When ironclad body armor inexplicably fails and soldiers perish, the Tactical Crime Division jumps into action. Agent and former ranger Davis Rogers asks to go undercover to find the traitor responsible for the death of one of his friends, and Petrov Armor CEO Leila Petrov is happy to provide access to her company…especially once she discovers she’s being framed. But will their joint efforts be enough to uncover the truth?
Publishers Weekly bestselling author ELIZABETH HEITER likes her suspense to feature strong heroines, chilling villains, psychological twists, and a little bit of romance. Her research has taken her into the minds of serial killers, through murder investigations, and onto the FBI Academy’s shooting range. Her novels have been published in more than a dozen countries and eight languages; they've also been shortlisted for the National Readers' Choice, Daphne Du Maurier and Booksellers' Best awards and won the HOLT Medallion and the RT Reviewers' Choice award.
Elizabeth graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in English Literature. She’s a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America and Romance Writers of America. You can also find Elizabeth on Facebook at www.facebook.com/elizabeth.heiter.author , on Instagram at www.instagram.com/elizabeth_heiter/ and on Twitter @ElizabethHeiter.
Secret Investigation by Elizabeth Heiter 2nd book in the Tactical Crime Division series by multiple authors. Harlequin Intrigue FBI series. Can be read as a stand-alone. Protective armor failed in a military training mission putting Petrov Armor in the crosshairs of the FBI. CEO Leila, after being cleared, helps Davis Rogers investigate from within the company to find who is responsible for the inferior products. Davis hasn’t worked undercover in the past and finds himself drawn to Leila when he should have been objective.
Gripping and fast moving action. A who-done-it style of finding the guilty party. Zero sexual tension beyond one shared kiss which seems tame for Harlequin but with the constant twists and investigations made sense. Happy there was an epilogue to put the HEA on all the drama. I want to know more about secondary characters Zane and Melinda who both have deep backstories we only get a piece of here.
SECRET INVESTIGATION (Tactical Crime Division Book #2) by Elizabeth Heiter is the second book in a new Harlequin Intrigue multi-author series featuring members of the FBIs Tactical Crime Division. This is a specialized unit of the FBI formed to handle the toughest cases at a moment’s notice anywhere in the country.
FBI agent and former Army ranger Davis Rogers is devastated to learn of the death of a close Army friend when her unit is killed in an ambush when their body armor fails. When Davis learns that his unit will be investigating Petrov Armor, the makers of the defective armor, he wants the assignment. Davis wants everyone responsible to pay to the death of his friend.
Leila Petrov has become the CEO of Petrov Armor after the death of her father. She is shocked when she learns it is her company’s armor worn during the ambush. She is willing to allow Davis unlimited access when he comes into the company undercover, but she also wants to know what he finds and help.
As Davis investigates, even though he blames Leila as the head of her company and responsible for the deaths, he is finding it difficult to not like her and maybe even more. He finds he is losing his objectivity as far as Leila is concerned and he knows he is going to hurt her and the company when the traitor in her company is found.
I loved this addition to the series! The plot is well paced with intricate twists that kept me guessing right up until the end. Davis and Leila are great together. The author shows both as strong and intelligent and as their feelings grow it is at a realistic pace without feeling rushed and it never overshadows the suspense plot. No sex in this book, just a budding romance. The suspense and intrigue are the focus of this story.
The sub-plot with Melinda and Kane added depth to the story and I am looking forward to more from their characters in the future.
I can highly recommend this addition to the Tactical Crime Division series. It is an intense and suspense filled read in a small package.
Secret Investigation by Elizabeth Heiter is the second book in The Tactical Crime Division series. In this new series each book is written by different authors. This installment features Agent Davis Rogers and CEO of Petrov Armor, Leila Petrov.
Agent Davis requested to be a part of the investigation into the defective armour manufactured by Petrov Armor. His reason for the request stemmed from the fact that one of his friends died from bullet wounds received in an ambush while wearing one of these armours. Determined to uncover the identity of the person or persons responsible and make them pay, he went undercover at the company. However, he never expected to be attracted to the lovely CEO, an attraction that may jeopardize the investigation.
