By Robert Dugoni

Tracy Crosswhite and Keera Duggan books by Robert Dugoni are an automatic pre-order for me. The police procedural/cold case/legal thriller storylines keep me turning pages late into the night and the characters are so well-crafted that you can’t help but be invested in them. Did book 12 in the Tracy Crosswhite series meet my high bar of expectations?

After a bitter re-election campaign doesn’t go her way, Klickitat County Sheriff Jenny Almond is still determined to finish her job with integrity. But when she responds to a troubled Vietnam veteran’s home during a storm, things go terribly wrong. In a split second of decision, Anthony Alveraz is dead and Jenny finds herself arrested for his murder.

Cold case detective Tracy Crosswhite and her attorney husband will do anything they can to help their family friend, Jenny Almond. But there is more to this case than meets the eye. Klickitat county politics run deep. Years of buried hurt lie just under the surface. And a 45-year-old cold case may be the key to Anthony Alveraz’ death. While her husband, Dan, handles the legal side of things, Tracy plunges into the cold case: a 15-year-old babysitter who disappeared. Anthony Alveraz had been the prime suspect, but the old police records show a sudden disinterest in him. What had changed in the investigation all those years ago? And what brought the past screaming into the present that stormy night in Klickitat county?

Pros: I was reading so fast, I could barely keep up. Robert Dugoni is a master storyteller and he weaves in suspense so effectively. Twists and turns you never saw coming, research details that make his writing sparkle with authenticity, and characters that feel like family. While I could gush about so many things, the two that stand out were both addressed in the author’s note. I loved the intentional family-oriented subplot, inspired by the author’s own love of family and the loss of his mother shortly before writing this book. The cold case details and storyline also felt super realistic. And it turns out, that’s because it’s based on a 1955 LaCrosse, WI cold case that has never been solved. Honestly, there are just so many things to like about this book.

Cons: If you prefer your books squeaky clean, do note that there is some language (though not excessive) in this book. While early books in the Tracy Crosswhite series do come with a spice rating, I’ve been very pleased that Robert Dugoni’s more recent books, including this one, have been clean in that regard.

The Bottom Line: This might be the best mystery I’ve read all year!