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A Cold Trail

(Tracy Crosswhite #7)

Robert Dugoni (Goodreads Author)

4.31 · Rating details · 14,500 ratings · 935 reviews

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 h

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Kindle Edition, 355 pages

Published February 4th 2020 by Thomas & Mercer

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Nov 15, 2019 Debra rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

Tracy Crosswhite has returned to her hometown of Cedar Grove, a place that holds painful memories for her. The last time she returned was to see her sister, Sarah's killer put behind bars. Now she has returned with her husband Dan and their daughter, Daniella. Dan is an attorney who is representing a local business/merchant who is in jeopardy of going out of business due to the town's revitalization.

Tracy has a chance meeting with an old friend (former police chief, Sam Calloway), and is drawn i Tracy Crosswhite has returned to her hometown of Cedar Grove, a place that holds painful memories for her. The last time she returned was to see her sister, Sarah's killer put behind bars. Now she has returned with her husband Dan and their daughter, Daniella. Dan is an attorney who is representing a local business/merchant who is in jeopardy of going out of business due to the town's revitalization.

Tracy has a chance meeting with an old friend (former police chief, Sam Calloway), and is drawn into the current investigation(s) of the deaths of a journalist and a former lawyer/P.I. who were both killed while investigating a cold case of a young woman who was murdered in 1993. As Tracy begins to investigate it becomes clear that she is making the murderer nervous and may be getting closer to solving the case than she thought.

This being the seventh book in the series, may work as a stand-alone, but I do highly recommend reading the previous books in the series, to better understand all the characters and their motivations. In this book we get to see another side of Tracy - she is a Mother now and we see her tender, loving and worried side coming out more than before. We also see her thinking about her sister and father while navigating life in her former hometown. The reader is shown Tracy and Dan as parents and their disagreement about Tracy taking on a potentially dangerous case while having an infant at home.

The plot was interesting, and I enjoyed how everything came together. Dugoni never pulls anything out of left field. There is never any shocking or jarring reveal at the end. You know the ones where the murderer is your brother's cousin's sister's attorney's daughter's friend from out of town twice removed who was never mentioned once in the book yet pops up in the last three pages to be the killer who has been plotting revenge for 30 years because the victim once ran over his/her toe with their tricycle when they were four. I know that doesn't make sense but I'm not a fan of the whiplash reveals that are only put in for shock value. When the reveal does come in this book, it does make sense and seems plausible. The reveal is well thought out and crafted. Everything falls into place and nothing in this book felt rushed.

Well thought out, riveting and compelling. I always get excited when I see there is another installment in this series. I look forward to the next one, and the one after that and so on and so on....You get the idea - I'm a fan!

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
...more

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Jan 04, 2020 Liz rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

It’s been over 18 months since the prior Tracy Crosswhite mystery, so it felt good to play catch up. Tracy now has a 2 month old baby girl and she and Dan have temporarily moved back to Cedar Grove whole their house is renovated. While there, she agrees to help the interim sheriff investigate the death of the prior sheriff’s wife and two other older deaths that might be connected. At the same time, Dan is representing a local businessman who’s suing the township.

Both Tracy and Dan continue to g ...more

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Jan 29, 2020 Kylie D rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-2020, mystery-crime, annual-challenges

Tracy and Dan are back in their hometown of Cedar Grove, Washington, after the birth of their daughter. While Dan is working from home and commuting to Seattle when necessary, Tracy is going stir crazy looking at the snow covered town. So when the local police chief asks for her help she has no hesitation in jumping in. The case, or cases, she looks into start to weave together into conspiracy and cover up going back twenty six years, and Tracy, having known the people involved all her life, fin ...more

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Jul 15, 2019 Paromjit rated it really liked it

Shelves: thriller, mystery, crime-fiction, netgalley

This is the seventh and latest addition to Robert Dugoni's brilliant Seattle based series featuring homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite. The winds of change bring us Tracy on maternity leave, she and her lawyer husband, Dan, are delighted at being parents to two month old baby Daniella. However, their Seattle home is struggling to contain them, triggering a temporary move back to Cedar Grove. a place that holds painful memories and trauma for Tracy. It was here that she was instrumental in putti ...more

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Feb 11, 2020 MarilynW rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-2020, no-rules-just-thrills, netgalley

Tracy Crosswhite is back for book number seven in the series and I was more than ready to see her again. With her are her attorney husband, Dan, and her two month old baby girl. The family is back in Tracy and Dan's hometown due to their Seattle home being under renovation. But there is no rest for either of them, as Dan is representing a client in Cedar Grove while Tracy takes on an investigation there, also.

