Fast-paced & twisty - this one had me hooked from the (can I say it?) first serve. Sorry….there was always going to come a time when the Dad Jokes slipped in.

Synopsis:
With a hard-won Emmy now gracing her mantel, sports reporter and former Olympian Kate Green turns her energy to the action unfolding in Flushing Meadows. Working on a feature for her weekly TV show, she spotlights two of today’s biggest female tennis stars: the sunny up-and-comer and the brash veteran. But the project goes sideways when one turns up missing.

Following an interview with Kate, one player receives a sinister text with a disturbing photo of the other woman, bound and gagged. Kate calls on her estranged father, an NYPD detective, for help in launching a search. Although wary he’s hiding something, she’s not sure where else to turn.
Their investigation leads to the victim’s hometown—and a growing list of suspects. The kidnapper threatens to spill secrets that could destroy lives. Tangled up in a deadly web of deceit, Kate races to connect the dots and find the missing player…before it’s too late.

The tennis world is not necessarily my cup of tea….but if you include a kidnapping and a ransom, you can count me in! Kate Green is the kind of flawed, badass main character that we all love - sharp, stubborn, but still a little bit vulnerable when it counts.

Close Call was the perfect mix of tension, drama (both on the court and off…ok I’ll stop now), family issues and maybe even a potential romance for Miss Kate? Think: Dead to Me meets Wimbledon, with a bit of Law & Order thrown in. It’s a fun read, book 3 of the Kate Green series, but it works well as a stand alone.

A missing tennis star, a dangerous secret, and one reporter racing against time.

Close Call by Elise Hart Kipness follows sports reporter and former Olympian Kate Green as a high-profile tennis feature spirals into danger when one of the players vanishes. With the kidnapper threatening to expose devastating secrets, Kate teams up with her estranged detective father to uncover the truth before it’s too late.

I was so excited to dive into the third book in the Kate Green series, and it did not disappoint. Elise Hart Kipness has such a talent for blending the adrenaline of the sports world with the tension of a mystery, creating a fast-paced thriller that kept me hooked from the very first page. While this can absolutely be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the full series to appreciate Kate’s personal journey and growth. The stakes felt high right away, and I was completely invested in discovering what happened to Lucy.

I especially loved the return of Kate’s father, Detective Liam Green. Their strained father-daughter dynamic added an emotional layer to the mystery, and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop alongside the case. The addition of new characters brought fresh energy to the story, and the tennis backdrop made this installment stand out in such an exciting way. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, Kipness threw in twists that kept me guessing until the very end. This series continues to impress me, and I highly recommend checking this one out!

Thank you Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a series that I have absolutely enjoyed reading. I love the MFC in these stories, and I love that the stories are surrounded by the sports world. This was addictive and easy to read. This one kept me on the edge of my seat as you think you know who the kidnapper is, but then you’re hit with some twists that completely take you for a loop.

I will say that you can definitely read this one as a standalone; however, I highly recommend reading this series in order so you can get to know some of the supporting characters and backstories.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this eArc of Close Call. I can’t wait for the next book in this series…… there has to be one, right?

Reading this book while the actual U.S. Open was occurring really brought this to life. This was the first book I have read by the author, but it won’t be the last. This was a great read. Thank you Elise Hart Kipness and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy of Close Call.

Wow!!! Is all I can say about this absolutely outstanding book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope there is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked! This was an outstanding novel from the cover to the last page!

this addictive novel was a quick, easy read. Just under 250 pages. A threatening text message with an unsettling image of the other woman, gagged and chained, is sent to one participant after an interview with Kate. To start a search, Kate asks her estranged father, an NYPD officer, for assistance. Despite her suspicion that he is concealing something, she is at a loss for what to do.

The victim's hometown and an expanding list of suspects are the results of their research. The kidnapper threatens to reveal life-altering secrets. Kate is caught up in a dangerous web of lies and has to make the connections to locate the missing player before it's too late.
A great continuation to the other initial books.

