Don't Close Your Eyes

Texas Justice #1

by Christie Craig

What would you do if everything you thought was true about your family turned out to be a lie?


Annie Lakes has had the same recurring nightmare for years. Her heart pounding in her chest. A panicked voice, begging her to run faster. Her own bloodcurdling scream. But now Annie is starting to realize it's more than just a bad dream. She's starting to remember things about the night her cousin Jenny disappeared all those years ago. Things that make her believe her family was involved--and what they're hiding is much worse than she ever imagined. But she can't unravel this alone. She needs someone she can trust, someone like sexy Detective Mark Sutton ....


Mark has seen enough--too much--to assume that Annie's story is a dead end. It turns out that her family is hiding some killer secrets. A long time ago, Annie was just an innocent little girl who saw something she shouldn't. Now she's a target, and Mark's running out of time to protect the woman he's starting to fall for. But how does Mark face off against a murderer who just may be someone Annie loves?

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, Contemporary, Audiobook, Adult

455 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 28, 2018

About the author

Pseudonym for C. C. Hunter.

Photojournalist, Author and Speaker

Christie Craig, an Alabama native, is an award-winning, multi-published writer, multi-published photo journalist, motivational speaker, and writing teacher.. Her non-fiction articles and photography have appeared in almost three thousand national magazines. A Golden Heart finalist, and a finalist in more than fifty RWA-sponsored contests, she has gained a well-deserved reputation for writing romance fiction that has both witty humor and a suspenseful, sexy tone. Published by Silhouette in the 90s, she recently broke back into fiction in a big way, making four book sales in one day. Her seventh humorous single title romance novel, published by Dorchester, will hit the stands in June 2010. Her non-fiction book, co-authored by Faye Hughes, released September 08, is The Everything Guide To Writing A Romance Novel and their second non-fiction book, a humorous self-help relationship book, Wild, Wicked and Wanton: 101 Ways to Love Like You Are in a Romance Novel is scheduled to be released December 2010. Craig’s latest writing adventure is the sale of a young adult paranormal romance series, Shadow Falls Camp, that will be published by St. Martins Press in the near future.

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t Close Your Eyes by Christie Craig is the first book in the romantic suspense Texas Justice series. This opening book of the Texas Justice series features Annie Lakes who finds herself seeking help from Mark Sutton.

Annie has grown up battling reoccurring nightmares that always seem to mean something that she just can’t quite remember. When her uncle passes away from her mother’s side of the family Annie reluctantly agrees to attend the funeral even though she barely knows any of those relatives. While at the funeral however Annie meets a cousin that sheds some light onto Annie’s nightmares and after all this time things begin coming back.

The memories flooding Annie don’t quite make sense but what she does know is that she needs to contact the police and have them look into a cousin that Annie barely remembers. Mark Sutton is the detective that Annie pleads her case to try to get answers to what happened all those years before. Mark may have only been moved to the cold case division as a punishment but he still seeks justice for those that need it.

Don’t Close Your Eyes had some interesting things going on in it as far as the mystery and suspense were concerned. You have old buried family secrets that come to the surface and an air of danger happening in the present. What I would have liked though is more to the romance side of things, instead it felt rushed into. Annie and Mark have barely been introduced before they end up “together” so I never felt connected to their relationship or invested in them as a couple and just waited for the answers to the mystery instead leaving me with a feeling of this was alright but could have been better.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK

Don't Close Your Eyes is the first installment of Christie Craig's new Romantic Suspense series, Texas Justice. The series follows police detectives who have been moved to the Cold Case unit, this book focusing on Detective Mark Sutton. Mark is lusting after Annie Lakes and when she ends up needing his help their relationship quickly takes a turn to something more sexual and mysterious. Together they start to unravel the labyrinth of secrets from Annie's childhood and try to solve the hidden meanings of Annie's nightmares.

I really liked how the romance between Mark and Annie blended so well with the mystery part of the book. One part never took over the other and instead there was always a little of each on every page. From the start to the very end I was captivated and trying to find out the secrets along with these characters. I was also cheering for these two to stay together since they were so adorable as a couple.