Dan and Tracy's work intertwines as a spider web of events and murders from twenty six ...more

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Apr 20, 2020 Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* rated it really liked it

Shelves: series, murder-mystery, netgalley-arc, thriller, 4-star, contemporary-fiction, 2020, crime, detective-fiction

EXCERPT: '... have you really not yet figured out why I invited you to this party? You thought Tracy was getting too close to those answers, that she had pieced all this together, that she had concluded you were the killer. So you stalked her. . . That's something that will be easy enough for (them) to believe, and you waited until she was alone. You came here to kill her, but you forgot one thing. You forgot that Tracy was always fast with a gun and she, too, managed to get off a shot. It wasn' ...more

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Jan 14, 2020 Matt rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Dugoni and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Returning for another instalment of this series, I turn to Robert Dugoni and hope that the quality remains high and the plot twists plentiful. I was not disappointed with this novel, which returns to some roots and provides a core storyline that many series fans will surely enjoy. Tracy Crosswhite is on the First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Dugoni and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Returning for another instalment of this series, I turn to Robert Dugoni and hope that the quality remains high and the plot twists plentiful. I was not disappointed with this novel, which returns to some roots and provides a core storyline that many series fans will surely enjoy. Tracy Crosswhite is on the mend, with a newborn and an energetic husband. As they renovate the home Dan’s parents once owned, Tracy is back in Cedar Grove, alongside all the memories of her youth. When a house fire kills a local journalist, the town is abuzz with the news, though it is something she was working on that has Tracy more than interested. New revelations about a case from two decades before have come to life, casting doubt that a young woman’s death was at the hands of the same serial killer who murdered Tracy’s sister. The local police are happy to let Tracy use her Seattle skills to help uncover the truth, though she remains uncertain if she wants to thrust herself into the path of danger yet again. When Tracy sees the ME’s report, she is left to wonder if a new batch of suspects might have had motive to kill. Now, all those who have seen the report are dying, likely not from the natural causes to which things have been attributed. Meanwhile, Dan has been doing some legal work in town, helping a store owner negotiate with the town council about buying his property. The council lawyer seems to be pushing hard to offer a settlement, but Dan cannot be entirely sure if there is more to the story. When someone targets Tracy at the house while Dan is away, everything becomes a little more real and the fragile balance of work and home life come crashing together. Might both Tracy and Dan have taken on more than they can chew in Cedar Grove? Another great piece in the series that has me devouring the story and hoping for more. Recommended to series fans who need a little Tracy Crosswhite fix, as well as the reader who loves a small-town mystery with big-city thrills.

I have loved this series since I first got my hands on it and this book has not disappointed whatsoever. Dugoni has a great handle on the characters, plot, and development, even as he juggles a few writing commitments at this time. Returning to Cedar Grove is surely tough for Tracy Crosswhite, where the memories of her childhood linger and knowledge that her sister’s murder two decade before remains on the minds of everyone she sees. Tracy is forced to face many of these fears and the people she knew growing up, though she sees many of them in a new light. Her struggles with that are balanced with the unknowns around being a new mother and trying to do what is best for her daughter. Throughout, the reader can see the pull of both worlds, as well as Tracy trying to define how her life as a detective might be permanently changed, what with a little one who depends on her. This is nicely offset with her husband, Dan, who has some of the same issues, but more that Tracy is thrusting herself into danger. He struggles to determine if he should and can be that protector for his family, while also keeping up a legal practice. Introspection for both characters enriches the story immensely. There are a handful of others who grace the pages and add depth to an already jam-packed story, keeping the reader attentive to all the clues and possible motives that lurk behind every corner. Dugoni does well to bring the story ‘home’ in a sense, allowing Crosswhite and the others to focus on the small picture, which is actually part of the larger one (if that makes sense). With a mix of short chapters that propel the reader forward and longer ones that set the stage for more excitement, this novel is one that can be tackled in short order, as the pages melt away. A legal thriller and police procedural rolled into one, this is one of Dugoni’s best in the series.

Kudos, Mr. Dugoni, for another stellar piece of work. I am so very excited to see how well things are going and cannot wait to see where you take your readers next.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... ...more

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Jul 10, 2019 Sandy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: series, family-drama, mystery, crime, arc-from-netgalley, cold-case

Tracy Crosswhite is back & the first thing you’ll notice is her gun & handcuffs have been replaced with a bottle & diapers. Baby Daniella has arrived. She & Dan are ecstatic but their little house in Seattle is bursting at the seams so the whole family moves back to Cedar Grove while it undergoes renovation.

Dan picks up a case representing a local merchant. For some reason the city has been buying up properties on the main drag but his client has no desire to sell. As far as Dan is concerned, th Tracy Crosswhite is back & the first thing you’ll notice is her gun & handcuffs have been replaced with a bottle & diapers. Baby Daniella has arrived. She & Dan are ecstatic but their little house in Seattle is bursting at the seams so the whole family moves back to Cedar Grove while it undergoes renovation.

Dan picks up a case representing a local merchant. For some reason the city has been buying up properties on the main drag but his client has no desire to sell. As far as Dan is concerned, there’s something sketchy about the whole thing & begins to dig.

