| Title | : | Close to Home (Tracy Crosswhite, #5) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 362 |
| Publication | : | First published September 5, 2017 |
While investigating the hit-and-run death of a young boy, Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite makes a startling discovery: the suspect is an active-duty serviceman at a local naval base. After a key piece of case evidence goes missing, he is cleared of charges in a military court. But Tracy knows she can’t turn her back on this kind of injustice.
When she uncovers the driver’s ties to a rash of recent heroin overdoses in the city, she realizes that this isn’t just a case of the military protecting its own. It runs much deeper than that, and the accused wasn’t acting alone. For Tracy, it’s all hitting very close to home.
As Tracy moves closer to uncovering the truth behind this insidious conspiracy, she’s putting herself in harm’s way. And the only people she can rely on to make it out alive might be those she can no longer trust.
Close to Home (Tracy Crosswhite, #5) Reviews
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This is the latest in the Tracy Crosswhite series set in Seattle, and once again the author enters new and interesting territory, albeit in a slightly tongue in cheek manner with his references to the film A Few Good Men and the aspects that takes in the military in the Navy. The are two main threads in the novel that begins with a hit and run that turns out to be so much more and the increasing spate of fatal heroin ODs in the city. Tracy and her team work for the SPD in the Violent Crimes Section.
Tracy and Kins Rowe are looking into a hit and run that has killed the 12 year old black child, D'Andre Miller. They manage to track down and arrest a suspect, who turns out to a military man based at the local Naval base. The Navy claim jurisdiction and manage to get the case transferred to a military court. The black community are paying close attention and fear that once again it will be a case of black lives don't matter. Their concerns seem to play out as a major piece of evidence disappears and the suspect is cleared. Tracy is not willing to let this injustice go and digs deeper only to uncover a huge conspiracy that brings great danger. Del Castigliano is grieving and struggling to comes to term with the fatal heroin overdose that claimed his niece. With his partner, Vic Fazzio, he is determined to hunt down the dealer and look into a rise in the number of deaths due to heroin ODs in the city.
This is a well plotted and gripping story that is entertaining and easily hooks your interest. We see more of Kins and Del in this book and get more of an idea of what makes them tick. There is plenty of humour and glimpse their everyday lives and issues such as Tracy's disappointment as she fails to become pregnant and Kins's health fears. The author gives us detailed information and paints a harrowing picture of addiction of both the user and those close to them. Great to see this fabulous series continue to develop and maintain such high standards. Many thanks to Thomas and Mercer for an ARC. -
Anticipate your opponent's moves and be prepared to counter.
Tracy Crosswhite and her band of fellow detectives track every motion and every exhale. They work the Violent Crimes Section of Seattle with the challenging tiers of well-honed analytical skills. But this set of wirey incidents are proving to be quite the tangle.....tangled because some of this is personal.
D'Andre Miller, an energetic twelve year old African American boy, is hitting the sidewalk at a face pace. He just slammed the door on hours of fast action basketball practice at the school gym. He's been making quite the name for himself on the court. But he knows the rules at home. School work takes top priority over that basketball that he grips tightly. From out of nowhere a car careens onto the crosswalk sending D'Andre into the air and down again. The driver never stopped. Tragedy now visits this community.
Crosswhite and her team are assigned to this senseless crime. When the vehicle is finally traced, the news is not good. The owner is Navy Petty Officer Laszlo Trejo. Trejo claims that the car was stolen and he knows nothing of the hit and run. Crosswhite believes otherwise.
What comes to pass is a hand-off under Navy jurisdiction. Lt. Leah Battles is the JAG attorney assigned to represent Trejo. Battles, the ultimate professional, will be accused of tampering with evidence when a video crucial to the case goes missing. Is the aloof Battles manipulating evidence purposefully or is there shade being thrown after this highly sensitive case by someone else?
Del and Faz enter the pages once again. Del's niece, Allie, has recently died from a drug overdose after Del did everything possible to get her help. Dugoni takes Del's heartbreaking reality and lays the groundwork for an open-the-door-to-the real-world for the readers. With marijuana being legalized, the Mexican drug cartels have plowed those fields under and now plant acres of poppies to produce heroin.....commonly used by 18 to 29 year olds.
