Publication Day Review: Dead Against her by Melinda Leigh

Sheriff Bree Taggert’s downfall is part of a killer’s cunning design in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s novel of murder, lies, and revenge.

Called to an isolated farm to check on an elderly widow, Sheriff Bree Taggert finds a brutal double homicide. One of the victims is Eugene Oscar, the bitter and corrupt former deputy she recently fired.

Working with criminal investigator Matt Flynn, Bree discovers that she isn’t the only one who had a troubling history with Eugene. But someone doesn’t want Bree digging up the past. She becomes the target of a stranger’s sick and devious campaign calculated to destroy her reputation, career, family, and new relationship with Matt. To make matters worse, she’s the prime suspect in Eugene’s murder.

When her chief deputy goes missing while investigating the case, Bree refuses to back down. She won’t let him become the next victim. His life and her future depend on finding a killer nursing a vengeful rage.

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After reading the first two instalments of the Bree Taggart series, some lapsed before I caught up again. Lucky for me, I read the third, fourth and this latest novel back to back.

Bree Taggert is knee-deep in trouble, not rain, as multiple issues pile up on her plate. She's relying more and more on Matt as her partner, and their relationship is flourishing as she drops her tough exterior and shares her burdens with him.

It all starts with a wellness check on an elderly woman, which leads to the discovery of two corpses. One is the woman, and the other is her son, Eugene Oscar, a former deputy with a dubious past.

As Bree delves into the investigation, she discovers numerous suspects, including the woman's brother, an anti-government group known as The Hudson Huntsmen, and even herself. Despite intense scrutiny, Bree refuses to back down and continues to hunt for the killer, especially when her chief deputy goes missing, putting everything she holds dear in jeopardy.

As with all the novels in this series, all can be read as stand-alone. As someone who has read them all in chronological order, I highly recommend doing the same, so get more of a feel for the relationship between Bree and Matt, as well as her ongoing relationship with her niece and nephew.

The biggest highlight of this series is how Bree’s character has developed. Her world has shifted and it’s been fascinating to read how she’s slowly adapting to her new way of life; one where she is sharing it with loved ones, rather than as a single, lonely woman.

***arc courtesy of Montlake Romance via NetGalley***