Tracy is on mat leave & adjusting to being a stay at home mom. She runs into her old friend Roy Calloway & is surprised to learn he’s come out of retirement to fill in as chief of police. The current chief is on leave after his wife died in a house fire & Roy has a proposition for her.

It seems the chief’s wife was a journalist who was looking into a local murder from 1993 when she died. The case was related to the death of Tracy’s sister. With questions swirling about the original investigation & the woman’s subsequent death, Roy needs a fresh set of eyes on the whole mess. Would Tracy like a part time job? Why, yes….yes she would.

Dan’s case becomes increasingly more complex & as Tracy unearths old secrets, it’s clear some people would rather she let sleeping dogs lie. She & Dan grew up here & as things heat up, she’s very aware that her search for a killer may lead to someone she knows.

This instalment focuses just as much on Tracy’s personal life as the investigative side of the story. She comes across as more fragile in this one. A combination of postpartum hormones, doubts about motherhood & reminders of her sister have her emotionally on edge. Dan’s not happy she’s back in business & Tracy has to wonder if she can really have it all. It’s the guilt every working mother deals with. Thankfully, her colleague Faz shows up to lend a hand & boost her spirits.

There are plenty of red herrings & surprising connections along the way to keep you guessing. It’s a solid read but I must confess I preferred the investigative side of the plot. Having Faz pop by provides some added humour but I missed Kins & the Seattle PD. What hasn’t changed is this author’s ability to deliver a story full of vibrant characters in an atmospheric setting. A slower middle section gives you time to rest up before a cracker of a finish. Big fans of the series will find much to enjoy here.

3.5 stars ...more

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Mar 30, 2020 Carole rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-books

A Cold Trail by Robert Dugoni is the seventh mystery in the Tracy Crosswhite series but it works well as a stand-alone. However, I now realize that I would enjoy reading the previous books as well. Seattle police detective Tracy Crosswhite has returned to her hometown of Cedar Grove with her husband Dan and their infant daughter, while their home is being renovated. Dan is a lawyer and is soon working on a case for a local merchant. Tracy is asked by the police chief to assist in the investigati ...more

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Dec 08, 2020 PamG rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery-thriller-suspense, mys-sus-mag-2020, read-2020

In A COLD TRAIL, Robert Dugoni brings murder, mystery, and suspense to a police procedural novel like few authors can. This novel, set mostly in Cedar Grove, Washington in contemporary times, has both compelling characters and a plot that captures you and doesn’t let go until the final moments.

This story starts with a prologue set in Cedar Grove in 1993, but moves quickly to current events with occasional flashbacks to 1993 and to events that occurred during the past year. Tracy Crosswhite, a S In A COLD TRAIL, Robert Dugoni brings murder, mystery, and suspense to a police procedural novel like few authors can. This novel, set mostly in Cedar Grove, Washington in contemporary times, has both compelling characters and a plot that captures you and doesn’t let go until the final moments.

This story starts with a prologue set in Cedar Grove in 1993, but moves quickly to current events with occasional flashbacks to 1993 and to events that occurred during the past year. Tracy Crosswhite, a Seattle police detective in the Violent Crimes Section, her lawyer husband Dan and their two month old daughter Daniella have temporarily moved to their childhood home town while contractors demolish and remodel their farmhouse. While there, Tracy is drawn into a case by the local police department and Dan takes on a case representing a local merchant.

Tracy and Dan felt very realistic as they juggled work/life balance, egos, pride, and communication issues. Their dialogue and banter felt natural and real. Additionally, the mix of personal and professional lives felt natural. There are a number of secondary characters to get acquainted with if you are not familiar with the series. However, the author uses them deftly to round out the story and even uses some humor to ensure the reader understands their personalities.

Dugoni uses vivid descriptions that help a reader to better understand the small town environment as well as the winter weather, secrets, lies and emotions that are prevalent in the book. While this book has some action, it is mostly a police procedural and a legal case until the last 20 percent. The cases are complex and challenging with numerous suspects and angles that have to be explored. There are some more extensive descriptions of legal maneuverings, but they are necessary to fully understand that case. The story is believable, complex, and has some good twists to keep Tracy and Dan as well as readers on their toes. The epilogue leaves a thread open for the next book in the series, but the subplots are all wrapped up nicely without any cliffhangers.

Overall, this was a fantastic book with well-developed characters, a great setting, realistic dialogue, and a page-turning story line. While this is the seventh book in the Tracy Crosswhite series, there is enough background material woven into the story that it can be read as a standalone. I recommend it to those that enjoy police procedurals, mysteries and crime novels and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I purchased a digital copy of this novel. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and are not biased in any way. Publication date was February 4, 2020. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine. ...more

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Aug 17, 2019 Barbara rated it liked it

3.5 stars

In this 7th book in the 'Tracy Crosswhite' series, the homicide detective investigates three cases. The book can be read as a standalone, but familiarity with earlier books is beneficial.

