Cover Image: Body of Evidence

Body of Evidence

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Body of Evidence by Irene Hannon is a remarkable novel. I could not stop reading this novel, even throughout a busy week. I found the romance in this book to be sweet and not formulaic. I found Ms Hannon’s characters fascinating and their romance original and interesting. The mystery itself was also intriguing throughout. Readers of romantic suspense will love this book! I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Was this review helpful?

Irene Hannon has such a wide range with her suspense and contemporary novels. Body of Evidence shows her at her best to finish up a fantastic series.

As a forensic pathologist, Grace Reilly must stay on her toes with the cases she oversees. When a strange pattern starts to emerge with several of the elderly autopsies, she goes to see the local sheriff, Nate Cox. Nate isn’t sure what to believe with Grace’s suspicions that things are not what they seem. It takes a while for her to convince him that there is foul play, but once she does, they work together to figure out what is going on and stop it before more bodies end up on her autopsy table.

When reading a romantic-suspense novel, I have come to expect more romance than suspense from a lot of authors. This book is not full of explosions and action-packed scenes, but there is plenty of tension to move the story along at a nice pace. This one read more of a true crime investigation feel instead of the crazy action-packed pace of thriller novels or movies. Even though it takes a while for Nate to believe Grace and her suspicions of foul play, it won’t take readers long to see that these two have amazing chemistry together. This book is the last in the series and we get to finally see the life of Grace, the youngest Reilly sister and it was worth the wait. For me, this was the best in the series and while these could be read as standalone novels, it would be best to read the series in order to get the most enjoyment out of them. Irene Hannon is a great romantic suspense writer and an equally great contemporary writer, not a feat many can accomplish.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Body of Evidence kept me turning the pages one after another. I had to find out who did it and I was totally shocked when I did! This is a great series that I ended up buying for our daughter because she loves these mystery/suspense books. I loved the back and forth between the pathologist and the sheriff, and I have to say, I was thinking I wasn't going to like the sheriff at first due to something he did, but then he redeemed himself. It made him more human and I liked him even more. I loved the detailed twists and turns too. It was an entertaining, "thinking" and wonderful book.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher but was not required to review it. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Dr. Grace Reilly, the youngest of the three Reilly sisters, is a forensic pathologist in Missouri. Her two older siblings have found their significant other and now believe that it is her turn. So far, she hasn’t found a man who is interested once she tells them about her career. When she notices something odd in the last two autopsies that she performed, she contacts Sheriff Nate Cox. There isn’t concrete evidence to mark the deaths as suspicious, but she continues to investigate what caused these two elderly deaths. Someone doesn’t want Grace investigating and her car is vandalized and she is threatened. Nate hasn’t felt this spark of attraction to a woman since he left the military, but would Grace be interested in a small-town sheriff? When another woman dies in the same manner, some crucial information will lead Nate and Grace to an investment scheme that has turned deadly. The person in charge of the scheme must make sure that Grace is no longer able to investigate. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation, from the author, for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Was this review helpful?

Before I read Body of Evidence by Irene Hannon, it had been over a year since I’d picked up a novel by this particular author. I did not enjoy Labyrinth of Lies as much as I hoped I would back when I read it, and the tale continues with Body of Evidence. I liked Grace Reilly and Nate Cox just fine. Hannon developed them both well, but the novel lacked the spark I feel it really needed. It kept my attention, and Body of Evidence was easy to read. It mixed in humor when appropriate, and it had some twists to it. But nothing made it stand out against the myriad other novels in the genre.

I went and read my review of Labyrinth of Lies, and Body of Evidence by Irene Hannon suffered from similar ailments. Firstly, the book’s innuendos bothered me. They are not frequent, but still—they are present. Nate’s mind sometimes wanders to…unsafe territories. I will say the same thing about this book that I did about Labyrinth of Lies: If I wanted to read about how certain things affected the male character’s libido, I would read a non-Christian romance novel. Irene Hannon is the only Christian romance author I have ever read who so bluntly expresses a character’s unclean thoughts. They were not explicit. Not R-rated. But for a Christian novel, I would rather they not be included at all.

