Killer Tracks

Misty Pines Mystery, #3

by

Mary Keliikoa

Suspenseful and exciting – genuine page-turner!

Killer Tracks is the third book in author Mary Keliikoa’s suspenseful Misty Pines Mystery series, and while I’ve loved the previous two books, this one may be my favorite! Sheriff Jax Turner and his ex-wife, Abby Kanekoa, take a week off from their respective law enforcement jobs to go on a trip together, reconnect, and work through their issues. Abby, a luxury-vacation-type woman, surprises Jax by arranging for them to spend the week at a renovated ranger station in a mountain recreation area not yet open to the public. But evidence that someone else has been in the cabin right before they arrive sets off alarm bells for both of them. Odd incidents, including a vandalized truck, a surprise visit from a woman camping in the restricted area, and the looming danger of an approaching wildfire, threaten not only their romantic getaway but also their very lives. Meanwhile, back in Misty Pines, Deputy Rachel Killian, in charge while the sheriff is on vacation, is challenged by the discovery of a murder victim: one who shows similar signs as those of a serial killer from years earlier. 

The plot is fast-paced, and the story unfolds from multiple points of view in alternating chapters, including the disconcerting narrative of former inmate 22-A-4242, who has been released early from incarceration and is eager to put into action plans he’s dwelled on since he went inside. Both Jax and Rachel are torn over their circumstances. Jax is ecstatic over Abby’s overtures to talk and the possibility of reconciliation with the woman he loves, but he’s anxious about leaving his fairly young and inexperienced staff on their own for the first time. After watching Jax’s agony over the past two books, I was so glad to see him and Abby take this step. I really enjoyed them as a couple in this story. 

Rachel is delighted to be given the opportunity to lead the department in Jax’s absence, confident in her abilities and ready to shine and prove her true value to the town. Successfully solving a homicide would go a long way to cementing her reputation, but she has to accomplish that first, and with the additional element that a serial killer may be at work, so much could go sideways really fast. 

With foreshadowing from the former inmate’s narrative, the story begins in a tense atmosphere, but the author continually builds suspense. I was quickly immersed in the story, and with the cinematic descriptions and twists and turns in the plot, I couldn’t put this book down until I had turned the final page. 

I recommend KILLER TRACKS to readers of mystery and suspense. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.