Close to Home

I've been slowly savoring Robert Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite mysteries. While some readers will binge when they discover such a good series, I stretch out the time between each book to make the series last. I like knowing that I have a "sure thing" or two waiting for me on my to-be-read pile. Close to Home was next up on my list.

Speaking of series, this is a perfect one for those who like the characters' personal lives to be important parts of the story. Tracy is now married, and while this city girl tries to adapt to country quiet, she and her husband make an important decision. Tracy's partner, Del, recently lost a beloved niece to a drug overdose, and his investigation leads him to Celia McDaniel, a woman whose son also died of an show more overdose. Military lawyer Leah Battles plays a significant part, and I hope to see her in future books.

The mystery in Close to Home is a strong one, and like all good crime fiction, readers' knowledge can grow a lot on the way to finding out whodunit. There's plenty to learn about the military legal system as well as the healthcare industry's shift in focus to pain management rather than treating underlying ailments. And how about the legalization of marijuana? When I found out how the drug cartels adapted to that, I realized that I hadn't been paying enough attention to the world outside my door. There are even more kernels of knowledge in the pages of Close to Home, some of which made me smile. (Navy camouflage being called "blueberries", and the general opinion of them, for example.)

Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite series is for readers who love to be immersed in both the story and the characters-- especially when the main character is a bonafide member of the Harry Bosch School of Policing (Everybody counts or nobody counts). If you're not already a dedicated reader, I'd advise you to begin at the beginning with My Sister's Grave. This is an excellent series that you won't want to miss. show less

Picking up the latest book in this series has become an annual event I look forward to. Dugoni consistently delivers stories that combine clever, tightly plotted suspense with a great cast of characters & this one is no different.

The gang from Seattle PD’s Violent Crimes Section is back. Tracy Crosswhite & partner Kinsington Rowe are initially mystified when they’re assigned to a fatal hit & run. But when their investigation points to an employee at a local Navy base, things get complicated.

Meanwhile, Del Castigliano & Vic Fazzio are trying to track down the supplier of a deadly strain of heroin that’s hit the streets of Seattle & it’s personal. Del’s niece is one of the casualties & although he technically shouldn’t be show more involved, he’s determined to find those responsible for her death.

The 2 story lines unfold simultaneously & both are compelling with several twists to keep you on your toes. And there’s been a little change to the format. Instead of Tracy being the “star”, this instalment shines the limelight equally on all 4 of the lead detectives. It allows us to gain insight not only into their professional relationships but their private lives as well. Several are dealing with personal issues & these side stories add depth to the characters.

It’s a great addition to the series & although it can be read as a stand alone, I recommend reading in order so you get the full 411 on the characters & their relationships. Besides, why would you want to miss 4 other great reads? show less

A solid 5 star addition to the outstanding Tracy Crosswhite series. This is a perfect blend of suspense, courtroom drama, and a complex investigation that pits the Seattle PD against the US Navy Judicial Advocate General’s Corps. Several developments in the personal lives of Tracy and her crew made me want to pick up the next book right NOW instead of catching up on all the chores I ignored while reading this one. I do have one possible content warning - the case everything revolves around is heartbreaking. It’s not dwelt on or sensationalized in any way but the first chapter (and only the first) is hard to read.

I won't be too hard on the novel. My difficulty was with the subject matter. I see it daily and there are no easy solutions. However I hoped the author would weigh into the fray proposing an answer.

I only discovered Robert Dugoni a year or so ago….and I am glad I did. A prolific writer, he tells a good, cohesive story with strong character development that maintains reader interest.

This is the fifth in the Tracy Crosswhite series. Dugoni revisits familiar characters and introduces two new people whom I think may become recurring figures.

The Seattle Violent Crimes section is investigating two cases. The first involves a hit and run that kills a young African American boy. The culprit is a Navy man from nearby Bremerton which results in their official involvement in the case. Tracy and her partner, Kins Rowe, receive this assignment. Meanwhile, Del Castigliano and Vic Fazzio pursue the people responsible for selling a strain of show more heroin that has resulted in a number of fatal overdoses. It’s personal for Del as one of the victims was his niece. Add to that Tracy coping with infertility while Kins is facing hip surgery which he is sure will go wrong.

As the cases unfold, the suspense builds and there are twists and turns that will keep the reader enthralled. Another hit for Dugoni.

One doesn’t have to have read the prior novels in this series to understand who the characters are. However, if you are unfamiliar with Dugoni’s work, do yourself a favor and go back and read the four prior books. show less

In this book, Tracy is undergoing IVF. She and her team are tasked with investigating the hit-and-run death of a 12-year-old African American boy, D'Andre Miller, returning home from a basketball game. The car did not stop and there were no skid marks. They determine that the likely suspect is an active-duty serviceman at a local naval base working in logistics (warehousing and moving supplies). However, he maintains that he was at home that night. When they find the car, Tracy finds a receipt from a convenience store close to the accident and dated that night. They are able to get the video from the store and identify the man who is the navy man. Since he is enlisted, the Navy takes over the investigation, however, Tracy stays in show more contact with the victim's family and also testifies in the Navy hearing. The man still maintains he was not there. During the Navy investigation, that key piece of evidence goes missing. Meanwhile, Tracy’s partners, Del and Faz, are investigating who sold heroin to Del's niece, Alli, who has just died from an overdose. They discover a string of recent deaths from overdoses of a particularly potent form of heroin, nicknamed China white. It turns out the two cases are related and people in the heroin case begin dying. show less

I was not sure that I would like this book or not. I have felt that the spark has gone out of this series while reading the last couple of books, and the one before this one was a real struggle to finish. However, I decided to give this series one more chance since I did like the first book very much.

So, how was it? To be honest, did I struggle at first with the book. The story did feel better than in the previous book, but I was several times mentally debating if I should stop reading or not since the story didn't offer any big surprises and it felt a bit sluggish. However, the story picked up when Dugoni decided to twist the story in a way that I did not foresee (thanks to not reading the blurb before starting the book) and then it show more got much better.

I'm not a big fan of reading about drugs, but one of the cops nieces overdosed before the events in this book, and for him did it get very personal to stop the deadly heroin from killing more people than it had already done by then. Then, we have the kid that was killed by a hit-and-run driver that case is also tragic. I was a bit surprised about how much of the story the blurb gives away. As I wrote before did I did not read the blurb before starting the book. I seldom do since they often give away too much information. And, here I was painstakingly trying to keep spoilers to the minimum and the blurb gives away several key factors. Why do I even bother? Anyway, I'm glad that I had not read the blurb before, that made some things more surprising and kept me interested in continuing reading the book.

Close to Home is an upswing from the book before. Not as interesting as the first book in the series, but interesting enough that I will read the next book in the series, especially because the way the book ended...

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! show less