I was interested in this series as soon as I learned about it - thrillers whose main character, Kate Green, is a sports reporter.

Close Call focuses around the US Open, where a tennis star is kidnapped. It was easy to follow along with Chanté McCormick's narration, and the plot itself was pretty fast paced.

Because I jumped in to the series with book 3, I wasn't exactly engaged with a subplot involving Kate's estranged father. The backstory is mentioned - it's not that I was lost - I just wasn't really into that part of the book. I imagine that part was much more interesting to readers who've been waiting to learn more about him.

While not a standout favorite, I am likely to read more from this series in the future. I hope the other books include more sports!

I loved this book. This is the third in the series and i definitely think reading them in order is the way to go. These books just keep getting better and better.
I absolutely love the Kate Green character. This was a thriller I did not want to put down and had me guessing to the end.

Close Call is a mystery that takes place in the professional tennis world. Everyone is in New York because it's the end of summer and the beginning of the U.S. Open tennis tournament. Kate Green is in New York to write a story on the 2 biggest female tennis players for a weekly tv show. She's a famous sports reporter who used to be an Olympic athlete so she has the respect of those she interviews. One of the women is young and just finding success while the other is a successful veteran player. As Kate is getting to know them, their coaches, and their families everything takes a turn when one of the girls goes missing.

Kate was the last to see the young woman the night before she went missing. She left a message for her team that she was pulling out of the tournament and needed some time. The timing seems off to Kate and those around the player. Why now? Why come to the tournament at all? While Kate is interviewing the other player, the player receives a text message that really upsets her. It's a photo of the other woman who is missing and she's bound and gagged. Why are they sending this photo to the other player? Someone has taken the woman so that she couldn't compete. Kate contacts her father who is an NYPD detective to get help with the case.

As the investigation grows, threats and demands are made by the kidnapper. Who would do this and why? The kidnapper seems to have information that will destroy the family if it gets out. As many people could be responsible you will have a hard time figuring this one out. I thought I knew who was behind it, but a big twist put me back to guessing again. Close Call is a fantastic thriller that I enjoyed reading, especially because it revolved around the U.S. Open which is just beginning now. If you love a good mystery, Close Call is out now. I rate Close Call 4 stars with a high recommendation. This book keeps you on your toes and just when you think you. have it figured out, you don't! I love hard to solve mysteries. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of Close Call in exchange for a fair review. #CloseCall

In this book 3 of the Kate Green series, Kate is solving crimes at the US Open. Kate is assigned to do in-depth interviews with two pro tennis players, Lucy, the veteran and the up and comer who are being pitted against each other. After interviewing Lucy and seeing that there is more to her than her image, Kate receives a text photo of Lucy bound and gagged. Working with the other player’s family, Kate tries to locate Lucy, and on the way learning secrets about everyone, including her own family in the process.

I love a good thriller and I thought it would be fun to read one that takes place at the Open right before the Open began. I knew going in that I was walking into a series midway and I decided to take the risk and while this book could be a standalone I do feel that I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first two. It was still a great thriller to read in August at the beach, I didn’t guess all of the twists and I was engrossed in the story and the characters. The audiobook was also really good (and I probably listened more than I read this one), I thought that the narrator was the perfect choice for the story. I will go back and read the first two. I met the author at an event and she was so nice I wanted to read her books.

Close Call is book three in the Kate Green series by Elise Hart Kipness.
I had a hard time putting this down. The story is interesting, and just when I thought I knew what direction it was heading, it went somewhere else!
With its fast-paced plot, engaging characters, and unexpected twists, "Close Call" is a standout murder mystery novel.
Kipness delivers a riveting blend of mystery, suspense, against the backdrop of the high-stakes world of professional sports.
The author crafts a narrative filled with twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.
Close Call is a solid page turner that will leave you breathless until the very last page and eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.

Thank You NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This is the book 3 of this series, I’ve read and loved them all.

