Manhunt on Mystic Mesa - Cindi Myers (HI #1728 - Aug 2017)

Series: Ranger Brigade: Family Secrets (Book 3)

A rule-following ranger finds himself on the hunt for a killer -- and falling for a woman who should be off-limits…

On the hunt for a serial killer, ranger Ryan Spencer can't afford any distraction. But Jana Lassiter, sister to one of the missing women, won't let Ryan investigate Mystic Mesa alone. Even though the seasoned officer has always been by the book, something tells him it wouldn't be so bad to break a few rules for Jana.

When Jana's life is suddenly jeopardized, the lawman is forced to face his darkest fears. He's allowed desire to overshadow duty. Now he has to rein in his emotions to save Jana from becoming the next victim. Because losing this woman he's inexplicably fallen for will destroy this warrior forever.

Good book. Questions continue about just what a man calling himself "The Prophet" is up to. Three young women are missing, each of whom may have had some connection to him. The sister of one of those girls, Jana Lassiter, has come to town to find out what has happened to her sister. She insists on following ranger Ryan Spencer, even though he tries to tell her it's against the rules. But something about Jana has Ryan reconsidering his position, and when she is attacked keeping her safe is more important than the rules.

There are sparks between Ryan and Jana from the beginning. Ryan finds her quite distracting, but also admires her determination. Jana is equally attracted to Ryan, and better yet, comes to trust him. Ryan's protectiveness really comes out when she is targeted, though he also has to balance it with her need for independence. There were some really good scenes of the push and pull between them as they learned to compromise over their needs. I also really liked Ryan's support of Jana when her fears for her sister would overwhelm her. He never tried to sugar coat things, but he wasn't unnecessarily harsh either. I liked seeing Jana fall for Ryan's kindness and sensitivity. I loved seeing them give in to their attraction and how it brought them even closer. I liked their big moment at the end, as they confessed their feelings and that they wanted to see where it would lead.

The mystery of the three missing young women was really well done. The Rangers' first suspect is the Prophet because of the way that young women are so drawn to him. Through the previous books and into this one, there's still the feel that the man is up to something unsavory. There is also the head of the archaeological dig taking place at Mystic Mesa. He was the last one to see Jenny, and was known to be carrying on with her, even though he is married. The question is, is there any connection with the other two missing girls? Then there is Eric, the newspaper reporter who claims to be engaged to Jenny. He is brash, cocky, and insists that he is just the person to break the case wide open. I ached for the members of the Brigade, each time another body was found and the clues seemed to go nowhere. I started to get a feeling for who was behind it, but it still came as a bit of a shock when the final confrontation came. I loved that Jana kept her head and refused to give in to fear. My heart was in my throat as I waited for Ryan to connect the dots and get to her in time.

Undercover Husband - Cindi Myers (HI #1722 - July 2017)

Series: Ranger Brigade: Family Secrets (Book 2)

The marriage is fake. The danger is real.

A child is all scientist Hannah Dietrich has left of her late sister…a child possibly kidnapped by the mysterious cult her sister had joined. To discover the truth about Emily's death and find her infant daughter, Hannah turns to BLM Special Agent Walt Riley. Posing as a married couple, they infiltrate the "Family" as devoted followers of the Prophet.

But delving into the cult's dark secrets proves harder than expected…while their roles feel disturbingly easy for the fiercely independent Hannah and the no-nonsense lawman. Has their charade become a real relationship? And if they find the infant, how will they escape the Prophet's murderous wrath?

Good book. The Ranger Brigade task force continues to investigate the cult called "The Family". This time a woman has come to them asking for help finding her infant niece. Hannah's sister died after spending time with the cult, naming Hannah as the baby's guardian, but the members claim to know nothing about either one. Without proof, the Ranger Brigade's hands are tied. Walt comes up with the idea of he and Hannah posing as a couple who wants to join the "Family" while they search for the proof needed.

I liked both Hannah and Walt. Hannah is the older sister, and feels guilty about not being what her sister needed when she was pregnant and grieving. She is determined to find Joy and be the mother that Emily would have wanted her to be. Hannah is determined, stubborn and a little short on patience. She also has cut herself off from relationships, events from her past convincing her that she doesn't deserve to be happy. Her attraction to Walt is unexpected. Walt is fairly new to the Ranger Brigade and is just getting used to the job. He joined the Brigade as a way to put some distance between himself and his brother, who married Walt's former girlfriend. Walt is honorable, kind, and sympathetic to Hannah's distress. He is also attracted to her.