Leila, who became the CEO after her father’s death, was dismayed to learn that the armour manufactured by her company may have caused the tragedy involving Davis’s friend. Reluctantly she agreed to allow Davis to investigate within her company. She refused to believe her employees would be involved, especially those close to her. Will she be able to accept the truth when it comes to light?
The story started out tragically and ended on a bittersweet note. The scenes in between had me turning the pages as I needed to see how it would unfold. Davis’s investigation revealed more than just defective armours, which added another element of danger to the story. I guessed the identity of the mastermind behind the defective armours from quite early in the story, but I hoped I was wrong for Leila’s sake.
As with the first book in the series, the romance took a backseat to the investigation. The story made the reader made aware of the attraction between the characters and evidence of their emotions, though minimal were present in their interactions with each other. If you are a reader who loves passionate love scenes, then you will be disappointed to learn that those were not present in this book.
This story included a sub plot, which added another facet to the story. It featured two characters whose story is incomplete, and which I am interested in learning more about. Although both storylines followed distinct paths, they were interconnected and made for some interesting and dangerous moments.
In this thrilling book Secret Investigation, Davis Rogers is sent undercover to Petrov Armor to try and discover why body armor was defective, resulting in the deaths of American soldiers, including one of his friends. He is not sure he is the man for the job because when the FBI, who oversee the specialized Tactical Crime Division (TCI), investigated Petrov Armor, he felt an immediate attraction to the company's CEO.
As CEO of Petrov Armor, Leila Petrov is happy that her company was not found at fault for the armor, although she is saddened by the loss of lives. Imagine her shock when she discovers that an FBI agent she previously met is sent in undercover to further investigate her company. She doesn't want Davis there. It doesn't help that she is attracted to him, but more so, and most certainly far more important, she cannot believe that any equipment that left her company could be found at fault.
There are only a few people Leila's company who could be responsible for any faulty armor, her uncle, her ex, who is the company's salesman, or the head of R & D. It doesn't take very long for Davis to begin to see through the cracks that one of these people is responsible, not only for the equipment failure, but for the death of Leila's father, which was very recent.
This fast-paced story kept me on my toes. On the one hand, just as each story in this series offers, there is the romance that develops between the primary protagonists. That is not the focus, however. Instead, quite a bit of emotion is at play in these sweet romantic suspense books and this builds up slowly. What is primary in this story is the intrigue and the danger. Every time I was certain who was the guilty party, I was thrown off guard. As the book reached a shocking conclusion I all but held my breath. What an excellent job Elizabeth Heiter did with this book! It is the perfect companion to what is certain to be a very successful series.
Many thanks to Harlequin Intrigue and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
The story starts with a ghastly prologue which becomes the next case that the Tactical Crime Division has to work on. Headed by Director Jill Pembrook, whose leadership we witnessed in Book One - 48 Hours Lockdown, TCD is back with another crime to be investigated.
...a rapid response team that could activate quickly and take on almost any threat.
Davis Rogers, an ex-Army ranger turned agent of TCD, feels at home with the team. But this latest case is personal for him, as someone he was close to has died because of faulty body armor. And the main supplier of body armor to the military is Petrov Armor, since the last five years.
Thirty-year-old CEO Leila Petrov is at the helm of Petrov Armour since the last one year, ever since her father retired. Three weeks ago, she lost him to a mugging gone wrong. Having not had the time to even grieve his death, this horrifying incident of so many innocent lives lost and which involves her father's legacy sprung up.
More than being undercover, I was amused at the position Davis had to take at Leila's company for the assignment. Harlequin Intrigue is a breath of fresh air in this respect. As was Leila putting on her own sleuthing hat and trying to determine who the real culprit is in their company if any.
The most interesting thing was the parallel story going on apart from Davis and Leila's. Dr Melinda Larsen, a profiler for TCD and Kane Bradshaw, another agent who carried out the investigation at another level. But, their story remained unresolved and I hope to see more of them in the next book(s). Also, Evan from Book One made a very brief appearance, and I wanted more of him. This wanting more never ends, does it?
Both the storylines were too suspenseful and also dangerous at times while following their individual trajectories and yet remained related to each other. This is my first read by Elizabeth Heiter and I enjoyed every word of it. The best part was that the suspense was there till the very end and I didn't see the ending coming, didn't expect an ending like that in a Harlequin. But it was somehow a perfect conclusion.
