In some ways, Leah Hunter is a hot mess, trying to manage her fledgling writing career and a struggling newspaper while juggling affairs of the heart, but she always tries to do the right thing, When her agent proposes that she consider writing fiction, she badgers her way into shadowing her detective friend, and ends up engrossed in a murder investigation that puts her at odds with old and new friends. Mother nature even gets involved with a flood to ratchet up the suspense. Can't wait to see what happens next in Leah's life!

Thanks to Severn River Publishing for access to a digital ARC via NetGalley.

True-crime writer Leah Nash is reluctantly drawn into a modern family drama. Bryan murdered no one saw who. Autopsy came back as diabetes but no one is for sure. Family full of secrets?
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for this ARC in exchange my honest review.

Once again, I missed that this book was part of a series, but it works just fine as a read-alone. The story centers on Leah, a journalist who shadows a friend on the police force as research for a book she is (reluctantly) writing, only to get stuck right in the middle of a murder investigation.

Leah is a likable character and the dynamics between her and the other characters felt authentic, even without having read the previous books. The mystery itself was sound and I went back and forth a few times about who the culprit was. I figured it out before Leah did but it was still pretty late in the book. I liked how the author made it believable that Leah could get so much information on the case without actually being affiliated with the police.

On the other side, this book felt long and took me longer than usual to finish because it felt like there were so many side stories happening that took away from the main story. There were a ton of tertiary characters and even a little romance/soul searching that I felt didn’t really need to be there. I suppose that if you are invested in these characters from reading the earlier books that this may work for you, but I’d prefer the focus stay on the mystery itself.

Overall, this book managed to be a good story while also being boring. I liked the main character and thought the mystery was good but somehow just wasn’t fully engaged. I’d give it 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Leah quickly zeroes in on the dysfunctional dynamics of the Crawford family. Beneath the happy fable they tell the world lies a dark tale of jealousy, greed, and revenge.
The character depth was amazing! Just how far will you go to do the wrong things for the right reasons!

This book was AMAZING!!!!! From the first chapter itself I was completely hooked! I loved the writing. Leah was an amazing character and I loved reading about her. The storyline was pretty great too

I loved this book and found it hard to put down. It is a part of a series - of which I have not read the others -- but I surely will now! Susan Hunter is a great writer! This book was a wonderful read. The characters are real and somewhat flawed which makes them even better and more interesting as the story progresses. I really enjoyed this author's writing and I can't wait for the next one.

Great story - edge of your seat page turner, but with characters you want to know more about.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pretty nice read. I feel pretty confident categorizing it as a cozy mystery, but it doesn't have the sometimes overbearing amount of fluff that say, a Joanne Fluke novel might have.

The book follows our protagonist, Leah Nash, as she gets unexpectedly tangled up by several seperate threads in the murder investigation of a successful local businessman found dead in his sauna. Leah is a true crime author with a journalistic background and the part owner of a lean operating local paper, the Himmel Times. After accidentally winding up at the crime scene while job shadowing with a friend on the local police force, she ends up putting her reporter's training, people skills, and quick intuition into the case (mostly) on her own.

As is a bit typical (but I don't mean that negatively) of the mystery genre, the story is set in a small town with a cast of warm characters, several beloved local institutions, a major supporting charcter in law enforcement, and a healthy serving of gossip. This specific small town is Himmel, Wisconsin, and as charming as it was I was more than happy to imagine the dialogue sans-accent. (Sorry, Wisconsonites)
I did note that there was more plot and a lot less food in this story than in lot of what I've been reading lately, although it leaves you no doubt that Jameson is definitely Leah's go-to liquor.

I should also mention that the rivalry between Leah's Himmel Times and GO News is a pretty big deal in the story and the butt of many jokes. I don't think it was necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn't actually that relevant to the plot in the end, and it was kind of hard to imagine my small hometown even supporting two news outfits, much less a competition between a tiny beacon of journalistic integrity and what I suppose would be the yee-yee hick equivalent of the Daily Mail. This competition between the two is a little corny at times.
Details like this and the fancy Italian restaurant left me unceratin exactly how small this small town was supposed to be, but as far as complaints go, this is a pretty minor one.

