Melinda Leigh consistently features fascinating female protagonists in her novels, and Bree Taggert is no exception. She struggles with work-life balance just as some of us do, and she cares deeply about both her job and her family. And for Bree, the "caring for family" part is an accomplishment because she never thought she'd have a family.

In ON HER WATCH, the eighth installment in Leigh’s mystery series, Bree continues to care for her niece and nephew after the murder of their mother, her sister. She had moved to upstate New York to look after the kids and is now the sheriff, working to be seen, heard and looked upon as the woman in charge.

"You will want to try to read ON HER WATCH in one sitting because Leigh perfectly captures the urgency of the serial killer situation and the desperation that Bree and the others have to find the murderer so people can feel safe."

As we know, it takes a village to raise a child, and Bree is very lucky with her village. Dana Romano, her former partner from her days as a Philadelphia homicide detective, has retired and lives with them, helping with child care, baking and just being a good friend. Matt Flynn, a former K9 handler with the local sheriff's department, is not only a love interest for Bree but also a consultant with the department, so they work together.

Now there's a serial killer on the loose. The discovery of three dead females in a deserted forest, with another body appearing almost right on Bree’s doorstep, and the disappearance of yet another woman mean that Bree and the entire department are racing against the clock to discover who the culprit is and stop him before more corpses pile up. In addition to the police work, we witness Bree's relationship with Matt and how that has progressed since the first book in the series. Incidentally, while this entry works well as a stand-alone, there's so much more that can be gleaned from reading the previous novels.

You will want to try to read ON HER WATCH in one sitting because Leigh perfectly captures the urgency of the serial killer situation and the desperation that Bree and the others have to find the murderer so people can feel safe. When the killer targets Bree's home, she is even more motivated to bring the perpetrator to justice. Along the way, we are treated to the rescue animals that Leigh makes a part of each novel, including Bree's own (and Leigh's own) Ladybug. Matt's K9, retired along with him, begins to take second stage as Greta, a black Shepherd rescue, is the department's new star K9. And it's beautiful to read about her in action.

This series is filled with novels that are well-plotted and replete with likable characters (and some who are not so likable). But more importantly, they center on a woman who has risen to overcome many challenges that would fell a person with less drive and heart. After a nightmare childhood, Bree Taggert reminds us that people are resilient. That sometimes the best way to meet hostility and anger is with kindness and charm. And that while we might have regrets about the past, it's best --- for all of us, just as it is for Bree --- to focus on the future and simply do the best we can.