The prologue sets the scene for the mystery to come. I absolutely love a good prologue!!

Kate Green is to interview two tennis players that are due to play in the US Open. One is a new young up and coming star and one a veteran player. There is a lot going on in the first few days, getting ready for the interviews. The sudden disappears of Lucy the veteran player bring back Kate’s NYPD detective dad along with an FBI agent and her team. We are off with new characters and new mystery, with lots of twist and turns. The plot captivated my attention from start to finish. This is an amazing series and can’t wait to see if it continues.

CLOSE CALL by Elise Hart Kipness
Audiobook ALC Review - Brilliance Audio
Thriller/Mystery

I don’t care for tennis, but Elise Hart Kipness could probably write about paint drying, and I’d still be first in line to get a copy of her new book! “Close Call” is the third book in her Kate Green series, and while you can read it as a standalone, I recommend starting with the first two. You’ll get the full picture of Kate, who’s smart, funny, and has a knack for landing herself in the middle of chaos.

This time around, Kate is covering the US Open when one of the biggest stars is kidnapped. Suddenly, her gig as a sports reporter turns into something closer to a high-stakes thriller. The opening is a little crowded with characters, but it didn’t take too long to get everyone straight.

Listening to the audiobook cranked up the tension. Every twist hit at the perfect moment, and I didn’t see the final reveals coming. There were some big shockers!

This series is fantastic and perfectly balanced. Sports drama meets mystery thriller; with a heroine you’d happily share a cocktail with. And you don’t need to know a thing about tennis to get hooked (that would be me🙋‍♀️).

Why pick it up:
Kate is a witty, relatable protagonist who refuses to sit on the sidelines
A kidnapping plot that plays out like a championship match
Twist after twist that will make you want to text someone the second you finish

Thanks to the author and Brilliance Audio for the gifted Audiobook provided via NetGalley. And thanks to @thrillerbookloversthepulse for introducing me to an excellent author that I wouldn’t have found on my own!

I watch a lot of professional tennis as my mom is a huge tennis fan so she always has some tournament or the other on our TV. So I guess you could say, I'm a fan by proxy. I really wanted to like this book but despite the author having a background in sports television, I just didn't buy it with the way the setting was described in this book. Game fans were wearing tennis whites? Why were the fans wearing tennis whites? To the US Open? I only hear tennis whites being talked about at Wimbeldon and no one would bat an eye a stylish and colorful tennis outfit on a young up and coming player. I also found the plot very predictable. I also didn't realize this was part of a series. I guess that's my fault for not seeing the fine print in the description and as such as I was unable to understand the whole subplot between Kate and her father. This book also took a long time to get the ball rolling and I considered DNF-ing this but decided to keep going and while the plot did pick up, it never really felt like it was going full steam for me. Given my lackluster opinion of this book, I will not be reviewing this on my blog or social media pages so as not to draw negative attention to this book. Just because this wasn't right for me, doesn't mean others won't enjoy it.

Elise Hart Kipness has once again written a thrilling mystery within the world of sports. In this outing former Olympian Kate Green, now an Emmy winning sports reporter is covering the US Open. Kate is doing a story on two of the female stars at the Open for her weekly show. When one of the players receives a text showing a fellow player bound and gagged, Kate reaches out to her estranged father, a NYPD Detctive for assistance and the FBI joins the investigation. The investigation takes them to the player's hometown and secrets are revealed. Why was she kidnapped and what does the abductor want from it?

This is a fast paced book, it is only 267 pages, you won't want to put it down once you start. There are plenty of twists to keep the reader guessing. Although this is the third book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone, but I highly recommend reading the previous books because like, Close Call, they are very well written. Kate is such a great character who wouldn't want to spend more time with her and her cameraman, Bill? This series just keeps getting better, I can't wait for Kate's next assignment!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for an ARC. The opinions in this review are my own.

