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Covert Cowboy Soldiers #5

Casing the Copycat

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They make the perfect team
Until a killer targets them both


Rancher Dunne Thompson spent his adult life trying to atone for his serial killer grandfather. When his friend’s mysterious twin, Quinn Peterson, offers her help with his latest obsession—tracking down a copycat killer—it’s a nonstarter. But Quinn’s quick, unorthodox mind catches patterns Dunne hasn’t seen. As attraction and danger collide, the clues lead to a suspect more surprising than Quinn herself…

248 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 13, 2023

37 people are currently reading
43 people want to read

About the author

Nicole Helm

283 books493 followers
Nicole Helm is the national bestselling author of fast-paced romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue and down-to-earth contemporary romance. Her Intrigues routinely land on the Publishers Weekly Bestseller list, and she’s received starred PW reviews for her contemporary romances. She’s written over 75 books, known for their emotional depth and happily ever afters.

Nicole also writes with Megan Crane/Caitlin Crews as Hazel Beck writing the Witchlore series, which began with SMALL TOWN, BIG MAGIC in 2022.

In her spare time, Nicole loves losing herself in genealogy research, watching Cardinals baseball, and hiking with her family. She lives in Missouri with her husband and two sons.

You can contact her via email: Nicole@nicolehelm.com
You can sign up for Nicole’s monthly newsletter at http://eepurl.com/V973n

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5 stars
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52 (33%)
3 stars
16 (10%)
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
1,329 reviews32 followers
April 1, 2023
Casing the Copycat by Nicole Helm is the first novel in her Covert Cowboy Soldiers series I've read, and it most certainly won't be the last. I'll admit to some character confusion from the outset because all the characters introduced were new to me, and their relationships well-developed in previous novels. However, it certainly didn't affect my enjoyment of this novel, which was one gruesome yet addictive read. Although it's been billed as romantic suspense, the romance really took a back seat in this novel, which is the main reason I'm giving it a 4.5-star rather than a 5-star rating.

The main characters in this novel are Dunne, former soldier, now out of the military due to a broken femur, and Quinn, who escaped her dangerous and bizarre cult family, who abused, debased and terrorized her for decades. All are now living on the Thompson Ranch, where Quinn finally met up with and saved the life of her twin sister, Jessie, in a previous novel, and where the remaining characters are all calling themselves brothers, but are instead all brothers-in-arms rather than genetically related. All the men on this Wyoming ranch have altered their identities, and bid farewell to whomever they were before. Quinn, who was born into the cult, has no birth certificate, and there's no record of her anywhere--she's a ghost.

Back in the 1970s, Dunne's grandfather was known as The Eye Socket Killer, a serial killer who committed grisley crimes (he removed the eyeballs of all his victims) before he was stopped, but apparently, according to the newspapers and other intel gathered by the Thompson brothers, there's a copycat killer on the loose, now committing the same bizarre and horrific crimes as Dunne's grandfather, and Dunne desperately wants to stop him.

The basement of the ranch house is where the "brothers" have been collecting data about the more recent crimes, but when inquisitive Quinn, who is quite the puzzle solver, having survived a terrible upbringing within the cult, much of it being about the search for treasure, sneaks downstairs, she astounds Dunne by recognizing patterns and clues in the posted photos and articles that Dunne and his brothers totally missed, and it's not long before she forces herself into what Dunne had planned to be his solo attempt to find and apprehend the copycat killer.

Once Quinn figures out that the copycat is really sending a message directly to Dunne, and the two head off to Nebraska to try and find the killer, things don't go at all as planned, and from that point on, hang onto your hat, because things are going to get really complicated, really dangerous and more bizarre than you can possibly imagine, which made this one hard novel to put down, and one which almost read like a horror novel, but kudos to Ms. Helm for writing one extremely original read.

While I would have loved more romance between Quinn and Dunne, possibly even in an epilogue, Casing the Copycat was still one unpredictable and unsettling read, and if you can handle the grisly details, it's one I highly recommend, although I also recommend reading this series in the order it was written, something I plan to do as well. This novel is scheduled for release on 4/25/23.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions stated are my own.
Profile Image for Monae Doyle.
1,384 reviews5 followers
April 5, 2025
This book is part of the Covert Cowboy Soldiers series. This is about rancher Dunne Thompson.