*****

At the core of the story are three unsolved deaths, all of which occurred in Cedar Grove, Washington. Heather Johansen - an eighteen-year-old girl who worked for the then mayor was killed in 1993; Jason Matthews - a retired criminal defense lawyer hired to look into Heather's death was killed in 2 ...more

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Feb 15, 2020 Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader rated it really liked it

I jumped right in to the Tracy Crosswhite series!

While this mystery thriller can certainly stand alone, I would love to know even more about Tracy’s background story. I could tell she has had a journey to get to where she is, and I adored her character, especially her toughness.

Robert Dugoni effortlessly delivered a stirring, compelling story, one that kept me turning pages compulsively and even gave me a couple laughs, too, with some witty humor. I definitely have plans to add the Tracy Crossw ...more

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Jan 12, 2020 Carolyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020, netgalley, netgalley-2020

In this seventh book in his Detective Tracy Crosswhite series, Robert Dugoni sends Tracy back to Cedar Grove, the town where she and her husband lawyer Dan O'Leary both grew up. She and Dan are remodelling their house while Tracy is on maternity leave with their new baby, Daniella and have decided to stay in Dan's parents old house. Last time Tracy was in Cedar Grove was to investigate her sister Sarah's murder. The cold case murder of another young woman 20 years ago has recently been re-opened ...more

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Jan 10, 2020 Linda rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, net-galley, robert-dugoni, nature-themes, police-procedural, mystery-thrillers

Motherhood and Mayhem......

Seems to be a contradiction in terms here.

But if you're Police Officer Tracy Crosswhite of Seattle, Washington, you've come to expect a bit of chaos impeding upon your down time. Our stalwart Tracy is now on maternity leave with two month old Daniella. She and the love of her life Dan, attorney at law, are setting up a temporary household in Tracy's home town of Cedar Grove while their original digs are under renovation.

Dugoni has slipped in an Irish nanny by the name Motherhood and Mayhem......

Seems to be a contradiction in terms here.

But if you're Police Officer Tracy Crosswhite of Seattle, Washington, you've come to expect a bit of chaos impeding upon your down time. Our stalwart Tracy is now on maternity leave with two month old Daniella. She and the love of her life Dan, attorney at law, are setting up a temporary household in Tracy's home town of Cedar Grove while their original digs are under renovation.

Dugoni has slipped in an Irish nanny by the name of Therese.....brogue and all. Therese is a godsend with all the turmoil going on with new baby and new surroundings. But our Tracy can't help but pick at a loose thread in an unsolved murder in Cedar Grove that seems to parallel with the murder of her own sister, Sarah, from some time back. She visits Roy Calloway, the retired police chief, who is now back in action. He's presented her with some sketchy info on why he's back.

I appreciate Dugoni not overplaying the angst of the theme song: "My Baby, My Career" over too many chapters. Tracy picks up the reigns of this one because she can and because she's that good. We find her digging deeply into untapped areas of several cases put on the backburner in a small town. She's seeing things as they are and she's not afraid to confront the unconfronted. Vera and Faz even make a welcomed appearance. Faz is still the crackerjack analytical police officer from his Seattle days.

Robert Dugoni ratchets up a good storyline with another in the making. Dan has taken on a case of a small Cedar Grove businessman who is being forced out by the up-and-coming boutiques and galleries in the downtown area. Dan comes upon what's rotten in Denmark. Makes for quite the telling.

As always, the books in the Tracy Crosswhite Series can be read as standalones. But backstories are important and can enhance the reading experience. Maybe you can start with this one, feel the tide of the action, and then start at the beginning. Anyway that you approach a Dugoni novel, it's always got the stamp of high satisfaction on the cover guaranteed.

I received a copy of A Cold Trail through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to the talented Robert Dugoni for the opportunity.

...more

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Jan 12, 2020 Bridgett rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc

Who isn't excited when a new Tracy Crosswhite novel is published?

This has been one of my favorite series over the past few years...with consistently fabulous writing and engaging story lines. Robert Dugoni rarely fails to entertain. This guy can write anything (and I truly mean that...his books have covered suspense, thrillers, police procedural, spy and espionage fiction, and even coming-of-age/domestic drama). He's a truly talented author.

Now that I've sufficiently bragged about Mr. Dugoni, l Who isn't excited when a new Tracy Crosswhite novel is published?

This has been one of my favorite series over the past few years...with consistently fabulous writing and engaging story lines. Robert Dugoni rarely fails to entertain. This guy can write anything (and I truly mean that...his books have covered suspense, thrillers, police procedural, spy and espionage fiction, and even coming-of-age/domestic drama). He's a truly talented author.

