I've been slowly savoring Robert Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite mysteries. While some readers will binge when they discover such a good series, I stretch out the time between each book to make the series last. I like knowing that I have a "sure thing" or two waiting for me on my to-be-read pile. Close to Home was next up on my list.

Speaking of series, this is a perfect one for those who like the characters' personal lives to be important parts of the story. Tracy is now married, and while this city girl tries to adapt to country quiet, she and her husband make an important decision. Tracy's partner, Del, recently lost a beloved niece to a drug overdose, and his investigation leads him to Celia McDaniel, a woman whose son also died of an overdose. Military lawyer Leah Battles plays a significant part, and I hope to see her in future books.

The mystery in Close to Home is a strong one, and like all good crime fiction, readers' knowledge can grow a lot on the way to finding out whodunit. There's plenty to learn about the military legal system as well as the healthcare industry's shift in focus to pain management rather than treating underlying ailments. And how about the legalization of marijuana? When I found out how the drug cartels adapted to that, I realized that I hadn't been paying enough attention to the world outside my door. There are even more kernels of knowledge in the pages of Close to Home, some of which made me smile. (Navy camouflage being called "blueberries", and the general opinion of them, for example.)

Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite series is for readers who love to be immersed in both the story and the characters-- especially when the main character is a bonafide member of the Harry Bosch School of Policing (Everybody counts or nobody counts). If you're not already a dedicated reader, I'd advise you to begin at the beginning with My Sister's Grave. This is an excellent series that you won't want to miss. ( )

In this book, Tracy is undergoing IVF. She and her team are tasked with investigating the hit-and-run death of a 12-year-old African American boy, D'Andre Miller, returning home from a basketball game. The car did not stop and there were no skid marks. They determine that the likely suspect is an active-duty serviceman at a local naval base working in logistics (warehousing and moving supplies). However, he maintains that he was at home that night. When they find the car, Tracy finds a receipt from a convenience store close to the accident and dated that night. They are able to get the video from the store and identify the man who is the navy man. Since he is enlisted, the Navy takes over the investigation, however, Tracy stays in contact with the victim's family and also testifies in the Navy hearing. The man still maintains he was not there. During the Navy investigation, that key piece of evidence goes missing. Meanwhile, Tracy’s partners, Del and Faz, are investigating who sold heroin to Del's niece, Alli, who has just died from an overdose. They discover a string of recent deaths from overdoses of a particularly potent form of heroin, nicknamed China white. It turns out the two cases are related and people in the heroin case begin dying. ( )

Robert Dugoni changes things up again in Close To Home, the latest entry in the Tracey Crosswhite series. This time she's investigating a hit-and-run death, rather than a cold case murder. We also dig a little deeper into the lives of her coworkers in the Violent Crimes Section and we take a trip across Puget Sound to the nearby Navy base and get caught up in a court martial that seems to be both a slam dunk and a railroad job. What's not different is Dugoni's skill at creating flesh and blood characters and vivid settings. He also weaves a gripping tale of mystery and intrigue.

Disclosure: Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing a free copy of this book in return for my honest review. ( )

Book 5 of the Tracy Crosswhite series.
Tracy is assigned to investigate the hit and run murder of a young boy who was on his way home from playing basketball. As she interviews the car's owner, she questions his story. He is in the Navy, working in logistics. Meanwhile, Del is trying to help out his sister, whose teen daughter, Allie, overdosed on heroin.
These 2 story lines merge together, and try to shed light on addiction in America, and how it is destroying families.
On a personal note, Dan and Tracy are trying for a baby, and Tracy seeks treatment.
Another solid entry in the Crosswhite series. ( )

It took me a bit to finish this one. It was still good, the case just didn't interest me as much as the previous ones. I've said it before but I really enjoy how the author switches up the point of views between each books. I liked Battles. She was an interesting character and I like that we may get to see her in future books. ( )