I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Catch Her Death, the fifth novel to feature Detective Madison Harper of the Lost Creek, Colorado PD.

A woman is found murdered in her car, her three year old son unharmed in his car seat. With little to go on Madison and her new partner, Detective Marcus Adams, are stumped. Then another body his found beside her unharmed four year old son. As she digs deeper she comes to believe the murders are the work of the serial killer her father has spent the last twenty five years hunting. When Madison’s friend is abducted the tension rises.

I thoroughly enjoyed Catch Her Death, which is an exciting and eventful read full of twists and turns. It is mostly told from Madison’s point of view with the odd chapter devoted to the killer. I’m not always a fan of hearing from the killer (too much self justification and pity on the whole and fairly repetitive across the genre), but it’s minimal in the novel and just enough to push the narrative forward, so it works well.

There is plenty going on in the novel, so it’s fast paced and never flags. There is the investigation, breaking in a new partner who has come from out of town and her father’s issues and motives and all against a background of snow and blizzards. It’s a lot to assimilate and keep track of, but it’s never confusing. Of course, so much activity makes it easier for the author to employ misdirection and I can report that I fell for it every time, to the extent that the killer’s identity caught me by complete surprise. The motive, maybe not so much as the start of the novel offers a big hint. I’m by no means an expert, but am a massive procedural fan, and I found there were a couple of things in the investigation that I was shouting at Madison to do, but the author held back till later for a bigger dramatic impact. That was a bit annoying but minor in my overall enjoyment.

I think that I must be emotionally unintelligent, because I have no understanding of Madison’s dad’s actions and motivation or why Madison is so mad with her best friend Nate. It seems to me that there is a lot of selfishness in this novel.

Catch Her Death is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

I hadn’t realized originally that this book was 5th in a series, and I was a bit apprehensive when I began it. Thankfully, Catch Her Death is a standalone and reading the previous books was not necessary to fully enjoy this gripping mystery.

I really enjoyed this - I read it in one evening as it was hard to put down. Detective Madison Harper is an intriguing character with a complicated history (which is referred to, but not in detail. Apparently I’ll need to read the previous books to understand what took place more fully.) There are many interesting supporting characters and a gripping plot.

In brief, Madison is investigating several murders of young mothers. Her father is a retired FBI agent who is also, unknown to Madison, investigating the murders…which turn out to be the work of a serial killer. Many times throughout the book, I thought I had figured out who the killer was and I was wrong each time. I was thoroughly surprised by “whodunnit!”

The book is well written with well-rounded, complex characters and a riveting, engrossing plot.

4 stars, only because I did get a bit frustrated at not understanding the history of the characters…which I’m sure would be rectified by reading the previous books. (Which I plan to!)

Madison Harper is back with a new and disturbing case to solve, and a new partner to work with. But unfortunately for her it's not the one she wants, in fact he's an outsider. Who thanks to Google knows all about her past and isn't the least bit impressed.

Yet, that's the least of Madison's problems. As its Christmas in Lost Creek and there's a serial killer targeting mothers with sons and when Madison's friend Kate is caught on a hot mic she appears to become the next target.

And just as things are going right in her private life with son Owen back, her dad no longer a stranger and her feelings growing ever stronger for Nate the man who helped prove her innocence cracks appear and as the murder investigation intensifies Madison starts to feel like she's more alone than ever before.

However, the answer to who this killer is could be closer than she thinks and with fantastic pacing, heartbreaking moments, and plenty of twists. This was a gripping read and it's a series that has just got better and better!

Furthermore, I really had no clue who the killer was, which is really the best compliment I can pay.

I would happily recommend Catch Her Death to others.

Madison and Nate are back! I was so excited to see another book in this series! I love following the lives of Madison, Owen and Nate they are such great characters. This book was perfect so much mystery and suspense had me reading into the night. Madison is on the hunt for another serial killer stalking her small town but this time he is brought to her town by her father. Who will be the first to find the serial killer and bring him down ? Madison or will she let her father take him down after 25 years hunting this lunatic. You will have to ride this thrilling book to find the answers. Great book in this series and look forward to hopefully more!