Now that I've sufficiently bragged about Mr. Dugoni, let's move on with my actual review of A Cold Trail, the 7th in the Tracy Crosswhite series. Dan, Tracy, and their infant daughter, Daniella, are back in their hometown of Cedar Grove, with their Irish nanny, Therese, while their Redmond home is undergoing renovations. Although still on maternity leave, Tracy is asked by her friend, and former police chief of Cedar Grove, to help solve the cold case of a young girl murdered in 1993. A girl who was friends with Tracy's long-departed sister, Sarah. The problem? The person who committed that murder is still around, and is wholeheartedly determined not to be discovered...even if more lives are lost in the discovery process.

Although a reasonably intriguing plot, this offering didn't keep the breakneck pace of some of the previous works in this series. In fact, I found the middle section of the book to be a bit slow and laborious. I was even contemplating a 3 star review when, while reading the final 20%, my attention was aggressively sucked back into Tracy and her Cedar Grove family. The story definitely ends with a bang...and a mostly unexpected one. At least on my part. I was close, but no cigar...which is why A Cold Trail ultimately received 4 happy little stars from muah.

While I think this could probably be read as a standalone, I'd suggest going back to the beginning and devouring each and every book in order. It will give you a better picture of our beloved Tracy and her many complexities. Plus, they're just really good stories which deserve a ginormous audience. Pick up a copy of this book up on February 4, 2020....you won't be disappointed.

**Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy. ...more

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Feb 17, 2020 Maureen Carden rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley, police, mystery, legal-eagles, family

Seattle violent crimes detective Tracy Crosswhite, her attorney husband Dan O’Leary and two month old daughter Danielle return to their hometown of Cedar Grove in A Cold Trail . Tracy is on maternity leave and their Redmond house is being renovated.
It isn’t long before Dan picks up a legal case dealing with the town trying to force the sale of a long term business in Cedar Grove. But hey, that’s okay. However when the acting police chief asks Tracy to look into the recent murder of a young woman Seattle violent crimes detective Tracy Crosswhite, her attorney husband Dan O’Leary and two month old daughter Danielle return to their hometown of Cedar Grove in A Cold Trail . Tracy is on maternity leave and their Redmond house is being renovated.
It isn’t long before Dan picks up a legal case dealing with the town trying to force the sale of a long term business in Cedar Grove. But hey, that’s okay. However when the acting police chief asks Tracy to look into the recent murder of a young woman, well, that seems to be a different story; at least for Dan. At least author Robert Dugoni soon gives Dan cause to regret his jerkiness.
Tracy is asked to look into the murder as the number one suspect seems to be the current Police Chief. The same man who was the number one suspect in the murder of a young woman 26 years ago. A murder preceding that of Tracy’s younger sister by a few months and was eventually decided to have been done by the same man; thus clearing the future police chief. Except now it looks like the police chief’s murdered wife was looking into that old murder involving her husband.
After going through so much to finally know for sure who murdered her sister, Tracy can not stand the idea of the wrong person being blamed for a murder or for the true murderer to escape. At the same time, she is torn about leaving her new baby, even though she and Dan have hired a nanny who seems to be working out really well. The fact is, Tracy is not sure she wants to be going back to work after her maternity leave is up. After all, when Tracy was younger she dreamed about being the stay- at- home mother of three.
Dugoni handled Tracy’s maternal and work worries with sensitivity. He is such a terrific writer of the police procedurals, sometimes with a strong courtroom facet. In A Cold Trail Dan’s court case is difficult to understand, starting out with dry motions before crossing with Tracy’s investigation of multiple murders.
I didn’t understand why Dugoni left a murder attempt on Tracy without further investigation or hardly even further mention.
Before Tracy gets very far in her investigations, she realizes there are three murders that are all tied up in her case, one in 1993, 2015 and 2019. Dugoni provides flashbacks to give a different perspective on what has happened, a device that is neither overused nor overdone.
This is number 7 in the Crosswhite series, and the first one to return to the town of Cedar Grave in some time. Maybe now, with the last of its murders exposed and solved, there can be true recovery for the town.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. ...more

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Jan 04, 2020 Marialyce rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-of-2020, netgalley

I enjoyed this book and its fast paced action. Although I have not read the previous stories in this series, I found the book to be easily read and one in which I am encouraged to go back and read the books that preceded it.

I do like a strong female protagonist, and in Tracy Crosswhite I have found exactly the spunk, tenacity, and common sense approach to solving a crime that is often missing in so many other mysteries and police procedurals..

I definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy ...more

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Feb 15, 2020 Kathleen rated it really liked it

Transitions mark this 7th offering in the Tracy Crosswhite police procedural series. Tracy and her husband Dan are back in Cedar Grove with their 2-month old daughter and Tracy is struggling with her need to be a good mother while satisfying her love of police work. It just so happens that Cedar Grove’s Chief of Police is on mandatory leave as his journalist wife and house went up in flames. Clearly he can’t be part of the investigation. Roy Calloway, the previous Chief, is back on the job and c ...more

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Feb 18, 2020 Jim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-suspense-thriller, books-read-2020

The 7th book in the Tracy Crosswhite series finds Tracy the mother of a 2 month old girl, Daniella, and back in Cedar Grove. Tracy, Dan, and Daniella have temporarily moved back while their home is being renovated. Tracy grew up in Cedar Grove and has many happy childhood memories. But there are also tragic ones. The last time Tracy was in Cedar Grove was for the trial of her sister's killer.

