Robert Dugoni’s novel “ What She Found” came to me via Net Galley. My thanks to the author , publisher and the author for a chance to read and review the book.
I am a big fan of Mr. Dugoni’s books. I have read everything of his I have been able to get my hands on, so maybe I am a fan boy, but with good reason . The stories are good as is writing and plotting. The Tracey Crosswhite series, his series of novels featuring eponymous police detective of the Seattle PD, are top of the genre stuff. “ What She Found” fits right in with the rest as good reading.
Tracy receives a phone call at work from a news reporter whose mother disappeared 25 years ago. Learning that the SPD Cold Case department, IE. Crosswhite has been ordered to close older cases, the reporter pleads with Tracy to give the case one more shot. Tracy , beginning a cursory investigation, finds an intriguing loose thread she begins pulling at, which opens a surprise unlike anything Tracy , a veteran office, never could have foreseen.
At a time when Seattle PD faces calls for defunding the last thing it needs is an investigation into its past. Tracy finds herself in trouble for doing her job. But she doesn’t look to either give up or give in.
Read the book to she What She Found. You will not be disappointed.

This was a fine mystery overall. The plot stalled out a few times and, when read in one sitting like I did, it tends to get very repetitive and it's grating. A lot of the elements felt forced to bring it to 2022 standards and expectations and weren't organic to the story. It was a solid "meh" for me.

**Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC**

In the ninth Tracy Crosswhite book she is still a one woman cold case unit. It suits her, the hours allow her to get home in time to see her nearly 2 year old daughter and she has had some successes. One day she is contacted by young woman Anita Childress who begs her to look at the case of her mother who disappeared 24 years ago. Lisa Childress left her home in the middle of the night to meet a source at 2:00 am. Her husband, David, tucked a can of bear spray into her pocket as she left.

Tracy is not convinced this is worth pursuing as it really was a long time ago and there is no new evidence. Anita hands over all her research including her mother’s notebooks. She used to be an investigative journalist who was famously reticent about divulging any details of what she was was working on.

Tracy looks through these materials and reckons there were at least four cases that could have been “dangerous” and agrees to help Anita while cautioning her not to expect too much. Tracy soon narrows it down to one case and learns that there is much more to this one than meets the eye.

We have a couple of dead crewmen who were never investigated properly, a ship that was raided for drugs but there is no record of this, a secretive Seattle police unit set up to crack down on drugs who always wore masks (ostensibly for their safety), a harbour master who apparently killed himself in his car on the same night that Lisa Childress disappeared. Tracy speaks to as many witnesses as she can and sets up a Facebook page seeking tips. Her boss, Chief of Police Marcella Weber, tells her in no uncertain terms to drop this one and focus on cases where DNA evidence gives a possibility of an outcome. Of course Tracy goes rogue because she has a bad feeling about this one.

This was a different kind of story for Tracy. There was a bit less action but deeper character development and she learns that both Faz and Del, who were both on her homicide team, are hiding something. Del has a secret past he is not proud of. There may yet be serving officers who were involved in covering up some of the corruption by this secret drugs unit. Can Tracy find Lisa Childress - dead or alive? I can’t say but I certainly enjoyed the journey to the truth! This is Robert Dugoni at his absolute best. The book never lagged and you get immediately invested in this story. Many thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Dugoni, and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Excited to get my hands on the latest Robert Dugoni novel, I rushed to read it and learn more about the adventures of Detective Tracy Crosswhite. While things in Seattle have been running smoothly, Crosswhite has a great deal still going on, particularly with her work in Cold Cases. Dugoni continues to develop his protagonist in a story where the twists do not stop until the final page. A wonderful addition to the series.

Detective Tracy Crosswhite could not be happier working within the Seattle Police Department, especially with a new Chief of Police. While she has been able to make an impact, she knows that her daily work must not be shelved. When a local reporter approaches Crosswhite to help with the disappearance of her mother 25 years ago, the detective is keen to see what she can uncover. Anita Childress is keen to learn what happened all those years ago and how her mother could up and disappear without a trace.

While Lisa Childress was herself a roaming reporter in 1996, she knew that she could not rely on the memory of others to reveal the truth of many cases. Chasing down a lead one night, Childress simply vanished and her husband was presumed to have murdered her. Living under a veil of suspicion for years, the family soon became local pariahs. Now, Anita wants answers and is not sure her own reporting will be enough to fill in all the gaps.

With Detective Crosswhite now on the case, it would appear that Lisa Childress had been looking into some fairly damning stories, including one about drug trafficking through coastal waters where a police team could have been looking the other way. Might this have been a reason Childress disappeared and could have been murdered? Crosswhite is keen to discover the truth and pulls on some leads of her own, including the original investigating detective.

