Juno Rushdan

Wyoming Mountain Cold Case by Juno Rushdan
Cowboy State Lawman series #6. Harlequin Intrigue romantic suspense. Can be read as a stand-alone but there is an overall background to the stories that runs throughout. Closed door.
Laramie Police Department Chief Willa Nelson and Sheriff Daniel Clark team up to investigate the murder of two young women found murdered after leaving the local religious compound. Has a killer re-emerged after five years or is this the work of a copycat? When a third body is discovered they get a warrant to talk to the cult leader.

Suspenseful action as Willa and Daniel follow leads they hope uncovers a killer. Complications arise when Daniel discovers Willa has more connections to the cult that she’s told him. The potential romance between Willa and Daniel has to wait as they get closer to discovering buried secrets.
Breathtaking suspense. Gratifying conclusion.… (meer)

WYOMING MOUNTAIN COLD CASE starts with Sheriff Daniel Clark investigating a gruesome murder of a woman with a tattoo that is a unique symbol of the Shining Light cult.

When there are more dead bodies piling up, Daniel, partners with Willa Nelson, launches an intense investigation that eventually leads them to a cold case and a serial killer who is still out there perpetrating some hideous crimes!

I truly enjoy reading all Juno Rushdan’s high-octane, action-packed thrillers, and WYOMING MOUNTAIN COLD CASE is no exception! It’s an adrenaline-driven thriller that will keep your heart pounding till the end!… (meer)

Good second chance romance combined with gripping suspense. The story's prologue showed the serial killer, his first victim, and a vivid illustration of the evil in store. This is followed five years later by the discovery of a body in the woods. This is the second body killed in this manner lately, and our law enforcement duo soon discovered a disturbing similarity to some cold cases.

Daniel is the county sheriff and catches the recent case because it is in his jurisdiction - barely. Willa is the town's police chief and has a similar case that happened within the town limits. There is some history between Willa and Daniel that has caused tension since they took up their posts, but both agree that working together is the best way to stop the killer.

Daniel and Willa had carried on a short but intense affair before being hired to their current positions. Willa broke things off to protect her heart, as her relationships tend to end badly. She also wants to keep her professional and personal lives separate, thanks to the attitudes of some people she's worked with. Daniel disagreed with the breakup, but she gave him no choice. Now, they'll spend time together as they work on the case.

I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Willa tries hard to keep the distance between her and Daniel, but ignoring the sparks that still fly between them becomes increasingly difficult. Daniel respects Willa's abilities, but his protective instincts kick in when it becomes clear that she is the killer's next target. Sometimes, I wanted to shake Willa for pushing Daniel away even though she appreciated his comfort and understanding. I liked seeing them realize they were perfect together, professionally and personally.

The suspense of the story kept me hooked from start to finish. The victims are linked to the Shining Light cult featured in the previous books, adding to the problems law enforcement has with them. I enjoyed watching Daniel and Willa work through the puzzling clues, refusing to allow the leader to block their efforts to find the truth. There were several twists to the investigation that I didn't see coming, culminating with two intense confrontations. There was a final twist to the fate of the cult that caught me by surprise.

Willa's twenty-one-year-old son plays an important role in the book also. He and Willa have a strained relationship that weighs deeply on her. His prior involvement with the cult didn't help anything. There are some tense times between the two because of it. It was interesting to see how things changed as the book progressed. I loved his part in the epilogue.

#ARC… (meer)