Dan is an attorney and he has been engaged to represent a local merchant who is in danger of losing his The 7th book in the Tracy Crosswhite series finds Tracy the mother of a 2 month old girl, Daniella, and back in Cedar Grove. Tracy, Dan, and Daniella have temporarily moved back while their home is being renovated. Tracy grew up in Cedar Grove and has many happy childhood memories. But there are also tragic ones. The last time Tracy was in Cedar Grove was for the trial of her sister's killer.

Dan is an attorney and he has been engaged to represent a local merchant who is in danger of losing his business because of the town's revitalization project. Tracy is on maternity leave and is contemplating the future. Should she return to her job as a homicide detective with the Seattle Police Department? Or stay at home and become a full time Mom? Then she has a chance encounter with Roy Calloway, an old friend and former Cedar Grove police chief. Roy had retired but has returned in an acting capacity after the current chief's wife died in a house fire. The fire is suspicious and so is the death. Finlay Armstrong cannot be involved in the investigation of the fire or the death of his wife, Kimberley, so he is on leave. He is also a person of interest. Kimberley was a journalist working on a book about the death of Heather Johansen, an eighteen year old girl who was murdered in 1993. Finlay had been Heather's boyfriend but the relationship ended badly with Finlay being accused of stalking and warned off by Roy Calloway. Now Roy would like Tracy's help.

Tracy reluctantly agrees which causes some tensions. Her job is inherently dangerous and Dan is worried that not only could something happen to Tracy but now they have a 2 month old baby to consider. Tracy is faced with her own conflicts but she would like to see justice for Heather and Kimberley. There was also a lawyer, Jason Matthews, that Heather's parents hired to look into her death. Matthews was also killed. One cold case and two recent deaths. And politicians buying out the local businesses. Is there a connection?

Robert Dugoni manages to tie the murders and the town's revitalization project very neatly and still leaves the reader surprised when the identity of the murderer is revealed. Daniella's godparents, Seattle Detective Vic Fazzio (Faz) and his wife Vera make an appearance when Faz comes to Cedar Grove to help Tracy. There is a new character, an Irish nanny by the name of Therese, who is likable and hopefully will be a regular in future stories. Tracy will just have to learn her Irish expressions. ...more

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Mar 05, 2020 Dave rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-have, crime-fiction-all, x-netgalley-2020-read, netgalley-books, crime-fiction-police-procedural

Dugoni’s “A Cold Trail” is the seventh volume in his acclaimed Tracy Crosswhite series. For those familiar with the series and the characters, it’s probably like visiting old friends to open up this volume. For those of us who are just now dipping our toes in these waters, there’s a bit of a learning curve. Nevertheless, don’t be discouraged. There’s a terrific payoff in the end.

Tracy is a Seattle homicide detective. Her husband Dan is an attorney. This story takes them back to their humble sma ...more

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Jan 09, 2020 Zoe rated it it was amazing

Suspenseful, enthralling, and meticulous!

In this latest novel by Dugoni, A Cold Trail, we head back to Tracy and Dan’s hometown of Cedar Grove, Washington where Dan is immersed in a legal battle against the Mayor who seems to be expropriating old businesses, and Tracy, who’s technically on maternity leave, is swept up in an investigation into the murder of the police chief’s wife and the 1993 cold case of a slain teen that may or may not be connected.

The prose is bold and crisp. The characters a ...more

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Aug 23, 2019 Jean rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

You can take the girl out of the cop station, but you can’t take the cop out of the girl. In Robert Dugoni’s A COLD TRAIL , Tracy Crosswhite is back in her hometown of Cedar Grove, where she and husband Dan O’Leary and two-month-old daughter Daniella are staying in Dan’s childhood home while their home is being renovated to make more room for their family. Tracy is still on maternity leave, and she is learning the joys and concerns of motherhood. When the former police chief Roy Calloway call You can take the girl out of the cop station, but you can’t take the cop out of the girl. In Robert Dugoni’s A COLD TRAIL , Tracy Crosswhite is back in her hometown of Cedar Grove, where she and husband Dan O’Leary and two-month-old daughter Daniella are staying in Dan’s childhood home while their home is being renovated to make more room for their family. Tracy is still on maternity leave, and she is learning the joys and concerns of motherhood. When the former police chief Roy Calloway calls her to discuss a case, Tracy’s detective juices start flowing. The wife of the current chief has died in a fire, and the chief, Finlay Armstrong, is on leave, so Calloway is acting chief. Not only is there a mystery surrounding Kimberly Armstrong’s death, but there is also the unsolved murder of a high school girl back in 1993, not long before Tracy’s sister Sarah went missing. Back then, Finlay was considered a suspect in Heather Johansen’s murder; now, with the murder of his wife, fingers are pointing at him again. Despite Dan’s concerns for Tracy’s safety and well being, Tracy agrees to investigate. Cedar Grove is a small town, and tongues start wagging immediately. Not everyone wants to cooperate.