The more she learns, the less sure Detective Crosswhite is about what she is discovering, but it is only after a trip out of town that things really take a turn. With everything up in the air, a daughter seeking answers about her mother’s disappearance, and Crosswhite feeling the pull from her own family, the case ramps up. Guilty parties seek to hush the sleeping dog that remained quiet for many years, which could have dire consequences. Dugoni adds chills to an eventful thriller, perfect for series fans.

There is nothing like knowing Robert Dugoni has a new book ready for reading, as he is able to mix wonderful ideas with an addictive storytelling ability. I am always highly impressed with Tracy Crosswhite in her stories, especially as there is no lack of character development throughout the experience. Dugoni has a great handle on the series and one can only hope there will be many more books to come, as I am keen to see where things will progress from here.

There is nothing better than an author who has mastered the art of storytelling and knows how to convey their ideas well. Robert Dugoni has never had this issue and keeps readers on the edge of their seats. An easy flowing narrative make the pages melt into one another, as chapters rush by and the story progresses wonderfully. Key characters provide wonderful contrast throughout and there is nothing like seeing Tracy Crosswhite grow, personally and professionally, while those around her also advance in their own way. The plot proves unique and yet grounded, keeping series fans feeling that sense of life in Seattle is ever-evolving and crime is always being explored in new ways. While this is book nine, I can only hope Dugoni has a lot more for his protagonist to do in a series that has not lost its lustre whatsoever.

Kudos, Mr. Dugoni, for proving that some series can stand the test of time and additions, without getting stale. I want to see what Tracy Crosswhite has to show when she returns soon.

This is another hit out of the ballpark for author Robert Dugoni's latest book in his very popular Detective Tracy Crosswhite series. Lisa Childress was an investigative newspaper reporter who had several stories she was working on that were sure to cause grief to some people in high places. Lisa left her home at 2:00 a.m. to meet a confidential informant regarding one of the stories. Lisa never returned home that night to her husband and 2-year-old daughter, Anita. Lisa's car was found near the bus station with blood in it but no body was ever found. Fast forward 24 years later and Det. Tracy Crosswhite is working on cold cases so she can spend more time at home when she is contacted by Lisa's daughter, Anita who is now a young adult. Lisa would like some answers about what ever happened to her mother and if she dead or alive. This book has plenty of twists, turns, suspense and surprises.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC of this fantastic book that is a real page-turner and unputdownable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great mystery.

racy Crosswhite is back in the 9th installment of the Tracy Crosswhite series! Tracy has been approached by Anita Childress whose mother; Lisa Childress went missing when Anita was 2 years old. Anita has always wondered what happened to her mother as her body was never found and the police only focused on her father as the prime suspect. Tracy, who works in cold cases, agrees to investigate the case. Soon Tracy finds that there is more to this story than meets the eye. Lisa Childress was an investigative reporter who was meeting a source in the middle of the night, when she went missing.

Has Tracy bit off more than she can chew with this case? Who was Lisa Childress meeting that night? What was she investigating?

I will admit that after the gripping and riveting opening chapter of the book, things took a slower turn, and I struggled a little with the book. Then the 50 % mark came and WOWZA, Dugoni kicked things into high gear, and I could not get enough. The first part of this book builds the story and mystery and the second half had me fully invested and wanting more.

This book is heavy on detective work and showcases Tracy personality and detective work. She will not let things go due in part to her dedication to her job also due to her competitive nature. She doesn't mind ruffling a few feathers if it means solving a case.

Dugoni delivers every time, although this was slow in the beginning for me, it paid off and he has me wanting more and looking forward to book #10.


Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Note: this copyrighted newspaper review publishes Aug. 23, 2022:

In review: In ‘What She Found,’ Tracy Crosswhite could lose everything

By Tom Mayer
tmayer@cullmantimes.com

Family has always been the foundation of Robert Dugoni’s Tracy Crosswhite series, and in “What She Found” (Thomas & Mercer, paperback, $15.95, 367 pages), those roots run deep and far.

With nine books in the series, that’s to be expected. Dugoni has done a masterful job populating the Crosswhite world, and although each could serve as a standalone, the novels build upon one another to the point that when Tracy mentions her sister, longtime readers know she means the teen sister who disappeared in “My Sister’s Grave” — and the effects and reverberations that that has had on Tracy’s life, including her choice of career as a Seattle detective.

In “What She Found,” Tracy is working cold cases and agrees to investigate the decades-old disappearance of investigative reporter Lisa Childress. Prompted by Lisa’s daughter, Anita — for whom the case has been a 25-year obsession — Tracy picks up the threads of the original investigation, including those left dangling by current colleagues, both friends and enemies.

