Cover Image: Her Bleeding Heart (Detectives Kane and Alton Book 16)

Her Bleeding Heart (Detectives Kane and Alton Book 16)

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Member Reviews

Her Bleeding Heart is the sixteenth book in the police procedural series featuring Detectives David Kane and Jenna Alton. I picked up this series with Whisper in the Night (book 6) and I also thoroughly enjoyed books seven through to fifteen.

So I'm back in Black Rock Falls, Montana, with Sheriff Jenna Alton who makes a very amenable and winsome detective. Jenna has a good team to handle crime in the small town, which has certainly seen more than its fair share of murders! Her husband, and deputy, David Kane is a former Special Forces marksman with exceptional profiling skills. In this instalment, a dead young woman has a jack of hearts card tucked into her clothing, found at Sring Falls Lake and then another victim is found in a car, strangled, also with a playing card on her person. With torrential downpours and thunderstorms to contend with, Dave is experiencing memory difficulties, and Forensic Scientist, Shane Wolfe is around; he is a Medical Examiner with amazing computer skills. Deputies, Zac Rio and Jake Rowley are on hand, as well as FBI Agents, Carter and Jo Wells.

This was fast-paced, well-balanced, electrifying and gritty just as I knew it would be. It had me glued to the pages and I didn't want to put it down as I was desperate to know the outcome of the story. The tension snowballed as D.K. Hood lobbed in some captivating misdirection. The writing flowed effortlessly in a story rich in drama. You could read Her Bleeding Heart as a standalone... but you'll be missing out so much if you don't read some of the other instalments as well. I will be seeking out the first five instalments of this masterful series when I get the chance. A brilliant, compelling, pulse-pounding and very highly recommended crime-thriller.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

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OMG DK HOOD IS A CRIME WRITING GENUIS!!!

Book 16 in the Kane and Alton series hasn't let me down at all!!! When a local rich lady is found dead Jenna and her sheriff's department are on the case. But with Dave experiencing amnesia and Jenna worried she's lost him all over again her mind is struggling to keep her mind on the case. Have they got another serial killer in town......

Well I honestly cannot put into words how crazy this instalment was, as we always get to read the POV of Jenna, Kane and the killer. I actually loved the back and forth between Jenna and Dave in this book sometimes I feel it’s too much Jenna but no it felt just right, especially with how the first few chapters of the book go. I always find that with their points of view, although often so serious they can have thoughts that are so funny I can’t help laughing. Kane had a few of those moments in this book. I loved following the cases although the motives were made clear early on the killer remained a complete mystery to me until the very end.

The descriptions as always left me feeling like I was there myself. Jenna feels throughout like someone is watching her and let’s be honest when she has a hunch, she should probably stick to it. So every time she looks over her shoulder or even just feels something, I found myself feeling something as well. Therefore 16 books in I keep coming back not many authors can write like this and make you feel like it’s the first book of theirs you’ve ever read because it’s just so genius and you thought they reached genius previously. Anyway, this has to be my favourite because when I saw twist I think I mean grenade and that’s all I will say about that.

The story line is quite good rich single women killed and robbed left in remote places, question is by who and why? The police procedure as always is superb and it’s always fun when Jo and Cater pop in town to lend a hand. Question is who are they looking for and why does it become an FBI matter? Well read the book and find out.

If you read this review and think I would give anything less than 5 stars then I haven’t sold my undying love properly to you. This is my all time favourite series combined i have rated all 18 books (2 are .5 additions in the series) 88/90 which is on average 4.88 stars like come on, I LOVE IT!! So yes you can pick this book up and read it as a stand alone but let me save you time from wishing you started with book one, start with book 1!! Her bleeding heart took me on an emotional journey with Kane and Jenna, also a bit of a thriller with the description and narrating as well as so many twists and turns I decided everyone was the killer :D EASY 5 STARS.

Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture and DK Hood for allowing me an digital ARC in exchange for my fair and honest opinions and they are bring on book 17!

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Her Bleeding Heart' by DK Hood.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for DK Hood, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 12th September 2022.

