Cold Heart Creek

Detective Josie Quinn, Book 7

By: Lisa Regan

Narrated by: Kate Handford

Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

In the stark light of dawn, the young couple are laid out on their backs by the dying campfire, their hands clasped between them. Their eyes are open, but their hearts are cold....

When a park ranger stumbles across the bodies of Valerie and Tyler Yates by a creek in the small town of Denton, Detective Josie Quinn is first on the scene. Still reeling from the news that her abusive mother is dying, Josie suspects this is more than just accidental poisoning, and she’s right: Someone jammed a crudely carved pendant necklace down Valerie’s throat before she died.

Combing the area, Josie’s team discover a third sleeping bag indicating there could have been an extra guest around the fire that night. A lucky escape? A missing victim? Or a suspect on the run? Finding this person is the key to the entire investigation....

Trawling the couple’s photo albums for clues, Josie can’t imagine why anyone might want to harm these smiling, carefree young lovers. Until a face in one of the pictures stops her in her tracks and leads her to a farmhouse hidden deep within the forest - a special place where people go to escape, and to hide. There they meet a young girl with frightened eyes and bandaged wrists who knows more than she is saying. But the next day she’s found dead, choked with a matching necklace....

With her mother’s life hanging by a thread, Josie has an impossible decision to make. But first, she must find the meaning of the pendant and catch this twisted killer before another innocent life is taken. Is she already too late?

An addictive and gripping crime thriller from an Amazon, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author. Those who love Robert Dugoni, Angela Marsons, and Rachel Caine will be sleeping with the lights on after this roller-coaster.

©2019 Lisa Regan (P)2019 Bookouture

Love this series!

I have read the first six books of the series in e-book. I love them all and decided I was finally ready to buy a book! Josie is a very interesting character and with each book we find a little more out about her past. Yes, some of it is upsetting, but it makes this character so interesting!
With each book Lisa Reagan calls back another layer of Josie for us. The mysteries are wonderful and getting to know Josie and what makes her react the way she does holds my interest greatly! If you like Lisa Jackson, or even a good police procedural series, try one of these books! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Another awesome book. But the narrator...

I love these books, but the narrator has issues with pronouncing words correctly. Isn't there a production editor??!! My next listen through, I'm going to make a list! It's ALL THE BOOKS! I'm in the medical field, so those words are super important to get correct. The meaning can change if you aren't correct!

Decent Series with Disappointing Flaws

Overall - I like this series as LR does have a great understanding of story mechanics and is fantastic at building intrigue, anticipation, and plot.

That said, it is disappointing that the characters are beholden to some old-fashioned ideas about sexuality and gender, but perhaps that makes sense for the culture of rural PA. Additionally, I’d really love it if LR could address the trauma and hesitant relationship some survivors of sexual assault have with their offspring who result from sexual assault. Children are innocent and can be everything but writing from such a place seemingly dismisses the actual trauma of these survivors. Lastly, some women don’t want kids and it’s not because they’re afraid they’ll be bad mothers, it’s that they simply just don’t want to be moms. These complexities would be interesting to see unfold with such a healthy cast of women characters. I’m also not sure about the diversity of rural PA, as there are almost no people of color and apparently everyone is straight (so far). But again, this probably makes sense for where the story takes place.

Still, Josie Quinn is a fairly interesting character and this is an easy and entertaining listen. If I got through the Women’s Murder Club series I’m sure I can hang around to see how Josie’s world continues take evolve.

Narrator Struggled

The book was great, as are all of the Josie Quinn books! The narrator seemed to have struggled with the telling of the story. It almost seemed as if she was taking a break consistently and having to come back. Although it was hard to follow at times, I still enjoyed the book in general.

keeps you guessing

loved it keeps you guessing who and where. can't wait for the next one

Another Great Thriller!

Josie is an awesome detective whether she is exhausted or well rested! Josie’s assignments keep getting better in each book.

Straight-from-TV cult tropes

It must be hard for authors to keep their ongoing-series’ books fresh, especially avoiding tropes. As I listened, I guessed the “twists” coming up. Plus there’s too much repetition of info from earlier books. Author, please trust your readers and our memories.

Excellent story line.

This is another good book by Lisa Regan. I’m looking forward to hearing the next one.

She is always exhausted and hungry!!

Amazing that Detective Quinn gets any thing done let alone get crimes solved… she is always tired and hungry. She should know better to get rested and eat, but she goes on like a zombie. Then she always seems to get caught by the bad guys and her “gut” is always telling her something. She’s an okay character but if the author fixes those small things about her- she’d be great.

Suspenseful

Liked the narrator, the details and Josie and Noah! Sweetest couple and I hope the author keeps them together.

*Josie and Decisions*

**4.5 Stars**

This instalment sees a Park Ranger making a grim discovery and Josie is first at the scene. Eerily the couple appear to be sleeping but they are far from alive.

In the background she keeps receiving calls re her incarcerated so called mother who is gravely ill. Josie keeps diverting the calls to voicemail. As usual Josie tells no one.

She is trying to pick through the case and upon searching she realises there was another person travelling with the victims.

They happen upon a huge house that the Ranger seems reluctant to talk about. The owner is sickly sweet and has a soothing manner but all is not what it seems. She dresses the place up as somewhere to provide refuge for people in need but there is more to it.

They interview everyone there and they are uneasy as one of the women there wants to leave but is afraid.

While driving back Josie narrowly misses a heavily pregnant young woman who is in distress and Josie and Noah have their hands full as the baby is on its way.

Things go from bad to worse as Josie finds herself in danger, will they get to the truth? Will Josie ever be able to face her abusive mother?…

A lot happens in this one but still a great read

Disappointing

I really like this series, but although this story it started well it just got boring. I got really fed-up with all the psychobabble and every time a character said “what does that even mean?” I waited in vain for an explanation. I hope the next one is more interesting!

Still listening

There’s not much to say except I’m still enjoying them, Josie is less annoying, the crimes remain complex and the characters have developed so well throughout that I’ll miss them when they’re gone.

A great series of books!

I’ve listened to all 7 of these books and hope I don’t have too long to wait for the next one! Very easy to listen to and excellent narration.