Close to the Bone (by Kendra Elliot)

FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde is back home on a remote Pacific Northwest island recovering from a gun shot wound when she skeletal remains are discovered and she is. Together with the island’s new doctor who also happens to be the island’s coroner she investigates a murder that happened many years ago.

A Bone to Pick (by Melinda Leigh)

Sheriff’s Deputy Tessa Black gave up her career as a detective with the Seattle PD and returned to Widow’s Island to care for her ailing mother who has dementia. She thinks her life will be one of turning a blind eye to the island’s marijuana supplier and investigating petty crime. But when one of the island’s artists is gruesomely murdered she finds herself once again investigating the violence she thought she had left behind in Seattle.

Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh are regular collaborators. They must have published over a dozen books in the Rogue River series and its many sequels. Now they have put those series’ to bed and have started this series set on an archipelago loosely based on the San Juan Islands in Washington.

As with Rogue River these books are short with a page count somewhere around 100 for each of them. That is both a strength and a weakness. They are quick and entertaining, you could polish them off on a lazy Sunday afternoon. But that is done at the expense of story and character development which will happen over time with each new offering.

The thing that makes these books just a little bit better than the competition is likeable characters and the two authors are plainly enjoying themselves.

Close to the Bone is a quirky murder mystery that takes place in a wonderfully weird place filled with delightful individuals. Our hero, FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde, is home on medical leave and is on hand to help. This is a quick escape and totally enjoyable.

Closed to the Bone, is an intriguing, romantic suspense. The first in the Widow’s Island series, I was engaged from the very beginning, from the great characters to the well written novella length storyline. A great introduction to this series I look forward to reading book two.

Close to the bone, is a great start to a new series. FBI special agent Cate is recuperating at home after being shot. When she is called in to check out some skeletal remains. Meeting up with her childhood friend Tessa who is now the local deputy. The bones are found to be a young girl. It brings back memories of their childhood friend Samantha who disappeared many years ago. As Cate works the case, someone doesn't want the answers to be found. Who isn't what they seem? Highly recommended for fans of romantic suspense. Cant wait to read the rest of the series. ARC received from the publishers courtesy of net galley. This is my voluntary review.

I’m a big fan of both Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh individually and thoroughly enjoyed their joint Rogue River novella series, so I jumped at the chance to read their new co-writing effort, the Widow’s Island series. CLOSE TO THE BONE (#1, Kendra Elliot) and A BONE TO PICK (#2, Melinda Leigh) are the first two novellas in the series and introduce us to heroines FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde (CLOSE TO THE BONE), back on Widow’s Island on medical recovery after being shot on the job, and Sheriff’s Deputy Tessa Black (A BONE TO PICK), who left the life of a police officer in Seattle to care for her mother with dementia and teenage half-sister on the island; as well as their respective beaus-to-be: affable Los Angeles-ER-doc-turned-island-doctor-and-(surprise)-coroner Henry Powers and former-Army-Ranger-turned-park-ranger (and Cate’s brother) Logan Wilde; plus the quirky, tight-knit community of Widow’s Island and the tragic, unsolved disappearance of the heroines’ third musketeer, Samantha Bishop, ~20 years ago. Both CLOSE TO THE BONE and A BONE TO PICK are fast, action-packed mystery reads with great characters, sharp writing, and a light romantic undertone that read very similarly to the Rogue River novellas -- fans of that series will undoubtedly love this one! Looking forward to more from these two authors… and I typically don’t even like novellas!

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Book #1 in the Widow's Island Novella Series is a wonderful look at the life of an island off to the Washington State coast. It is also a great little cozy mystery that, while short, packs a lot into its' pages. I loved the previous collaborations of these two authors, Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh, and all their standalone, individual books. This short novella has a mystery, a budding romance and suspense. A lot to pack into a novella.

FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde has returned home to Widows Island in the Pacific Northwest to recover from a gunshot wound and the PTSD that accompanied the shooting. She has been laying low at her grandmother's home when she is called to investigate human remains found on a nearby private island.

Nearly twenty years ago Cate's friend, fourteen year-old Samantha Bishop went missing. Two years ago another fourteen year-old, Becca Conan, disappeared without a trace. Could the remains be one of these missing girls? Cate and her best friend, Deputy Tessa Black, must uncover who the remains belong to and, possibly, solve a twenty year old murder. With the help of the new, hot doctor/coroner, Henry Powers, Cate must battle, remote location, weather and her own demons to being justice to one of these girls.

Loved it! I am a huge Kendra Elliot fan, and this book did not disappoint! I can not wait to read the rest of the series.

