While the mysteries in Melinda Leigh's Bree Taggert series all work as stand-alones, readers who start with the latest addition, LIE TO HER, will miss out on some great backstories that are shared in the previous five books.

Newcomers will still enjoy the twists and turns that Bree Taggert, the female sheriff in a rural upstate New York county, must unravel in her search for a serial killer. But those who have read the earlier installments will learn why Bree is living in this area and raising her sister's two children. They will have met her boyfriend, Matt Flynn, and her former partner from the police force, Dana Romano. And they will have gained insight into her fear of dogs, which she has overcome and now has a rescue dog of her own.

"Read LIE TO HER and the other books in Leigh’s series for these compelling murder mysteries. Appreciate the realistic characters who struggle with the same things we do... Enjoy the rescue animals and the huge heart that the people here demonstrate by their actions."

In LIE TO HER, Leigh immediately introduces us to the killer. We are encouraged to try to understand his thoughts and motivations because Leigh writes his narrative in first person. We know why he is targeting the men who are murdered, but we aren’t aware of his identity, and Leigh keeps that suspense going masterfully. I must admit that I made the mistake of falling for her red herring, even though I knew the whole time that there had to be another suspect.

Leigh raises the intensity of the action by making a member of Bree's family the target of the killer. And along with following the investigation, we see Bree's interactions with her family, Matt and Dana. She juggles being a caretaker with a full-time, very demanding career --- a career that, in fact, can be deadly.

In addition to writing a gripping mystery, Leigh is passionate about advocating for the rescue of homeless animals. Like her own rescue, Ladybug, Bree's dog with the same name is chubby, friendly, exuberantly cheerful and affectionate to all creatures, big and small. Leigh's Ladybug acts as an emotional support dog for her other, high-anxiety rescue. In this novel, Bree and Matt visit a horse auction where animals who are not sold for riding or farming are slaughtered. It's a heartbreaking reality that not many people know about. These once-beloved companions will end up in dog food cans or on the plates of Europeans who fancy horse meat steaks.

Read LIE TO HER and the other books in Leigh’s series for these compelling murder mysteries. Appreciate the realistic characters who struggle with the same things we do --- work/life balance, too many commitments, feelings of not doing enough, and self-doubt. Enjoy the rescue animals and the huge heart that the people here demonstrate by their actions.