Hour of Need: Scarlet Falls, Book 1

It had a real nice flow and some nice twists.

I couldn't do that. Different in a nice original way.

I was able to tell who was talking without a problem.

No, just very enjoyable.

Will read or listen to more.

The story was very good,and I enjoyed the characters. The description of Grant Barrett gave me a very good idea of what he looked like, and I could picture him and Ellie working together side by side.

The story had some great twist and turns, and I liked how the story was all tied together in the end.

Hour of Need is the first book by Melinda Leigh I have read and the first narrated by Cris Dukehart. I thought the narrator was a little flat in the beginning of the book, but she seemed to improve as the story moved along.

Overall, I enjoyed Hour of Need, and would recommend this book.

Despite the fact I wanted to find out "whodunit", skipping to the end would have been the only answer had I been reading the actual book. Since I was using the audio book I just let it keep running while I was painting a large room. The plot was ordinary, the characters were generic and the 'romance' was contrived. I found the love sequences so ridiculous, out of place and unnecessary that I did speed through them. Maybe it was the paint fumes, but I held on to the end for the mystery to be solved and was left with an ehhhh who cares feeling.

I've read a few of Leigh's books including the she can series and this story by far was my favorite. she has a knack for story telling. I will continue to read her books and would highly recommend anyone read her stories as well

Good read, will read the next in the series. Audio well done. Love the grandmother character.

This grabbed me from the beginning, keeps you guessing! Has mystery, love, family, action, what else could you ask for!

Liked it enough to get the 2nd book and I do not read mysteries. The performance was good too.

I was already hooked by the story from the very beginning when a shocking event happened. Lee and Kate, who had just being described as ordinary people, parents of a 4-month-old baby girl and a 6-year-old boy, are shot to death right after leaving the restaurant where they had been diligently celebrating their anniversary, in a moment that seemed to be turbulent in their marriage . When I thought I was being coaxed into the difficulties and lies of a couple in some kind of crisis, I was involved in a different atmosphere, skillfully created by the author, in which I then wanted to know who had killed people I already cared about.
From then on, through an outstanding writing style, we get to know several well-built characters, smoothly and purposefully introduced to us in a multi-layered plot that showed a perfect balance between romance and suspense, which intensely held my attention until the last page.
The center of the narrative is the murder whose investigation introduces all the characters. The mystery around it is very well built and the solution is so craftily hidden that it makes us keep on trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together until the very end. If after the startling solution of the suspense we rewind the story back to the beginning, we can see the clues leading up to the unexpected and intelligent elucidation. The gradual unfolding of events is masterfully tied through to the end, with flawless development and no loose ends.
The romantic aspect of the book establishes a solid foundation for the mystery because it has a lively plot with realistic and lovable characters, whose background we get to know gradually, and of whom we become fond since they are well developed and psychologically deep. Even the supporting characters have their spark, and not only make great sense in the story but also play a significant role in the dynamics. They all touch us deeply, either because we care about them or because they are so puzzling that we can’t stop trying to figure out their actions. We feel captivated by each developing conflict because the author harmoniously integrates the characters in a consistent unity, which is a positive foundation to establish the connection with the listener.
Furthermore the author brings to light two topics really worth thinking over, bullying and PTSD, which are centrally plotted and, although not fully explored and with no pretension to deplete the subject, are very well dealt with by being displayed from a thought-provoking perspective.
It is a heartwarming book and the author is brilliant at creating a gripping thriller along with a believable moving romance. I think she masters not only the art of writing but the one of talking very close to the reader through her sensitive and high quality work.
Melinda Leigh artfully ties everything in the plot, leaving no loose ends for us to question in the rewarding unfolding of the mystery, and the only thing she leaves open is our positive expectation for the following book in the upcoming series.

Cris Dukehart was fantastic with the delivery of the story

Pretty decent romantic suspense. Narrator is really good. Story has few surprises but sets forth a solid enough mystery with a satisfying romantic plot.

This was a really good book. I almost couldn't get through the first few pages...so real and intense. Creeped me out. I thought that the description of what was or had happened was s some of the best