulous research, numerous re-writes, and careful editing. Good authors are highly skilled professionals. I saw little evidence of such efforts in this book. Besides, the whole notion that two former federal agents, both hiding under the auspices of some sort of witness protection program, should be placed by the authorities into the same small sheriff’s department in the same small town in Montana is ludicrous. It wouldn’t happen. The author should abandon this story line and try to find a different one. How about a crime thriller set in Australia? Maybe Americans, Brits and Aussies might all like something like that. Feel free to skip this book. I wish I had.

Two very promising characters in Jenna and David and I would read another one in the series. The plot was a bit unbelievable at times and I don't know if I liked Jenna by the end! It was fast paced, had a few grisly murders but overall. just a bit inconsistent at times. I would recommend the read if you were on a long flight and needed to pass the time. My thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon.

''Small town. Big crimes. Dark secrets."

In this first of a new series, Sheriff Jenna Alton and her new hire, Deputy David Kane, try to solve what looks like 3 separate cases in the Montana town of Black Rock Falls. Missing persons, a body in a molasses barrel in the dump, and a hit-and-run attempt on Jenna herself. Part police procedural, part chilling thriller, and part suspenseful mystery combine to make this a single-sit read!

When I first started the book, I was immediately concerned about two things: an obvious set up for a romance angle AND the need to suspend disbelief at the notion that two people, formerly government agents who are now supposedly in hiding, could possibly end up in the same town. I managed to put those issues aside as the action started and the working investigations began. The short-staffed department is hard-pressed to take care of all the things that need to be done as other events pile up. The author is very adept at throwing out red herrings, so I honestly didn't know how this was going to end up as far as the identity of those responsible for the crimes. NO SPOILERS!

I liked the narrative told from the points of view of both Jenna and David. They both have backstories that I imagine will be further revealed in subsequent books in the series. I did have a bit of a problem with how quickly Jenna's "tough girl" turned into someone who all of a sudden needed a man to protect her and she makes some incredibly stupid decisions that ultimately result in her having to be rescued. WHY do this to the character? Keep her strong and independent so that the inevitable partnership with Kane is more on equal footing. Sure, we are told often that she is the "boss", but she abdicates her power position routinely and lets Kane take over. SHE is the Sheriff after all.

Regardless, I ended up racing through the book and ended up enjoying it. I'm looking forward to see where this story is going and want to know more about the characters. Obviously that small town will see an uptick in serious crime in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review!

Excellent book! Fast paced mystery. A small town Sheriff (Jenna Alton) and her new Deputy (David Kane) meet when her vehicle is forced off the road. They investigate missing person reports and murdered people in a small rural town. Can't wait for book 2 in this series. Thank you NetGalley, Bookoutre and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book.

David Kane needed to take a step back so he applied for a job as deputy sheriff in the small town of Black Rock Falls. Expecting for a more laid back time in his new job with the low crime rate in the small town David never thought the night he arrived he’d witness a car accident that looked an awful lot like a murder attempt. David immediately goes to help the victim but ends up with a gun in his face.

Detective Jenna Alton knew that her new deputy was on due to arrive soon but didn’t expect to meet him late at night climbing out of her wrecked police cruiser. Jenna had gone to the small town to hide from her own past which she worries might be catching up to her. Jenna tries to put aside her doubts with her new deputy and puts him in charge of finding out who ran her off the road but the pair quickly end up with another case when a body is found in a barrel at the garbage dump looking as if it might be a missing person leaving them to wonder if the crimes are connected.

Don’t Tell A Soul by D.K. Hood is the first book in the new Detectives Kane and Alton crime thriller series. This opening book in the new series introduces readers to a pair of detectives that have their own pasts they are hiding from. Both are tough as nails and determined to find out who is behind the crimes in the small town while they navigate the waters of their own new working relationship.