Dan has business of his own to attend to. He is representing a small business owner in a lawsuit against the city. Businesses have been springing up like crazy, and Dan’s client has been the lone holdout in selling to the city. It would seem that he doesn’t have a chance, but Dan decides that perhaps you can fight city hall.

I love the complex cases that both husband and wife face in this story. Since they both grew up in Cedar Grove, they cross paths with former classmates, friends, and rivals. Tracy, especially, faces a whole spectrum of emotions, especially since it’s her first time back in her hometown following the trial of her sister’s killer. Her parents are gone, her father, dead by suicide over her sister’s murder. Now she is a mother, and she wonders what kind of life she owes her daughter and her husband. Love, gratitude, duty...She is a mother and a wife, but she is also a cop. How does she find the perfect balance?

The personal touches felt very real to me. I really liked the big role that Dan plays in this book. I also really enjoyed Faz (Vic Fazzio) and his wife Vera. That is loyalty! And Vic was a hoot!

The legal issues were a bit confusing for a reader like me, who is a bit challenged when it comes to understanding torts, contracts, and the like. So things got a bit bogged down in a few places, but I liked how Dan sort of pulled a rabbit out of his hat in court! Yay, Judge Harvey! Who’d’ve thought?

There are some big dramatics at the end, so hold on to your winter hats and gloves! (It snows A LOT in this novel.) As usual, Mr Dugoni has provided a very thrilling, entertaining story.

Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author for this ARC. My views are my own. ...more

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Jul 04, 2019 Holly rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley, 2019

A new book by Robert Dugoni always makes me happy. Another Tracy Crosswhite story makes me even happier. Spoilers ahead.....

Now that Tracy is on maternity leave and is wondering if she can balance being a cop and mother, she has a lot of time on her hands to grasp what she wants to do. So while her and Dan's house is being renovated, they go back to their hometown of Cedar Grove. Dan is working on a trial involving some businesses there and Tracy somehow gets involved in a policeman's wife's mur ...more

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Nov 05, 2019 Alan Cotterell rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2019, arc-netgalley, netgalley-2019, arc

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of the 7th installment of the Tracey Crosswhite series.

This was a new author and series for me, although I didn’t feel that I was too disadvantaged, by not having read the first 6 books.

Detective Tracey Crosswhite returns to Cedar Grove with her husband Dan and new daughter, Daniella. While on maternity leave, she is asked to investigate two fatal events. During her investigations, she uncovers a few discrepancies in the cause of death rulings for three people (tw ...more

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Jan 08, 2020 Monnie rated it really liked it

It's always a treat to dive into a new book in a favorite series, and it's even sweeter when it's another good one. Such is the case here (I even stayed up half an hour past my bedtime to finish it). This is the seventh appearance of Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite, but I warn other readers that near the end of the book, it was touch and go as to whether it would be her last.

Of course, no reader is likely to think she won't survive - this series is far too popular to knock off the le It's always a treat to dive into a new book in a favorite series, and it's even sweeter when it's another good one. Such is the case here (I even stayed up half an hour past my bedtime to finish it). This is the seventh appearance of Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite, but I warn other readers that near the end of the book, it was touch and go as to whether it would be her last.

Of course, no reader is likely to think she won't survive - this series is far too popular to knock off the lead character, for goodness sake; so the devil here is in the details. Tracy and her lawyer husband Dan have moved back to their home town of Cedar Grove, Washington, while their home in a Seattle suburb is being remodeled. They bring with them their two-month-old daughter Daniella and Irish nanny Therese (a likable character in her own right, a bit reminiscent of Mary Catherine, the very Irish nanny and housekeeper for James Patterson series character Michael Bennett).

Tracy and Dan are living in Dan's parents' old house, but it is the small town itself that brings back the most memories - and not pleasant ones. This is the place where Tracy's younger sister, Sarah, went missing while she was in high school; years later, her body was found and the killer identified. Now, Dan has taken on the defense of a local man who's fighting the sale of his long-time family store to the city, which is buying up other small businesses and reselling them to buyers who pledge to remodel and reopen. Tracy is for the most part happy to be with her new daughter, but she also misses the fulfillment of her job (from which she's still on maternity leave). So when the local acting police chief makes her an offer she can't refuse, she doesn't - agreeing to help solve the murder of the current chief's wife, a reporter who was working on a story that someone doesn't want told.

As most readers will suspect, it's not long before parallels show up between Tracy's investigation and Dan's client's case; but the nearly impossible part is finding real evidence. A lot has happened in Cedar Grove over the years, much of which the locals don't want to revisit even if it means catching a murderer.