This is the fifth book I have read by this author. It is also the sixteenth book in the 'Detective Kane and Alton' series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously read 'Cross My Heart' (book 12 in the series), 'Fallen Angel' (book 13 in the series), 'Don't Look Back (book 13.5 in the series), ' Pray For Mercy '(book 14 in the series) and' Kiss Her Goodnight' (book 15 in this series) and I highly recommend them all.


I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'If you’re a fan of Lisa Regan, Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot you will be hooked by this gripping and addictive crime thriller from USA Today bestselling author D.K. Hood.' I am a huge fan of all three of those authors so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of DK Hood and if this is half as good as 'Cross My Heart', 'Don't Look Back', 'Pray For Mercy', 'Kiss Her Goodnight', and 'Fallen Angel' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue, 39 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is set in Montana, USA 🇺🇸.


This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Sheriff Jenna Alton and Detective David Kane along with the perp, Poppy Anderson . The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

OMG!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THIS BOOK!!! D.K HOOD you just keep getting better and better!!!

This book is fantastically written and had me hooked from the first page until the last. DK Hood way of writing is perfectly evocative and she has such a creative imagination!! The descriptions were so vivid and realistic I felt myself feeling the cold and damp and reaching for a blanket to warm me up. This has got to be one of the best storylines I have ever read!!!! OMG the suspense, especially during a certain event left me with my heart in my throat!! Needless to say I absolutely LOVED the storyline. This book is absolutely perfect for any crime lovers as you are literally reading about crime, secrets and murder!!! It just does not get better than that!!! Just seriously, I cannot say how brilliant all this book was!!! The storyline is packed with tension, suspense, murder, tension and filled with twists and turns. My heart was absolutely in my throat during one part of this book and it really is scary how easily it happened and how much power they had over her.... Yep that's all I'm saying 😉 Get reading folks!! D.K Hood has obviously done her research on police procedurals which is yet another bonus as I've read many crime novels where the authors make massive mistakes due to not doing enough research. I am very excited about the challenge that Jenna will be up against with a certain someone. I must say though that considering what this someone does I am questioning myself if I really want her to catch them. It really is thought provoking. I won't say anymore as I don't want to spoil it for future readers so you'll just have to read it yourself! Jenna will also most definitely have another story to tell her grandchildren, it made me laugh out loud!!! This is an absolutely unputdownable page turner and I cannot wait to read the previous and future books in what is promising to be an addictive series.


Although this is the sixteenth book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

I absolutely LOVED meeting the characters again and they are all realistic and I became completely invested in them. They have become like friends to me that I look forward to meeting every time I open the pages of any books in this absolutely gripping series!! I love that Jenna is such a strong female lead that has history and has been through so much but doesn't cower and stands strong. I have enjoyed watching her relationship with Kane and I am looking forward to going back to how they met and moving forward to seeing how they got to where they were when I started this epic series. Kane is another fantastic character that I became invested in and I adore how protective of Jenna he is. The team dynamics work well and I also enjoyed getting to know more about Rio, Wolfe and Rowley and I look forward to meeting them all again. I must say my favourite had to be Duke though!!!! Duke has become an absolutely fantastic addition, I just love it when pets play such large parts in books. The only person I have never been a fan of is Poppy and all I'm saying is thank God something happened ... I know how annoyingly vague that is but I don't want to give anything away so to find out what I mean you'll just have to get your copy of this amazing book. Regardless of whether you love or hate any of the characters they all work perfectly to make this storyline an absolutely addictive, explosive page turner!!! The majority of the characters have become like friends to me and I'm always sad to say goodbye never knowing when I'll "see" them again so I really hope the next book is being written as I speak. Hint hunt 😉 DK Hood!!!

Congratulations D.K Hood on what promises to be a huge success!!! Very rarely an authors books get better but you have certainly mastered it!!! I cannot wait to get stuck into more of your books and this is exactly why you are one my favourite crime authors!!!

This book is definitely in my top 10 and considering I've read 1000's this is a HUGE achievement!!! This series is also in my top 5 ♥

Do not start this until you have cleared yours schedules as you will not be able to put it down!!