Wow, they weren't joking when they billed this story as action packed, edge of your seat reading! This story has Davis Rogers going undercover as PA to CEO Leila Petrov in the hope of discovering how defective versions of the body armour her firm produces has been used with fatal results. Leila can't believe anyone she knows could be double crossing her or putting the firm in danger but someone is framing her and needs stopping. Can she work with Davis? Will she really support his investigations?
This is a story of double crossing, danger and disaster as well as romance. It really does live up to that billing and has great characters and a roller coaster plot full of twists and turns to keep you guessing. It is an enthralling story of loyalty, family and friendships being put to the test and the Tactical Crime Division striving to bring the perpetrators to justice..... I can't wait to read more in this series!!
I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it and finding it an intriguing and entertaining read that I have no hesitation in highly recommending.
I'm loving this series and I loved this instalment. It's gripping and entertaining, the characters are well thought and the plot kept me hooked till the end. A more complete review will follow. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
This book begins with the unthinkable, an act of greed that will make you angry, but why and who is responsible? One of the FBI agents called into investigate this horrible crime is Davis Rogers, and for him this is personal, he knew one of the victims, and he wants justice! We also meet the young CEO of the company that is responsible for making the armor,Leila Petrov, and she is soon involved in the investigation, but, you wonder if she is involved? My mind ran the gamut of who would have done horrible deed, and why, and the deeper we go, the more your ideas change and why? This one will keep you riveted page turning for the answers!
I received this book through the Publisher Harlequin, and was not required to give a positive review.
I picked this book up in search of a fast moving mystery with a touch of romance as I have come to love from Elizabeth's books. I was absolutely not disappointed. We started with failed body armor, and rapidly moved to an investigation into how that happened. Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome went inside the company and started digging. Death, struggles, love, and relationships all came into play. They were intricately tied together, then unraveled and everything came nicely together in the end. I was guessing all the way through the book trying to figure out who I could trust. In the end, I was surprised, but it all made perfect sense. Grab a copy of this book, and clear your schedule for a day or two. You won't regret it!
Secret Investigation takes on an intriguing case of faulty body armor and a family-owned business with lots of secrets. The plot is solid, with some good twists, though there are times you have to suspend belief a bit regarding the way the investigation plays out.
I wasn't crazy about the romance between Davis and Leila. For me, there was way too much fawning and swooning between the two, especially given their positions as an experienced FBI agent and a company CEO. Aside from the physical attraction two people might feel when meeting, I didn't see enough between them to create the intense bond and insta-love reaction.
Still, the story and cast of characters held my interest throughout.
This is the second book in the four-book Tactical Crime Division series. Each book features different members of the team, and the plots aren't connected, so it reads perfectly as a stand-alone.
*I received a review copy from Harlequin Intrigue, via NetGalley.*
Secret Investigation by Elizabeth Heiter Tactical Crime Division #2
The TCD is called in to find out why the body armor supplied to soldiers failed and so many were killed. Davis Rogers is to head up the team looking into Petrov and will end up going in undercover as Leila Petrov’s assistant. There are at least three viable suspects that are being considered. Melinda and Kane are helping out in a side investigation that overlaps the one Davis is working on and their situation is also complicated by...feelings.
What I liked: * Davis: an army ranger who gives his all to the job and is focused on finding out why the armor failed and his friend died. He is also interested in the chemistry between him and Leila. * The side story of Melinda and Kane – do want to know how that will turn out...maybe in another book in the series. * The concept of the series and getting to know the various team members * Knowing that there will be more books in the series * That the bad guy was found * That Leila & Davis have potential for the future
What I did not like: * The bad guy * The group that was buying from Petrov on the down-low * The times I would think, “Would it really happen like that?
Did I enjoy this book? Yes Would I read more in the series? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Intrigue for the ARC – This is my honest review.
Leila is the CEO of Petrov Armor and it seems that there is some amiss in her company. Davis Rogers is the one undercover trying to get to the bottom of the armor sold to those he was close to that ended up faulty leading to thier deaths. Leila is more then willing to let him investigate whats going on because this is a family owned company and is sure no one she knows is at fault.
