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What She Found

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Im sick to the teeth of saying it at this stage but Ive yet to read a bad book by Robert Dugoni. Maybe his writing style and storytelling suits me down to the ground, I dont know, but every time I pick up one of his books I am all in with the story.

What She Found is no exception. The 9th in the excellent Tracy Crosswhite series and the second with her in charge of Cold Cases.
Tracy is contacted by Anita Childress whos mother went missing 25 years ago when Anita was only 2. Her mother was an investigative journalist who on the night she went missing was meeting a source in the early hours of the morning. The thing with her mother was, she never told anyone what she was working on or who she was meeting until she had the whole story. With no real leads to follow, the husband was suspected of her murder but never charged.

When Anita grew up she started her own investigating and found that her mother may have been working on some very serious cases of corruption and her life may have been in danger. She presents her findings to Tracy, who finds the details a little too close to home having spent a large part of her adult life searching for her missing sister.

Tracy agrees to look into the case and as she finds more threads of evidence she starts to uncover corruption that may go all the way to the top and may have been worth killing for!

Boy this is a great addition to the series. The subject matter and story are excellently told. Tracy as ever is a fantastic character to spend time with. Its another book by Dugoni that you get totally lost in. You forget what page you are on or how much you have read. Its just immensely readable.

Dugoni is quickly becoming my favourite author. I just love his books and this series never fails to excel.

Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.
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I found Robert Dugoni back in 2015 thanks to NetGalley. I got an email inviting me to read and review the 3rd book in the Tracy Crosswhite series, the newest book to be released at that time. The publisher was even nice enough to give me the prior books in the series so I could read them in order. I am so glad for that email 7 years ago! Robert Dugoni has quickly risen to be one of my favorite authors. I always recommend this series to others. I think what I love the most about these books is that they are great mysteries that keep me wanting to read more and 'clean' at the same time. 
What She Found is the most recent release. As soon as I saw that there would be a new book, I absolutely had to request it! I recommend reading the short Amazon Original 'The Last Line' prior to reading this book as that is number 8.5 in the series.
Tracy Crosswhite is back with more cold cases to solve! I think I may actually like her more on cold cases than in the homicide department. I love how determined Tracy is. Maybe a little too determined at times, but she doesn't back down from anyone. She might step back and reevaluate her approach but she always gets done what she sets her mind to. Most of the characters in this book are likable. There are a few that I want to shake. But not as bad as some in previous books.
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Wow this was such a great story, I couldn't put it down. Can't wait for the next one In this series!

This was the first book I read in this Series and by author, but it won't be the last. I will definetly be gking back and reading all the books in this Series.
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I have read a few of Robert Dugoni’s previous books but What She Found was the first book I read in the Tracy Crosswhite series. It can definitely be read as a stand alone book but What She Found was the nineth book in this series. It was a crime fiction book that had a well crafted plot with lots of twists. It took place in Seattle, Washington. I have never been disappointed by reading a book by Robert Dugoni. He is a masterful and superb storyteller. What She Found grabbed my attention immediately from the tense, scary and unsettling beginning and did not let go until I finished reading the very last page. 

Tracy Crosswhite had recently been tasked at working solo solving cold cases at the police headquarters in Seattle. She hoped she could bring closure to families of the victims. She liked working by herself and helping families finally find solace. Her hours also gave Tracy more time to spend with her husband Dan and young daughter Daniella. That pleased Tracy very much. Tracy had a personal history with cold cases. Her sister had disappeared years ago and no one was ever able to solve what had happened to her until just recently. Tracy was well respected for the years that she had worked for the Seattle police department. She had won three medals of valor for her outstanding achievements. 

One day, Tracy got a call from a woman named Anita Childress. Anita was a reporter at the Seattle Times newspaper. Her story tugged at Tracy’s heartstrings and own memories. When the two agreed to meet for coffee, Anita confessed her ongoing obsession to find out the truth about what happened to her mother almost twenty-five years ago. Anita was a very young child when her mother Lisa Childress, then an investigative reporter for a newspaper that had since been reduced to only reporting digitally, left her house at 2 a.m. to meet a person who claimed to have information for her on a case she was investigating. Lisa, Anita’s mother, never returned home that night. The police force members that were assigned to investigate Anita’s mother’s disappearance suspected that either Anita’s father had murdered his wife or Lisa had wanted to disappear and start a new life. Anita’s father became their number 1 suspect. Her father was ostracized by the community and the press destroyed his reputation and infringed upon his privacy. His life was never the same but he devoted himself to making sure Anita was loved and cared for. Tracy decided she would try and help Anita find out what happened to her mother more than two decades ago but held no promises. What would Tracy uncover? Would Tracy Crosswhite be able to solve the cold case that concerned Lisa Childress and give Anita closure?