Overall an absolutely addictive, heart racing and unputdownable crime thriller that will keep you up all night.


Genres covered in this novel include Crime Thriller, Police Procedural, Suspense, Mystery, Thriller, Noir Fiction and Crime Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Lisa Regan, Melinda Leigh, Angela Marsons, Carol Wyer, Kendra Elliot and anyone looking for a gripping page turner .


318 pages.

This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle and £7.99 to purchase on paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Rain, rain, rain,… amnesia, and then a dead body found of a woman.
At first glance it looks like an accident until a playing card is found tucked in between her clothes. Jenna, Kane and the rest of team start looking into her movements, and then a 2nd body is found the only thing that is the same is the playing card. Are they dealing with a notorious killer that has even the FBI running in circles?
As always you want to read it in one breath! Looking forward to the next one.

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This is a great series and I really enjoy all the story lines and the crimes that are solved. Reckon we will see more of this killer.

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Detectives Kane and Alton series is so addictive that I will always recommend it to any thrillers lovers.

I haven’t read the whole series, but the last 5 ones made me rethink my options. And with each new addition, they become better and better, in my opinion.

It can be read as a standalone, so don’t fear missing too much if you decide to start with this one.

I loved that in here we get so many more layers and different cases to discover. On one side we have the murder of two young women, one after another we get the cybercrime and crypto currency drama and the more personal story between the newlyweds Sheriff Jena Alton and her deputy David Kane. They both have a secret past and some glimpses of his story are revealed when he has short-term amnesia. I think the strains of that period were my favourite parts. I always love the adrenaline rush of the murder investigations but rarely get to enjoy more personal parts of the main characters.

Twisted, fast-paced and intriguing new thriller from a favourite author.

🆓📖Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy through NetGalley

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Going back to blackrock falls always feels like I am going out to walk with friends. The area is so familiar and the members of the team feels like we are close friends. Well okay the exception is Poppy who I just want to delete.

Kane was hard for me to read this time especially early on when he didn't remember his life. It was hard as he always seems to have been the rock in everything and this one area he felt like he wasn't the superhero but was a normal person.

Alton feels the same as ever in these books she is strong but has a soft side as well which can hamper her doing her job fully at times. This all stems from her DEA days.

Wolfe is still a favourite of mine and he always seems to be a solid presence who is there to help Kane in any way that he can. He is the best possible counter balance to him.

Emily I wish had been more in this book as I find her an intriguing character. Same with Rio and the rest of the team they weren't heavily involved as I would like in this case but I do so love that they are always there to help with whatever is needed

For me this series is great and always shows a lot of what can happen not necessarily will. I love the setting but would hate to live in the town as it has so many serial killers.

Really looking forward to what is next especially as this was left with a lot of unanswered questions and a lot of strong still unwound.

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Parts of the latest Alton and Kane series flattened me. I yelled at some of the female characters for being way too trusting. About twenty pages in I wailed and moaned because of something that happened to Kane. I thought to myself no! You cannot do this to them, not after all they’ve been through. Thankfully, it resolved itself, but I was a mess, but kept reading.
Rain won’t wash away the blood and murder. However, a new voice appears late in the story to add mystery and mayhem.
I have my suspicions about the true identity and am confident the person will reappear.
I hope we’ve seen the last of Poppy. She needed to be washed away with the dirt.

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Her Bleeding Heart by D.K. Hood is the 16th in the Sheriff Jenna Alton and Deputy Dave Kane series, and takes place in Black Rock Falls, Montana.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Background:    (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Former DEA, Jenna Alton is now the Sheriff in Black Rock Falls, Montana.  Her past is a secret.  Deputy David Kane's background is also a secret.  He was a Special Forces sharpshooter, and a bodyguard to the President.  Jenna and Dave have now married.  Forensic Scientist Shane Wolfe,  is not only a Medical Examiner with amazing computer skills, he used to be Kane’s handler. So, with a few other deputies, Jenna has a good team to handle crime in the small Black Rock Falls town, which seems to have more murders than a small town should.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Torrential rains are making things in Black Rock Falls treacherous, causing flooding and mudslides.  When a body is washed up on a riverbank, they aren't sure whether the cause was an accident or something more sinister.  But when they find the jack of hearts playing card next to her skin, things turn suspicious. 