Sports reporter Kate Green is back in her third adventure. Close Call (Thomas & Mercer, 19 August 2025) by Elise Hart Kipness takes Kate to the US Open Tennis Championships, i.e., the US Open, where a major competition is brewing. Lucy Bosco, seasoned but volatile tennis pro who has won almost every major award possible and who is rumored to be considering retirement, is playing against Brynn Cole, up-and-coming young tennis prodigy, in a match that is getting huge amounts of press attention. Kate has scored exclusive interviews with both of the players, despite the gatekeepers for each of them reluctant to grant access.

After Kate and Lucy visit Lucy’s hometown where she first began training as a tennis pro and they meet her first coach and some of her high school friends, Lucy disappears. Her coach receives a note saying she is resigning from the championships for personal reasons. A photo showing her battered face and chains around her wrists appears on Brynn’s telephone, demanding $2 million dollars in ransom. The police scramble to find her and to identify anyone who might want to hurt Lucy, while both families try to raise the ransom and squelch rumors. Kate has some ideas of her own, based on the time she spent with Lucy and the people they met, and shares them with her law enforcement father.

Kidnapping someone important just before a crucial competition is a great plot device. Harlan Coben used it in Back Spin (1997), his fourth book about sports agent Myron Bolitar; Kipness adds some original twists to the idea here. As in her earlier books, Kipness’s experience as a sports reporter gives a degree of depth and authenticity to the story that cannot be acquired any other way. Kipness has a good feel for characterization; Bill the cameraman, Kate’s ever-present companion, is a great working partner and a solid friend.

I hope that this series continues; professional and college sports are rife with potential for criminal activity, yet there are relatively few crime fiction books written about it. Harlan Coben has resurrected his Myron Bolitar character after an eight-year hiatus, and Robert B. Parker based several of his Spenser books in one sport or another. Dick Francis of course looked at horse racing in detail. The closest I have found to these books about a sports reporter by a sports reporter are the Kate Henry series by Canadian sports writer and mystery author Alison Gordon, whose journalist Kate Henry covered the Canadian Blue Jays.

Nicely plotted and briskly told. A good read.

Close Call by Elise Hart Kipness is a fast-paced and suspenseful mystery that kept me hooked from the first page. Kate Green is a sharp and determined protagonist, and the high-stakes tennis world adds a unique backdrop to the tension. I truly enjoyed this book and rated it five stars.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Thomas&Mercer for the book #CloseCall by #EliseHartKipness. This is the third book in the series in the Kate Green series and it’s phenomenal. I love going along on Kate’s adventures. Kate is featuring two of the biggest tennis players, Lucy and Brynn for her tv show. When Lucy turns up missing, Kate is right in the middle of the scandal. There is a photograph sent to the other player, Brynn, confirming that Lucy has been beaten and held for ransom. Secrets start spilling out at every turn about all involved. Cans they find Lucy before it’s too late? And what secret does Lucy hold?

I’m the kind of person that gets a little too INVESTED in her media.

Like, I get heart palpitation and pace if things get too stressful.

This book was the perfect amount of tense.

Propulsive and exciting, but I didn’t have to put the book in the freezer, if you know what I mean.

I loved the sports reporter/investigator angle.
I loved learning about the world of professional tennis.
I loved the secondary story arc involving her dad.

I ADORED Cameraman Bill and was sad when he was Sent on Assignment. Now, while this book word very well as a standalone, I really do think I want to go back and read the first two in the series, just so I can get the whole picture.

This is book 3 in the Kate Green series. I haven't read the others but still fully enjoyed this one. A tennis star at the US Open is kidnapped, and Kate, who is a sports reporter and was supposed to be interviewing there, works with her NYPD detective father, and the FBI to get to the bottom of the case. There is plenty of suspense in this story. I loved the sports and tennis aspects added to the mystery. There were many people that could have been responsible for the kidnapping and I loved trying to piece it together. This was a fast paced, easy read and I can't wait to read more in the series. A really well written mystery.


Thank you to the publisher, netgalley, and Suzy approved book tours for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.