What She Found by Robert Dugoni was an addictive and twisty crime fiction book that was hard to put down. I kept thinking that I would read one more chapter and put it down to get some sleep but that was easier said than done. Robert Dugoni never seems to disappoint. What She Found was fast paced and suspenseful. I loved all the colorful characters but especially Tracy Crosswhite. She was strong and determined and stood up for what she believed. I love a story with a strong female protagonist and Tracy Crosswhite was most definitely that. This is a series that I will definitely go back and read the prior books. I look forward to reading Robert Dugoni’s next book and I highly recommend this book. 

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer Publishers for allowing me to read What She Found by Robert Dugoni through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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What She Found by Robert Dugoni
Tracy Crosswhite #9

What if your mother disappeared a quarter century ago?
Is she still alive…or is she dead?
Did she leave…and if so…why?
What made her disappear and how can she…or her body…be found?
Her daughter wants to know…she wants closure…
Will what will the she and the cold case detective find?

What I liked; 
* Tracy: cold case detective, wife, mother, decorated police officer, motivated,  honest, diligent, resourceful, experienced, wise, able to see more than most, intriguing
* Anita Childress: adult, abandoned by her mother when she was two, seeking answers, reaches out to Tracy, journalist
* Lisa: investigative journalist, autistic, brilliant, focused, intrepid, disappeared and now being sought again 25 years later
* Dan: Tracy’s husband, loving father, lawyer, great partner, wise sounding board and support for Tracy
* Danielle: Tracy and Dan’s little girl
* The dogs and cat – had to look up the dog breed as I had no idea Rhodesian Ridgebacks were interbred with mastiffs and other canines – great animals to live with a family
* Some of the team that Tracy worked with in the past – they added friendship and support and a sense of history
* The writing, plot, pacing, and location
* The overlapping threads related to Lisa’s disappearance
* The research and investigation followed to find out what happened to Lisa
* That I cared about more than one of the characters
* Wishing that the corrupt police would be caught and forced to face their crimes – all of them
* The way journalism was used and the impact it can have
* That the story was believable
* Wondering what will happen in the series next
* All of it except…

What I didn’t like: 
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Knowing that there are corrupt police in the world that get away with crimes

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review. 

4-5 Stars
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Detective Tracy Crosswhite has well and truly settled into her new role investigating cold cases. After uncovering a serial killer’s mass grave she’s closed some of the State’s decades long missing persons files. Although it’s been emotionally draining having to notify the families after the identification of each of the fourteen victims, working in cold cases means she gets to go home on time each night and play to her baby daughter Daniella and husband Dan. She’s pretty much her own boss but still has to report to Captain Johnny Nolasco, with whom she’s had a rocky relationship over the years. Fortunately, the new Chief of Police, Marcella Webber, has been supportive so far, particularly with Tracy’s current success making media headlines.

While still tidying up the paperwork for her last case, Tracy receives a call from a young woman, Anita Childress regarding the disappearance of her mother Lisa Childress twenty five years ago, when Anita was a young child. Lisa was a star journalist who kept the stories she was working on close to her chest until she was sure she had enough to publish. The night she went missing she told her husband she had to meet an important informant but didn’t tell anyone who it was or where they were meeting. Her car, with blood on the steering wheel later found next to a Greyhound terminal led the police to assume she had been murdered, with her husband their most likely suspect, despite any evidence. 

Although Tracy’s Chief tells her to concentrate on the cold cases she already has, which have DNA that can now be followed up, the loss of her own sister, missing for twenty years before her remains were found, makes her feel for Anita’s need to find out what happened to her mother. Picking up the threads of Lisa’s investigation, Tracy finds herself treading in the dangerous waters surrounding drug raids, a special task force and police corruption and set her on a collision course with her new Chief.