I started off this book really liking both of the main characters in the story and I still look forward to getting to know them more in future books. I did however find that Jenna’s character seemed to contradict her own qualities later in the read so hopefully that gets worked out to where she’s the strong lead she should be.

I also liked that the author seemed to pay attention to the details of police work when it came to investigating the various crimes in the story. Often times the forensic side of a crime scene is forgotten about in police investigating but this story kept those details along with a darker edge with some twists and turns to keep the pages turning. A solid series opener that I’d recommend checking out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Ooooh this book was good!!  After seeing the cover and reading the blurb I knew it was definitely going to be a book that was right up my street - and I wasn't wrong!!

I thought that the book was set at an excellent pace and it kept me engaged from the beginning - I really enjoyed the plot, there was plenty of suspense and it holds you right to the end.  The characters were great and their interaction was on of the things that made the book so good for me.  You can tell that a lot of thought went in to the book and that along with the writing style made it a must read for me - definitely a book I'm going to be recommending - 5 stars from me!

New deputy sheriff David Kane's arrival in Black Rock Falls coincides with an accident involving the sheriff Jenna Alton. Their problems gets worse with missing people and more incidents involving Jenna.
Although I did work out quite early on who were the guilty party I still enjoyed this well-written, fast paced, mystery and look forward to reading more about these characters

I did enjoy this book, and will try the next one in the series. I do feel a bit disappointed in this book in that I felt like I've read this book before, as in the story line feels too predictable for me. But to be fair, a first book in a series is usually getting to know the characters so the author may bring something new to the next book.

I love a good serial killer thriller, especially ones based in the USA, so it was an easy yes to this one!

When a body is discovered in a barrel at a waste disposal site in Black Rock Falls, it's up to Detective Jenna Alton and her new Deputy, David Kane to find out who it is and what happened. This is a small town, where nothing ever happens, but there are a couple of missing persons cases and Alton is afraid that the victim may be one of the missing so she begins an investigation that will threaten everyone's safety around her.

Gah! I'm writing this review eager to tell you EVERYTHING about this book, but I can't, because SPOILERS!!!!

So lets discuss characters instead for a bit. Jenna Alton is a strong female lead in this book, she takes no prisoners and takes s*** from NO-ONE! I loved her no-nonsense attitude and how she carries herself. Everyone has a past, and Jenna is no different but hers is one she has hidden away from the rest of the world. Enter Deputy David Kane....

Kane is such a great character. Full of machismo, but ultimately a very caring and honest man, he leaves the reader in no doubt that he is a very determined and interesting character. Alton and Kane meet in a great scenario (not going to say more!!!!) and their relationship starts off on an uneven keel for sure. As a pair, these two work so well together. They have each other's backs, but are respectful of their differing methodologies and approaches to crimes/suspects. I really liked their inner monologues throughout the course of the book!

That plot though!!! It is detail-heavy, there are lots of extra stuff in there that creates the scenes and sets up the characters really well. So much so, that you will question everyone's motives in the course of reading the book. I had inklings as to the whodunnit bits, but the author created such a wider picture that my theories were disproved more than once. I did get some bits right, but the ultimate reveal wasn't what I was expecting. In a good way of course!

DK Hood, I need more Kane and Alton in my life, ASAP please :) I am a huge fan of these two, and thanks to the author's skill at not disclosing every minute detail, I am hankering for the next book and for answers!!!! Read it, and you'll want to know what I want to know!

Don't Tell A Soul is an absorbing, clever and dark book. Delving into small-town America and creating a sinister snapshot of life in a sleepy Montana town, it is compulsive and moreish. You need to keep reading, gleaning more information, putting it together in your head. And then the author will add in a tiny detail to make you go OMG! How did I miss that?!

Bravo, Ms. Hood. Bring on book 2.

Highly recommended!