Secondly, Nate was in a relationship prior to meeting Grace. She turns his eye, and everything changes for him. He can no longer settle for the ordinary or mediocre. As the novel is about Grace and Nate’s romance, saying his former relationship ended is no spoiler. Since reading Body of Evidence, I have finished two other novels. But Nate’s prior relationship still bothers me, because I do not know why this was included in the first place. Added drama, I suppose? It added nothing to Nate’s character for me. It’s like Hannon needed one more element. He and his girlfriend break up, and he moves on with Grace immediately afterward. If I were Grace, I would be worried I was nothing but a rebound. Or that he would pull the same stunt again and leave me for a “better” woman.

Irene Hannon did set up the “big reveal” of the antagonist very well. She dropped hints throughout the novel until the pieces click together. I think I actually gasped aloud when I figured it out. There is little doubt that Irene Hannon is a skilled author with a knack for the romantic suspense genre. Her particular style, however, just is not mine. Everyone has different tastes—some people like cookies and cream ice cream best; others like fruit sorbet. Unfortunately for Hannon, I’m a big fan of the latter, and Hannon’s the cookies and cream.

Was this review helpful?

Wow y’all!! What a wonderful romantic suspense!!

I want to preface this by saying I’ve never read a “romantic suspense” before as I typically read romcoms and women’s fiction, but Irene Hannon has converted me into a romantic suspense ADDICT because of how much I enjoyed this book!!

Grace Reilly was such a fun character to read about!! Her faith in the Lord’s timing was super inspirational and her career was FASCINATING!! I will say, this book is not for those with queasy stomachs as there are some pretty detailed descriptions of autopsies and cutting up bodies, but it did make the book feel authentic and engaging!!

And Sheriff Nate Cox. Who doesn’t love a man in uniform?!! I loved the way he worked so hard to make sure those working beneath him felt like they were his coworkers and not his employees. And the SWOONS!! Let me tell y’all, Nate Cox knows how to sweep a woman off her feet. The touch of romance in this novel was absolutely pitch perfect!! The epilogue was just🥹😭😍❤️

And I can’t end this review without talking about the MYSTERY the novel revolves around. All over the county elderly people are dropping dead left and right. Although their deaths are being ruled as “natural,” Grace has her suspicions after finding pumpkin seeds in the stomachs of multiple victims. But as Grace pursues her theory, threats begin to surface and Grace’s life is put in danger. Will she be able to find the culprit behind the mysterious elderly deaths?

Y’ALL I WAS FLOORED BY THE ENDING!!! I had two murder suspects in mind and I DONE PICKED THE WRONG ONE!! I was so confident in my reasoning too😭🤦🏻‍♀️😂 Anyway, all of this to say the entire book was gripping and the ending did NOT disappoint!

I highly recommend this book as it is perfect for spooky season, and I can’t wait to devour Irene Hannon’s entire backlist!!

Was this review helpful?

Body of Evidence is the third book in the Triple Threat series by Irene Hannon and can be read as a stand-alone novel. Each book follows a different Reilly sister, and this book is the story of forensic pathologist, Grace Reilly. After an autopsy suggests foul play, Sheriff Nate Cox and Grace team up to investigate a string of suspicious murders of senior citizens. As they delve deeper into the cases, their attraction grows into a romance. Hannon skillfully blends suspense with romance to create an engaging read that will keep you guessing until the end.

Was this review helpful?

Irene Hannon is one of my go-to contemporary/present-day inspy-fic authors, and this series + book only prove to illustrate that further!

For once in my life, I've read the preceding books in the series, and did find that helpful--mostly to have a general idea of the MC, Grace's, sisters and their respective stories. There weren't really any spoilers on that front aside from romantic "hey guess what happened past the last page." :)

Hannon also continues to illustrate her proficiency and versatility as an author here. Her _Hope Harbor_ series is incredibly endearing--and markedly different from this mystery! It's like when actors play great characters and villains equally well; you know they're particularly good. (I've been listening to the audiobook of _Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince_ lately, which--speaking of illustrations--entirely proves just what an amazing actor Alan Rickman was. #weep #heart But I digress.)

I was so...gutted? Vindicated? All of the above? when I latched on to who ultimately proved the villain in this story. Hannon really kept me guessing, that's for sure! And she tied up all the loose ends and unanswered questions so very well.

An excellent last book in the series (#sniff), all of which is well worth the read. I'm just sad to see it end!

