This is the third of four novellas by Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot concentrating on the inhabitants of the worryingly named Widow's Island!  I thoroughly enjoyed the first two stories but these final two instalments pack a little more of a punch as things reach an explosive conclusion.

Deputy Tessa Black has been back home for eighteen months when she is called to the scene of the death of a local contractor. Once it becomes clear the victim was not universally loved and had been murdered Tessa and boyfriend, local park ranger Logan Wilde, who is also the brother of her best friend Cate, begin an investigation.

What they discover not only solves their case but also provides a vital clue in the hunt for her and Cate's other best friend, Samantha Butler, who disappeared without warning two decades ago. As her relationship with Logan begin to strengthen into something they both hope will last a lifetime she also sees the chance to finally close the door on her friend's disappearance which she never thought was possible.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first two novellas and wants to find out what happened next or enjoys first class short stories, that work on all levels.

An intriguing and well written mystery/murder/romance novella. Number three in the Widow's Island series and I would recommend you start this series from the beginning to understand the ongoing backstories. There are 2 main couples and 2 authors. Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliott take turns writing these books and each focusses on one couple. In this one we have Tessa (Deputy police officer) and Logan (a forest ranger - ex military). Their romance is slow burn and ongoing from book one, although they made appearances in book two. The other couple are Cate (FBI on leave) and Henry (the new local doctor) and they also appear as secondary characters in this story. There are various other villagers and family members that make brief appearances as needed, to enhance the murder mystery. There's actually not much in the romance department re steamy scenes, but they are investigating this murder as a duo and the story features them together pretty much through the whole book, interacting, while they are searching for the perpetrator.

Each book deals with a different murder on the Island and there is also a back story running about the disappearance of Tessa's childhood friend Sam. There are lots of suspects for the murder in this novella and it's interesting reading as clues are uncovered and suspects are eliminated - or added. I read this in one sitting and I highly recommend this novella, the whole series and both the authors. As usual, I didn't pick the murderer. I'm hopeless at that! I could also see this series transferring no problems to the small screen. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

Whisper of Bones is another installment focusing on Tessa and Logan. Both of them have major personal problems they are dealing with and then they end up with a case to solve. There is also an ongoing case that Tessa and Cate are trying to solve involving the disappearance of their childhood friend. Another great suspense novella from Melinda Leigh. I will read anything she writes! My review is on goodreads and will be on Amazon on day Of publication!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Publishing for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is part of a series, but reads well as a stand alone. This is a very short (97 pages) quick read. It's a murder mystery.it's a good read. 3.5 stars.

This is the third book in the Widows Island series. Tessa Black is a deputy. Logan is a forest ranger together they investigate a murder. The body washes up in upon the shore near there island. The man was not well liked so that brings on more complications. Nobody is to broken up over his death. Not his wife, ex wife, secretary, employees or employers so there are lots of suspects. In the process of investigating Tessa finds a piece of evidence in a long time cold case. This is another great addition to this wonderful series. A suspenseful murder mystery plus a little bit of romance.The writing duo of Leigh and Elliot can’t be beat!

Here we go again. Just 12 months ago I devoured the first two books in this, what now appears to be, expanding series, Widow's Island - A novella series by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh, set on remote islands in the Pacific Northwest, off Seattle.
Each author has form in this type of project where each write a separate instalment in the series.
Melinda did book 2 and now writes book 3. While Kendra wrote 1 and brings us book 4 later this month.
The writing is seamless and the timeframe within the story is much closer than the passage of time in releasing these titles.
The world they have created is also an author’s dream. A closed, about 5,000 residents, almost isolated community, bolstered by tourists in season but where everyone almost knows everyone else. Returning to the islands is a group of young dynamic characters, Deputy Tessa Black, Ranger Logan Wilde, his sister, Cate a FBI agent on extended sick leave. Newcomer, Dr Henry Powers, local GP and by default acting Coroner. This not only provide the romantic pauses they are front and central to all criminal investigations.
The other back story that links each book is an unsolved disappearance of a teenage girl, Sam a contemporary of Tessa and Cate; their best friend whose body has never been found but feared to have met an accident or foul play and remains lost to the sea.
Each novella is a standalone crime, with character development, love interest and moves to reopen Sam’s case.
Here we have a typical murder of a man no-one appears to have liked; the police investigation throws up more suspects than answers until the true motive is happened upon.
Tight plotting; good crime thriller where hard police work brings answers.
I enjoy these books; Whisper of Bones maintains the high standard set. The counterbalance to these young guns solving crime and ripping up the islands are the group of mature women. No longer Real Housewives, these are the more spooky Real Widows who look after social affairs, provide care and support while still believing in knitting clubs.
They worry me and their role may not be quite as benevolent as at first it seems. Or I may be over-reaching to compensate for the romantic bits.
Tessa’s struggles to find a work life balance is a series focus in these accounts and the insight to mental ill health in the elderly is wonderfully shared as part of these stories.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Whisper of Bones by Melinda Leigh that I read and reviewed.
This novella was the third one in the Widow’s Island series and it was a very good and fast read. This one followed Tessa as she solved the murder of a contractor on the island that it seemed no one was shedding any tears over his death.
This was a very face paced novella that added more to this story and it gets five out of five stars from me.

