By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Jen Talty

Not much happens in the city of Langley and that’s exactly the way newly assigned Chief of Police, Jagar Bowie prefers it.

For years, Jag served the city of Seattle as one of its finest homicide detectives. He solved more murders than anyone else in his department. But it was the one that remained open that ruined his career and still haunted his dreams. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t stop searching for the Trinket Killer.

And he can’t get Callie Dixon out of his heart.

When Callie returned to Seattle to finish her book about her time as a reporter covering the Trinket Killer, her own sister’s death, and the police officer who botched the case and stole her heart, she never expected history would repeat itself.

But that’s exactly what happened.

And now her life, and heart are on the line.

This is another multi-author universe, and this book has me looking to read more of it.

A cop and an investigative reporter are an interesting mix. Jager and Callie were the perfect couple until the investigation that brought them together, tears them apart. Callie’s sister is a victim of the ‘Trinket Killer’. It’s her death that triggers Callie into a spiral of accusations and guilt that lead to her losing her job and her fiancé.

Now a year later, Callie’s written a book about the case, one that puts the victims in the forefront. She’s interviewed many people and put together many things that weren’t part of the original investigation and botched arrest.

Jager also fell to the aftermath of that investigation, but he’s in a better place now. As Chief of Police of Whidbey Island, the most exciting part of the day is a speeding ticket. When Callie shows up it seems all those feelings are going to come back to the surface. She’s come to apologize for her actions and also to get an interview with him for the book.

This is a favorite scene.

“I know you’ve read some of it, or you wouldn’t be this mad.”

“The title pissed me off enough that I didn’t have to open it.” He pushed back the chair and gripped the door handle. “I don’t know why I thought we could be nice to each other. But we can’t. So, I think it’s best if you go.”

“I can also tell you didn’t read the last chapter.” She gathered up her things and shoved them in her backpack. “I’ll save you the effort.” She stood and closed the gap between them. She stood so close he could feel the heat rising off her skin, coating his like a weighted blanket meant to protect, only he felt stifled and unable to move.

“Stephanie knew the Trinket Killer.”

“Well, duh, we both came to that conclusion at the crime scene,” he said with a little more sarcasm than was warranted.

“The Trinket Killer has a type. Women with—”

“Tell me something I don’t know, or leave,” he said with a dark tone. One of the reasons he couldn’t sleep more than an hour or two was because his dreams were haunted with visions of someone murdering Callie. A nightmare he couldn’t escape until the Trinket Killer was caught.

Only the bastard had to strike again for that to happen, and it had been a year.

“The crime scene changed subtly three times over the course of twelve murders. The first time had been at murder six when he went from gold to silver trinkets. But I also found that other than my sister, those last victims also either wore contacts or glasses. The other victims didn’t.”

He opened his mouth but snapped it shut. It was an interesting point, one that had been overlooked and could speak to victimology.

“Another pattern I started to notice was height. While all relatively tall and slender, the first girls were all over five six, and some could be a little more curvy than others with larger breasts and all had implants, which was noted but tossed when the trinkets changed.”

“It didn’t appear relevant at the time, considering I had dead bodies piling up, and some had implants and others didn’t. All we knew was pretty young blond women who were professionals.”

“Well, the latter victims were closer to five foot five with small breasts, except my sister. My sister didn’t fit the current MO. So, either something changed with the Trinket Killer, or my sister stepped in the killer’s way.”

“Or both,” he said with an arched brow. “This is not earth-shattering information.”

She pulled out a piece of paper and shoved it in his face. “Do the math, something I didn’t even think about a year ago because it wouldn’t have made sense to.”

He held the timeline of victims and their deaths with all the information she just spewed in his hands. “What the fuck am I looking at, Callie?”

“Victim number six literally happened the night we ran into each other at Mcurdy’s. The first night we slept together.”

“I remember the night, not the day of the week or month.” He scratched the side of his head. “And, so?”

“I never told you this, but the Trinket Killer contacted me.”

He let go of the door handle. His jaw slacked open. “Jesus, Callie. You were fucking the lead detective on the case, and you just don’t think to tell him, oh, by the way, I spoke to the killer the other day.”

“It wasn’t like that, and I didn’t actually speak to the killer, but he left me a couple of notes. They are in the book in the last chapter.”

“He contacted you more than once?”

“The first time was after his ninth murder, and the note said: this one’s for him. At first, I didn’t know it was from the killer or what it even meant until he did it again with the next two murders.”

“You should have told me,” he said. “Those notes could have had prints.”

“I had an independent lab—”

“Save the justification. I’m not even sure why I’m standing here listening because I’m not a detective anymore. I’m the chief of police of a very small town where stopping someone for running a red light is the most thrilling part of my day.”

She set her purse on the desk and pulled out a plastic envelope. “Okay. Then this will be in your jurisdiction.”

“What is it?” “A note from the Trinket Killer that was left in front of my door at the Saratoga Inn this morning.”
Jen Talty. Investigate With Me (Kindle Locations 442-477). Lady Boss Press, Inc..

With a bunch of trinkets they are suddenly on the look-out for the killer to resurface. When he does, it’s as bad as ever. Jager isn’t in charge of the investigation and Callie isn’t a reporter anymore. They will have to work together to dissect the evidence of the previous murders and find the clues to identify the killer once and for all.

I absolutely loved this book, I was on the edge of my seat through it all. I was also wrong in all my guesses as to who the killer was. The way Callie and Jager become involved romantically again is full of ups and downs with laughter and tears too.

I think I’ll read more of these to see where the other authors take me.

5 Contented Purrs for Jenn!

Jen Talty

Welcome to my World! I’m a USA Today Bestseller of Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, and Paranormal Romance.

I first started writing while carting my kids to one hockey rink after the other, averaging 170 games per year between 3 kids in 2 countries and 5 states. My first book, IN TWO WEEKS was originally published in 2007. In 2010 I helped form a publishing company (Cool Gus Publishing) with NY Times Bestselling Author Bob Mayer where I ran the technical side of the business through 2016.

I’m currently enjoying the next phase of my life…the empty NESTER! My husband and I spend our winters in Jupiter, Florida and our summers in Rochester, NY. We have three amazing children who have all gone off to carve out their places in the world, while I continue to craft stories that I hope will make you readers feel good and put a smile on your face.