Dunne Thompson is a rancher. He has spent his adult life trying to atone for his grandpa who was a serial killer. His friend’s mysterious twin Quinn Peterson offers her help. She offers to help track down a copycat killer. She catches on to patterns that his brother’s and he couldn’t catch. Quinn has been through a lot and has only known to survive. She wants to help Dunne. They leave together to track down this killer.

This book wasn’t a romance it felt that Dunne felt bad for Quinn in that she had trouble reading and all that she had gone through. He asks her out on a date at the end. There were no romantic moments in this book between Quinn and Dunne. I was let down when you found out who the killer was. I thought that it was a let down for me. I just wanted more.
Profile Image for Miranda Alice Austria.
30 reviews1 follower
February 2, 2023
I started this novel not knowing what to expect since I didn’t read the other novels in the series, however it gives enough information on the previous novels that it can be read as a standalone.

I have to start with this, this book is not like any harlequin novel I’ve read before, it has much more depth that usual which was awesome, you really get to connect to the characters.

The twists and turns in this novel honestly have me shook… I was not expecting what happened at ALL. The Group of - not gunna stay it cause I think that would be a spoiler- were creepy as fuck!!!! And I was hooked.

Honestly first book I’ve read in a while that only had a few kisses and made me still enjoy the book!

Would recommend to legit ANYONE who loves a murder mystery/thriller

10/10

Only complaint is that I went back to buy all the previous books but the one before this one isn’t released yet either!!! I did put it in my want to read list!

Trust when I say your girl will be first in line to buy it!


Discloser: I was given an advanced copy of this book for an honest review! I have nothing to gain by lying or making my review “good”.
Profile Image for Susan.
4,777 reviews123 followers
April 22, 2023
Terrific book that I read in one sitting. This is the first book in this series I have read, but there is enough backstory provided that I didn't feel lost while reading it. I plan to read the earlier books and get the details I've missed.

Quinn recently escaped her dangerous cult family after decades of abuse and fear. She now lives on the Thompson ranch with her twin sister, whose life she saved and is recovering from the injuries she received. Quinn has trouble adjusting to "normal" life and uses biting wit and sarcasm to hide her discomfort. She also has her share of pride and hides her inability to read from everyone except her eleven-year-old niece, who is teaching her. Quinn's life in the cult has taught her many skills, including observing and recognizing patterns.

Dunne Thompson is one of the brothers whose ranch this is. Former military, he is still recovering from an injury on his last mission. He isn't as able to do ranch work as the others because of it, leaving him too much time for his latest obsession. After spending years trying to atone for his serial killer grandfather, Dunne is now trying to track down a copycat killer. He's dismayed when Quinn finds his "murder board" and stunned when she spots patterns neither he nor his brothers saw.

A keen observer of human nature, Quinn quickly realizes that Dunne plans to go off on his own to stop the killer. I loved watching her foil his attempt to leave her behind and make a case for going with him. It doesn't take long for Quinn to prove her worth and for Dunne to accept her help. It doesn't come easy for him, as he knows the danger and fears for her safety.

From here to the end, the action is fast, furious, and creepy to terrifying. I loved seeing the teamwork between Dunne and Quinn, balancing each other's strengths and weaknesses. The twists and turns led to a development I never saw coming. The final confrontation had me on the edge of my seat until it was over.

The romance between Quinn and Dunne was pretty mild. Quinn has noticed Dunne among all the brothers but doesn't recognize the feelings he stirs in her at first. Dunne is surprised by his reaction to her and tries to bury it. But the more he gets to know her, the more he sees the vulnerability beneath the attitude, which speaks to his lonely heart. Despite his recognition of her abilities, he is very protective of her. Neither expects the attraction that flares between them, but Dunne is careful to keep it slow and easy. I loved the ending and her surprise at being asked for something as normal as a date.

