Review: At Close Range (Tracers #11)

At Close Range (Tracers #11)

by Laura Griffin 

Blurb:

When a lakeside tryst ends in a double murder, police detective Daniele Harper arrives on the scene determined to get answers. Clues are everywhere, but nothing adds up. Dani turns to the Delphi Center crime lab for help, but soon regrets it when her secret attraction to their chief firearms examiner threatens to distract her from the most important case of her career.

As a ballistics expert and former Navy SEAL, Scott Black knows firearms, and he knows he can help Dani unravel her case. Scott has managed to hide his interest in his best friend’s younger sister for years, but when her investigation brings them together, the sparks between them quickly get out of control. Scott resolves to keep his hands off Dani and his eyes on the goal—identifying a killer. But when that killer zeroes in on Dani, all bets are off. There isn’t a line Scott won’t cross to convince Dani to trust him so that he can help her take down a ruthless murderer who has her in his sights. 

Themes: Contemporary, Romantic Suspense

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 Well this story has been a long time coming for those of us that are long time readers of this series. Dani and Scott have been circling each other a long time now and seeing them finally admit to and deal with their feelings was a welcome relief from the tension. Griffin’s Tracers series began many books ago with a story where we were introduced to the crime-solving powers of the individuals at the Delphi center, a cutting edge state of the art forensics center with all different specialties and as many unique individuals in employ as there are sexy and interesting cops that run into their paths.  Daniele has worked a long time to be taken seriously as a detective, getting out from under the thumb of her brother, while still being irresistibly dawn to his best friend Scott. When she finds herself in charge of her very first investigation, she knows that Scott and she will have to work closely together, but soon the danger surrounding them is unresolvable.  Scott knows that he needs to do everything he can to make sure that Dani stays safe, even from his own desires and emotions, but being around her so much with none of the usual barriers between them has become more torturous than ever.  I loved seeing Scott and Dani circle closer to one another and finally collide in a clash of passion, danger, and love.  Dani was a hard as hell woman that has had to be stronger than the men around her in order to prove herself in her field, but she is still that young girl who crushed on and then fell head over heels for her brother’s best friend.  Seeing her stand up for herself and for Scott as the danger increase and the evidence stacks up against them showed us that she really was a perfect partner for Scott. Scott is a bad ass former SEAL whose daily life revolves around crime and guns—not really a way to get more macho than that is there? When he stops fighting his feelings for Dani, finally admitting that he couldn’t live without her in his everyday life, his protective streak and sweetness become even more apparent that his badassness. Passions run high between Dani and Scott from the very beginning of their introductions to our imaginations, and when they finally embrace those desires, Dani and Scott are inseparable and obviously in love.  I was thrilled to see the trust Dani had in Scott, even as everyone around them doubted him, and that trust obviously is what made their relationship so strong.  I look forward to seeing these two in future novels, seeing how their HEA just keeps getting better and better. Once again Griffin hits every hot button of romantic suspense in this novel of danger, trust, and love between two people who are opening their eyes to the true nature of their fate in one another’s lives.  Another work of art, Laura.

*ebook provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.