I've only read a few books from this author in the way way past before I was even on Goodreads and those weren't suspense but very enjoyable. But now that I've read a mystery from Ms. Craig I consider myself a mega fan because this was one of the best RS books I've read in awhile. I can't wait to see what more she can come up with and to get to know the other Detectives more.

[Namita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since she was a kid Annie has suffered from the sand recurring nightmare .When she attends a funeral on her estranged mom’s family’s side realizes that all that she saw in her nightmare was actually true . When Annie was a little girl she witnessed her cousin Jenny’s murder and saw somebody disposing of the body. Not sure where to start investigating she seeks help from the dark handsome Detective Mark Sutton who is fighting his own demons.

This is the first book on the Texas Range series by Christie Craig . I am usually used to reading more if her humorous books do this romantic suspense was a nice surprise . A lot of mystery and a little romance makes this a quick entertaining read.

I would like to thank Forever (Grand Central Publishing) & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another reviewer called this book "mediocre at best. Barely 3 stars." I agree. The angst level was up there the whole time. The suspense was not much considering you knew someone in the dysfunctional Reed family was behind it all, actually they all were to some extent or another. I just didn't feel the romance and about halfway through I just didn't care anymore. 2 1/2-Stars

[CD {Boulder Blvd} · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot and characters had a lot of potential and the book is well written and edited but a number of items just didn't work for me.

I was never vested in the two primary characters, Mark and Annie. Their relationship didn't really develop as it just jumped to the he's so hot, she's so hot, let's have sex even though I have no clue who you are. That's not romantic and that's not getting to know each other. Can't anyone write romance anymore? She was depicted as a loony doormat and he was a closed off jerk. They do miraculously develop into a perfect couple, but it's just a little too easy.

The suspense elements had potential but ended a bit anticlimactic. There was a lot of repetition asking the same people the same questions until Annie's mother finally tells the truth. It was really hard to like Annie's mother with everyone saying she's got to be innocent. Holding a secret that kind of makes your daughter a bit loony isn't OK. Too many things wrapped up with pretty bows that made it hard to believe.

There was a secondary cold case and a secondary romance that also wrapped up nicely.

Mark's two partners in the cold case unit were interesting and will probably be featured in future books. Although this was only a 3 star for me, it was good enough that I would look into future books in this series or by this author.

I can definitely see other readers enjoying this more than I did do it's still one I recommend.

[Yodamom · Rating 3 out of 5]

What do you do when your lifelong nightmares turn out to be real ? Annie, has dreams but thinks that's all they are till she attends a funeral and reconnects with a family member who asks her if she remembers. She talks to the police who don't believe her it was over 20 years ago she was a child. Her family tells her she's crazy, they avoid her, she doubts herself. One officer Mark cold case specialist, a man she has admired from far every morning at the local coffee shop, tries hard to believe her but...it's hard when all evidence is against her. What unfolds is a real nightmare.
I liked this thriller, the pacing was perfect. I hated the family, and Annies passiveness with them. Her own mother ! UUUUUUGGGG ! I wish I could tell you it was so irritating. I didn't love the characters, but I will give book 2 a try to see if they grow on me.

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed Christie Craig’s romantic comedies and her young adult series, written as C.C. Hunter, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Don’t Close Your Eyes. I liked Don’t Close Your Eyes, but it took me a few chapters to adjust to it being romantic suspense, without any of Ms. Craig’s LOL factor in it. This is a much more serious book than any by her that I’ve read. It’s not a bad thing; it’s me getting my head in the right space thing.

When Annie Lakes goes to a funeral of an uncle she doesn’t really know she realizes that her reoccurring nightmare isn’t just something her mind made up, it’s actually pieces of memory from her childhood. Faced with the fact that her parents have kept a secret from her she takes her concerns to cold case detective Mark Sutton. Once her family finds out she is having her cousin’s disappearance looked into Annie becomes a target and knows something really bad happened and that someone in her family will stop at nothing to keep the past buried. Mark Sutton reluctantly takes on Annie’s case, he doubts that her nightmares are accurate but he can’t deny the attraction he feels for Annie. Mark and Annie are drawn to each other; they both have personal issues they need to come to terms with that hold them back from committing to more than the sexual attraction they have. They think they are doing a good job of keeping their emotions for each other from growing but find that it’s impossible to ignore the feelings.