As the spool unravels, Tracy uncovers the investigative material that likely led to the night Childress vanished — material involving a rogue drug task force that could even today threaten to dismantle and topple the inner-workings of the Seattle Police Department. When the case turns unexpectedly, Tracy unearths a shocking surprise that creates further threats — now against the detective, her own family and those she is sworn to protect.

After decades of dealing with such danger to those around her, and the inner and outer workings of police work, Tracy begins to mull a decision to finally retire.

“This jobs has become politicized with everything going on now. You can’t do or say anything with the far left or far right attacking. I feel damned if I do and damned if I don’t,” she tells her lawyer husband, Dan.

That the thrice highly decorated detective would consider quitting is unimaginable to those who know her, but it’s conceivable here and Dugoni does a good job of bringing in enough back story to make it a real option.
Populated with subtle twists and turns — and the usual cadre of scoundrels — Dugoni manages a fresh look for the now-seasoned detective. An added bonus to the story includes bringing the backstory of Tracy’s long-time friend and fellow detective, Del, into the narrative by filling out a short story the author presented as an original , “The Last Line,” in October 2021.

It is there, as in “What She Found,” Dugoni does what he does best — tying together loose lines and strengthening family bonds.

Tracy Crosswhite is still doing cold cases and this time she gets a good one. A reporter missing for 25 years and a sloppy investigation that connects to The last Line. What She Found by Robert Dugoni is a very nice way to connect two different stories and it revolves a lot around the culture within the police department. I always find Dugonis books well written and hard to put down and this one is no exception. There are a lot of both good and bad in this story but I will leave it up to you as a reader to find that out. I must thank Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for giving me this advance copy and Robert Dugoni for writing it.

What She Found is the 9th book in the Tracey Crosswhite series and keeps up the tradition of a strong police procedural. Tracey remains the sole detective in the cold case area of the Seattle PD. She’s coming off a big serial killer case when she gets a call from a daughter, asking for her mother’s missing person case to be re-opened. The mother, an investigative reporter, disappeared 25 years ago when she went out in the middle of the night to meet a confidential source. While her boss wants her to focus on cases with DNA, Tracey keeps investigating this, especially the cases the reporter was working on. And several names of police officers keep coming up.
This was a well done tale about drug dealing, corruption and solving a case as old as this one. It felt very realistic, with a healthy mix of politics and legal standards of proof. I liked that the ending didn’t involve any big display of force or violence. I also liked that we learn more about Del’s start on the force. The Author’s Notes also made me aware of a short story that details even more about Del called The Last Line (available for free to Prime members).
Dugoni does a great job fleshing out his characters. And not just the main characters, but also the characters that are unique to this story, like Henderson Jones.
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.

What She Found is the latest Tracy Crosswhite story by Robert Dugoni. Mr Dugoni never disappoints. The latest Crosswhite is a page turner that also gave me goosebumps at times. Reading What She Found was like catching up with an old friend. I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an early copy to review.

The Tracy Crosswhite series has evolved into one of my favorites. I feel each book has been better than the last, and What She Dound is no exception.

In this installment, Tracy works the cold case of Lisa Childers at request of the victim’s daughter. Lisa disappeared 24 years before the book starts. What follows is a well done police procedural, which slowly builds to,a satisfying conclusion. The book is tightly plotted, and it’s such a pleasure to see how the main characters have grown from book to book.

Highly recommended series, though there’s not much need to read the prior eight books to be able to enjoy What She Found.

My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the book.

Really liked this book. The Tracy Crosswhite series is an excellent series. Definitely a 5 star read!

I enjoyed this book and read it very quickly. It is actually a continuation of the short story, “The Last Line” which I was able to read via Amazon Prime. The main character is a strong willed, moral female who runs cold cases and wants to always do the right thing. She gets caught up in more than she bargained for, and this takes you into the world of police corruption. The story moves quickly and is written with good character development. I might just have to look at his other books, especially the ones with Crosswhite, the main character.

This Tracy Crosswhite didn't disappoint, might be my favorite one yet. Love that Dugoni included a neurodiverse main character and how developed these characters are. What also works is the reference to the last book and mystery and how Tracy has matured. So much more diversity makes me feel seen without feeling like it's tokenism.
Tracy's latest cold case searching for a woman who disappeared 25 years ago somehow opens up so many other stories. I would have loved more story for Tracy's husband Dan who felt more peripheral than he has in other books, but that's my only gripe. So worth the read. I read it one sitting!

This book connects to a small novella which explored the early career of a minor character. Tracey Crosswhite gets to the bottom of a cold case mystery involving crooked cops. A good addition to the Tracey Crosswhite saga.