This ninth novel in Dugoni’s popular Tracy Crosswhite series is another strong police procedural, featuring a strong and dedicated female detective putting her many talents to investigating cold cases. Although, now working on her own mostly at a desk, it was good to see Tracy’s old colleagues Faz and Del make an appearance, both at work and in her social life. Featuring less action than previous books in the series, the novel is nevertheless tightly plotted and suspenseful, featuring good old fashioned detective work, to not only solve the mystery of Lisa Childress’ disappearance but also expose a major coverup with far reaching consequences. With its self-contained plot the novel would work well as a stand-alone novel as well as a welcome addition for fans of the series.
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What She Found by Robert Dugoni is book # 9 from the Tracy Crosswhite series. If you ask me, this is really good as a stand-alone, but to understand Tracy and her relationships with her friends, and why she is the way she is, it is best to read them in order. 

Book #1, My sister’s Grave was a feast for all fans of crime thrillers, and with a cold case involved, I had simply fallen in love with Tracy and her determination to get to the truth.  Following this, Tracy and her team are introduced and the author gave us some outstanding mind f*** puzzles to solve but from the last 2 books, Tracy is back to investigating cold cases, and believe you me that if you thought cold case investigation offers no thrills, then you better get your hands on In Her Tracks (book # 8) and you would know what I mean. What She Found, though, offers less adrenaline high but is packed with such intensity that it was a literal race from beginning to end.

The Last Line, the short story that showed Del and Faz at their early stages had a thread and an ending that I had hoped Robert Dugoni would develop into a full-fledged novel, and yes my wishes have been granted, that investigation ties up with Tracy’s current investigation of a missing reporter in What She Found. Anita Childress just wants to know what happened to her mother Lisa who just up and vanished 25 years ago in the course of meeting a source. Tracy has several leads to follow, each one thread thickening the maze into a no-light seen scenario. 

Robert Dugoni has a style of writing that seems quite effortless and underneath all that layers has a core rooted in true crime. Drugs, police corruption, racism, different types of amnesia, there are more than enough subjects being opened up in this story and even though I wished for all bad guys to pay a price at the end kind of ending, the author has once again kept it true to reality and making me hope for another story that would bring about that ending. And Boy, am I glad for the sparks between the new Chief of Police and Tracy, after the political games with her captain Nolasco in the previous books, can’t wait to see what genie the author has coming out of his magic lamp with this one.

Many thanks to Net Galley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

This review is published on my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Book Bub, Medium.com, Facebook, and Twitter.
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EXCERPT: She told him about Anita Childress and about what Tracy had learned about Anita's missing mother. 'It was originally considered a missing person case, not a homicide.'

'And how are you considering it?'

'Homicide. I don't have any doubt she's dead.'

'Has anyone considered otherwise?'

'It's statistics, Dan. Unless a missing woman is found within twenty-four hours, the odds of her being alive are greatly diminished. After twenty-five years . . .'

ABOUT 'WHAT SHE FOUND': Detective Tracy Crosswhite has agreed to look into the disappearance of investigative reporter Lisa Childress. Solving the cold case is an obsession for Lisa’s daughter, Anita. So is clearing the name of her father, a prime suspect who became a pariah. After twenty-five years, all Anita wants is the truth—no matter where it leads.

For Tracy, that means reopening the potentially explosive investigations Lisa was following on the dark night she vanished: an exposé of likely mayoral graft; the shocking rumors of a reserved city councilman’s criminal sex life; a drug task force scandal compromising the Seattle PD; and an elusive serial killer who disappeared just as mysteriously as Lisa.

As all the pieces come together, it becomes clear that Tracy is in the midst of a case that will push her loyalties and her resilience to the limit. What she uncovers will come with a greater price than anyone feared.

MY THOUGHTS: I'm always eagerly awaiting Dugoni's next Tracy Crosswhite book, and What She Found doesn't disappoint. Dugoni is an excellent storyteller, and I clung to the pages like a drowning woman to a raft.

I like cold case stories, and I have appreciated Tracy's change of tack so that she is able to spend more time with her husband and small daughter.

The mysteries are more difficult to solve too with the passing of so much time - in this case, twenty-five years. Witnesses have died, people have moved, or forgotten, and DNA wasn't collected for testing; so pickings can be relatively slim. But Tracy is like a dog with a bone; once she has her teeth in something she doesn't easily give up. And what she finds . . . well, you'll have to read the book to find that out, but I bet that when she started this investigation, she had no idea what she was going to uncover.

I like Tracy's character. She's not all 'gung-ho' and rushing into danger. She's a thinker; a strategist. I love the relationship she and lawyer husband Dan have. They are very supportive of one another.

