DEEP DARK by Laura Griffin ~Excerpt & Review~

DEEP DARK

Tracers #10

Laura Griffin

Released on May 24th, 2016

Pocket Books

A gripping new romantic thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Laura Griffin...

The moment detective Reed Novak steps onto the crime scene, he knows the case is going to rock his world. A beautiful young woman murdered at home. No sign of forced entry. No motive. She’s obviously not the killer’s first victim, and Reed’s instincts tell him she won’t be his last. Reed’s first clue comes via a mysterious text that links to a dating profile, but even more intriguing than the clue is the person who sent it.

As a white-hat hacker in the Delphi Center’s cyber investigation unit, Laney Knox sneaks into some of the deepest, darkest corners of the Internet looking for predators. Laney would prefer to stay away from Austin PD’s most recent murder case, but she can’t ignore the chilling similarities between that crime and her own brutal attack years ago. Laney offers to help the sexy lead detective, but he wants more from her than just a promising tip—Reed wants her trust. Laney resists, but as their relationship deepens she’s tempted to reveal the closely guarded secrets that could make her a key witness…or the killer’s next victim.

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Reed watched her, and she had that frustrated look in her eyes again. Every time she started to open up to him, he did something to tick her off. She shook her head and glanced away.

            “Laney?”

            “What?”

            “I’m a detective. It’s my job to ask questions. To push.”

            She looked at him again and her expression softened. “No, you’re right.” She glanced down at her beer bottle and picked at the label. “I’m glad she has you.”

            “Who has me?”

            “April. You seem--” She paused, like she was searching for the right word. “--committed.”

            He didn’t answer. It wasn’t really a question, but the way she looked at him gave him the feeling she wanted a response.

            She drained her beer and plunked down the bottle. “I should get home.” She stood up.

            Reed stood, too. He left a tip on the table and followed her through the throng of people. The bar was packed, and the music had gotten louder since they’d first walked in.

            They stepped into the warm, muggy air. It was dusk now, and a neon Lone Star Light sign cast a blue-and-red glow over the sidewalk. As they walked in silence, he thought of what she’d said about her job being meaningful. It was refreshing. Maybe he’d been a cop too long, but he didn’t know anyone who talked about things being meaningful anymore. If they thought about work in those terms, they kept it to themselves.

            Maybe he was jaded.

            No, he definitely was jaded. But it had more to do with his failed marriage than anything he’d seen on the job.

Reed spotted her little white car and felt a twinge of regret. He’d enjoyed talking to her, enjoyed being near her. And he couldn’t remember the last time that had happened with a woman. Having a beer with Laney had been the highlight of his crap week. Hell, the highlight of his month.

            She looked around. “Where are you parked?”

            “Around back.”

            She gazed up at him. He couldn’t read her expression.

            “Thanks for the drink,” she said.

            “You bought it.”

            He couldn’t read her tone either. The thrum of music seeped through the thin walls of the bar as they stood there in the light of the beer sign.

            She stepped closer, and a jolt of heat went through him. She looked up at him with those bottomless brown eyes, and he knew he was in trouble. It was a bad idea to involve this girl in his investigation. Whatever useful info she might have was outweighed by the fact that she was young, and edgy, and he wanted her. And she must have seen something in his face because her eyes sparked.

She went up on tiptoes and kissed him.

##

Copyright 2016 Laura Griffin

Reading a Tracers novel is like coming home after a long day at work. There is just something so comforting knowing I am reading a book written by Laura Griffin. Always smart, always better than the last, and always filled with well thought-out plotlines and unexpected turns. Deep Dark is no different. It’s captivating from the onset and will keep you invested throughout its entirety.

Cyber investigator and white-hat hacker Laney Knox has discovered a link: one that is alarmingly familiar to an incident in her past. Using her vast skills, she is dropping breadcrumbs of information for detective Reed Novak to follow.

Novak takes no time in discovering who the crumb dropper is, and decides to form a partnership that he isn’t comfortable with at all. Novak fears for her safety the more Laney digs deeper into the investigation. Trying to keep her “not-so-legal help” to a minimum is his reason for distance. Laney isn’t having any of that. She knows two things: what she needs to do to help solve the case and that she’s attracted to the detective.

May-December is how you would describe these two. Fifteen years separate Laney and Reed, but chemistry, life experiences, and a combustible compatibility is what brings them together in the Deep Dark.

I feel as if I say this every time I read the latest Tracer Novel… It’s one of the best to date. Laney and Reed are one of my favorite book couples of the year thus far!

5 STAR READ!

~Tanja

This is the first book that I have read from the Tracers series but not my first time to read something by this author and it definitely won't be the last!  I love the way this author can suck you into a Romantic Suspense novel.  Wonderfully written, clever plot lines and romantic connections that keep you coming back for more. 

My blog partner has been bugging me to read the Tracers series for a long while and now I can see why.  I was sucked into this storyline and just couldn't put it down.  I was trying to figure out who the killer was and when it was finally revealed I was truly surprised.  Excellent suspense storytelling which is not always easy! 

There is definitely an undeniable attraction between Hacker Laney and Detective Reed as they slowly put together the clues, twist and turns to this murder investigation.  And, even though there is a 15 yr age gap it seemed to work because of Laney's determination to go after what she wants.  The investigation is the focus of the book with the romance being an added bonus. 

If you love romantic suspense, you really cannot go wrong with Laura Griffin.  She is a very talented author that knows how to create a storyline that is engaging, entertaining and keeps you on the edge of your seat!  Recommend her books highly to the romantic suspense fan. 

I plan to go back to book one of the Tracers series and get caught up.  I've been missing out of some Romantic suspense goodness! 

Yes, you can definitely read these books as stand alones.  I had no trouble reading this one despite it being my first to read in the series. 

5 Love me some suspense stars!

~Kat

I received a complimentary copy of this title as a member of the XOXperts street team. 

 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author LAURA GRIFFIN started her career in journalism before venturing into the world of romantic suspense. She is a two-time RITA Award winner (for the books Scorched and Whisper of Warning) as well as the recipient of the Daphne du Maurier Award (for Untraceable). Laura currently lives in Austin, where she is working on her next book.

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