I love a good mystery novel. I loved watching as the investigation went on. At first Davis isn't sure if Leila's sweet demeanor is a truth one that maybe she is behind what happens and if she isn't who is? I loved watching as they uncover the mystery and find something much bigger at work. I loved seeing that bit of romance with the mystery it did keep things interesting besides the whole mystery. I loved that there was so much going on that it kept me on my toes and interested. Overall great book I really enjoyed it. Can't wait to see whats in store for the next book in this series.
Secret Investigation by Elizabeth Heiter is a perplexing mystery with a diverse cast of interesting characters and an intriguing storyline.
The body armor failure during a military training mission gone horrifically wrong makes Tactical Crime Division's newest case quite personal for FBI Agent Davis Rogers. He and the rest of team are certain that CEO Leila Petrov is involved in selling inferior body armor to the military. But upon first meeting Leila, Davis believes her when she proclaims her innocence. She wants to know who is responsible for such an egregious act, but could Davis's theory that it is an inside job possibly be right?
Leila and Davis are reluctant partners in an investigation that threatens Petrov Armor's future. Davis and the team suspect someone very close to the top of the business is involved but Leila is harder to convince. The family owned business includes her Uncle Joel who is like a second father to her and her closest friend Eric Ross. Could someone she loves and trusts have betrayed her?
The investigation takes a few unexpected twists when agent at large and loner Kane Bradshaw acts on a hunch. Just as he is close to uncovering some valuable evidence, FBI Profiler Dr. Melinda Larsen complicates his plan. Will Kane and Melinda escape from a dangerous situation?
Secret Investigation is an engaging mystery that also includes an unanticipated romance between Davis and Leila. Pushing their unexpected feelings aside, they work to unmask the person whose greed cost so many lives. With well-placed red herrings, Elizabeth Heiter brings this clever mystery to a shocking conclusion. Although this newest release is the second installment in the multi-author Tactical Crime Division series, it can be read as a standalone.
I must say, I highly recommend this book. I read this book in two sitting only because life got in the way! I love the way Elizabeth Heiter engages the reader from the first page. And she keeps one guessing throughout the book. A crime so very personal to the investigator, Agent Davis Rogers. A manufacturer that is selling defaulted goods intentionally. The crime is killing people, people who are there to keep us all safe. I kept going back and forth on the good guys versus the bad guys. I am looking forward to reading other books in this series. This is a first for me, each book is written by a different author.
The second installment in the Tactical Crime Division miniseries brings a new set of characters and a new threat to neutralize. We briefly met Davis Rogers in the first book and this one gives us a chance to get to know him. The mystery is well-developed as is character motivation. The romance is a little thin, but definitely worth a read.
I have been enjoying the mystery behind each of these books. In this one they are trying to solve the reason why an armor wasn't working when it should have. Meeting Leila Petrov was fun. For she was responsible and cared about her business. Agent Davis Rogers lost a friend so he wants answers. The way Elizabeth wrote the book there is alot of action and mystery in this story. The bad guy in this story will definitely surprise you. I like how Elizabeth shows the interest Leila and Davis have in each other. It has boundaries that are not crossed til after. I really enjoyed the pace of the story and how it was written. J
Fantastic story that gripped me from the first page to the last. FBI agent Davis Rogers was devastated to learn of the death of a friend of his when her unit's body armor failed. When he learns that his team will investigate the manufacturer, he wants in on the assignment. He is determined to bring the traitor to justice.
CEO Leila Petrov was horrified to discover that her company's armor had failed so badly. She is more than willing to give Davis unlimited access during his undercover operation. She is also determined to be part of the investigation.
Sparks flew between Leila and Davis from the beginning. Part of it was Davis's certainty that someone at Petrov was a traitor against Leila's refusal to believe that anyone at her company would do something so heinous. The other part was the attraction that flared between them. Unlike some romantic suspense stories, both Davis and Leila are aware of the complications that could arise if they give in to their attraction. I liked the way that they got to know each other, admitted to their feelings, yet still managed to keep things professional between them. There was a little trouble with trust between them near the end when they butted heads over the likely suspects. Both had to take a good look at whether love could overcome those momentary lapses. I liked seeing them come together at the end, ready to move toward a future with each other.