I don't want to write a ton about the characters for the sake of making sure I don't spoil anything, but I will say I quite like Leah. Her character seems to have quite a bit of background (and some baggage) from previous books that I wouldn't mind getting caught up on in the future.
She's funny, grounded, inquisitive, loyal, and she has an unceratinty in her inner monologue that rings very true to me. In books, you see a lot of characters question their motives and emotions in a way that just makes you think "ok, the author is telling me they aren't sure of this yet." Like it's there, you know what it's saying, but it falls flat. It seems like it's there for the sake of being there, or for making sure you don't find the protagonist too arrogant. But Leah's internal back-and-forth sounded like my own mind at times and I appreciated that quite a lot.

As far as the story overall goes, I think it was very well executed. The pacing is fairly even and nothing felt shoehorned in or lazy; important connections revealed as the investigation deepens are surprising but not outlandish, and all the red herrings felt like they were in good faith, if that makes sense. A lot of thrillers and mysteries seem to drive you towards red herrings without dropping legitimate clues in anywhere else to the point that it feels like a cheap gotcha when the actual culprit is finally revealed at the end. It's really hard to write a shocking ending to a great book; it's very easy to write one to a mediocre book. While I don't think this reveal blew me away like say, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd did, I always IMMENSELY prefer a cleverly organized story with a relatively mundane denoument to a shoddy plot with a wild conclusion.

So anyways, that was more than I meant to scrawl out here; I think it's a solid 4/5 and I intend to read more from this author evnetually. I was tempted to revoke a star for implicit cop simpery but it's unfortunately so endemic to the genre that I can't justify that. And I kinda get it, I just don't like it.
I would complain that the title feels irrelevant for most of the book, but I'm just happy that it doesn't have "girl" anywhere in it at this point.
*side-eyes the thriller section*
I would recommend this most if you love a wine and true crime night or an Agatha Christie novel, but you maybe want a break from the coffee-pastry-fluff overload of the cozy mystery industrial complex and crave a somehwhat meatier plot with the same general atmosphere.

"Sometimes asking the tough questions is the kindest thing we can do for each other"

☆ This book, even though is part of the Leah Nash series, can be read as a standalone and is a fast paced thriller. Even though it was difficult for me to read in the beginning, the book hooked me into the twisted tale it tells pretty quick!

☆ What I loved reading -
The friendship between Leah and Charlie Ross, Bryan's disfunctional family and obsessive sister Rhonda, the characters Liz and Stephanie, the relationship between Leah and Coop and the investigation process. The twist in the end was great and I loved how the book ended on a sweet note. The book kept me guessing and turning the pages fast!

Overall, I loved it and was a great read! A 4.5/5 for this one!

Excellent story! Totally engrossing!. Looking forward to reading more by this author! Could not put this down!

The man died locked in the sauna. He died because he was diabetic and could not get to his life saving insulin. He died because someone wanted him dead, but why and who? Leah Nash, true crime writer, is encouraged to write mystery fiction by her editor. As she shadows a detective, she is intrigued by the case of the murdered man and can’t help from asking questions and getting involved. Who killed the man…was it his wife, his step-son, or his spoiled daughter? As heavy rainfall floods the area, is the town safe, will the bridges and dams hold? I always make notes as I read and review a book, and this one was more involved as there were so many characters, maybe too many in this complicated mystery. While investigating, Leah’s personal life is about to change as she is beginning to realize that the man she is involved with, is not the man that she really loves. Is it too late to follow her heart? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Leah Nash a true-crime writer is spreading her wings into writing fiction. What better way to do this then to follow a detective for a few weeks, and then stumble on a death that is not as straight forward as one thinks. This is book 8 and the first in the series I read, I found it easy to get into the story and quite enjoyed Leah’s direct approach to things.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for an advanced copy.