A few days later, another woman is found in her car, strangled, and another card in her clothing.

Both victims are wealthy and single, and both were using dating apps. Jenna and the team discuss the possibility of some type of cat-fishing scheme, but things are much worse than that.  When another body shows up, things get complicated.

Meanwhile, Dave was hit by lightening, and is suffering memory problems.  Then there is the not-so-small problem of Poppy.


My Opinions:
Okay, I think this may be the best in the series so far.  It was a really fast and entertaining read.

I guess I will always have problems with the characters, but by book 16, I guess I'm just going to have to ignore them.  I think the fact that Dave and Jenna are married now will help me understand his over-protectiveness, and he didn't seem to be as over-bearing.  Jo, Carter and Emily played rather small roles in this one, so I was happy there.  Poppy...well, enough said. The last two books concentrated on Jenna's strengths, so of course the author threw a wrench in that!

As always, the plot was what gave this four stars in my opinion.  That, and the twist, which was really great!

So overall, even with my complaints about the characters, I really enjoyed this book.  There is always a lot of excitement, action, and serial killers in Black Rock Falls!  It makes for entertaining reading!

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Thanks to NetGalley I've found another author who writes great thrillers. Even though this is book 16 in the series, there is enough background information given that I didn't feel lost when it came to the recurring characters.

From the opening scene to the end, you are taken on an edge-of-your seat journey as Jenna and Dave not only battle to find the serial killer, but there is Dave's amnesia and a mudslide due to all the rain that has been falling. There are also some interesting secondary characters that also add to the story. Now I want to go back and read the other books in the series to find out what has happened previously.

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ wow. Book 16 and I was glued to it from the beginning! I love that Jenna is a strong woman with an equally strong man beside her in Dave Kane. She didn't stand any nonsense and takes no prisoners! Her Bleeding Heart sees horrible mudslides and flooding which cause problems getting to find out who killed Dianne and then Shelby. Poppy Anderson is a torn in Jenna's side but otherwise she has a great team around her. Can they solve this crime? I highly recommend reading this.

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Ok it’s my birthday but that’s not why I read this book on that day… I mean come on it’s my favorite series and completely amazeballs but I’m on vacation and as long as I’m reading a favorite author it’s fabulous!

What did I like? It’s Kane and Alton and I’ve been a fan a long long time. So after the whiplash this book gave me I’m completely ok. This book completely sets the stage for another book and yes the gangs all here! The tumultuous stage Kane has to go through this time is just phenomenal! I’m all ready for the next book!

Would I recommend or buy! I have a shelf for this author. I absolutely love this series! Five huge stars! I hope you have an amazing release day!

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a opinion!
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Oh I do love this series, it is so nice to back in the familiar Black Rock Falls with the detectives and their colleagues. This one in particular worked as a two for one and the ending was such a cliff hanger, cant wait for the next book in the series. I just devoured this book, just had to keep reading it was so addictive.

I was given an advance copy by bookoutre and netgalley but the review is entirely my own.

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We are back in Serial Killer Central with Jenna and Dave, whilst they try and solve the mystery of women who both turn up dead with a playing card tucked into their clothing. Dave loses his memory for a while, which leads to all sorts of tricky situation for the pair, both at work and in their private lives. Added to this is a storm which impedes their investigation.

This is certainly a bit of a twisty & turny tale, for sure. And I always enjoy catching up with Jenna and Dave and their colleagues/friends. Even Poppy added something to the story, even though she is thoroughly unlikeable (I have known a few women like this - ugh!).

Unfortunately, for me, I just wasn't really feeling it so much this time. Jenna did lots of snorting, which got irritating, the threads didn't come together so well either and the whole "shucks, ma'am, we are all cowboys here" vibe was just a bit annoying.

I know the author has been struggling with her health, and I was really sorry to read about that - I hope you feel much better, very soon!