A decorated detective, Tracy Crosswhite views herself as a voice for those who no longer have voices as she sets out to solve cold cases and bring justice in whatever form she can for the families left behind. Although this book is the ninth in the series, it's the first (but probably not the last) I've read. Jumping into the middle of the series wasn't a problem as the story stands alone fine.

A former chemistry teacher, Tracy's life changed forever when her sister disappeared as a teenager. Now she's trying to find out what happened to other missing women, in particular a Seattle investigative reporter who disappeared almost 25 years ago, leaving a husband and toddler behind. Her daughter, who followed her missing mother into investigative journalism, approached Crosswhite to reopen the case and help find out what happened to her mother all those years ago.

A thriller, more than a mystery, Dugoni's writing is like watching a TV series. He slowly builds the plot with red herrings and corrupt cops, throwing in twists that I didn't anticipate. I enjoyed reading it and will watch for more episodes with Ms. Crosswhite leading the investigation.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the Advance Reader Copy and introduction to Dugoni's work.

A cold case about a serial killer. Set in Seattle. I've not read a lot of Robert Dugoni. Good character development.

I haven't read any of this series before. I liked the idea of a cold case investigation. Tracy was a strong female lead character which is always good, I wouldn't say I found her likeable, maybe it was just this book and the case she was investigating. I found the book dragged in places and had lots of dialogue which isn't my cup of tea. I would recommend this to others if they like a police series and I would dip in and try another one.

What She Found is the ninth book in the Tracy Crosswhite series by best-selling award-winning American author, Robert Dugoni. With her successes in her new role as the Cold Case detective being publicised, Tracy Crosswhite is asked by Seattle Times journalist, Anita Childress to look into the disappearance of her mother, then a Seattle Post-Intelligencer journalist, twenty-four years earlier.

In late February, 1996, after a phone call, Lisa Childress went out in the early hours to meet a source and never returned. Was she abducted by someone that one of her powerful hard-hitting news articles would damage? Did she leave of her own accord? Or did her husband murder her? It was this last that Seattle Detective Moss Gunderson settled on and pursued, without result.

While she suspects that Lisa is probably dead, Tracy decides not to reject any of the possibilities. Photos and a police sketch of Lisa as she would now look go onto a web page appealing for information. Lisa was working on four investigations at the time: a corrupt ex-mayor, a mayoral candidate facing accusations of impropriety, the Route 99 serial killer, and cops skimming off drug busts.

After some preliminary calls and interviews, it seems the police corruption around the drug busts is most worth a detailed follow up. But her colleague, Detective Del Castigliano, whose first murder case is closely related, is uncharacteristically evasive, and Detective Vic Fazio warns her that those covering up such a situation wouldn’t hesitate at violence: she should watch her back.

Tracy realises that city authorities might also have a stake in keeping things quiet to avoid what could be a national embarrassment of the highest order. In typical Tracy Crosswhite fashion, she doggedly pursues every lead, does some intelligent detective work, and eventually, she’s pretty sure she knows what happened, but she doesn’t have any credible evidence to prove it.

Dugoni offers another tightly plotted police procedural and just when the reader thinks they know where the story is going, he throws in an excellent twist. While not essential, reading the short story The Last Line first does enhance the enjoyment of this novel. Brilliant crime fiction, once again.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer.

This is the 9th entry in the Tracy Crosswhite series, and it hasn’t lost its luster. Even away from the A team, working cold cases, she still manages to be amazing and close cases. The daughter of a journalist who’s been missing for 25 years asks Tracy to find out what happened and, being reminded of her own personal struggle to solve the murder of her sister, she can’t refuse. There are three possibilities, she left, the husband did it or one of the articles she was writing threatened someone. This was back when journalists still researched stories - there were also payphones. Never in a million years did I figure out what was going to happen, so I really enjoyed the plot. The name of the missing journalist and one of her stories sounded familiar and then I remembered, there is an excellent Amazon short story about it. So it was nice for Tracy to work on this case. The one thing I worried about when Tracy became a unit of one was how it would hurt her funny repartee with her former team but, in this book at least, that’s not an issue. I missed Kins, who is away at trial, but it is always nice to hear from Del and Faz. This book was slightly more political than previous volumes. As a reader who doesn’t want any aspect of the real world polluting her entertainment, it wasn’t my favorite part but I guess it’s inevitable nowadays. I did like the fact that no pandemic affects Tracy’s universe. The final part was maybe a little disappointing but I guess it was realistic. I can’t wait to see where some of the cans of worms opened here take these characters.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Thomas & Mercer!