Brilliant read. I look forward to reading all the experiences of Madison and Nate and all they involve. I can’t forget Brody too.

DNF - the beginning had some sensitive topics and I just continue. It was more traumatic reading than I expected.

Triggers: child trauma

A gripping and twisty read! Madison gets called to a disturbing scene, a young child saw his mother bludgeoned to death. And then another similar murder! As the team investigates they find Madison's recently returned father has a connection to the case. Is this the same serial killer he could not catch? Did the killer follow him back? Making things more difficult for Madison is her new obnoxious partner.
The twists and turns will keep you guessing, making it hard to put down.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this fantastic thriller of a book

my oh my the body count is rising and wendy dranfield isnt afraid to use young mothers as the murder victim with their children watching...and if that thought isnt disturbing enough the crimes scenes are just as awful

could there possible be a serial killer in town because if there is nobody has told madison or her police colleagues, but as the bodies and red herrings galore its anybodies guess

but for madison and her son its their first christmas they can celebrate together and even her dad has appeared after years of being out of her life when he ran off to alaska, so its a time for celebrations and maybe just maybe nate and brody will add to the family get together.....

oh my this book has you on tenterhooks with the all out action so many red herrings and mis directions and what an ending

love this series and cant wait for the next instalment from this amazing series

Fast pace, twisty, thriller. Book 5, this can be read as a stand alone, but in order to see the growth in Detective Madison and in PI Nate, Owen and to appreciate the underlining personalities with her dad I highly recommend reading the series in order. May I say right out of the gate I cannot stand her new partner and the one comment of "I'm hotheaded, like most cops" just sent me over the edge. Does he have a few nice moments, yes. I will do my best to withhold further judgement. I am also pleased I am not a single mom with a young child over the holidays. This is a hard core twisty, police procedural, thriller, mystery. Did not see the ending coming. Wendy you broke my heart with the Nate/Madison and Madison's dad. Kudos to Owen becoming such an awesome young man. I highly recommend this series and want to thank #bookouture #netgalley for the arc! I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. #catchherdeath #wendydranfield

Oh wow. I absolutely loved this book. Number 5 in the Madison Harper series and it's the best one yet!

When a woman is found brutally beaten to death with her young son left unhurt in the car, Madison has to find out who could do such a dreadful act. When a second woman is killed she finds herself in a race against time to find them before they kill again.

With a new partner to get to know and things still uncertain in her personal life this case gets very personal.

I was hooked from that haunting prologue and I absolutely raced through it. I had no idea who it was and it kept me reading late into the night trying to work it out.

I will happily recommend this book to all crime loving fans and I eagerly await the next one.

This latest book in the Detective Madison Harper series involves a suspect who appears to be targeting mothers of young children. While the perpetrator has no qualms about hurting the victims, he does not harm the children. But he does make them watch. It's quite disturbing and Madison and her team do everything they can to track this killer down. But then she discovers the craziest coincidence - the person she's chasing might actually be connected to a serial killer from years ago that her father was obsessed with. That case led to the destruction of his marriage and the abandonment of his family. Madison doesn't want to see the same thing happen to her, but she is determined to stop this killer.

One of the creepiest things about this book is the reasoning behind the crimes. Not that there is ever a good reason to commit murder but there's at least a certain logic about it. But when Madison uncovers why the killer chose to hurt these women, it's like, what? That's why you did this? Pretty bizarre. And then in the middle of this case, she realizes something unsettling about her father's return and she can't believe how betrayed she feels. Like she needs anything else to deal with while there's a potential serial killer on the loose.

It's a great story and I loved how the author included some movement on the Madison and Nate front. Maybe they will finally act on their feelings for each other...or maybe not! That's why you have to keep up with this series and see what's next for these two and the other characters, as well. I know I can't wait to see what's coming!

This story is what all other thrillers aspire to be! It was a sheer pleasure to read and kept me captivated the entire time. Its so faced paced and I loved that the chapters were quite short so it jist made the whole book fly in. I was second guessing myself the whole time and still didn't figure out what was going on until it was all laid out. This is a must read for thriller fans! I've never read the precious books but am now away to download them!!