I enjoyed the development of their relationship. There are sparks between them from the beginning, but they try to subdue them in the interest of their investigation. Hannah finds that she's relieved when she discovers that Walt will be the agent posing as her husband when they infiltrate the camp. Both of them sense the connection they have as they prepare for their mission. I liked seeing how quickly they became comfortable with each other. That comfort was especially important when they got to the camp and had to deal with the suspicions of the members. They grow closer as they depend on each other for support and safety. Walt is especially protective of Hannah and finds himself in hot water because of it. A run-in with the Prophet's enforcer puts both of them in a dangerous situation. The struggle to survive brings them even closer, as each realizes that their attraction has grown into more. Walt's love helps Hannah move forward from the past that has kept her avoiding relationships and they are able to find their future together.

The suspense of the story was good. The cult made their first appearance in the previous book, Murder in Black Canyon. The cult leader is definitely creepy with his way of mesmerizing his followers. It is obvious from the beginning that he is hiding something regarding Hannah's sister and her baby. Hannah does a really good job of figuring out the truth and getting help from a surprising source. They also are looking for information about a missing woman, and the discovery of a grave in the woods has Walt disobeying cult rules and getting word to the Brigade. This puts him on the outs with the leadership and gets him attacked and left in the woods. His determination to get back and save Hannah from whatever they have planned for her is impressive and the final confrontation is intense and dangerous. While there is partial success in their mission, the Prophet is still free to continue his activities. I'm really looking forward to him going down and finding out just what he has been up to.

Murder in Black Canyon - Cindi Myers (HI #1716 - June 2017)

Series: Ranger Brigade: Family Secrets (Book 1)

With a woman's life in jeopardy and a body found in the Colorado wilderness, an agent's homecoming is anything but smooth…

When Kayla Larimer's investigation into a US senator's missing daughter leads her to a Colorado cult, a murdered FBI special agent and the Ranger Brigade's Dylan Holt, the fiercely independent private investigator is determined to ditch the sexy Black Canyon lieutenant and catch the criminals on her own. Dylan admires Kayla's stubborn dedication -- even as his protective instincts kick into overdrive. But then a kidnapping attempt on Kayla coincides with the disappearance of the senator who hired her, and these two opposites must fight a faceless enemy -- and their growing attraction -- to bring a killer to justice.

Good book, with an excellent mix of suspense, action and romance. Kayla is a PI who has been hired by a US senator to find his missing daughter. She tracks the girl down to a Colorado cult, just in time to witness the discovery of a dead body. Dismayed by the cult leader's attitude, Kayla reports the body to the Ranger Brigade office. Dylan is one of the officers who accompanies her back to the camp to investigate. Though attracted to her, Dylan has no intention of letting her become involved in the investigation - until she is nearly kidnapped and his protective instincts kick in.

I liked both Kayla and Dylan. They are very different, yet they strike sparks from the beginning. Kayla is stubbornly independent, having learned early in life not to depend on anyone else. Her father had been a conman, and because of it she learned how to spot other conmen, frauds and manipulators. It also made her reluctant to trust anyone, so she avoids relationships and works alone. She's also smart, intuitive, and level-headed.

Dylan has recently returned to Black Canyon after ten years of working in Denver. After years of city life, he was ready to come back and help on his family's ranch as well as work on the task force. He's honest, honorable, and a genuinely nice guy. He doesn't have any deep, dark secrets in his past.

I really enjoyed the development of their relationship. Dylan makes no secret of his attraction to her, but he doesn't push. Though he initially tries to keep her out of the investigation, when he foils an attempted kidnapping he decides he'd rather keep her close to protect her. Kayla tries hard to resist his protectiveness, to maintain her independence, but finds herself just as attracted to him. I loved the way that Dylan quickly came to understand what made Kayla tick and showed her that he respected her abilities at the same time he wanted to take care of her. I liked seeing Kayla fall under Dylan's spell, allowing herself to trust him, and then to love him. I loved the ending, as Kayla discovers just what it means to have someone who is there for her.

The suspense of the story was very good too. It starts out easy as a simple missing person case, but that changes rapidly with the discovery of the dead body. When the connection is discovered between the missing girl, Andi, and the now dead FBI agent, things get a bit more complicated. The investigation brings Dylan and Kayla into further contact with the cult leader, and their suspicions of him are aroused. When a kidnapping attempt is made on Kayla and she and Dylan are later run off the road they wonder if he is behind it. The disappearance of Kayla's client, the senator, adds another layer of mystery to the investigation. The tension continues to build until a surprise twist brings the murder investigation to an unexpected confrontation. While the murder is solved, there are still a lot of questions about the cult leader left to answer.