Forensic anthropology, and forensics in general, has fascinated me for two decades. It may not be as glamorous as Hollywood would have us believe (it rarely, if ever, is), but using remains to piece together the story of a person’s death and aspects of their life in order to provide some closure seems like a unique calling. I wanted to read this book based on the title and cover alone! One major benefit of the Love Inspired Suspense series is the tacit understanding that the stories will be clean, providing the mysterious and thrilling elements without the profanity and immorality. As this particular story attests, the series does not shy away from the uncomfortable realities of life, but instead presents them through a Christian lens.

A contemporary union of suspense and romance, “Buried Cold Case Secrets” by debut novelist Sami Abrams offers both to readers from the very first chapter. The pacing is quite intense, with no breaks in the action, and as a result, I had a difficult time putting this one down! Despite the heroine Melanie Hutton’s profession, no foreknowledge of forensic anthropology is necessary; Abrams smoothly works the science into the plot without pulling readers out of the story. Furthermore, Melanie’s plight evokes sympathy for the feelings of rejection she has endured: “Stuck in a town that pitied her, working with a man who hated her, and in pain because someone tried to hurt her—what a mess. Why had God brought her back here? No matter the reason, she trusted Him, but it didn’t mean that it wasn’t hard.” All of us have felt similarly at one time or another, regardless of our backgrounds, and as Abrams demonstrates, God goes with us through it all, promising to never leave or forsake us.

Being a former kidnapping victim and survivor, Melanie has an ongoing conflict between her past and her present that stands in the way of her hope for the future. “Buried Cold Case Secrets” explores the long-term effects of trauma, a topic that is sadly ever more relevant in today’s secularized society. Detective Jason Cooper, whose sister was Melanie’s best friend and who was kidnapped with her but with a worse outcome, harbors unforgiveness toward Melanie for what happened that day, especially because Melanie claims to have no memory of the details. Abrams uses dissociative amnesia and PTSD to inform the story as Melanie again finds her life in danger. Melanie is forced to acknowledge that “Someone had painted a target on her back, and she was clinging to reality by a thread,” highlighting the psychological impact of unresolved trauma compounded by new attacks. On a lighter note and because she was my favorite minor character, everyone needs a Miss Judith Evans in their lives to boost them into gear and get the wheels turning toward the Lord and His plan!

Sami Abrams has written a solid debut with “Buried Cold Case Secrets.” The story is intriguing and the rhythm unremitting. I did find Jason annoying in that he continued to make the same mistakes with regard to his approach to situations, to the point that it seemed a bit overdone. Some of the elements could have been more subtle, in my opinion, including the identity of the perpetrator, but I still think that this is a very well-done debut and am truly looking forward to reading more inspirational suspense from this author! Fans of Investigation Discovery, the popular TV series “Bones,” or the romantic suspense genre will doubtless enjoy this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own. ( )

What I think you should know:
Buried Cold Case Secrets by Sami A. Abrams is a Love Inspired Romantic Suspense.

What you need to know:
Melanie was abducted and tortured as a teen, she suffers from PTSD and Anxiety due to this.

What I think about this book:
If you are looking for a crazy fast paced mystery look no further. From the day that Melanie steps back into her hometown someone is determined to silence her one way or another. I really enjoyed this story, it was interesting to see how Melanie dedicated her life to making up for leaving her behind. It was hard to watch the interaction between Melanie and Jason at the beginning of the story, but I liked his character much more after he started softening to Melanie. The author did a great job of letting the story unfold, the characters were compelling and I couldn’t wait to finish the book. This was the first book that I have read from Abrams, but it will definitely not be the last!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own. ( )

Buried Cold Case Secrets by Sami A. Abrams is a stand-alone Love Inspired Suspense Romance. Forensic anthropologist Melanie Hutton returns to her childhood hometown to try to find the remains of her best friend. If she could only remember what happened to them both when they were kidnapped fifteen years ago it might make the job easier. But somebody doesn’t want her to remember or find Allison’s grave. With the help of Detective Jason Cooper maybe things will finally be cleared up if he can keep her alive long enough. This story started out with bang and didn’t let up until the end! The suspense kept me turning the pages to find out what happens next. There was always some kind of action going on. It was a great story!

I received this book from Celebrate-Lit for my honest review. ( )

Kidnapped as a teenager, Melanie Hutton becomes a forensic anthropologist with one goal – to find her memories and the remains of her best friend. Returning to her hometown, her best friend’s brother finds himself struggling to protect Melanie from danger. This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning and caused me to keep reading until the story concluded.

Detective Jason Cooper blames Melanie for leaving his sister behind after an abduction when the girls were teenagers. But as a detective, he finds himself having to working to keep her safe. Others around them see how they truly feel about each other. The supporting characters help to bring the story to life. The way this book ended and the twists and turns it took to reach the conclusion kept my interest.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own ( )

“He wasn’t her attacker. He was worse. Her best friend’s brother, Jason Cooper, stood before her. The man who hated her guts.”

Melanie Hutton returns to the small town she left years ago, following the horrendous kidnapping of her best friend and herself. She vows to find justice for her murdered friend but doesn’t count on having to work with her best friend’s brother.
Sami Abrams brings us a fast-paced romantic suspense adventure in Buried Cold Case Secrets. I liked the trope of childhood best friend’s brother to more. Jason seemed a bit insensitive until I really understood all the baggage he was juggling for years. Then his unreliable actions make a lot of sense. Amazing how easy it is for us humans to judge each other when we don’t know somebody else’s full story. It seems the whole book was about that, yet I just realized I may have been doing that throughout the book!

I found Melanie to be incredibly brave. Just returning to her hometown is hard enough, but in her efforts to discover the truth, she eventually makes some choices that cause her some very painful results.

The hidden gem of this book? (That invaluable secondary character?) That would have to be a tie between Mrs. Evans and Keith, Jason’s partner. What a sweet, wonderful, wise, and older lady. And Keith always has Jason’s back!

I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher via Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. ( )