The suspense in Don’t Close Your Eyes kept me interested, there is not one, but two cold cases that Mark and his partners are investigating. Both of which I didn’t figure out who did it until it was time to reveal it. I liked Mark and Annie but I didn’t fall in love with them, I felt Mark had a lot more work to do when it came to his past and his drinking. Annie, I liked a little more than Mark. I honestly needed them to have more page time together, working on their issues and “seeing” them fall in love. I came away from DCYE feeling like a read suspense with romantic elements more than a romantic suspense book. There are some interesting secondary characters that I hope to see more of.

Don’t Close Your Eyes is an interesting story that will keep you turning the pages to find out “whodunnit.”

[Dawnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Texas Justice Novel. Annie Lakes has had nightmares for years. Now these nightmares are memories that are coming into light. Years ago her cousin Jenny disappeared. As Annie starts to unravel this mystery along with the help of Mr. Sexy himself Detective Mark Sutton. What they discover is harrowing secrets in Annie's family and now she has become a target. A great read. Twisty fast paced and family secrets coming into light. A romantic suspense that doesn't disappoint. The next Texas Justice Book (Don't Breathe A Word) is coming Spring 2019.

Dawn Ruby-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte Book Blog
Novels & Latte Book Club
Hudson Valley NY

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Texas Justice #1, Really I'm pretty easy all a book has to do is say the setting is in Texas and I'll more than likely pick it up, especially if it's a romantic suspense... or western/cowboy, historical or contemporary. Anyways, first book in a new series and a first time author for me. I loved it. It's a little slow moving at parts but it's a fantastic story with great characters who have plenty of baggage to complicate things and a pretty interesting mystery.

Mark Sutton is a hot tempered cop, as punishment he was sent to the cold case files along with two other misfits in the department, but the joke is on their susperiors they have solved more cold cases working together then ever. The three of them are working a case of a missing girl they were able to find when a woman walks into Marks office with a peculiar case of her own.

Annie Lakes has had nightmare all her life, but recently with the discovery of a little girl found in a lake her dreams have come more frequent and more like a memory. When at a relative's funeral a cousin she hasn't seen in years mentions someone Annie can't remember but suddenly her dreams are more vivid and she's actually remembering a night long ago and a cousin who disappeared. From news reports she knows Mark Sutton is the man for the job. But with a gut feeling there's not much to go on. When Mark takes the case he becomes more intrigued her family is insular and keep to themselves and the more Mark tries to question them the more suspicious he grows that something did happen that night.

It's an instant attraction between Mark and Annie. Annie's past experience left her hesitant to start anything new but Mark's sweet seduction was hard for her to ignore and turn down. The closer to the truth they get someone starts to threaten Annie and Mark is determined to protect her even if it's against her own family even her own mother. Overall, it was a great story I really enjoyed it. It was a great suspense and the romance was really good too. I loved the secondary characters, Mark's partners in the cold case department and I hope to see their books soon.

[Jenn __Garden Of REden · Rating 3 out of 5]

**REVIEWED BY KATIE**
Don't let my rating scare you off from this book! I did really enjoy this book, and I was constantly trying to sneak in a few pages while I was at work. I am very picky about my romantic suspense, and while most others would rate this book higher, there were some very small details that made me rate this book the way I did.

Both of the main characters were a hot mess. This can really lead to a great growing together type of story, but the growth was just not there for me. The hero had some personal issues that stemmed from a childhood trauma. While I can definitely see how the events could lead a person to have a messy adult life, it was difficult to watch the hero try and fail to battle his demons.

The heroine was battling her own demons, but she was putting forth a valiant effort at dealing with them. She starts to remember a childhood dream, and struggles to determine fact from fiction. Then there is her entire extended family. So many secrets, lies and abuse, it's a wonder the entire family hasn't been institutionalized.

All of the above is typically my jam. I seek these broken people and crazy shenanigans out when I read. I did really like the characters and the way the story played out. But as my rating shows, there were some obvious dislikes I had with the book. The big one was the overuse of cheesy lines in the book. It detracted from my appreciation of the plot and story development.  My other issue was the lack of faith of the hero in the heroine. While I admit her story was a hard one to believe, I firmly believe in the fact that when you find your person, you stand with them and believe them, and I didn't like his lack of trust and faith in her story.