The action here is pretty much nonstop, although a few too many, and too lengthy, speculative discussions among the players about who may have done what to whom slowed the pace here and there. That aside, it was an interesting plot with plenty of twists and a satisfying conclusion, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-publication copy. Now all I can do is sit back and wait till the next one!
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Feb 02, 2020 Louise Wilson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Tracy Crosswhite #7

Tracy is on maternity leave after giving birth to a baby girl. They have moved back their hometown of Cedar Grove while their home is being renovated. Dan (Tracy's husband) is soon drawn in to representing a local merchant whose business is being jeopardized. Tracy bumps into acting Cheif Inspector Galloway and he asks her investigate the case of the .local police chiefs wife who had died in a house fire. She had been a journalist and had been investigating a cold case that we ...more

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Nov 30, 2019 Adrian Dooley rated it it was amazing

I seem to say this with every Dugoni book I read but, well here I go again.
There is something about Robert Dugonis writing that just sits perfectly with me. Be it the Tracy Crosswhite series or some of his stand alones, I just feel in safe hands and am 100% in from the start.

In this latest in the series we find Tracy and husband Dan back in their childhood hometown of Cedar Grove along with their two month old daughter Daniella. Their home in Seattle is being renovated and so they move back te I seem to say this with every Dugoni book I read but, well here I go again.
There is something about Robert Dugonis writing that just sits perfectly with me. Be it the Tracy Crosswhite series or some of his stand alones, I just feel in safe hands and am 100% in from the start.

In this latest in the series we find Tracy and husband Dan back in their childhood hometown of Cedar Grove along with their two month old daughter Daniella. Their home in Seattle is being renovated and so they move back temporarily to Cedar Grove while the work is carried out.
Here they both get embroiled in a legacy murder case that may be connected to more recent deaths in Cedar Grove. While Tracy helps out with investigations with the local sherif, an old acquaintance and friend of her late father, Dan is involved in a local case where a local business owner refuses to sell to the City and wants to sue them. Little do they know that both their cases are interlinked and could blow the lid on both current and historical events in the town.

So yeah, I just loved this. Dugoni has a great knack of holding your hand throughout his stories, making the complicated easy to follow without dumbing it down at all. I’ve read less complicated stories more recently that I found a lot harder to follow. Not once here was I confused or reading back a few pages to see which character was which. All of them, both major and minor were clearly defined and so easy to keep track of.

The story itself is quite clever and really well told. It dips back into events in previous books and shines some light on them and the fringes of them, while dishing up a fascinating story line in the present. The fact that we have both Tracy and Dans stories alternating and both leading to the same goal is really clever too.

I always look forward to a new Dugoni book. He seems to be my go to guy and again I’m in no way disappointed.

Oh and special mention to the Irish nanny. The Irish slang and use of words was 100% on the money.
An easy five stars for me.

Thanks to Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer and Robert Dugoni for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Jan 10, 2020 Mandy White (mandylovestoread) rated it really liked it

Shelves: net-galley, z-read-in-2020

So happy when a new Tracey Crosswhite book comes out. This is book 7 amd I strongly suggest you start with the first book, My Sisters Grave. A lot has happened I’m the previous 6 book series and you really want to read the, in order to truly understand what drives Tracey. She is a complex character with a sad and devastating past and you really want to know it all. I these books are so easy to get lost in and before you know it you are reading at 3am!

Tracey and Dan have returned to Dans family ...more

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Dec 13, 2019 Sharon Metcalf rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, netgalley, 2019

Robert Dugoni never disappoints whether I'm reading one of his standalone titles or part of a series. In this case I've just read and thoroughly enjoyed the latest in his Tracy Crosswhite series. A Cold Trail was another fabulous addition to the collection. I've previously commented about the series getting better with each new title and I steadfastly endorse that observation. Not only do I enjoy the mix of police procedural and mystery/suspense but I delight in catching up with some mu ...more

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Dec 01, 2019 Judy rated it really liked it

Terrific, suspenseful crime drama! I really like the character Tracy Crosswhite. She's a new mother and a homicide detective out on maternity leave. She and her husband Dan have moved to Cedar Grove, Tracy's childhood hometown, while their home is being renovated. Dan is an attorney who ends up representing a merchant in town against the city. Tracy gets drawn into murder investigations that seem to be tied together. Both Dan and Tracy have their hands full in their pursuits. An interesting, com ...more

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About Robert Dugoni

Robert Dugoni

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Robert Dugoni is the New York Times, #1 Amazon, and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of the Tracy Crosswhite series: My Sister's Grave, Her Last Breath, In the Clearing, The Trapped Girl and Close to Home, A Steep Price and A Cold Trail as well as the short prequels The Academy and Third Watch. The police procedural featuring Seattle Homicide Detective Tracy Crosswhite has kept Dugoni in ...more

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