However, I try hard to give honest feedback and this is how I feel. I am looking forward to the next book in the series though, as I have enjoyed the series as a whole.

3.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

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The rain has been falling for weeks when Black Rock Falls Sheriff, Jenna Alton, receives a panicked phone call from a local forest ranger. The lifeless body of a woman has washed up on the banks of a swollen river. Rushing to the scene, Jenna and her deputy, David Kane, find the young girl laying face up in the dirt, her long brown hair spilling out around her, her perfect pale skin showing no signs of struggle. Leaning in for a closer look, she finds a jack of hearts playing card tucked into the girl’s underwear. Days later, another young woman is found slumped in the back of car at a local truck stop on the outskirts of town, angry red marks around her neck. Jenna’s head spins when she finds a second playing card in her clothing. Then a landslide shuts the town off from the outside world, Jenna is convinced the playing cards link these victims to a twisted serial killer the FBI have been hunting for over a decade.
The sixteenth outing for David & Jenna & this book still feels as fresh as the first & whilst this book is easily read on its own the series is so very good that I’d recommend the whole series. A very well written book that had me on the edge of my seat as not only are there the intriguing murders but the danger of flooding & mudslides, once started I read it straight through finishing well into the night, now impatiently awaiting the next book. There were twists & turns & I was kept guessing until the end

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Book 16 in this excellent series. Every time I read one I think “this is the best yet” and it definitely feels like this is the best yet. This is written so well you can hear the monsoon like rain and smell the drenched vegetation. Brilliant, brilliant developments in the subplots and the characters. The main plot is very topical and of course, as it’s Black Rock Falls, ends in murder too. While Black Rock Falls may have lost one unwelcome female protagonist it’s inherited a much more deadly one .
The best one yet, until the next one I’m sure.

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Here we are back in serial killer central and the crew at the Black Rock Falls Sheriff's Dept is back on the case. The body of a woman has washed up on the banks of a river. It appears to be a drowning except for the playing card found on her body. Who is she and what does the card mean? Then another woman's body turns up with another card. After some research, the clues start to point to a vigilante killer the FBI has been searching for for years. This sixteenth book in the series will keep you on your toes and on the edge of your seat! DK Hood is showing no signs of slowing down, each book is as entertaining as the last.

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Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for my copy of #HerBleedingHeart by #DKHood
Although I have been with Kane and Alton every step of the way. It is time to say goodbye. I have loved the series and will read whichever new series the author starts, but these books are now boring and repetitive.
It’s such a shame when series go on too long.
Goodbye to Black Rock Falls. Thanks for hours of enjoyment.

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Another successfully written brilliant book by D. K. Hood! I love the powerful connection between the two Detectives who have both lost their identities once, and our now working together to catch mainly serial killers. Women are found dead, dumped in strange places. Once they figure out whodunnit they have an even bigger case on their hands, a serial killer no one has been able to catch. At least now they know something about her...

This series is good from the first book, but it keeps growing on me because of the connection I feel is growing between me as a reader and the two fantastic detectives. You would think the spark would have gone by book 16, but absolutely not!

There is still so much to learn about these characters, and the character development seems to blossom. I am not sure I can express myself in words that describes my love for this book. Superbly constructed, intriguing characters, perfect atmosphere, and brilliant storyline. You do not want to miss out on this one!

As suspected the ending is now haunting me, and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book. I have everything set up for that moment, now I am only hoping the author understands my desire and need to read the next one, so she better be typing away as we speak.

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Another brilliant book in one of my favourite crime series.
With two women murdered and a playing card left on their bodies, Jenna, Dave and the team are on the hunt again for a killer in Black Rock Falls.
They struggle to find a link at first but when it all comes together, they’re in for a shock.
I was a bit worried by what happened at the beginning of the book and Poppy drove me mad as usual later in the book, but I think that’s her job!
This series goes from strength to strength and I can’t wait for the next book.
The characters all feel like old friends and it’s great to catch up with them all.
This is a brilliant crime thriller that I’d highly recommend.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

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