A job in law enforcement is unquestionably a dangerous one. But deputy Rod McLeod retired years ago. So why did he end up dead in the trunk of a car? His death immediately mobilizes the entire Deschutes County Sheriff’s community on the hunt for his killer. Everyone in the department is devastated, especially Evan Bolton, the investigator on the scene who first recognized the man in the trunk.

Evan had worked with Rod, been trained by him and highly respected him. He had once dated Rod’s daughter, Sophia, which is a testament to how close they had been. Now, with a heavy heart, he heads over to Sophia’s house to deliver the sad news. But when he arrives, instead of finding Sophia and her son, Zack, Evan walks into a bloody mess, one that leaves him scared and fearing the worst. Has Rod’s killer taken Sophia and Zack? Or worse?

"A master of suspense, Elliot cleverly makes readers fall in love with Rowan and her beautiful dog, along with Evan. Intriguing characters and a twisty plot. What more could you want?"

As a long day stretches out before him, Evan is at least thankful for Rowan, the woman he has fallen in love with, and her search-and-rescue dog, Thor. They, along with detectives from the department, throw themselves into a feverish search for Sophia. Thor follows scents while the cops follow clues. But every time they think they’re on the right trail, things seem to go awry. There’s a house fire involving someone close to Evan, along with a shooting that’s too close for comfort, leaving him to wonder who the intended target was. Evan knows he’s growing weary, but he also knows something is off with this investigation. He just can’t quite put his finger on it. Until he can, every move they make might be putting them --- and Sophia --- in further jeopardy.

Fortunately, Rowan inserts herself into their case. To the chagrin of a few, she jumps in even when she shouldn’t, but she can’t help it. She believes Thor can provide assistance, and she needs to do whatever can be done to save lives. That’s simply what she does. Her little brother lived through a horrific trauma when he was younger, a time that shaped both of them forever after. It has left her with a passion to help. But when Evan cuts off communication, she’s at a loss as to what to do. Worse, both of them had begun to doubt the integrity of the investigative team. When you’re unsure who to trust, especially when it involves an entire police department, who do you turn to?

In a race against time --- and a very unhinged and angry killer --- Rowan, Thor and a handful of detectives whom Rowan puts her belief in must figure out who is one step ahead of them. Otherwise, they will not catch their guy and might leave a trail of victims scattered across the county.

THE NEXT GRAVE is another heart-racing and satisfying installment in Kendra Elliot’s Columbia River series. If you’re not a fan yet, you should be. A master of suspense, Elliot cleverly makes readers fall in love with Rowan and her beautiful dog, along with Evan. Intriguing characters and a twisty plot. What more could you want?