Once again, I was very happy to be back in Lost Creek, Colorado, invited to follow Detective Madison Harper's newest investigations. And once again, it was an enthralling story, full of twists, told in short chapters that made it very easy to decide to read "one more" several times in a row.
This time, we also learn more about Madison's father (who left Lost Creek to work for the FBI in Alaska when Madison was a teenager) and a serial killer he's been chasing for many years.
Obviously, it's another must-read for everyone who enjoyed the previous four books in the series. I think it would also work well for new readers, but I must warn those that mentions of previous events would spoil parts of the other books' plots if you started with this one.

I totally loved this story!!!! I couldn't move from my sit once I started, I was completely invested the whole time!!! I was literally on the edge of my couch the while time!!! And I usually know who the bad guy is but here I was like okay this one and then suddenly no ahaha and that happened a bunch of times, I was wrong each time I knew who the bad guy was!!!! And once I found out I was like ohmy yessss wow hahaha. I loved that!!! The book is full of action so you don't really feel the story is dragging or going slow and I loved that. Once you start it goes fast paced rhr entire time, and as I said full of action. It gives you no time to feel bored or tired of the story.

Will post review on instagram @ pink.bibliophile for the booktour on September

It is always good to read about the adventures of detective Madison and her friend/possible love PI Nate. This is part of a series, which can be read alone, as she fills in a lot of their history but even better if you read at least the first book of the series. In this case, they are looking for a serial killer, possibly one that has been murdering for many years. It also explores more in depth Madison's relationship with her absentee father, who is a retired FBI agent with ties to the case

Wow, wow and wow. This series is fantastic. . This is a very gripping read I was hooked from page 1. I look forward to reading more

What a mind-blowing, spine-numbing, completely engrossing mystery with a jaw-dropping twist! I ab-so-lutely loved every bit of this book.

I love police procedurals in which the serial killer challenges the detective in charge. Time's-a-ticking and Detective Madison Harper must catch the killer before she becomes their next victim. Young mothers are being killed in front of their child just days before Christmas. The only piece of the puzzle that is quite clear to the police is that, the child (always a boy) is left unharmed. This makes the police wonder if the killer is a woman.

Madison's dad, Bill Harper, is back from Alaska. He walked out on his family decades ago and is here to reconcile. Decades ago, when Bill Harper was a detective at LCPD, he was called to a crime scene. A young boy was found in a pool of blood - his mother's body was close by. Seems like she was brutally murdered. Bill could never solve the case and soon after the murder, he joined FBI and moved to Alaska.

The second half of the story gets really interesting. Tension and suspense are at all all-time high. And so is Madison's frustration about betrayal. Then, one of her close friends goes missing... Are they going to be the next victim? Madison hopes not.

I loved the storytelling. The mystery behind the serial killings kept me guessing till the end. The twist at the ending... MIND-BLOWING. JAW-DROPPING. The identity of the killer - shocking! I was like, wait... who? what? how? I could not believe they were the killer! Never saw it coming.

Highly recommended!

Catching her death is a suspense story with lots of twists. The characters are intriguing and you'll be second guessing yourself as to who might be the bad gut. This is a page turner that the clues will be hard to decide who's good.

Such a lovely series! Maddison, Nate and Owen are a great combination and I have been cheering on for them since the very beginning! I love a romance in a good police procedural as it offsets the dark side of the crime stories.
I love the setting of the small town of Lost Creek in Colorado being from the UK and having visited Colorado once before. The scenery adds much pleasure and delight to the mystery story.
The plot is as ever well written and the suspense plot easy to follow without being obvious.
Thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience of reading this book and can't wait for the next installment.

This exciting read is book 5 in the Detective Madison Harper series. Set in a small town in Colorado, the book opens with the gruesome murder of a young mother. The plotting is superb and the characterisation is well developed, as well as a nail biting pace to the unexpected finale. I would recommend reading the previous books in the series for background detail, although this can be read as a stand alone. A very good serial killer story which I would recommend. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.