The suspense of the story was fantastic. Davis is driven to discover the truth behind his friend's death. Leila will do anything she can to prevent any more deaths. Leila is working at a slight disadvantage, having only recently taken over as CEO from her father. Some employees feel she isn't up to the job, especially after she ended their weapon manufacturing to concentrate solely on armor production. As the investigation progressed, Davis and his team discovered that the problem was much bigger than they suspected. The more they learn, the narrower the suspect pool becomes. The number of twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. Every time I thought I knew who it was, something would point to someone else. Then someone else would move to the top of the list, then back to the first person. I was a little disappointed in Davis because I thought that he allowed his personal feelings to influence him a little more than he should have regarding one suspect. The final confrontation was intense, with an unexpected resolution.
There was also a secondary part of the investigation pursued by Kane, the undercover specialist, and Melinda, the profiler. Kane is a loner, as most undercover operatives are, and doesn't appreciate being paired with Melinda, who sees him more clearly than he likes. There are sparks between them, in equal parts antagonism and attraction. Both of them make mistakes that nearly get them killed. It will be interesting to see if they show up again in later books.
The spectacular failure of supposedly-powerful, ultra-strong, bullet-stopping full body armor leads to the deaths of a group of soldiers and launches an investigation by the FBI’s Tactical Crime Division. Petrov Armor, once a supplier of both guns and armor, has shuttered their gun division and now, under CEO Leila Petrov, focuses solely on body armor . . . the same body armor worn by the doomed soldiers.
Still reeling over the death of her father during a mugging gone wrong some three weeks earlier, Leila struggles with the fact that the defective body armor came from her company and has trouble believing that Petro Armor harbors a traitor. Nevertheless, she agrees to an undercover FBI agent coming into the company to investigate. Davis Rogers, determined to find the traitor responsible for the defective armor that led to the death of his friend, Jessica Carpenter, assumes a position as Leila’s assistant.
As Davis searches for the culprit responsible for the horrific deed, will he find a traitor? And what other secrets does Petrov Armor hold, waiting for Davis to discover?
In this, the second in the multi-author Tactical Crime Division series, the twisting plot takes readers in surprising directions as new revelations emerge. Strong, well-drawn characters populate the story; they, along with the fast pace and a touch of romance all work together to keep the pages turning. A parallel investigation with other agents looking into the Petrov gun distribution keeps the tension pulsating while danger builds the suspense and pulls the reader into the telling of the tale from the very first page.
Although a sub-plot involving other characters [waiting for the next story?] is not fully resolved, this stand-alone tale is sure to satisfy readers who will find the action-packed story a worthy addition to this new series. Double crosses, plot twists, derring-do, and adventure are the hallmarks for this difficult-to-set-aside tale that keeps readers guessing until it reaches its perfect conclusion.
Grief, betrayal, secrets, and loyalties are driving this intense investigation to the devastating loss of soldiers on the field, and the CEO Leila Petrov is doing everything in her power to clear her company's name. Leila has fought her way to the top even though many think that she is there just because of her bloodline. She is hardworking, smart, loyal, capable, professional and she is willing to fight for what she believes is right. I liked her, her drive, her ability to handle tough situations. The former ranger Davis Rogers is an intense hero. He is driven and he has a mission being willing to do anything to accomplish it. He had to grow on me, I really had to get to know him a bit more to like him and root for him. And to root for Leila and him as a couple, though there's very little attention given for their relationship to develop and grow to be something significant. The secondary couple with conflict from the team of investigators once again in a shorter length of a book felt - to me - an unnecessary distraction. Heiter writes potent investigation scenes that twists and curve like a mountain road, never knowing what is coming around the corner. I love her style to build up the anticipation and keep the readers on a riveting edge until the end. ~ Three Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
This is the second book in the Tactical Crime Division series in the Harlequin Intrigue line over at Harlequin Books.
Basic premise: Davis Rogers goes under cover at Petrov Armor, the maker of bullet proof vests that got some of their agents killed. The CEO. Leila Petrov, is new and taken over after the death of her father. Davis is part of the Tactical Crime Division. There are a couple of other agents involved in this story, Kane and Melinda.