Overall, I was invested in the story, and appreciated the authors ability to keep me guessing on the plot points, and I did enjoy reading the book.

[Danielle Gypsy Soul · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars - rounded up. This is the first romantic suspense I've read by Christie Craig (although I have read and enjoyed her humorous contemporary romances). There were some things I really enjoyed about this book and a few that I thought could have been better.

I really liked both Annie and Mark and the mystery definitely hooked me from the beginning. Both MC's are flawed and have demons that they are fighting. I think Annie was actually dealing with/battling hers better than Mark who wasn't dealing at all except through alcohol. I liked the connection between the two MC's although I wish they hadn't gotten together quite as quickly as they did. I think a more slow progression would have worked a bit better with this plot and the characters themselves. I found the secondary characters intriguing and Annie's family was just a hot mess of suspects. I would have liked to see a bit more character growth from Mark although he did get there towards the end of the book. I think my biggest issue was that I found the "answer" to the mystery a bit disappointing. I expected more and I had a hard time believing Annie's parents actions since I thought the issues that her nightmares and inability to remember where worse than any issues she would have had from knowing the truth. I wish the unsolved murder would have been a bit more dramatic.

However, overall I enjoyed the book and the suspense sucked me and kept me reading. I also really liked the two secondary detectives in the unsolved crimes team and the concept behind the team. I will definitely plan to read the next book in the series.

A copy of this book was provided to me by Net Galley and the publisher with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion

[Peggy Jaeger · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you do if everything you thought was true about your family turned out to be a lie?
THAT QUESTION plaques English professor Annie Lakes in Christie Craig's new book DOn't CLose your eyes.
lifelong recurrent nightmare has made Annie's like unbearable. She's never known her mother's side of the family but when her uncle dies, her mom forces her to go to the funereal with her. There, Annie reconnects with a family she has vague memories of and a cousin who's played a starring role in her nightmares. When she starts to think the nightmares aren't really dreams, but memories that have surfaced, Annie engages the help of Cold Case Detective Mark Sutton to help her solve the mystery of a little girl's death.
This was a reallly good story. Craig is more well known to me as a comedic/romantic writer, so this was a nice change. The characters were well constructed and the plot line was good.
Thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book. 4 STARS FROM ME.

[Sissy's Romance Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't Close Your Eyes by Christie Craig is book One in the Texas Justice Series. This is the story of Annie Lakes. Annie has always seem to have bad dreams that she has lived with. When a family member on her mother side passes she ends up going to the funeral. There she meets a cousin who tells her things and about someone that seems to bring her dreams to life. Going forward Annie thinks to go the police with leads her to Mark Sutton a Detective. Mark and a few others have been sent to the Cold Case Department. Mark is attracted to Annie but he knows that her story might be something to look into which leads them to working together and him wanting to protect her.
This was a mysterious romance drama.

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad I listened via audio then the paperback that I have. I probably wouldn't have finished it otherwise. I didn't like the main characters Mark and Annie as much. Also for the suspense portion it just wasn't something that interested me. Love the cover and Jae Delane narrator did a great job.

#LibraryLoveChallenge

[Bookgasms Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who knows me will know that romantic suspense is my first love. Don't Close Your Eyes was the perfect sexy and mysterious romantic suspense story filled with adrenaline pumping moments and heart pounding swoony instances. It was the perfect balance and I loved every second of it. Without giving away any spoilers just know that this story is filled with nerve wracking suspense. Mark and Annie were so sexy and addicting. I was lost in the story from the getgo and could not get enough of the family secrets, revelations and intense moments.

All in all this was fantastic! I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. 4 stars! ~Ratula

[Jessica (a GREAT read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of Christie Craig’s YA series she writes under another name for ages and when I heard she was writing a Romantic Suspense novel for adults, I became intrigued! Don’t Close Your Eyes is the first book of the Texas Justice series, in what might be a trilogy, but don’t quote me on that! It was definitely an interesting read and not all what I was expecting! I think it’s been awhile since I read anything labeled “Romantic Suspense”, for there was a great deal more romance in it than I thought there would be, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing!

