FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde has come back home to Widow’s Island after receiving a gun shot would. Cate’s always had mixed feeling about her home, she loves the island, but it has a mix of good and bad memories. Her ending up in law enforcement is no coincidence. Cate, Tessa Black, who is now a local deputy and Samantha were a tight knit trio when they were teenagers. However, Samantha went missing when she was 13 and hasn’t been seen since. Old memories are brought flooding back when the body of a teenage girl is discovered on the Island. Now, Cate and Tessa, as well as the new doctor in town, must investigate the possible crime. Could this be their missing best friend?

I love a good mystery! Which, is exactly what Kendra Elliot delivers in this novella. Close to the Bone is the first in the Widow’s Island series which is co-authored by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh. Melinda Leigh will be writing A Bone to Pick, the next book in the series. Each author writes from a different characters point of view as they help to solve crimes on the Widow’s Island and look into the disappearance of their childhood friend Samantha.

This was a short read, about 100 pages, but in a such a short time it does a great job of introducing you not only to the characters but the atmosphere of the small island as well. All this whilst trying to solve the murder of an unidentified teenage girl. I enjoyed reading about the investigation and I loved that I didn’t gues the whodunit until it was revealed by the author. Close to the Bone also has a little glimmer of romance in it as well between Cate and Henry, the doctor. I know the Elliot has another book out, book 3, next year and I look forward to seeing that relationship develop further .

This is a short, but very satisfying read and I can’t wait to read more in this series. If you like a mystery, especially in small town settings, then I highly recommend you give this book a try.

Wow, Kendra Elliot can write a great book. Loved it. Great mystery in fascinating setting. I will be reading the rest of the series and I recommend that you do too.

I've read several of the author's works, but none of the ones that she's "co-wrote" with Melinda Leigh. That leaves me feeling a little lost sometimes when reading their works, but this book did a good job of filling in some blanks for me!

My biggest complaint was that it was too short! Some of the investigation felt very rushed and I felt that the mysteries in the story suffered for it a bit, as did the characterization. That's not to say that this isn't a complete story, because it very much is, just that some parts of it felt incomplete. While I know that a degree of it was intentional, I believe that some of it is not.

Moving past all that, we get a great first look at the new setting and have a great feel for the inhabitants of the town. There's some great local history mentioned that makes the story very unique. The plot didn't falter at all, and was engaging throughout. I'm eager to see where things go from here!

I enjoyed the book temedously. I look forward to reading more with the characters of this series. This book kept me guessing most of the way through and I was surprised at the twist at the end. Definitely worth the read and will pass along the author to family and friends!

This was a fun novella. I've not read anything by Kendra Elliott before but I really enjoyed the mix of suspense; a little light romance and mystery/action. It's a quick read that makes for a tasty diversion from the real world. I'm looking forward to more of this series and will be checking out her other books.

Close to the Bone – Kendra Elliot

This is the first novella in the Widow’s Island Novella series. This book follows Cate Wilde, special agent of the FBI. She has come back to the island she grew up on to heal from a gunshot wound she received on the job. While here to heal, there is a skeleton found on a neighboring island and she is the only agent close enough to secure the scene and start investigating before the storm hits the island. There is some speculation on who the victim could be, as there have been two teenagers over the past years that have disappeared on the island – one being Cate’s friend that disappeared when they were fourteen.
This book was surprising to me. I typically don’t particularly like novellas as sometimes it feels like too much story is crammed into too few pages, and so stories can feel rushed at times. This book does not do this, I feel like the story moved along at a good pace and didn’t gloss over important ideas or background information. I like how with this novella, that there are 2 mysteries interwoven, and how one gets solved by the end and the other will seemingly get addressed in the next books in the series.

** I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for an unbiased review**

Wow. Just WOW! Another fantastic story by Kendra Elliot. Creepy, thrilling, suspenseful, imaginative...I may need to break out the dictionary to come up with more adjectives.

As with her other novels, the author creates a setting that seems real, complete with a cast of supporting characters who seem real, too. I can't wait to read more of this series.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This is the first book I have read by this author and have to say I enjoyed it a lot. The description of Widows Island is great.

The cover of this book hooked me immediately, dark and mysterious with the bold orange print, I knew I wanted more immediately. I do judge a book by the cover when browsing. From the first page I was full in on this series. Fast paced and just enough detail to keep you wanting more without getting dull or giving it all away. I read this in one day and was eager to start the next book.
Cate is an FBI agent on leave recovering from a gunshot wound. She returns to her childhood home on an island outside of Seattle. When the ferry goes down she is called to duty to help investigate human remains found on the island. Reuniting her with her best friend from childhood as the sheriff and introducing the new doctor/coroner Henry, Cate tries to determine if the remains are those of her childhood friend or the island celebrity author’s daughter. Both girls mysteriously disappeared in their teens, decades apart.
The book starts quickly which I personally prefer, I don’t want the backstory before the mystery. Delving just a bit into Cate’s history and touching slightly on romantic possibilities, the investigation is the forefront in this story. Nothing feels too fake or forced to fit theories or time lines. I don’t think it gives too much away too early either that you know for sure what happened before it all unravels. If you like suspense, mystery and a little romance definitely grab this book!