The book starts with a double-bang when two serious issues occur. Enter David Kane to Black Rock Falls in Montana in heavy snow. He seems dependable and strong. His boss, the sheriff is Jenna Alton who seems initially as a tough cookie but as the story develops and her background is revealed she later becomes edgy and vulnerable. It's almost as though she has a personality change but I think she's overwhelmed by Kane and the unusually circumstances she's in.. It must be hard to be Boss to such a charismatic character especially as she has trust issues. As a team I wasn't totally convinced it was workable but it was interesting to analyse. Thank for letting me read it. I shall post this review to Amazon and my blog.

Ugh! I really really wanted to like this book! It had a great story line with people going missing in a small town and two supposedly strong main characters, but the wheels got wobbly quickly for me and fell off by the end. David Kane is the new deputy sheriff but he is also a former special forces guy whose death was faked and is now hiding out. Jenna Alton is the sheriff, formerly in some type of law enforcement, and now an FBI relocated witness after testifying in a sex trafficking case. Both. In a small town. Still in law enforcement. That doesn't seem right. Then Alton almost instantly becomes the damsel in distress with Kane stepping up to save her. What happened to all her training and experience? Sure she tries to stand up for herself but it feels more like the kid stamping her foot saying "I can protect myself." So, if you can ignore the sexist stereotypes and focus on the mystery, the book is worth reading. Maybe Alton can save Kane in the next one?

3.5 stars for this one. Lots of promise. An interesting partnership with plenty of back stories to be fleshed out in future books, this was enjoyable enough, but not without it flaws.

Set in the small town of Black Rock Falls, when a body turns up in a barrel in a rubbish dump, Detective Jenna Alton and her new deputy David Kane go to investigate. With little or nothing usually happening in the sleepy small American town, Jenna is convinced the victim must be one of two recently reported missing persons, two strangers to the town and to each other. Jenna fears the second missing person is in danger too.
With her own secret past Jenna hopes her instincts are right and that it’s not someone from her past catching up with her. When she finds herself being followed and threatened, she faces a race against time to find out who the killer is, be it from her past or unrelated, she seems to be in the firing line too. Has Black Rock Falls got hidden secrets she doesn’t know about and will it cost her her life to find out?

So let’s get to the good stuff first. We are introduced to two very promising characters in Jenna and David. Although David is Jenna’s newly arrived deputy, they feel like a partnership and there’s a good chemistry between them, both professionally and personally. Both with their own secret pasts that are touched on but not gone into in detail, I’m sure that will be developed in future books.
The story is pretty snappy for the most part. The town itself nicely written as a setting, populated with interesting characters. The story reads a lot more complicated than it is. That’s probably down to the author writing diversions and red herrings but I suppose it keeps you guessing.

The not so good. The two characters of Jenna and David ending up working together in the small town with both having their secret pasts just seemed an unfathomable coincidence, one that we as a reader are asked to swallow from the off. I went with it and it sort of made it all the more mysterious and interesting to see how it was fleshed out, but it’s only touched on troughout the book and not evolved at all. As I said the two of them finding themselves working together is just a big ask of the reader to swallow.
I also had a problem with some of the final part of the book. Without going into spoiler territory, Jenna is as solid as a rock throughout the book. More than a match for her male counterparts and as cool as a cucumber under pressure, she goes totally out of character near the end as a plot device to set up the finale and it felt completely out of place with the rest of the book. I found it totally puzzling and it left a bit of a bad taste in the mouth.

Overall I did enjoy the book, more for the promise it gives to the obvious series of books planned by the author. The two central characters are very interesting and work well together and we have only scrapped the service of their back stories so, hopefully plenty to look forward to in the future on that front.
The story itself was decent if flawed, with a couple of very clunky decisions by the author that asked too much of the reader to swallow and one that did the female lead character a disservice.

I was going to rate this 3 stars and if it was a stand alone I probably would but I’m giving it and extra half star because it has introduced and interesting couple and despite it flaws has shown plenty of potential for future development.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and D.K. Hood for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.