A FORMER FBI AGENT MUST COME OUT OF RETIREMENT TO SOLVE A MURDER IN THE FIFTH NOVELLA IN THE WIDOW'S ISLAND SERIES FROM 'WALL STREET JOURNAL' BESTSELLING AUTHOR KENDRA ELLIOT.
Former FBI special agent Cate Wilde is a new bakery and bookstore owner - and retirement is now complete with a doctor boyfriend. Although she struggles with PTSD, the sweet life she’s living is a far cry from the gruesome work she left behind six months ago.
But when skeletal remains turn up on Widow’s Island—and the MO of the killer is too familiar to Cate - the dream comes to an abrupt end. What if the case she solved eight years ago isn’t as closed as she thought? Her hometown needs her, and despite her mental health and her boyfriend’s protests, she has no choice but to return to her dangerous past life.
Soon Cate is in a desperate race to stop a cold-blooded murderer from killing again, once and for all. . .only this time, she’ll have so much more to lose.
Now Cate has finally settled down for a quiet life, she's ready to leave her FBI past and murderer hunting behind her. But the discovery of bones, linked to a serial killer Cate helped put away 8 years ago, throws her back into the frontline. Can she stop the killer from striking again?
I really enjoy these little novellas. They have a distinct small town feel, where everybody knows everything and gossip is rife. Being 5 stories in, I've started to get attached to a few of them and Cate and Tessa are a good team, surrounded by a number of interesting secondary characters.
The plot is very fast paced (at 91 pages it has to be), but as a result it does feel that certain discoveries are made far too easily and with little effort. The conclusion and reveal are also very rushed, with explanations for actions thrown out during high tension scenes as off hand comments that don't get properly developed.
Fast novel with a small town atmosphere, these are nice little fun novellas with mystery twists that can be read in about an hour.
So many skeletons on this poor forsaken island, figuratively and literally.
Only 91 pages it took me a couple hours to finish These are okay novellas. I prefer a little more meat on the bones.
'Henry had unknowingly inherited the job of coroner when he'd bought the island's sole medical practice a year ago.' How many times will the authors tell me that? I guess every book. On to book 6
I just feel disappointed by the character of Cate at this point. I am not liking it when the novellas shift to her. Her totally reliance on Henry is not healthy either. Heck, even a serial killer called her out and she's a mess. I just wish that the series just stays with Tessa at this point. Also, how many serial killers are running around "Widow's Island?"
I find these novellas to be the perfect length for my reading style. They are riveting and have satisfying conclusions. The reader doesn’t have to remember from earlier chapters who the characters are, which makes it easier to get to the “good stuff”!
In Below the Bones, we are back with former FBI special agent Cate Wilde. She has left the bureau, although it’s listed as a sabbatical, and opened a bakery/bookshop on the island. While she still suffers from PTSD, life is good with Henry, her boyfriend and the local doctor.
She still misses the thrill of working a case, especially when bodies are discovered and the burial resembles a serial killer case she helped solve. To complicate things, the agent in charge is an old boyfriend. Can you say awkward?
It was fun seeing Henry deal with an old flame. The case was interesting and one that helped Cate permanently decide her future. It brought suspense and twists as they hunted for the killer. The mysteries are light and will appeal to the masses.
The story left me craving a more meaty serial killer tale, but I love this series. The stories while short are the perfect one sitting tale.
Below the Bones was another enjoyable installment in the Widow's Island series that connects to a case from Cate's past.
Former FBI agent Cate Wilde is enjoying her simpler life as a bakery and bookstore owner on Widow's Island. But when skeletal remains are found on the island with a MO that matches that of a killer she put away eight years ago, that peace is broken. Drawn into the case due to her knowledge and proximity, Cate has no choice but to return to her old life despite its' dangers. And when it becomes clear this killer isn't finished, Cate is in a race to stop them before they claim another victim.
The plot of remains being found that tie into one of Cate's old cases was an interesting one. At the end of the last book Cate made peace with leaving the FBI due to her PTSD only for this case to draw her back in. It was interesting watching her navigate wanting justice while also not wanting to return to the life she had. The connection to the island meant one of its' residents was likely connected to the crime and I was curious if it would be someone we've met before. I was a bit surprised by the identity of the killer as I had someone else in mind, but their involvement made sense once we learned everything. Overall I thought the plot was well done and I was happy with the ending which had just the right amount of suspense.