Great start to the series. Really easy to read. Will be following the series. Thank you for the chance to read this series Netgalley

Close to the Bone is Book 1 in the Romantic Suspense Series Widows Island.
This Novella introduces us to Tessa Black and FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde in the remove Pacific Northwest Island. They are investigating a tennagers remains that have been found on a close by island.

This is a great story and do not let the "Novella" scare you away, its very well thought out with complex characters. I really enjoyed this book..

Close to the Bone by Kendra Elliot is the first book in the new romantic suspense Widow’s Island series. This is a series written by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh, with them alternating books. They are all novellas, yet read like a full length story.

This book introduces the reader to FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde. She was suffering from a gun shot injury and came home to Widow Island to recuperate. Her recuperation is cut short when a skeleton is found on a nearby island and she is the only agent close enough to respond. Cate teams up with her old friend Tessa Black, who is a deputy. When Cate and Tessa were 15, a friend disappeared, so they are wondering if this skeleton could be her, or is the local girl who went missing two years earlier. We also meet Henry, the new doctor to the island, who did not know that meant he was also the coroner. There are some sparks between Henry and Cate that I hope will come to fruition in future books.

Close to the Bone was a great start to this series. It is surprising that even with the short novella length story, the plot is well done with all the elements of a good mystery. The characters were fleshed out enough that I got to know them well enough to be looking forward to what will come next in their lives. Well done Kendra Elliot.

Close To The Bone is the first novella in a new series by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh .

FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde is back home on Widow's Island recovering from a gunshot injury when she is called out to the site of a discovery of skeletal remains . Only two young women have gone missing on the island in recent times ………… one being her best friend Samantha , the other the daughter of a reclusive writer .
Cate , her old friend , Sheriff's Deputy Tessa Black and the town's new Doctor , Henry Powers must work together to solve the mystery of the bones and bring to justice the murderer .

I found the length of this novella a little too short ……. the who done it element of the story felt rushed .

That being said I enjoyed this first book in the new Widow's Island series and will look forward to the next in line .

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Close To The Bone is the first novella in a new series by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh. These authors will alternately be writing all the books which are all novella-length. This is their second collaboration after the Rouge River series which I hear had a few characters from this new series. I might check that out.

I am of the opinion that short lengths only do favors to a suspense genre. You get a faster pace and a tighter story-line. So, I had high expectations from this novella. But, I think, in this case that the length was the main problem with this book. It could've used a little more time for the plot and the mystery to build up and unfold.

To be fair, I think the characters were fleshed out pretty well, even in the short span of time. I liked the focus on the friendship between Cate and Tessa. I am curious about what's ahead for the gang. Having said that, the potential romance between Cate and Henry failed to engage me. I found there to be a shortage of sparks between the main characters, something that I always eagerly look forward to in a romance.

My favorite part about the book was the setting. I loved the idea of Widow's island with it's fascinated history and background. An island where married men have a record of dying young? Color me intrigued! If nothing else, I'll read the next book just to return to this fascinating island.

Love the author and I’m excited to start a new series with a new cast of characters. Close to the Bone is a great kick start novella into the series and I can’t wait to get more! Kendra Elliot will be tag teaming with author Melina Leigh in this series and I’m looking forward to the interaction between the authors and how the series will be written between the two. I enjoy both of their writing styles and have no doubt I’m going to have a great time immersing my self in this world.

A short novel by one of my favorite mystery authors. Cate, an FBI agent, returns to her family home on an isolated island in Puget Sound to recover from a gunshot wound. She's almost immediately brought in to consult on a case where bones are found on a nearby island. Could they be the bones of her childhood friend who disappeared? Or, the bones of the daughter of a reclusive author? Also on the case is the island's new doctor and her other friend from childhood who is now a sheriff's deputy.

Because this is a shorter novel, there's not a lot of time to add depth to characters. Still, the story line was very interesting and managed to have some twists. In particular, the author is able to capture the sense of isolation and the unique nature of island-dwellers. I also live on an island near Puget Sound, so feel qualified to comment on that aspect. This looks like it could be a new series.

An excellent new series by Kendra Elliott about Cat Wilde, an FBI agent who has returned to her island home to heal after suffering a gunshot wound and finds herself investigating a murder. I really enjoyed this fast-paced, suspenseful story and I look forward to the next book in this series.

I absolutely loved this book it was intriguing and suspenseful and a fabulous read and I recommend giving it a try

Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh are co-writing a new series is always a reading pleasure. Widow’s Island Series is compilation of short novellas featuring childhood friends FBI Agent Cate Wilde and local Deputy Tessa Black as they unravel the mysteries of their remote island home.

“Close To The Bone” is the first in the series penned by Kendra Elliot as Cate Wilde returns home to recuperate from an injury. But instead of resting, skeletal remains found on the island drew her into a crime that brings the past and present to an end. And the new resident doctor Henry Powers weighs in with his skills to help the case and his charm to woo Cate Wilde.

A short and with a very tight narrative, “Close To The Bone” delivers another enthralling read. Kendra Elliot has always been so good with her thrillers, characterizations and subtle romantic nuances, be it a longer story or a short novella.

Received an ARC from Montlake Romance via NetGalley for an honest review.

This is the first novella in the Widow's Island series. FBI agent Cate finds herself back in the island she grew up on after getting injured on the job. She is supposed to be resting and re cooperating, but finds herself back in the action again. I'm hooked on this new series and can't wait to read more.