Although she is no longer working closely with them, Faz and Del play a large part in this story, just not in roles we would normally associate them with.

This has been an amazing series and I can't wait to read book #10, a read I will approach with both anticipation and trepidation as this series was contracted for ten books. Let's wait and see.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.1

#WhatSheFound #NetGalley

I: @robertdugoni @thomasmerceruk

T: @robertdugoni #Thomas&Mercer

#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #mystery

THE AUTHOR: A writer turned lawyer turned writer.
Robert Dugoni was born in Idaho and raised in Northern California the middle child of a family of ten siblings. Dugoni jokes that he didn't get much of a chance to talk, so he wrote. By the seventh grade he knew he wanted to be a writer.

Dugoni wrote his way to Stanford University, receiving writing awards along the way, and majored in communications/journalism and creative writing while working as a reporter for the Stanford Daily. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and worked briefly as a reporter in the Metro Office and the San Gabriel Valley Office of the Los Angeles Times.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of What She Found by Robert Dugoni for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage
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It has been a bit since we have had a Tracy Crosswhite story but this one was just what we needed. She has settled into the Cold Cases Unit and she does well being on her own and has hit her stride. When she gets a call from a woman looking for her mother who has been missing for over 2 decades she is not sure how she can help her but she begins looking. When her boss finds out she is looking into this case she tries to steer her clear but when Tracy finds clues she keeps going and when she finds the woman who went missing she finds much more than she just the woman but corruption deep inside the police department. If you have not read the short story between these novels, go find it, as it will shed some light into this case.  Del and Faz play a part in working with Tracy, it was like the gang was back together.
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My Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

While this story was just as detailed and well-written as the others in this series, it felt slightly off for some reason. Maybe it's because I didn't feel any closure for the victims by the time all was said and done. And I get it; sometimes things don't end the way you think they should, especially when you're trying to solve a 25-year-old cold case, but I would have liked to have seen more of a resolution in terms of the players who were still alive by the time their deceptions were uncovered. 

I will admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the truth surrounding Lisa Childress. That was definitely a twist that I hadn't expected, considering the information surrounding her disappearance. However, while it made for an interesting sub-story, I also felt that the author didn't use it to its full potential. As the storyline unfolded, I saw what happened to Lisa being used to lure at least one of the potential culprits out into the open, so I was disappointed that that never happened. 

Looking only at the characters, I see more growth and development not only when you look at Tracy, who is now a wife and a mother, but also within those with whom she worked. While this could technically be read as a stand-alone, I would highly NOT recommend starting from the beginning because there is so much in terms of Tracy and what drives her and her relationships with her colleagues. 

I would read more from this author. 

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
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What She Found by Robert Dugoni is the 9th installment in the police procedural series starting Seattle Police Department detective Tracy Crosswhite and I’m here for it! 

Love this author, love this character, love this series. These aren’t super twisty, shocking or edgy, but guess what? Don’t care. Doesn’t really matter what the mystery is, if it’s a new Crosswhite novel, I’m gonna read it! 
 
I always love to see these characters evolve and grow and Tracy’s character really shows depth and a different kind of perspective in this one. I adore the relationships she shares with Faz and Del and her perfectly supportive, Dan.  

Can’t wait til the next installment! 

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas& Mercer for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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I am a big fan of the Tracey Crosswhite series, and this 9th edition did not disappoint! Tracey is working cold cases, a job she is enjoying because she can spend time with her family. Tracey has been asked to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a journalist, by the jounrlist's now adult daughter, who disappeared 25 years ago. With not a lot of progress made in the original investigation, Tracey thinks this will case go no where. However, Tracey's investigation leads her on a whole new investigation, one that someone will stop at nothing to make sure does not get solved. This one is  a wild ride you won't want to put down!
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Tracy Crosswhite knows what it's like to have lost someone to brutality and not have at least the closure of the crime being solved. That is what led her to become a police officer and still leads her to look for the missing and to look for murderers who have gotten away, for years, with what they did. Now she is the one woman Cold Case department detective and she already has so much good work behind her.

Lisa Childress disappeared twenty five years ago and her daughter, Anita, asks Tracy to take up her case. Finding out what happened all those years ago could expose her father as a murderer since he's the prime suspect in the case, even though there wasn't enough evidence to charge him. But, Lisa was working as an investigative reporter on several cases that could have gotten her in trouble and her case was just brushed aside without much of an investigation.