Annie is our heroine who has always had a reoccurring nightmare of her running as a child in the dark woods, her cousin is calling for her to run. She saw her other cousin being buried in the dirt and just as she might see the face of the one burying her, she wakes up. She’s not sure what it means, she’s tried to think back to the moment in her childhood when it would’ve happened but can never remember much about it. She was never allowed to be around her mother’s family, by her father’s wishes, for the longest time. It’s not until after he passed away that her mother wants her to come with her to her uncle’s funeral and it’s at that point a lot of her repressed memories start to wake up.

Then we have Mark who is a detective that had been degraded to the cold case unit for “bad behavior.” He and his team, Connor and Juan are working to solve a case from a few years back about a missing little girl who recently turned up dead. Then in walks Annie who thinks she might have witnessed a murder over 20 years ago. Mark isn’t sure what to make of her, she sounds slightly crazy since there’s no evidence to back up her story and she admits that she has dreams more than memories about it, but there’s just something about her that calls to him.

Before you know it, a romance is starting between the two. All the while, Mark is trying to see if there’s something to Annie’s story and as it turns out, there is. Annie’s family has some dark secrets they’ve been hiding for years. Reasons why Annie was never allowed to see them after her cousin went missing.

Then another cousin of Annie’s disappears and things begin to escalate.

This book was amazing in terms of mystery! While it did sometimes get confusing with all the different names being dropped and trying to remember what case was being discussed, as Mark went back and forth on his cold case and the one Annie brought to him, things get a little intense with an overload of details and names, but for the most part it wasn’t too hard to follow along.

I guess the romance part nagged at me a little bit. Things happened so quickly between Mark and Annie that it reminded me of why I don’t read straight up romances. I guess it helped that shortly after the romance started, other things began to tear them apart. It was hard to decide if you should root for them or not since their relationship was so new and young. But since they are the heroes of the tale, it’s also hard not to root for them! It’s a conundrum to say the least! Lol.

I enjoyed the multiple points of view too! I almost said dual, as we mostly get Annie and Mark’s point of view, but then after a certain point, another character has a few sections worth of story. Though everything is told in third person point of view. For whatever reason, I find it easy going back and forth with all the different first/third person point of view ways of things. Sometimes I have to actually focus to see what point of view it is just because I dove into it and kept reading that I wasn’t really noticing how the story was being told! I guess I’m weird like that! Lol!

The mysteries were both wrapped up in surprising ways! While not as much detail was put on the first cold case, I will say that was surprised by how Annie’s was resolved! I sooo wasn’t expecting the answers we got, add in the fact that there were a lot of other secrets to be learned as well. I was excited to learn that this is going to be a series of some undetermined length. My bet is on trilogy, for the next book is going to feature Mark’s coworker, Juan and some yet to be known characters. My next bet is that a third book would be about his other partner, Connor! Time will only tell I guess!

Don’t Close Your Eyes was an on the edge of your seat kind of mystery! There were so many different puzzles and suspects that it was a whirlwind of a read! The romance was sweet in some ways, but maybe a tad unnecessary. Though I say this as a mystery reader and this is in fact a Romantic Suspense novel, so it did fit with its genre, I just need to alter my expectations a bit! I am definitely sticking with this series though because it was mighty enjoyable!


Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mysteries abound in this new series based in a small town in Texas. Its centered around 3 police detectives who after being put on probation are demoted to the Cold Case Unit.

Detective Mark Sutton lives with many demons and he tends to drown them in a bottle on his off hours. Even though the cold cases are supposed to be a punishment he does everything possible to get justice for the victims many of whom are children.

Annie Lakes has suffered from nightmares since she was a little girl. She saw something traumatic as a young girl and her mind has since blocked it out. In trying to bridge a relationship with her estranged mother, she agrees to go to her uncle funeral with her mom (her moms family being one her father when he was alive forbid her mother from every bringing Annie around). Seeing relatives she hasn't seen since she was little triggers her memory to that night long along when her cousin disappeared. Annie takes her suspicions to the police which lands in Mark's lap and he has to decide whether she is crazy like the family she from or if she is telling the truth – all while fighting an intense attraction to her.

