Cass Raines is a former cop, now working as a private investigator. Cass' friend, off-duty cop Ben Mickerson is working as bodyguard to Vonda Allen and requests some back up from Cass.

Vonda is a very wealthy celebrity ... but not everyone likes or respects her. The people who work for her consider her a heartless diva. Then there's the person sending her flowers with attached death threats.

It's a bit hard to protect someone when the victim of a stalker won't tell her bodyguard why someone might be threatening her. When two of her staff wind up dead, Cass and Ben are working blind .... leading to a catastrophic event.

This is a rapid moving mystery with a well-paced plot. The characters are deftly drawn and I enjoyed how the two ex-partners relate to each other. As the victim is the one you love to hate, there are plenty of suspects who have reason to make her life miserable .... until they want her dead. Although 3rd in the series, this is okay as a stand-alone. However, there are references to events in the previous books .... and to make it a better reading, I would recommend starting with the very first book.

Many thanks to the author / Kensington Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

The blurb says this is the third in the series of Cass Raines, a kickass Chicago investigator. Normally, I’m apprehensive of not reading the previous novels, but in this case, there was no way I was putting this book aside once I started it! As a Chicagoan I love reading novels set in familiar places and I could see Cass as clear as day, going about the investigation into who is targeting a prominent celebrity publisher whom everyone knows and whose persona as a take no hostage business woman is legendary. A former cop herself, Cass, is asked by her ex cop partner, Ben, to help him keep the publisher Vonda Allen, safe. Reluctantly Cass agrees thinking of herself as a baby sitter until all hell breaks out and she has to use every skill and knowledge she has to keep herself alive and keep the police department she knows at a distance. Gritty, realistic and totally believable. Now, one to books one and two, and then maybe the third again.

Excellent P.I. mystery with a strong, smart heroine, Cass McRaines, an ex-wife Chicago police officer who is drawn into a security detail with a friend from the force. Vonda Allen, a media superstar, has requested protection from a stalker, but won't allow any investigation of the reasons behind the threats. Seeing Allen up close was like seeing the wizard behind the curtain, no longer the kind, empathetic star but closer to how the threatening letters start, "Dear Bitch." Mystery is well-defined with red herrings and twists that will keep you guessing .

For me, this is the first time I am reading this author. I will say I was taken in by this story and the different characters. Cassandra is asked by her former partner to help with her former partner in what should be an easy job. She is a private investigator now and both worked for the Chicago Police force at one time. The key here is an easy job.
Her former partner Ben Mickerson is working for a publisher named Vonda Allen. Providing protection at a book signing Ben is stabbed and Cass stays with Ben hoping to save his life instead of following the person. Later Cass decides to start her own investigation and she begins by looking into Vonda and her past which is not so good. There is a cast of characters from the cop who almost got her killed when she worked as a cop, to Angela Hughes and the other people who come in and out of the story when needed. I liked Cassandra with her being streetwise and yet she was still dealing with her own issues. Plenty of twists and turns to keep this story moving along which made for a very good book and very much worth the read.

Cass Raines was once on the Chicago police force. Now, she’s a private investigator. Her former partner, Ben Mickerson, is working off-duty as a bodyguard for a wealthy magazine owner and celebrity, Vonda Allen, and he asks Cass to be his backup. Although it’s a lucrative job, Cass is reluctant to accept, but she agrees as a favor for her friend. They both quickly learn that the threats Vonda has been receiving are deadly serious and it’s unclear as to why Vonda refuses to talk about it. It becomes increasingly ugly and when it becomes personal, Cass is forced to conduct her own investigation, despite opposition from members of the Chicago Police Department

What You Don’t See is the third book in the series by Tracy Clark. For the most part it was easy enough to become engaged with the story. However, it was apparent to me that it would have been more enjoyable if I had read the first two books. There were references to several events that occurred in earlier books and I would have liked to know more about them.

Cass is an interesting character and I have a feeling earlier books revealed more of her backstory. The plot is well-done and the various parts are slowly revealed, which makes the story move along at a nice pace. Besides the mystery itself, there are a number of side stories to keep track of. This gives the book depth and keeps the reader engaged. Overall, I enjoyed What You Don’t See and now I plan to backtrack to the previous books in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

This is one of the handful of ongoing series that I keep up with because I love the character: Cass Raines, a former police officer turned P.I. in Chicago. Unlike many of the PI leads that are loners or bad at personal relationships, Raines has a nice support system, is in a new romantic relationship, and has a great relationship with her ex police partner. That’s how this mystery, her new case, starts: Ben Mickerson is working for Vonda Allen, the woman on top of a media empire, as a bodyguard because she’s receiving threats. Mickerson convinces Raines to join him as a bodyguard and help figure out what is happening and immediately the job Raines didn’t want to take becomes the job she hates: there’s a shooting and Allen is so unpleasant that Raines probably wants to murder her rather than risk her life protecting her… Come for the great twisty mystery cases and stay for the found family.
(TW suicide/ past animal cruelty, skippable and not graphic)

Oh this was sooo good! My first read by this author and I’m telling you right now, it won’t be my last.