#netgalley
Profile Image for Katie Mettner.
Author 100 books1,602 followers
March 3, 2023
Casing the copycat by Nicole Helm was an excellent addition to the Covert Cowboy Soldiers series, but also a uniquely told story. The entire book happens over the course of seventy-two hours, and the majority of it is between Dunne and Quinn. Dunne's grandfather was a known serial killer, and there is a new one copying his MO to toy with Dunne. Whoever they are, they know he's still alive, even though the military made sure he was dead on paper. Dunne couldn't, in good conscience, continue to let this person kill because of him, and decided he couldn't wait for the cops to find him. He'd have to track him down himself.

Enter Quinn, a woman who has been recovering on the ranch after saving her twin sister. Jessie, from death. New to living a normal life outside of a cult, Quinn is bored and immediately picks up on the secrets of Dunne and his brothers. When she discovers their murder board, she sees patterns that even Dunne doesn't see. Her determination to go with him to help decipher the clues, in the end, is what will save Dunne's life.

Their arrival in Nebraska is without fanfare until they run across things they shouldn't. Because this story is told tightly and between just two characters, it's hard not to give spoilers. Suffice it to say, with Quinn on his side, there's no way Dunne will fail in casing this copycat. The chemistry between Quinn and Dunne is palpable, but the romance is slow and easy because of Quinn's past. The reader will appreciate Quinn's quirky personality and determination to do the right thing, which will endear her to the reader as the series continues. I give Casing the Copycat five stars for its unique storyline, its perfect pacing, and its break-the-mold couple that you'll fall in love with faster than you can say Nebraska.
Profile Image for Carma.
472 reviews5 followers
April 20, 2023
Quinn hasn’t had a normal life, most recently she took a bullet meant for her sister. Now she is stuck at a compound with her sister, niece, and set of ex-military brothers. This isn’t how she pictured her life and isn’t sure if she wants to run for the hills or dig in and plant roots.

Dunne doesn’t let much bother him, his military training drilled that into his psyche. But when a copycat killer starts leaving messages at each scene, appearing to be directed at him, he must get involved to save lives before anyone else finds out his secret.

Dunne sets out to find the killer, reluctantly letting Quinn tag along. Her investigative skills are coming in handy solving some pieces of the puzzle already. He will protect her at all costs though, she is important to people he cares about. And maybe, just maybe, she is becoming important to him as well.

Quinn knew Dunne wouldn’t take her along willingly, so she made sure he had no choice. This whole copycat case was intriguing her, and she wanted to be there when he confronted the killer. Even with all the survival skills she acquired in her previous life, she was ill prepared for exactly what they would run into on the hunt.

Overall, this read was a positive one. I did feel like there were a lot of repeated scenes and character monologues, feeling like unnecessary filler to make the story longer. I enjoy the writing style of Ms Helm greatly, but this one was a little hard to get all the way through.
Profile Image for Jessica.
2,187 reviews50 followers
June 19, 2023
Dune Thompson is trying to make up for it the fact that his grandfather was a serial killer and more than ever now that there is a copycat killer and that's killing in the same style as his grandpa. Quinn Peterson has had a rock growing up and see things in a different light when it comes to different things and is offering to help Dunes find this copycat killer before that person strikes again.

I really enjoyed this book and following them off to see how they work to solve this mystery. While it wasn't action packed there was plenty of going on to keep me hooked. It was interesting seeing how Quinn's unusual pass help with things here and there. I really enjoyed it when it came to finding the person nothing came out as unexpected and that really kept me on my toes wondering what would happen next. Man I'm having a hard time talking about this without giving too much away this really is a great book just read this book if you like mystery suspense kind of books with a bit of romance that wasn't too much. Overall great book highly recommend.
Profile Image for Michaela | Reading in the Heartland.
3,597 reviews57 followers
May 1, 2023
This is my first book by this author and therefore my first book in this series. It was obvious by the time I finished the character descriptions that there was A LOT of backstory I would be missing in starting with this read. It sounds extremely interesting and I’d highly recommend you start with the first book in this series. That said, let’s get on to discussing this book. We enter where the previous book left off (though I don’t believe it to be a cliff hanger series) and plop right in the middle of a ranch with brothers and significant others - a whole mess of people, a family. I was very intrigued and drawn into the cult, serial killer, and different attitudes and backgrounds of our mains. It was an harrowing read and definitely darker than most. Though, I suppose that’s to be expected with the serial killer angle.

