A quick little read that took us back to when Bree and Dana met, their first case. And it was a doozy! Thrilling and satisfying. Always a pleasure to read more Bree stories!

I was already a fan of Bree Taggert and her creator Melinda Leigh so when I saw there was a prequel to Bree's series, I knew I wanted to read it. It gives you a glimpse into Bree and Dana when they first became partners in Philly. Knowing what I know about book 1, (Cross Her Heart) it gives teaser glimpses into Bree's background and if I already hadn't read the first one, I would be dying to find it and read it! As it is, I may have to go back and reread it.

When I was asked to read and review this new book by Melinda Leigh, I wasn't sure whether it would be a quick read or a longer book, and turned out it was a novella story. Her Second Death is the introduction to Bree Taggert joining the Police force and introducing us to her new partner Dana Romero. They have been called to a scene of a drug buy gone wrong and when they notify the next of kin, they learn the daughter has also disappeared. The case gets a bit more complicated when they discover that the deceased's daughter Lena is a 5-year-old non-verbal autistic and now the race is on to not only solve Tyson's murder but also find Lena. This case gives Bree flashbacks to her childhood when she was around the same age and suffered a similar tragedy. As Her Second Death was a novella/ amazon short story it was a very quick read and only took about 30 mins to read as I read it in one sitting on my lunch break.
If you love murder mysteries and crime novels, then you will love Melinda Leigh as she is one of my favorite female mystery writers.

I am going to keep this review short because I don’t want to give away any spoilers if I can help it. Her Second Death by Melinda Leigh is a novella that lets the the readers know how Bree and Dana Romano became partners back in Philly. I enjoyed the back story but I think I would have enjoyed it more at the beginning of the series. But, other then the small fact for me it comes in a strange place I really enjoyed this short story that introduced the two with a murder to solve and a lost child to find.
I am giving Her Second Death five out of five stars.

I loved this short story. This is an author that I have enjoyed reading from the first book I picked up. This is a well written story that maybe short but it certainly packs a suspenseful punch. I was pulled into the story by the characters who kept the story engaging. They are made the story entertaining to read and made the twists and turns edge sitting. Not only are they connectable but they also brought the story to life. This is a fast paced story that is full of action which I read in one sitting. This is a story about Bree and her search for a little girl. Her only problem is that she needs to face her past to solve this mystery. Bree is a great character that made the story for me. She is strong and is my favorite. I highly recommend this book and this author.

Loved this glimpse into Bree and Dana's partnership beginnings. Short, but action and drama packed. Bree gets uncomfortable flashbacks of her child hood when a murder investigation turns into a missing child case.

Strong characters are my kryptonite, and Bree Taggart is one of my favorite leads.

HER SECOND DEATH (Bree Taggert Book #0.5) by Melinda Leigh is a short story prequel to the Bree Taggert series. It is Bree’s second case in Philly’s homicide unit and this case has frightening parallels to her own childhood’s traumatic past.

I love Bree Taggert and the entire series! This is a short, but interesting peek into the beginning of Bree’s partnership with veteran homicide Detective Dana Romano and Bree’s past. The crime mystery plot is fast-paced and realistic. The child involved in this case leads Bree back through her childhood memories and demonstrates the way she handles them then vs. now.

An engaging crime/mystery introductory short story for those who may just be starting the Bree Taggert series and a quick case for those of us who love the series already.

Quick and awesome :). A great addition to the series, its nice to get these little snippets and more insight into characters that we enjoy.

4★
“Just forty-eight hours into their partnership, Bree would agree that Romano was indeed a hard-ass. Bree felt like she was back in the academy, which was ridiculous.
. . .
Given a choice between smart and sociable, Bree would take the smart partner any day.”

I am new to Melinda Leigh and her character, Bree Taggert, but I can see Bree is popular with readers. I’m sure they'll enjoy Bree’s introduction to the job.

Romano and Taggert are called to the discovery of a dead body in a car with an empty child’s car seat in the back. It’s obvious a child was recently there. Everybody is shaken when a missing child is involved.

“. . . Bree understood childhood trauma. She could put herself in a frightened child’s place all too well. Normally, she tried not to think about it, but today she might have to.”

I enjoyed this enough that I might have to try the series now, not that I need another series to pull me in!

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the copy for review. After a couple of AZ Story misses, I’m glad to have found this one.

What a great novella about Bree's Philadelphia days before her sister's death, showcasing Bree and Dana. Anyone that has read and liked any of the book in the series will appreciate this prequel.