Cass Raines is helping her ex-partner with a “stubborn” celebrity client and chile…whew! Listen when she told that lady off, I was like yes! Any ol ways, Cass just wants to help her friend out but what should be a simple security job gets truly interesting once bodies start dropping.

The pacing of What You Don’t See and the development of its story arc and characters is top tier writing. Ms. Clarke kept me until 5 am in the morning trying figure out who was who, what was what AND if Cass was gonna beat the mess out of her client lols. Suspense, action and crazy plot twists will have its reader in its grasp until the very last page. Highly recommended read for any lover of mystery and suspense stories.

Also note that this is the third book in the series. I got along fine but I will definitely go back and read the other books in the series. Cass Raines is a character that will be quickly a top favorite in the genre.

*Thank you to the author/publisher for the opportunity to read/review.

I liked this mystery a lot, but what I liked best was the main character, Cass Raines. She’s a cop, who in this book is moonlighting as a bodyguard and private investigator for media magnate Vonda Allen, who has been receiving threats. She’s tough and smart and never comes across as that stereotypical “sassy female cop” some mystery writers always try to produce. Always very real, and funny. I also really enjoyed her friend and sometime partner Ben Dickerson.

The story itself is your traditional mystery fare, but made more interesting with excellent writing, a good plot, and exceptionally likable characters. The plotting and Cass’ investigation were fun and fast-moving, and while the end wasn’t a huge surprise, it was very well-executed and rewarding. Tracy Clark is a mystery writer to watch. This book made me curious to learn more of Cass’ backstory, so I’ll be picking up the first book in the series.

The only negative to me (and it’s a minor one) is that the book began in the head of the killer. This was fun to read and I would have liked to see a little more of that narration interspersed throughout the book.

Thanks to NetGalley, Tracy Clark and Kensington books for this fun introduction to Cass via an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This continues to be one of my favorite private detective series out there, and when one of her closest friends is impacted by the events in this book, the stakes are even higher for Cass to figure out who is really behind everything. The clues are laid out so carefully in this well plotted story, and while I definitely had my suspicions the way they were revealed was electric. This was another excellent series entry that continued a super solid and underrated series.

Chicago PI Cass Raines is coerced by her off-duty cop former partner Ben Mickerson to work with him as bodyguards for media empire star Vonda Allen. Someone is sending Vonda nasty letters and flowers but Vonda and her assistant are reluctant to go to the police or provide Cass and Ben with any possible suspects. Then two of Vonda's staff are killed by an unknown perp. Were these deaths just random muggings or shootings, or are they linked to Vonda's creepy admirer? When Ben is seriously injured during a book signing event, Cass is on her own to find out Vonda's secrets and who might want to kill her.

Vonda and Cass clash from the beginning since our PI protagonist is not willing to take crap from anyone, including her newest client. Her investigation heads back 30 years to Vonda's more humble beginnings as a college student and the sudden death of Vonda's mother. Several of Vonda's former classmates help point Cass in the right direction.

Wow, this series continues to improve with each book, and Cass is a complex, formidable protagonist. The story ends with an unexpected twist at the end that is satisfying and well-crafted.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and Kensington Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

my first reading of this author, this series. I enjoyed, while i guessed it midway through, it was still a good read. I might go back and read other books in this series. like strong sassy women, who are not victims

This book captured my attention immediately, quickly becoming a page-turner. Like fine wine, this series gets better with each book written. In a tightly-woven intense drama, the author tells a story where nothing is left to chance. Expertly written with descriptive narrative and engaging dialogue, this drama played out like a movie being watched and I had to know how this will all end. Strongly based on the heroine, we watched how she painstakingly gathered clues that was not given forthright by the “alleged victim” and with a small field of suspects, the author did a great job controlling what we, the reader, was given. Superbly executed, it was the little things that once came to be known, gradually completed the piece of the puzzle, but it was that last piece that blew it all away and I was like “wow.” Good job. This is one of the best in the series and I can’t wait to see where we go next with Cass and her friends.

I'm a big HUGE fan of Tracy Clark and the Cass Raines series since Book 1. I am loving this author's style and this latest novel in the Cass Raines series is so good.
The second I hear Tracy Clark has a new book coming, I have to run to Netgalley to request an advance copy because a) I am impatient and I don't want to wait if I don't have to and b) I love to be able to help spread the word about a book pre-publication, specifically one I enjoy. Thanks so much to the publisher and the author for the chance to read this book ahead of publication.
Clark made me a little nervous about the injury of a pivotal character, but I sincerely enjoyed the detective work in this novel. I really didn't see the "whodunit" until the last few chapters.
Really well written, great pace and suspense. The reader feels like they're solving the crime right along with Cass.
I can't really say if this book stands alone... you really should know Cass from the beginning. She's got great history, so start with book one (you have time) and catch up to this one. Your face will be glad you did!

