Article and Interview by Elise Cooper
See Her Die by Melinda Leigh is another winner. What makes all of her series interesting is the intertwining with her older series. Known for her interesting characters, intricate relationships, and a riveting mystery, this book falls in line with the rest of her novels.
The novel opens shortly after the first book has left off. The protagonist, Bree Taggart still battles the memories of her father killing her mother, and then himself, as well as her younger sister being murdered more than two decades later, which has Bree as the guardian of her niece and nephew. Bree is now sheriff of a department where there are some who are unhappy with that choice and to make matters worse there are budget constraints.
The mystery opens with Bree being called to a shooting in a campground surrounded by cabins. A young woman, Alyssa, swears to her she has heard a gunshot and that her friend has been killed. She explains that they were squatting in one of the campground cabins because they are homeless and needed to get out of the cold. Bree is perplexed because there is no body, no blood, and no evidence.
To get to the bottom of what happened, Bree calls in former deputy Matt Flynn and his K-9 to track the killer and to find the supposed victim’s body. They discover the battered corpse of a missing university student under the ice in Grey Lake, but it’s not the victim they were looking for. After more bodies are found, Bree and Matt must find the link between the victims. After Alyssa disappears Bree knows she must find her before she is also murdered.
This is an excellent story with plenty of edge of your seat action and suspense, which include several twists that keep the reader guessing. All the characters are relatable and realistic with an intense narrative.
Elise Cooper: Your characters are very relatable?
Melinda Leigh: I love children and I love dogs so they will always be in my stories. The supporting cast provides a vehicle for the main characters. They cannot be developed in a vacuum, but those around them make them fuller. It allows for the reader to have more information, the changes of a character’s personality, and how they interact. Since this town is next door to Scarlett Falls some characters from the other series will be brought back. I like to do that, it is fun.
EC: Bree had a quote that is very realistic to what is happening today?
ML: You are referring to the quote, “You can’t stop feeling emotions, but you can stop acting on them. Or worse even yet— reacting. We are supposed to be the professionals. If we can’t keep control of ourselves, we lose control of the situation. We need to keep a clear head. Sometimes that is damned hard, especially when some scumbag spits in your face or urinates in the back of your patrol car… But we are in a position of authority, and that comes with the responsibility to never abuse it.” Bree was saying nobody is perfect and that every set of humans have good and bad people. There is always a shade of grey. Just like characters, humans are more complex with flaws and faults. Bree understands that she works with professionals and have situations which are complex with a split second to make a decision.
EC: You go into some details about the department?
ML: This is the first time I have a character in charge of a department. I do the research and decided to have Bree as a sheriff with budget constraints. She must figure out how to allocate the resources available. It is just part of the reality of what she does.
EC: How do you write those fight scenes?
ML: I am a second degree blackbelt in karate. Unfortunately, it is out of the question because of my pre-existing conditions. I have done a number of martial arts. Years ago, I would ask a friend to help me figure out a crime scene. But now, I can do it in my head, knowing what works and does not.
EC: How do you see Bree versus Morgan Dane?
ML: They are in the same genre, a law enforcement type mystery crime fiction. The biggest differences are the characters’ personalities. Bree is more interesting because Morgan is too perfect. Bree is a lot more flawed and has a lot more to overcome. Morgan has had a lot more support while Bree is on her own a lot.
EC: A crossover character is the detective Stella Dane?
ML: Readers get to see her from an outsider’s perspective, Bree and Matt. They learn to understand she is a dedicated detective. In this one, Stella gets a little frustrated because she is not in control like she wants to be. I provided a different viewpoint for an old character.
EC: Can you give a heads up about the next book?
ML: It is titled Drown Her Sorrows that will be released in March. It is about a woman that goes missing and her car is found in the river. A note in the car says suicide, but the autopsy says otherwise.
EC: THANK YOU!!