Cate continues to be my favorite character in the series, so I was happy to be back in her head in this installment. Despite being ok about leaving the FBI at the end of Bred in the Bone, it was understandable that Cate would have some doubts when a case tied to her past with the FBI essentially appears on her door step. I liked watching Cate work through her anxiety around being involved with the case and I was happy with the way it reaffirmed her decision that she needed to step back. Cate's relationship with Henry continues to be fantastic and I love where these two have ended up. Henry is so supportive of Cate which is wonderful to see and I liked that he didn't push her one way or the other when it came to helping the FBI. The romance in this series isn't front and center, so this series might work well for those who prefer that.
Overall Below the Bones was fantastic and I'm excited to read the next installment, A Broken Bone, soon. I highly recommend this series if you're looking for some great suspense with a hint of romance.
Below the Bones gave us a little bit more of the creepy setting with Widow's Island and its history, which I loved! I'm very interested in this aspect of the novellas and I loved how it made itself known in this installment.
I did think the mystery plot itself was solved way too quickly? I really liked the initial set up and how it brought conflict back to Cate and made her reflect on some of her choices, but there was no tension when it came to the plot resolution. It all happened very quickly and it was more rushed than usual. I am curious to see what's to come, though, since the Sam thing was solved in the previous novella and this one didn't seem to establish another big series arc for the characters.
There hasn't been a Kendra Elliot book that I haven't absolutely loved. Her Mercy Kilpatrick series was a favorite of mine. This is another great series comprised totally of novellas. I wish there wasn't so much time in between the novellas. They are so good!
Audiobook: Narrator - Christine Williams I’ve reviewed the previous audiobooks in this series with this narrator and I’m not a fan. However, I have forced myself to continue and while I still do not care for her performance, I am adjusting to it enough to be able to somewhat ignore those things that annoy me.
Wow! This one had a lot going on. With a past case pushing Cate back into “action” to some degree and her struggle to determine what she wanted in her life as far as her job goes, this just barely hit on the drama that unfolded within these pages.
I really liked that Henry was so supportive to her. The romance takes a far back seat, but his quiet presence added a touch so sweet I ached. This also has a mystery that extended itself through years and I never saw the end result until it was revealed. I love when that happens.
Although these tend to feel the same, and I should probably allow some time to hibernate in between books, I am enjoying each one of them.
Another great installment in this series. Some human bones are found on Widow's Island and Tessa must enlist the help of the FBI to figure out what happened. Tessa's BFF, Cate is sorta Ex-FBI who is on sabbatical after being shot is asked to help with the case by another FBI agent because the MO is identical to a serial killer she helped put in prison years ago. Cate has some PTSD and has some reservations about helping because of PTSD. Personally I think Cate will miss being part of the FBI. However I think she would make a great consultant. She can be part of the cases, but do so at a distance. She claims that she doesn't want to be part of it, but I think she's fibbing a bit. We shall see in future installments.
2 1/2 stars, rounded up to 3. First off, this is not a stand alone book. You will be lost if you hvne't read the previous 4 novellas.
This one is hard to review. Because I can't tell if the novella was lackluster or if I was so distracted by events all around me that I couldn't concentrate on it. I listened to the majority of the book on Election Day and I would find myself tuning out and then having to rewind to try and listen again. I don't think it pulled me in as much as the previous 4 books did. The relationships between the characters was barely there. There was a internal dialog with Cate as she tried to decide what to do about the FBI, and in turn the murder, but not much dialog between her and the other characters.
I have alternately listened/read the previous 4 books so I know I have heard the narrator, Christine Williams, before but this time I thought her performance was lackluster as well.
I remain a fan of Ms. Elliot, but I don't think this was her best.
Another simple, easy to devour on a lunch break. No huge mystery just a simple study the clues, draw a conclusion and plan the conclusion. (I do like the slight spirit angel reference)
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I read the first 4 books in this Widow's Island series through Kindle Unlimited. They are written alternately by Kendra Eliot and Melinda Leigh. Each book in the series are short, novella length. Below the Bones is by Kendra Elliot and is very short, only a couple of hours. I would not read this without reading the series, as it is like an epilogue to Cate's story.
In previous books, Cate is an FBI agent who is injured and comes back to the island to stay with her grandma while she recuperates. While she is there, she gets involved with a new case on the island. She is on leave but decides to stay on the island to run the bakery / bookshop with her grandma and her new boyfriend, the island doctor.
Now she hasn't given final notice to the FBI and is perhaps a little bored with her new life. So when a case comes to the island that seems connected with one of her old cases she gets involved. The FBI is keen to have her back. Cate works this case along with another agent and makes a final decision about how to continue her life.