I thought this was a good mix of suspense and romance. But the romance was pretty lacking from what you normally see in an intrigue. I personally would have liked to see more but what was shown was perfectly acceptable.
There were a lot of suspects and truthfully, I think I would have liked to see how Davis and his team gathered their information. A lot of the action seemed to happen off camera.
If you love a good romantic suspense, definitely check this one out.
Secret Investigation is another solid book in the Tactical Crime Division. In this book, FBI agent Davis is looking into a company that produced a faulty armor. He lost one of his friends and wants to know what caused this.
As he investigates and starts to get close to Leila, the CEO of the company, he is having a difficult time keeping things strictly professional.
It had the right amount of mystery and romance while keeping you guessing about whodunnit.
I give Secret Investigation 4 stars. I liked the whole plot of the story and the author did a great job at keeping me intrigued. I wanted more romance and story when it came to Leila and Davis, but it was still a good read. If you like a read that is suspenseful, you should give it a try.
This is the second book in a planned four book series within the Tactical Crime Division (TCD). I totally read them out of order. I still need to order the first one, then I read the third one and now I read the second one. So, I guess they can be read as stand-alone and totally make sense...but I normally choose to read them in order. Somewhere along the way, I was not paying attention. I was particularly looking forward to this one because I enjoy Elizabeth Heiter’s Harlequin Intrigue books. Her books got me hooked on Romantic Suspense and now here we are…
This fast-paced book will hook you from the first page and you won’t be able to put it down until the end. Leila is the CEO of Petrov Armor and she is being investigated for selling faulty body armor to soldiers *gasp*. Leila is a young CEO of such a large company, so she feels like she constantly has to prove herself and this incident is not helping matters. Leila is willing to let Agent Davis Rogers go undercover and investigate whether or not the faulty armor is really from her company. Things are pretty personal for Davis because one of his close friends died from the faulty armor. The immediate attraction to Leila creates a lot of conflicting feelings on both sides.
Leila is sure it cannot be anyone at her company that is responsible for the faulty, but she lets Davis investigate. She is also doing her own investigation. Cracks start to appear within the company’s ranks and the intrigue is definitely climbing. The mystery and action is definitely exciting and the romance brewing between our two protagonists is believable and exciting. Readers will find themselves rooting for Leila and Davis. This is definitely a great addition to the series. You will probably want to end up reading all four of the books.
First time reading something by this author and it won't be the last.
I like romantic suspense with an emphasis on 𝖗𝖔𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖊 so I was a little worried when I read in the book's introduction about the author liking her suspense with a little romance. In the end, I was left very satisfied with this aspect. I think it was the correct quota for the story and the timeframe. And realistic, that's it.
Both protagonists were likable and thankfully not one-dimensional. Maybe that's why 𝐿𝑒𝒾𝓁𝒶 sometimes exasperated me with her almost obliviousness when it came to her uncle, ex or close workers. I was like: Please! Don't tell him! He/She can be the traitor...but she ended up spilling everything. I wanted to strangle her. But then I calmed down and cut her some slack. Knowing her history you can understand her behavior even if I didn't like it.
About 𝒟𝒶𝓋𝒾𝓈, I liked his internal conflict. His growing feelings for Leila colliding with the investigation disturb him a lot. It makes the romance and the story believable, especially knowing his interest in finding the culprit is personal: a friend died because of it. He has his flaws also. I wanted to strangle him in the last chapters. However, like him I was fooled by the bad guy too for a minute.
What I enjoyed more was the suspense, it keeps you on your toes the whole time. Thought it was obvious the culprit was someone close to her and her dad, I was between two of the suspects.
And not least important, the side characters were pretty good. They accompanied the story well and made me want to know more about them. In this case, we got Melinda and Kade. I'm waiting for their book.
Davis Rogers, a new addition to the Tactical Crime Division TCD) and ex-elite ranger, watches a video where a unit led by a friend is mowed down even though they’re wearing Petrov body armor. Davis volunteers to lead the investigation by going undercover at Petrov. Not only was his friend killed, he was one of the original testers of the armor and gave it an enthusiastic endorsement.