I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Profile Image for Nancy Ku.
1,496 reviews16 followers
March 8, 2023
Casing the Copycat (Covert Cowboy Soldiers #5) by Nicole Helm
This is the 5th book in the series, and I will go back and read more of them. This book can be read as a standalone. Dunne Thompson and Quinn Peterson both have horrid backgrounds. His grandfather was a serial killer, and her father was a twisted evil man. They end up working together to catch a copycat killer. This book kept me on the edge of my seat not wanting to stop reading to eat or sleep. There is angst, suspense, danger, pure evil, self-doubt, mind games, attraction, respect, witty conversations, a few laughs and tears all getting us to a dramatic and wonderful HEA.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Entertaining Action-packed Tragic Twisted Wonderful characters Romantic Haunting Witty Page-turner Happily Ever After Informative Scary Easy-to-read Unpredictable Great world building.
Profile Image for Kate Vale.
Author 24 books82 followers
September 18, 2023
A killer who goes after victims' eyes? A killer who is following in the dubious footsteps of Rancher Dunne Thompson's grandfather? And Quinn, who figures out what's going on sooner than anyone else because she's so recently escaped similar craziness?

A thriller from first page to last. I hope I don't have nightmares now...
189 reviews1 follower
November 22, 2023
Confusing

This story jumped around to me because one minute you think you know what’s going on, then something else happens to make you question it.
Quinne and Dunne could t believe what was going on with these murders.
Dunne having a crazy Aunt with nine sons all named Dunne.
You have to read this crazy book because what’s going on you wouldn’t believe.
365 reviews1 follower
January 10, 2024
I enjoyed this book. The characters were well written. Except the story narrows down to two Quinn and Dunne for most of the book. Flashbacks of family brothers /sisters Parents/grandparents are used a lot.There is a contrast between Dunne military training to take orders and Quinn who just jumped in and goes with it.
Profile Image for Claire.
191 reviews3 followers
July 20, 2025
There are 6 Thompson “brothers”, and this is book 5, so the stories are getting wilder. One has a serial killer in his family a few generations back and this story is about his attempt to solve a new copycat. His attempts to slip off alone aren’t successful but his companion was raised with psychological games played on her, so brings some skills to the table.
Profile Image for Kelsey’s Kindle.
374 reviews19 followers
April 13, 2023
If you have read any of the Covert Cowboy Solider books you know the Thompson brothers, noble, protective and out to do the right thing. Well strap in, your in for a wild ride! This one you won’t see coming, it’s got so many twists and turns you don’t want to miss out!
1,345 reviews
April 14, 2023
Guarding each other's backs

Another great intriguing mystery surrounding the Thompson brothers. This time it was Dunne, who was helped by Quinn to decipher the clues and work out how to resolve the situation. In the middle of all the chaos they fell in love.
1,107 reviews4 followers
May 16, 2023
Good read. I really liked these characters. The plot, not just this book but all so far, are a bit out there. It is fiction, and kept me coming back, so all is good. In fact, can't wait to read the next installment.
118 reviews2 followers
August 19, 2025
wow could not put it down!

Solving a case while falling in love. Crazy! Trying to solve a murder mystery can get you caught up in the murderers net. It was great but the characters trying so hard not to fall in love. Just so good! Really recommend it!
Profile Image for Anne.
201 reviews13 followers
April 8, 2023
This one kept me on my toes start to finish. Wow. I couldn’t find the link, but I loved Quinn’s way of thinking. What a great story!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Tina Loves To Read.
3,257 reviews1 follower
April 27, 2023
This is a Romantic Suspense, and this is the 5th book in the Covert Cowboy Soldiers series. I did not read any other books in this series before picking up this book, but I think this book is fine to read as a standalone. I have to say I was a little confessed at the beginning of this book, but I slowly got the information I needed. I did love the characters in this book. There was a big mystery that went throughout this series, and the mystery came to an end in this book. The ending of this book was so great...WOW. The suspense and action was so great in this book. The romance was ok. I really enjoyed this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Intrigue) or author (Nicole Helm) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

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