Narration: Christine Williams has narrated the entire series, so by now I am very comfortable with her voices. She differentiates enough so I can tell different characters. I listened at my normal 1.5x speed.
Cate has settled into her new life back on Widow's Island, but she still hasn't *quite* given up her special agent job with the FBI. By that, I mean, she's still holding onto a few last threads and when a body shows up that has striking similarities to an old case, she gets pulled back into special agenting.
Which is both good and bad. While she relishes the challenge and wants to do everything she can to help victims, she's still mentally not quite where she needs to be to get back into that line of work full time. Cate being Cate, however, she does step in to help.
On the upside, this case helps put the past to rest. In more ways than one. Cate sees that as much as she might miss some aspects of her old job, she's not the same woman she was before. Her PTSD could cause her to freeze at the wrong moment and put others' lives in danger. Delving into an old case and bringing a victim closure (even if it's after the fact) is an added plus. You know, along with getting a bad guy off the streets so they can't kill again.
I'm enjoying these books. Cate's found her place back on Widow's Island and with the people there. She has solid support (family, friends, and her honey-bunny), but that doesn't mean she can turn her back on someone who needs her help. GOOD STUFF.
Sigh, I am home :) I love this series and the fact that they are novellas means you can grab your coffee, tea, and go inside Widows Island. It was awesome to be back, to see Cate, Tessa and Suzanne. Pick up their lives and feel like your talking with your neighbors. Jerry Hooper, is walking off after effects of a new marijuana blend with his dog Rocky. Rocky comes back with a bone and we are off. This is a well done novella can be read and shared with multiple ages. I love when a man and women are confident in their relations ship, Cate and Henry show embody that. As Tessa, Bruce. Cate. Henry and Mike (FBI) work the case we are treated to a well done mystery with some twists and a flat out surprise "who dun it" I love a book that entertains and makes my mind seek resolution of the mystery. Thank you Kendra Elliot, Montlake and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Omg I have waited for a whole year for this book to be released ever so impatiently and let me tell you that it was soooooooo worth it!! I am a romance reader who went searching for something different a while back and stumbled on to this series and fell in love! I love everything about crime fighting (from the investigation point of view) and I like that the murders take place off page and before the scene. I also love that we get to see the romance develop between Cate and Henry naturally. It's not forced and it adds to the stories yei it's not the focus.
This series is completely safe with no cheating or abuse.
When a body is found on the shore of Widow's Island, the MO of the murder is eerily familiar to a serial killer case Cate worked years ago when she was a FBI Agent. Even though this does peak Cate's interest to get back into the investigation side of things her ongoing struggle with her PTSD and her enjoying the peace of being a bakery and bookstore owner now along with being in a healthy relationship with Dr. Henry Powers has her struggling emotionally.
Even though this was a short story the murder investigation was contained to this book, no crossing over into Melinda's. At this stage of the series I really enjoyed that. Kendra is excellent at giving us a good suspense with fascinating killers. The twist was nice also.
A well written little suspense/romance novella that's part of an ongoing series. Can be read as a stand alone re the murder investigation, but it'd be a good idea to read the series from the beginning for background info, as there are a lot of characters to get straight if you're just diving into this book blindly. The romance is barely there, by the way. Good mystery, but the story's too short to get really involved in it. 3.5 stars.
I’m happy that I was able to catch back up with the characters in this series. I love the short novellas these authors write for this series, something I never thought I’d say before.
Cate Wilde is a former FBI agent, now turned bookstore owner and bakery owner. But while living on a quiet island, a skeleton turns up and once again she is thrown into the life she was trying to escape. A great #kindleunlimited book about the bad guys and the good guys. You keep turning the pages because you need to know where this is leading.
Kendra Elliot is one of the authors I have read before and she does not disappoint with this book. #fourstars
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I just love these little novellas, they’re filled with mystery and love and such an easy read. I do feel like this was rushed compared to the other, but I still loved listing to it !
With this one Cate finally has to face her past and her present. Things happen where an old case has connections to the present and Cate is pulled in to help figure things out. In the course of the investigation Cate has to face what made her walk away to begin with and to finally decide what the FBI holds for her. I think she made the right decision. As to the crime and the bad guy, it's a sad story all around.
It’s amazing how much Leigh can pack into a 100 pages. Bones are discovered on Widow’s Island and Kate is pulled into an FBI investigation. Investigating serial murders brings flashbacks for Kate along with an old flame to head the investigation. Henry is right there with her as she struggles to decide what to do with her future. Although they are tracking a serial killer this is also about the characters determining where they really want to be.