Review: Touching Mystery!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 11, 2013
First, I’d to like to pass along that it’s stated in the Dedication that a portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to organizations serving veterans in the Portland area.Danny and Jake are incredible people that have an astounding amount of integrity, generosity, and compassion.  Although they started off on the wrong foot, their attraction to each other takes precedence over their initial blunder.  As the investigation of the murdered veterans starts producing leads, however, they begin to have a difficult time.Jake suffers from PTSD, a few insecurities about his physical scars, and a little bit of the He-Man syndrome.  I found him to be the perfect hero, though.  He’s a veteran, a surgeon, volunteers at a clinic, and makes rounds to the homeless.  How much more of a sweetheart could you want?  Like many men, he just gets a little worried about the woman he’s falling for.  Although he has every reason to fear for Danny while she’s on the job, he takes it a little too far.Danny’s entirely too independent to allow Jake to interfere with her responsibilities as a detective, but she’s already allowed him to interrupt her life.  Just like Jake, I admired this character for her bravery, her big heart, and her boldness.  I know from experience that it’s not easy being the only woman in the workforce, and she handles herself expertly.  I did get a little annoyed that as a detective, she didn’t know more about PTSD, or the homeless vets.  This was easy to overlook, though, since everything else about her is so likeable.  She stands her ground when necessary, and listens to her heart exactly when the time is right.This was a touching story that’s interweaved the thrill of a mystery, a sweet romance, and a sad reality, into a beautiful literary tapestry.  The ending answered my questions, and the killer wasn’t very easy to peg.  There’s a wonderful scene where a family tradition, of which I’m not accustomed, is explained beautifully and with intricate detail.  I am both impressed and touched by the perceptive manner in which the author translates the plethora of problems our veterans face every day.  I’m intrigued, and will follow this author from now on.  Great book!I received an ARC in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.