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

I honestly can’t recall ever reading this author before but maybe I have. I feel like the character of Cass has been introduced before and I feel like I missed a bit by not having read them. But as I did the book can be read as a stand alone but I do feel like having read the character before would have helped.

Now that being said I really liked the story. It kept me intrigued and wanting to read more. The suspense was most certainly there and each time I thought I figured it out something would send me in a different direction until I looped back around. And I love that kind of who-dun-it.

Great book to take you out of your own head and enjoy a good mystery.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Vonda Allen didn't get to where she is- a media mogul (almost) - without making enemies. That's evident from the death threats she's gotten and by what happens at a bookstore event. Cass Raines, a cop turned PI, agrees to help her former partner Ben, who is providing security but then Ben's the one who ends up in the hospital and Cass is pulled in deep to find out who's behind all this. She's a smart, savvy PI who I really like. There are great atmospherics, especially for Chicago fans (and I admit to doing a bit of googling on several places). Well written and faced paced, this has some wonderful twists (no spoilers!). Thanks to Nergalley for the ARC. I had not read the earlier books but this was great as a standalone, making it a new series for me to follow.

Cassandra (Cass) Raines is a former Chicago Police Officer now private investigator. She's joining her former partner, Ben Mickerson, in what is supposed to be an easy, but very profitable assignment. Vonda Allen made it to the top publishing her vanity magazine, but now seems to have garnered death threats.

Unfortunately, their first outing with the narcissistic publisher at a bookstore ends in a life and death struggle with Ben ending in the hospital. She failed to follow the assailant, opting instead to stay with Ben in an attempt to save his life. But now it's personal. Cass begins her own investigation.

It's obvious the author has an intimate knowledge of Chicago and I loved the ride-alongs. Cass is streetwise, complex, takes no s**t from anyone, but is compassionate. A survivor. A defender. Dialogue is smart, sassy, and peppered with bits of sharp-witted retort.

Characters range from the loathsome (the cop who almost got her killed) to immensely empathetic. I really enjoyed the author's descriptive writing style, in particular, the snappy repartee between Cass and Angela Dotson-Hughes. Unnecessary to know what color she is. She is fun, sharp, fast, serious.

There are red-herrings, and I loved the unexpected twist near the conclusion, spiking into a well-crafted climax. Cass is also dealing with the father who abandoned her when she was twelve--just a couple little sub-plots here--all neatly tied together. I love it when the conclusion melds so beautifully, leaving the reader with a satisfied smile.

I received this digital download from the publisher and NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. My first experience with the series and author, but felt it can work fine as a standalone. I'm hooked and looking forward to Book 4. Engaging, entertaining, clean, sweet read. Coming up on release date--look for it! 4.5 stars

Case Raines is one of my favorite characters being written today. Tracy Clark's most recent entry in this series is top notch and I'm already looking forward to the next one.

Cass Raines, former police detective turned private investigator, is not much different from the subject of her current assignment, magazine mogul Vonda Allen. Both are smart, fearless women who challenged male dominated environments and succeeded. When former partner, Detective Ben Mickerson enlists her to help provide security services for Ms. Allen, who has had her life threatened, the two women’s differences become quite clear. Ms. Allen lacks the empathy that gives Cass her strength. Therein lies the problem for ensuring Vonda Allen’s safety. Everyone who works for her or who has crossed paths with her, has a motive for wanting her dead. When Ben gets stabbed and his life hangs in the balance, it becomes all too personal for Cass. Another major loss in her life would be devastating. "What You Don’t See" is a tightly woven mystery, as finely crafted as a spider’s web. Tracy Clark’s The Chicago Mysteries series just keeps getting better and better.

Thank you to the author, Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick and engaging read - I love Chicago, and V.I. Warshawski was my go-to female detective from the Windy City until now, but Cass Raines is a close second. I have not read the first two books in this series, which caused a few minor story gaps, but overall these ironed themselves out as the story flowed. Classic P.I. story with a complex and likeable main character, and wonderfully set in Chicago.

Cass Raines is back in a case that quickly becomes personal. She joins her former partner, Ben Mickerson, as a bodyguard for a female media mogul who's receiving death threats, only to be dragged into an investigation when Ben gets attacked. Complicating matters are the reappearance of her estranged father who's moving back to Chicago with his new family, and her new relationship with Eli. Cass is a smart tough PI who will go to great lengths to protect her family. Great storytelling and characters.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for access to a digital ARC.