The investigations into both cases keeps your attention and the two flawed leads have you rooting for them to face the demons of their past so they can get together. I am hoping that the next books will be about the other two detectives that were put on probation with Mark. Overall a good start to a new series.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Grand Central Pub & Forever Pub but all opinions provided are my own.

Christie Craig’s Don’t Close Your Eyes offers two compelling mysteries, both of them surrounding a missing young girl. As the hero and heroine race to determine the truth, they fall deeper into lust (and possibly something more) with each other, despite the consequences they’ll suffer if their romance is uncovered.

Annie Lakes is haunted by the same dreams of seeing a young girl being buried and then of being chased. A family funeral unlocks another memory, and that gives her the courage to approach Detective officer Mark Sutton. Sutton is initially skeptical, and probably with good reason. Annie has no evidence, no missing body, no details about the little girl. Just the dreams, and the memory of what she allegedly witnessed when she was a small girl herself.

The attraction between Annie & Mark is pretty much instant, and the chemistry between them is heated and sexy. There’s also tenderness between them, a depth of feeling that shines through even when they go back-and-forth regarding whether they’re ready for a relationship or whether they should even be in one, period, since Annie’s in danger and apparently the witness to a crime. Sometimes I wanted their love story to be not so back-and-forth, but if nothing else, the uncertainty they felt seemed in keeping with the broader inner conflicts Craig lays out for her characters.

(Also, I was perturbed by Mark’s drinking habits, which included in one instance drinking to what seemed to be an unsafe degree and then driving.)

But overall both characters are interesting and sympathetic, both of them struggling with their pasts. For Mark, solving the mysteries and meeting Annie offers a second chance to let go of the past; for Annie, it’s about confronting her family's secrets and her own recent dramas.

The mysteries are engrossing, although the ending to Annie’s family mystery felt a little anticlimactic to me. But overall, the book gave me what I wanted: a satisfying romantic suspense with two characters I rooted for, and an ending that’s hopeful.

I’m excited to read the next book in the series and to see where these cold case detectives go next!

[Barbara Heintz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie Lakes is plagued by nightmares of a young girl running through the woods, bleeding from her leg and holding a bloodied teddy bear. The nightmares don’t make sense and her mother swears the scar on her leg was from falling from her bike. Annie reluctantly attends her mother’s brother’s funeral and quickly realizes why her deceased father never let her meet that side of the family. Her nightmares turn into memories and Annie goes to the police.

Det. Mark Sutton of the Cold Case Unit gets the case. Is he more interested in the case or of the girl from the coffee shop who he’s been lusting after for months? Should he believe the nightmares of a young girl after 25 years? Annie is holding back or suppressing important info on the case or is she crazy? He should talk as he suppresses secrets of his own, secrets that keep him from getting close to anyone.

I love Christie Craig’s writing. Every page sends you in a different direction. The reader never knows where Ms. Craig will take you next. The story doesn’t come together until the very end. Kudos for real romantic suspense.

[Book Him Danno · Rating 4 out of 5]

From first to last page Christie Craig will have readers up late into the night trying to understand what happened to Annie Lakes as a child and what secret her family will kill to keep hidden.

Don't Close Your Eyes starts off with Mark Sutton lusting after Annie Lakes which quickly turns the story into sexy time. Don't give up and just bypass all the romance because the mystery in the romance will have readers hooked and needing to finish before they go to bed.

Annie is a likable character while the relationship starts off as sex so yes this mystery has sex, guns, interesting family members and a dream that will not let go.



While the story seems to be mainly forced on the romance mystery readers will enjoy it as well. Not to mention the kind moments the characters are able to do that might just have readers wanting to try in their lives.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Forever advance copy of Christie Craig Don't Close your Eyes.

[Avid Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't Close Your Eyes (Texas Justice #1) by Christie Craig
5 stars
M/F Psychological Thriller, light romance
Triggers: Murder, Stalking, Alcoholism
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.

This book sucks you right in. The mystery is well planned and the characters are complex and well developed. I really enjoyed watching this story unfold. At first, you really do believe that Annie's memories are just bad memories that a child might have. But, as the story continues on and you see how twisted and toxic her family is, the doubts start to creep in.