Her Second Death by Melinda Leigh is a new prequel in the Bree Taggert series. This takes the reader back to Bree's first homicide case. She and her partner, Dana Romano, are called out to the scene where a man has been shot while he sits in his car. Bree notices items for a small child in the backseat, but there is no child in or around the car. Bree and Romano go to notify the man's ex-wife of his death and she asks about the little girl. Bree then contacts the dead man's father to inform him about his son and to ask if he has the missing five-year-old. The little girl could be a witness to her father's murder and now there is a scramble to find her!
As the investigation progresses, Bree is reminded of how frightened she was as a child when she observed trouble between her parents. The night Bree took her siblings and hid under the porch as their parents fought, it ended when she heard the fatal gunshot that took her mother's life. Remembering the trauma of her childhood spurs Bree to find the missing child and answers to why the father was murdered.
This is another wonderful Bree Taggert thriller all fans of Melinda Leigh will want to read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Her Second Death gives us an idea of how it all started for Bree Taggert. It is a fast paced and enjoyable read that wastes no time jumping into the action. This novella may be short on pages, but it is long on action and information. It provides a look into what makes Bree tick and provides an interesting case with a very nice ending without seeming rushed. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book. This is a great addition to the series.

A very short prequel to the Bree Taggert series finds Bree attending her second homicide. I kept having to remind myself that this was a prequel and not wonder why Bree acted the way she did. But, even this early on, Bree shows that she is smart and can think on her feet. It was a nice foreshadowing of the detective she would become throughout the series and a good peek at a wonderful character as she was starting out.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read Her second death by Melinda Leigh. This is a short story that takes us back to Bree's start as a detective with her new partner, veteran detective Dana Romano. When they are called to a murder they discover the five year old daughter of the victim is missing. What starts as a murder investigation quickly turns into a desperate search for a missing child. The case stirs memories of Bree’s own traumatizing childhood. This is a nice prequel for those who have enjoyed the series so far, and a fantastic way to introduce the series to new people! I definitely recommend this series!

Loved this prequel to get to know the characters before the first book! This book takes us to when Bree was newly partnered with Dana, working on their second case together, and how she as the newbie gets along and learns from the veteran of the force while also learning to work through her past trauma from her childhood and parents’ deaths. Short but sweet, this gives us insight into how Dana was prior to relocating to town with Bree and retiring, as well as getting to know Bree not as confident as she seems to be in the regular series. The plot of this book focuses on a murder where we find out that the murderer victim’s child was potentially in the car, and it becomes a race to not only find the killer, but also find the missing child. I didn’t see the ending coming, and even though it was a short read I loved it!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

My thanks to Amazon Original Stories, as well as to @NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Her Second Death.

I loved this short-story prequel to the Bree Taggert Series! It was a nerve-wracking step back in time to the beginning of Bree’s life as a homicide detective in Philadelphia and her work with her new partner, Detective Dana Romano. In Her Second Death, what begins as murder becomes a desperate search for a missing child in the blink of an eye! It's something that reminds Bree of her own terrifying past...

#HerSecondDeath #NetGalley

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Her Second Death by Melinda Leigh
A special thanks to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for this ARC.
This is a prequel to the Bree Taggent books.
Bree has just been assigned to the homicide division and is paired with veteran detective Dana Romano. Their first case together is a man who was shot and killed in his car. While informing his next of kin they find out that his five-year-old daughter was with him when he was killed, so the race to find her before it’s too late begins.
I love this series so going backwards to the beginning was so much fun. I love seeing how Bree and Dana’s relationship has developed over the years.
This book comes out Tuesday December 7.

Always a fan of Bree Taggert and her quick wit and amazing detective skills. A quick read but very well written. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This prequel takes us back to Bree’s life as a detective in Philadelphia and her meeting with her new partner, Detective Dana Romano. A man has been murdered in his car and his five-year-old daughter, who was with him, is missing. When his ex-wife learns that her daughter is missing, she is distraught. As they investigate his murder, they also search for the little girl who is autistic. The man was a known drug addict, did this lead to his death? The investigation unfolds quickly, but Bree senses that there is more to the man’s murder than his involvement with drugs. Bree experiences flash backs to the time when her father killed her mother and then himself. It is winter and the young girl is out there somewhere, will she find her in time? I really enjoyed this short story and the entire Bree Taggert series. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

This is a great kickoff story to the Bree Taggert series. You always wonder how something all began and Melinda Leigh solves this mystery for us with Her Second Death.

Death reads like a SVU episode. It is a quick hour mystery with solid leads who have a backstory which is triggered by the current mystery. I did not guess the killer which is surprising because I usually do and I didn’t see this one coming. I guessed one part of it, but not the “who done it”.

Leigh writes with emotional impact while sticking within the lines of a police procedural. The case was already complicated and then Leigh added another layer by including a neurodiverse child. Learning how this changes procedure was really interesting.

I really enjoyed this trip back. It reads fresh and yet familiar. Leigh gives us a quick mystery to tide us over while we wait in line during these holiday shopping trips.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.