Deputy Tessa Black is called to the scene when a man’s body is found on the shore of Camilla Island. Assisting her is Logan Wilde, Washington State Forest Ranger. Evidence points to a homicide with several possible suspects who agree that the man was a bully and disliked by all. When the victim’s home is searched and then set on fire, Tessa knows they must act fast to find the killer. As her relationship with Logan evolves into more than friendship, she deals with the case, her mother’s increasing dementia issues and raising her teenage half-sister. Logan has his own issues and is coping with the nightmares that plague him from his time in Afghanistan. This is the exciting continuing stories (with author Kendra Elliot) of Tessa and her childhood friend FBI Agent Cate (Logan’s sister) as they continue to look for evidence in to the disappearance, twenty years ago, of their friend Samantha. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

4* A good short story with enough to keep me interested, and just enough red herrings.

These novellas, written separately by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh, can be read as standalones and you don't need to have read the connected series, either. The authors give enough info that as a stranger to the series you can dive straight in and enjoy.

What's impressive is that for such a short story, it doesn't really miss a trick. You get a bit of scene setting, you get the crime, several possible suspects, some people who may or may not be what they seem, some decent investigating and then a twist and an ending. It was really well done and though normally I need a higher dose of romance in my tales, this worked fine as the leads were really a WIP, still. I liked that the author didn't use sex to dumb down or sell the tale, and she led me to believe that there will be more stories with Tessa and Logan and I want to see how their relationship grows.

ARC courtesy of Montlake Romance and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

This novella series is slowly warming up to me. It's quite fun when the mysteries are solved relatively easily and the romance is taken a back seat from everything. With the length of the novel, romance really does not have enough space to spread out on. Just like the previous book this one too has enough going on to keep you interested till the last page and it's short enough you aren't bored.

This is the third installment of the Widow’s Island novella series by Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot. Just like the other books in the series, the story is compelling, the characters are vivid, and the ending is surprising. I did not want to put this book down, and thankfully I didn’t have to because of the holiday.

If you want a quick read that will engage you, this is the book for you!

This book was the beginning to a night of no sleep.. well worth missing a few hours of sleep! I've come to expect this with any of Melinda or Kendra's books, but again..well worth it.
I tried to put the book down, but I just couldn't do it. I wanted to make the book last, and couldn't do that either.
You really can't help but devour the novellas in this series, and this one was just as amazing as the rest.
Melinda and Kendra are two of my favourite authors, and the stories they come up with will have you flipping pages like a maniac.
Brilliant writing and they hook you right from the first page all the way to the last page.
I was lucky enough to have this novella and the one following it, so my review has to cover both, because this book moved seamlessly into the next one. No cliffhanger ending, but the two books flowed that easily I went from the first to the next.
Outstanding story!
Read them in order to enjoy the full experience.
Well deserving of 5 stars :)

Like everything Ms. Leigh writes, this was another great one! I loved it. The human interest, the mystery, all wrapped together to make for a page-turning experience.

Thanks to NetGalley, Montlake Romance and Ms. Leigh for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4 1/2
Tessa Black finds herself facing another murder investigation when local construction worker washes up on the shores of one of the Widow’s Islands. As the hunt begins the number of potential killers keeps going up. It seems no one in Widow’s Island like Jason.
Tessa has to balance the hunt for a killer, taking care of her mother and little sister and a newly forming relationship. Add on top of that the ongoing mystery of the disappearance to her and Cate’s childhood friend will bring the girls a new clue to follow.
Whisper of Bones is the third novella in the Widow’s Island series that is written by Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot. If you haven’t read the first two novellas Close to the Bone and A Bone to Pick I would highly suggest you go get these and read them. You could pick up novella three and start her but the first two novellas give you the back story of Tessa & Cate. I am already looking forward to reading the next installment in this series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Montlake Romance in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Whisper of Bones is part 3 in the series that takes place on remote Pacific Northwest island.

Deputy Tessa Black and her boyfriend Park Ranger Logan Wilde are called out to a beach where a body has washed ashore. This book takes us through their interviewing many people who all have reason to want the deceased dead. Their job is figuring out which one of them actually did the deed.

Along with that we get to see how Tessa is dealing with her mom who is getting worse with in her early onset Alzheimer's while continuing to balance her job, and raise her younger sister. There is also a big clue unveiled in the overarching plot of figuring out what happened to Tessa and Cate's childhood friend who disappeared 20 years ago.

Deputy Tessa Black is back in an addition to the Widows Island series. A body has been found on the beach and Tessa needs to find the killer. There are plenty of suspects to choose from. She has also vowed to solve the mystery of her friend Sams disappearance.

This is a good addition to the series, but it could be read as a stand alone. I liked the characters and how real they were. This is a novella so it was a quick read. The story has mystery, family, and a love interest. Something for everyone! Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.