Mark is a hard character to know. You want him to be the good guy, but his surliness makes him a hard person to like. He is a bulldog when it matters and when he realizes that he wants to trust Annie, he does everything in his power to help her.

The family that Annie now has to contend with is both disgusting and amazing. Her mother is the most infuriating character there is and there was just never a very good understanding of her. At times, I wanted to yell and scream at her and other times, she seemed so meek. It was a strange combination of one character.

I really enjoyed watching this unfold. While the romance was more back burner, the two main characters were able to develop a good relationship despite the circumstances. Also, Mark's partners were fun to watch and I can't wait to see who gets the next story.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t Close Your Eyes is the first book in the new Texas Justice series. Annie has dreams about an event in her past that she’s looking for answers to. Mark is the sexy detective she thinks will help find those. I found myself turning the pages quickly to find out who did it. It kept me guessing all the way to the end. Great start to this new series. I’ll be looking for more!

*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

[books are love · Rating 4 out of 5]

received in exchange for a honest review.

My first time reading Christie Craig and I can say I would like to read more from this series. I liked that we were looking at cold cases and have this set of detectives who are flawed and real working hard to get justice for those who many forget. These detectives have demons that haunt them but they use this as fuel to get justice and are good at it. Especially the main character in this book Mark.

Mark has guilt up the wazoo.Good honest guy. He is also good at finding things that others don’t see. His perspective is different than others and he is able to work out things others could not and have not. It comes at a toll to him though and he does drink to deal. When Annie comes to him with her dream he is hesitate at first. Soon though he is all in and his attraction for Annie also is all in. He sees how crazy and dangerous her family is and he wants to protect her. At the same time he is working on this issue, he has another case going on and he is wanted on a live murder. Those he tries to stay away from. You feel for him because he is a great guy but doesn’t feel he deserves happiness or a break because of what happened years ago. He tells others what he needs to listen to for himself.

Annie is a strong character. She was loved by her parents but her mom loses her way. She doesn’t really stand by her daughter as she deals with her nightmares and a night long ago begins to resurface in her mind. It was sad to see how her mom and her’s relationship got that chasm and why. As Annie is dealing with her past and falling in love she is also trying to deal with her mom and the pain with her not being there for her . By the time she is it is almost too late.

Annie and Mark have sparks that sizzle. They try to ignore it but can’t and when they get together we see some serious spark. But both have demons. It’s how they deal with the demons that is different. Mark is afraid to face his but in the end decides Annie is his bright light and he needs this. His love for her transcends his guilt and he makes a decision that just has you smile.

the story is intriguing. Filled with danger, romance and a truly dysfunctional and wacky family. The story of Annie and her past draws you in and the romance keeps you with the characters because you want to see how they overcome the hurdles they face and you want to watch Mark protect Annie and find out who is doing this to her.

[Lori Tatar]

Having never read a Christie Craig novel before, I was expecting a lot more mystery and whodunnit type of thing with this. It was a whole lot of steamy romance with plenty of the frisson two wounded souls can present. I am sure there is a niche for this, no doubt. It was written well enough, just fell below my personal expectations.

[SarahSmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Christie Craigs books. I love everything she writes (even her young adult books C.C. Hunter), I was a little concerned about reading this, since I usually go for more humor with my mysteries, but this was so engaging and all of the characters were so well written that I just couldn't put the book down and devoured it in one sitting. I can't wait to see where this series goes.

[Heather 123 · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 50%

I tried, honestly I did because the blurb had me interested.

However, there were so many characters it was hard to keep them straight. The constant back and forth between crimes was too much. I would have preferred the book to just focus on Annie's past and not the current crime.

[Kathy Heare Watts]

I won a paperback copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. So that others may also enjoy this book, I am paying it forward by donating it to my local library.

[Tbabe001 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet liked both H/h, tortured hero done well

[Annie Zoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what you expect from this author. It was a fun a read and I cannot wait to read the next one.

[Mabel Mumbles · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful escape in to a new world created by Christie Craig and it doesn't disappoint. Your right along with the characters trying to figure out what's going on and about to happen, thrilling.