Close to the Bone was a great introduction to the Widow’s Island series. I am a huge fan of a good murder mystery and this book did not disappoint. This was a quick read that keeps you guessing until the end. Though I was completely wrong on who I thought the murderer was (which makes it an even better book in my eyes)! I can't wait to see where the next book takes the story. Will Cate and Tessa find out what happened to their friend Samantha? Bring on the next one please!

Close to the Bone is a very quick read, but manages to pack a lot of information and intrigue into this easy to read suspense. I liked all the characters, especially Cate and Tessa, and the ebb and flow of the storyline was great. I soon became wrapped up in the plot and couldn’t put it down until the climax was reached and the mystery was solved. I’m looking forward to book two.

A good, fast-paced, suspense-filled read! Great characters and writing, with a very satisfying end that I did *not* see coming!

This was my first story by Kendra Elliot, but it definitely won't be my last!

Cate goes home to rest from an injury, however resting won't last long as ones are found. She teams up with her friend Tessa to find out whose remains they are and who the killer is. Cate finds complications with the attraction she has toward the new doctor. She also wants to get back to her life.
The story is based on the fact that the island either wants you or it doesn't want you. In other words you feel a pull towards it.

This book has it all romance and suspense it was a great read, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series**


** I received a copy of this book from NetGalley n exchange for a honest review**

This is a brilliant new series that I hope will continue for many more stories. The first book is written by Kendra Elliott, the second by Melinda Leigh; two writers who I have loved in the past.
They both have a writing style that completely sweeps you up into the story and engrosses you. The characters are immediately endearing...most of them!!
I absolutely loved both of these novellas, I didn’t want to put my kindle down while I was there on Widow’s Island, I can’t wait for more!! Ten stars for this new series...five for each book!

I quickly realized that this was going to be a fantastic gripping series. The island is a place where some strangers are welcome and some are not. When you see the island it is hard to question that there are secrets there not yet uncovered. As soon as I read this one I had to read the next book. I did not want it to end because you really start to fall in love with the people on the island old and new. Henry and Cate are on the island at the same time and are drawn to each other, will the island be a place that romance blossoms? Will secrets of the past and present be answered or will more secrets keep popping up?

I couldn’t put this book down! As usual, Kendra doesn’t disappoint! She has been my “go-to” author for suspense.

FBI agent Cate Wilde is home recuperating after an injury. Remains of a teenager have been found on a nearby island. Is it the remains of a long lost friend or a more recent missing teenage girl. With the help of Tessa a childhood friend, can they solve the mystery. This book was intriguing. I had a hard time putting down.

Close to the Bone is a first novella in a new series and my first Kendra Elliot novel. But is won’t be the last.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot is interesting, kept me guessing.

Cate Wilde in an FBI agent who goes home after suffering an injury. But instead of recuperating she has to work a case. Bones have been found on a nearby island. As she investigates this new case, memories from her past surface. Her best friend dissapeared 20 years ago and she is still missing.

Cate is a strong woman. I very much like strong female characters. She takes her job seriously but she also makes mistakes like all of us.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book.

I love Kendra Elliot's writing, so I was excited to read Close to the Bone. It's a mystery about Cate, an FBI agent who is home on leave recovering from a gun shot wound, when skeletal remains are found on Widows Island. Cate is asked to take the case due to lack of available agents. She teams up with childhood friend Tessa, who is a local police woman, to try to figure out who the bones belong to and how they died. As always, this is a good who dun-nit and kept me wondering who the deceased was and who killed them. A short story that was a fast and easy read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I'm a die hard Kendra fan, if she writes it, I will read it!!!!

I'm not a huge fan of novella's because it always leaves me wanting/needing more. But, when Kendra and Melinda Leigh write them, I just have to read them!

This story has a great characters, murder, mayhem, a little love interest, and its a quick enjoyable read.

Of course neither Kendra or Melinda write fast enough for me..give me more, I need more!!!!

Close to the Bone is Book 1 of the new Widow's Island series by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh. I LOVE the collaborations these 2 authors like to write and this was no exception. Keep in mind, there is little to no romance in this novella. Even though it is very short and I finished it very quickly, it certainly packs a punch. There are 2 mysteries in this story. The current day one which is resolved and also the back story involving Tessa and Cate's friend who went missing many years ago. I can't wait until they start to find answers about the disappearance of their friend.

These books are engaging and the characters grab you so that you want to be involved in their lives. Very human issues that prove you cannot judge a persons life by the outward appearances. Remote idyllic communities are not always what they seem and your retreat from big city living might be more eventful than you planned.

The true issues of PTSD are addressed bluntly as is the horrid disease of dementia. This series is a do not miss.