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Such a wonderful addition to this series. I enjoyed it from the first page to the last page

**I was given an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this story (and the other in the series) since it has a lot going on with there being a Triple Threat. This one has a unique, baffling mystery that surrounds the deaths of several Senior citizens. This is a wonderful mystery that kept me guessing!

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book! I can’t say everything that I loved about it because I don’t want to give any spoilers! I love that the characters include a forensic pathologist and a forensic botanist. Irene Hannon is one of my favorite authors and I can’t wait to read her next book!

I received an advanced readers copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Was this review helpful?

I can't lie, I found this to be one of Hannon's most boring books. The mystery kept me reading but there was no action or anything exciting until the very end. I kept waiting to turn the page and something would happen, but it never did. I liked the characters a lot, which is probably what kept me reading. They had great chemistry. Overall, this did not feel like Hannon's usual and I felt dissapointed. Glad to have wrapped up the series though!

Was this review helpful?

This book is very well written. The characters are likable and the situation is believable. Grace is a person who thinks outside the box and doesn't take the easy way out at problem solving. This leads to her being in danger and suffering the same fate as the people on her autopsy table. The perpetrator is hinted at near the end of the book, and if you are paying attention, you might guess who it is. But the "how" is laid out nicely at the end.. The romance in the book is clean and heartfelt. A great book that looks at yet another way to commit murder.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Body of Evidence is my favorite book in the Triple Threat series by Irene Hannon. Grace is the forensic pathologist for several counties and her latest autopsy raises questions about whether or not the death was truly due to natural causes. She meets the new Sheriff, Nate, and as sparks fly she and Nate begin unraveling a deadly scheme. I enjoyed the layers of the mystery and while I did figure out the perpetrator before the reveal, I was on the edge of my seat til the very last page!

Was this review helpful?

A twisting romantic suspense, with faith and characters that you can cheer for all the way through.

Forensic Pathologist Grace Reilly is disturbed by an emerging pattern in the autopsies, and reaches out to Sheriff Nate Cox with her findings, now they have a killer on their trail.

Engaging and fast paced with great character interaction. I liked that Nate is dedicated to his job and took her concerns seriously, and then supporting her throughout. I also loved seeing her sisters from the previous books, though you don't have to have read their stories to pick this one up.

Overall, a fantastic read, I especially loved how Grace and Nate stuck to their strong personal convictions, as well as seeing them work together to find the killer. A riveting read, suspenseful, with great character development. You won't want to miss it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Was this review helpful?

Another great book by Ms Hannon. This is the third book in the Triple Threat series. It's not necessary to read the first two books to enjoy this book.

The book starts with Grace doing an autopsy and discovering an anomaly. She takes her discovery to Sherriff Nate Cox. He's skeptical at first. But then there is an attempt on Grace's life. This is a fast paced mystery. The characters are intelligent and well thought out. The mystery of who the culprit is surprised me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I was given this book by Revell Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

Was this review helpful?

A well-written story based in rural Missouri. It held this reader's attention from beginning to end.

Was this review helpful?

I love a good thriller, but often it's hard to find good suspense in a Christian novel. However, Irene Hannon does a great job keeping you guessing throughout this entire book.

This book is about a coroner who realizes there may be a connection between recent "natural" deaths that would make them murders. While she is putting those pieces together someone is threatening her. Can she put together the pieces or will she be the next victim?

I love the attention to detail in this book. The family relationships and the trials they go through will leave you moved. I did find the actual romance a little lacking. It seemed predictable at every turn and rushed. Very rushed. I can't give out any spoilers, but the main romance left a sick taste in my mouth with the way it was glorified when it shouldn't have been.

While the romance in this book really fell flat for me, I must say that I did enjoy the morals taught through the family relationships. That is what kept me turning pages. If you don't mind a romance that falls flat, this really is a good suspense book.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Grace thought she was safe especially in rural Missouri.  But she was wrong.  Nate thought he could protect her.  Was he wrong?

I picked up this ebook and read it in one night.  I loved the characters.  I knew them from reading an earlier book in the series called The Code of Honor.  This Book Three.

A mystery that is bound to surprise you at the end.  I was.  I won't give it away.  You have to pick this up.  Entertaining.

Was this review helpful?

A nice story that is more love-story than thriller. Finally all three sisters have found their match after some kind of danger and solving their cases with the help of their partners-to-be.
A well researched fast read.

Was this review helpful?