Review: A Cold Trail (Tracy Crosswhite #7) by Robert Dugoni

Print Length: 355 pages

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (February 4, 2020)

From Goodreads.com:  In New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni’s riveting series, Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite returns home to a brutal murder and her haunted past.

The last time homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite was in Cedar Grove, it was to see her sister’s killer put behind bars. Now she’s returned for a respite and the chance to put her life back in order for herself, her attorney husband, Dan, and their new daughter. But tragic memories soon prove impossible to escape.

Dan is drawn into representing a local merchant whose business is jeopardized by the town’s revitalization. And Tracy is urged by the local PD to put her own skills to work on a new case: the brutal murder of a police officer’s wife and local reporter who was investigating a cold-case slaying of a young woman. As Tracy’s and Dan’s cases crisscross, Tracy’s trail becomes dangerous. It’s stirring up her own haunted past and a decades-old conspiracy in Cedar Grove that has erupted in murder. Getting to the truth is all that matters. But what’s Tracy willing to risk as a killer gets closer to her and threatens everyone she loves?

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My Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Let me begin by saying that although this is number 7 in the series, it is a stand-alone novel. And while there are references made to past books/cases, it isn't done in a way that would be confusing to a first-time reader.

As with all of these books, the characters are robust and complex; while the plot-lines remain multi-faceted. I will say that because the sub-plots of this one were so vastly different, this book did feel more slow-going than the other ones. There were a lot of things that needed to be looked into, and a lot of strings to tug which at times made it easy to set this one aside and come back to it later. I will say that the ending of this story - that pivotal moment where everything comes together was so unexpected that it made up for the slowness of the overall story. 

One of the things that I have noticed in this series, especially where it pertains to Tracy, is that these characters feel real. They have very human reactions to things (unlike in some stories where characters are written off as emotionless, or perfect). In this book, we see Tracy dealing with the challenges of being a new mother - with a career she can't look away from. In fact, we see her almost break down at the thought of leaving her two-month-old daughter with her "daytime mommy" (as the nanny calls herself). This domesticated side of Tracy gives her a vulnerability that wasn't there prior to now, and it was enjoyable to see. 

Overall, I would recommend this story not only to fans of the Tracy Crosswhite series, but those who enjoy well-written thriller novels. I will read more from this author! 

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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                                      A Cold Trail is available from Amazon.com