Leah Nash is a true crime writer, ready to try her hand at fiction. Her agent has suggested the swap as it will guarantee a steady income so Leah is giving it a try. She’s arranged a ride along with Detective Charlie Ross who assures her that she will be bored with the routine work of policing. Not so. When the body of a successful local business owner is discovered dead in his home sauna, Leah thinks she’ll be part of a real investigation. Then she’s pulled off the case.

She is also part owner of the local paper and has covered local crimes. She’s approached by the victim’s stepson who worries his mother may be arrested. She’s also involved in a personal case by her best friend. It’s only a matter of time before all these inquiries crash together. Can Leah solve the murder before she’s the next victim? More complications come from her private life. She cares deeply for lawyer Gabe and his young son but has always been attracted to Coop, the town Sheriff, who is about to be engaged.

Dangerous Waters works as a standalone thriller but it is part of a series that I can’t wait to read. These are all well developed characters with back history. The rural Wisconsin setting becomes very visual and the mystery has been carefully plotted. And I love the idea of a fictional character planning to write about her own fictional character. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Severn River Publishing and Susan Hunter for this ARC.

Coming to a series part way through is always a risk, and it paid off for me this time. I really enjoyed this book, and you can read it as a standalone book without feeling lost. The characters are well-written, and the relationships Leah has with those around her drew me into the story. This story really kept me guessing, and the suspects were all great at making me second guess myself! The weather added extra tension, which added to the reveal. Leah is a great charcter, and reading this has made me want to read the previous books in the series.

This book was sent to me on Kindle by Netgalley for review…there are numerous characters that I liked and some not so much…the story, although a little slow at times, is a page turner. Who did it? Who is guilty? Friendship…love…romance…blended families…dishonesty…murder…mayhem…intrigue…breakups…money problems…this has all of these themes…I liked this book. I recommend the novel. I like h story. I looked forward to solving the mystery,and despite the red herrings, I determined the ending. I ook forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for this amazing new book!


What a great read! Lots of twists and turns! There were some big surprises and exciting new characters.
Susan Hunter writes another intriguing crime thriller.
True-crime writer Leah Nash is reluctantly drawn into a modern family drama with a very old story to tell.
The characters are deep and seem like real people with real problems and motivations. The book is excellent with plenty of twists and turns. The series hasn't grown stale as it continues to develop new characters and possibilities and leaves you wanting more. The author has done an excellent job in entertaining us with this amazing new novel!

Being stuck in lockdown yet again, I was looking for an interesting, fast paced read and Dangerous Waters hit the mark. While I have not read any previous novels in the series, I wasn’t lost at all as backstory was added as needed. I followed writer/journalist Leah Nash as she followed every twist and turn to discover who had murdered Bryan Crawford.
At times I did struggle to engage a little as the victim, Bryan, and his dysfunctional family are not particularly sympathetic which I usually need to care but overall there was enough to pique my curiousity. Thank you to NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for this ARC.

4 stars

Leah Nash is a true crime writer who also is co-owner of the last print newspaper in Himmel. She has just finished her latest book when her editor calls and suggests she think about writing fiction. She is somewhat horrified, but also interested.

She gets the idea that she must do some background research for her first in a series of mystery novels. She begs her friend the Sheriff and the only detective Ross to let her shadow the detective for two weeks. After finally getting her way, her shadowing doesn’t last long as a local wealthy man is murdered at his home.

At the insistence of the teenage son of one of the suspects and the receptionist at the sheriff’s office, Leah takes on the investigations of their seemingly separate issues. But, are they really? As time goes by, and Leah finds out some awful information, she wishes she hadn’t gotten involved.

Who really killed Bryan Crawford?

After an exciting and tension-filled denouement, the case is solved. I must admit, I did not see that coming. It was great and even made perfect sense.

The book is well written and plotted. The major characters are likable and competent. I like the way the author shared some background information on them, but not so much that it intruded on the story. I will definitely go to Amazon to look for other Susan Hunter books.

I want to thank NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.

I liked this one!! It was a great storyline kept my Interest the entire time! This book had suspense, intrigue and a great who done it! The storyline was so interesting! I really enjoyed reading this book! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!