Leila Petrov at thirty is the new head of Petrov. Three weeks ago her father was killed in a mugging gone wrong. Her father wanted her to be the one to take over the company, but some of the other corporate managers aren’t so sure, like he ex and her uncle.
Leila doesn’t like the idea of Davis being undercover in the company, but she wants to know who was responsible for the defective armor. Davis for his part starts by thinking Leila may be responsible, but as he works with her, he isn’t so sure.
This is another fast paced TCD novel. The investigation has a number of twists. It’s not clear until the end who is responsible. Davis and Leila are well matched characters who work together is a complimentary fashion. A bonus is the attraction they feel for each other, but it’s not the main focus of the story.
This is the second book in the TCD series, but it reads easily as a standalone.
I received this book for Harlequin for this review.
If you require more romance than suspense or even equal parts romance and suspense, Secret Investigation may not be what you're looking for. This one is kind of romance adjacent. There are looks exchanged and Leila and Davis clearly share an attraction, but I just didn't get the romance vibe from these two. There's also what seems to be a little something going on between a couple of the other members of the team in this one, but there are only hints of what it could lead to. What this one does excel at is mystery. The suspense side of Secret Investigation is well - suspenseful. The pacing is good and while there are a handful of characters to choose from as our culprit, the author doesn't quite give us enough info to completely solve this one until the reveal is upon us. I wouldn't necessarily like that in a longer story, but for the length of this one, it works pretty well, and it serves to keep the pages turning. The relationship between Davis and Leila is sort of a forbidden one at least from an FBI standpoint, or it would be with a bit of relationship development. As it stands, it's pretty darn close to instalove. Nevertheless, the characters are likable, and I do enjoy a good fast-paced mystery, and on that, this one certainly delivers.
Secret Investigation by Elizabeth Heiter is a fast-paced novel full of intrigue. There was plenty of action to keep my attention. The suspense of who is behind the failed armor for military usage is great! I did not suspect the person who actually was behind it all. The suspects list is comprised of characters that truly looked guilty. But it was only a matter of time for the Tactical Crime Division to rule out who is guilty or innocent. The danger escalated with every page. The CEO, Leila, has her hands full especially with the most recent investigation of her dad's company. Then, the FBI come to investigate and she knows something really bad has happened within the company. But she is just as clueless as to how and why. Leila is a strong female character. Trusting to a fault, smart, and dedicated to her dad's company. FBI Agent, Davis, rounded out the story perfectly. He has the badass attitude, the former military knowledge and training, and an undeniable attraction to his main suspect, Leila. Only time will tell what happens next and how it will end. The ending is explosive and epic. Overall, I am satisfied with the level of writing found in this book.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
“Secret Investigation” by Elizabeth Heiter is a complex tale of power and betrayal.
Someone at Petrov Armor is guilty of selling defective armor to the military and TCD agent, Davis Rogers, goes undercover in the company as assistant to CEO, Leila Petrov. He has a personal stake in solving the case since one of his friends died when wearing the inferior product. Leila, grieving from the loss of her father, is still in the position of proving to her employees her father made the right decision in making her CEO. Knowing someone is trying to destroy everything her father built, she agrees to give Davis access to anything he needs. What Davis and Leila don’t count on is the attraction and chemistry flowing between them, but finding out who is responsible has to come before anything else.
Ms. Heiter creates a maze of suspicion on who is behind the attempt at destroying Petrov Armor. I admit, I was taken off guard when the true culprit was revealed.
“Secret Investigation” is book 2 of Harlequin Intrigue’s Tactical Crime Division 4 book miniseries.
Already a big fan of Tactical Crime Division series, but still I love it more and more. Elizabeth Heiter is a new author for me, and from this book I'll be following all her books, I'm a fan now.
A secret investigation of an armor company, with a lot of twists and turns, definitely has captivating story, great amount of mystery and suspence and spice up with romance. A perfect book for me as a suspense romance fan. I love how the author always threw me for a loop till the last moment. I know the suspects, and when I think my guess is right, then another facts got me pointing to another suspect, but then another surprise comes up, so I'm pointing to another suspect, and this keeps happening till the end, so I'm absolutely loveeeee it. and if you're looking for easy-to-read suspense romance read, this is definitely for you.