Where this case takes Tracy leads back to so much more than just a missing woman. Important people, now and then, don't want her to pursue the case and she's officially told to back away and look at other things. No chance of that! Tracy is on a trail, several trails, and she is not going to give up until she knows where they really lead. She may not get the answers she wants, she may not be able to do much with what she learns, but she has people on her side who are willing to back her and spread whatever word needs spreading.

I follow cold cases often and it is interesting to see a cold case detective at work. Having read all the Tracy Crosswhite stories I like having been there with her as she's perfected her skills and especially her nose for the rotten, out in the world and among those who should be keeping the world safe. We get to spend time with her while Tracy does the foot work. phone work, and whatever she needs to do to get this case moved forward and it's always fun to watch someone try to block her way, because it's not going to happen.
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This is another great Tracy Crosswhite book. The story is engrossing- I couldn't put it down. The pacing kept things moving, and it hooked me from the first chapter. 

What she Found was everything I expected from Robert Dugoni and the Tracy Crosswhite series and is another solid read that does not disappoint.
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This is the ninth book of the series and can be read as a stand alone. The T. Crosswhite series is a dependable, middle-of-the-road police procedural, with this one bordering on a bit of political corruption. Character arcs, plot development, and writing is good but not unexpected. Unfortunately, the storyline felt off and it seemed as if Dugoni abandoned the very embodiment of Traci Crosswhite to go another direction. 

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC.
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Robert Dugoni never fails and this new installment in the Tracy Crosswhite series is as good (or better) than the previous ones. The plot proves to be a special one: a cold case from 25 years ago, a missing woman, her husband, her daughter and her mother who lost someone and also lost hope. The complex plot advances at a fast pace while Tracy investigates the woman's wheareabouts and there are some unexpected twists and a corruption background that makes it all more and more appealing. Totally recommended.
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What She Found by Robert Dugoni is an engrossing police procedural. Tracy is a decorated police detective who has opted to work cold cases. There are advantages: she doesn’t share an office so she can close the door; her hours are much more regular so she can be home with Dan and their baby, Daniella; and she is in charge of her own time. All in all it has worked out well for her. She and the forensic anthropologist have just finished uncovering the graves of missing women near a serial killer’s cabin nearby. It had fallen to her to do the family notifications, which were difficult but satisfying in a way. Now she has been contacted by the grown daughter of a newspaper reporter who disappeared 25 years ago. All the woman wanted to know was what had happened. She was torn about what she hoped for the outcome. She had been doing her own research and had a box full of it, very complete. Tracy was intrigued and started poking around, even setting up a Facebook page and a tip line, which turned out to be what paid off. The other things she discovered shook her to her core, but she forged ahead. 

Tracy Crosswhite is a good character, written both in and out of the investigation; with her family, her co-workers, and witnesses making more than cursory appearances in the retelling of this story. The plot, in all its facets, is an intriguing one and keeps the reader turning the pages. The discoveries, both good and bad, reflect society as it is. An interesting thing the book brought up was Asperger’s/autism, how it presents and does it remain viable as changes in one’s life occur? Interesting concept. Quite the compelling story. 

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of What She Found by Thomas & Mercer, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #ThomasAndMercer #RobertDugoni #WhatSheFound
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What She Found by Robert Dugoni
Tracy Crosswhite Series Book 9
Thankfully, this book was much less gruesome and scary than the previous book which is referred to numerous times in this one because serial killer victims are still being identified. I liked this book even though it does not have a pat ending with everything tied up with a bow. More to come in future books I’m sure. 
Be sure to read the short story The Last Line to hear Del’s perspective.
I still enjoy this series and hope it continues for a long time.
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I liked this book from the start. I had a hard time putting it down. You get drawn into Lisa's life, then Tracy's, and Anita's then Melissa's. I normally do not read a series of books without starting at the beginning. I was able to read this book on its on not needing the previous books to get caught up, however, I may go back and start.
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What She Found by Robert Dugoni is book #9 of the Tracy Crosswhite series. It can definitely be read as a stand-alone. Robert Dugoni is a go to author for me. If you haven’t heard of him you need to read one of his books. This book is about a Cold Case detective and I loved her moral compass. 
This realistic mystery novel was done well and quite surprising and interesting. This author has a special touch for story telling. I highly recommend this. 
Thanks Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley.
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