The drugs and the dealers find their way into this very multi-layered, complicated case. Robert Dugoni taps at the heart and the soul as his story unfolds. There's quite the gamut of characters here, some regulars and some newly introduced. Dugoni never lets you down. He fills his pages with perky dialogue, taut fibers of suspense, and well-spiked humor in just the right spots. Please note: Even though this is #5 in the series, they all can be read as standalones, but familiarity begins with #1. Dugoni Fans: The Epilogue is sure to bedazzle you!
I received a copy of Close to Home through NetGalley for an honest opinion. My sincere appreciation to Thomas & Mercer and to the talented Robert Dugoni for the opportunity. -
Whenever I continue with a series, I have concerns. Will I continue to connect with the characters as they grow and change? Will things become stale? Will I have a hard time recalling their history? I'm happy that the Tracy Crosswhite series continues to work for me. This book is a bit different, having shades of a courtroom drama and involving the U.S. Navy. While sometimes the information can become overwhelming, I really feel like this book was well thought-out and extremely well researched. It introduces two new interesting characters and reinforces our love for old favorites that have featured in each book.
A young boy was rushing home from a basketball game, not wanting to disappoint his mother who always insists school comes before basketball. He is struck by a car, his promising life cut tragically short... and there's no one to pay for the crime. They simply drove away. He leaves behind a grief stricken family and an outraged community who thinks this is bound to become another death of a young black man that is simply glossed over. That won't happen if Tracy has anything to say about it. The vehicle is found and traced to a Navy man named Trejo who denies even being in the area. He insists his vehicle was stolen and he has no knowledge of the hit and run, but something isn't adding up. The crime becomes a Navy matter, and Lieutenant Leah Battles is assigned to defend Trejo. She's an interesting new character, but whether she can be trusted or not is difficult to determine.
The trial quickly becomes out of control when key evidence disappears, and no one knows who would risk it. Leah is determined to win, but would she risk her entire career by hiding evidence? Tracy doesn't know what to think, but she's determined to find justice for the young boy and his family.
Rounding out the "A Team" in Violent Crimes we have Kins, Tracy's partner, and Faz and Del. Del in particular features a lot in this book. His niece died recently of a heroin overdose not long after she returned from rehab. He seeks someone to blame, but soon learns he can't stop there. People are dying left and right, and he doesn't just want to find her friends and dealer: he wants the supplier. There's a different kind of heroin on the streets, leading to more overdoses and more heartbroken families. His sister is falling apart, and his nephews have been taking care of themselves more than being taken care of.
Their professional and personal lives have a way of intertwining. The chapters about their personal lives are just as engaging as the police work. That's something Robert Dugoni does very well. This a strong 4.5 bumped up to a five. I loved revisiting the characters I have been following for years. The books would work as standalones, but I'm so happy to read the series in order. I feel like I know these characters!
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased. -
I have been haphazardly making my way through the Tracy Crosswhite series, this is #5.
This is my favorite book so far.
The book opens with a young boy, rushing home from basketball practice!! His life is cut short as he steps from a curb and is killed by a hit and run driver – he never even braked to slow down and had run a red light.
The violent crimes division of the Seattle Police Department quickly gets involved and through incredible work they are able to identify the car and the driver.
Once it becomes known that the driver is an active member of the Navy, the Navy takes over the case and things quickly spiral out of control.
Once the case goes to court, there is a battle ahead between the prosecutors and defenders, evidence goes missing and it is quickly discovered that the case is connected to an heroin smuggling operation.
There are new characters in this book but Tracy, Del and Faz dominate the novel, their 4th member of the team, Kins is recovering from surgery.
There were so many twists and turns in this book that propelled the book forward very quickly, the pace never let up.
I have gotten to know these characters well and while I was never a fan of series books, I now know the appeal and plan on finishing this series with Dugoni’s new book, “What She Found” very soon.
**Though this book was published in 2017, the issues involved in this case are just as relevant today. During the Covid pandemic, there was a sharp increase in drug overdose deaths and unfortunately that number has continued to climb. I have provided one link if you are interested in reading more about the subject, the statistics are terrifying!!
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/dr... -
Whenever I finish a good book, I like to read the author's acknowledgements, particularly when they speak about what led them to write that particular book. I am going to quote from Robert Dugoni's acknowledgements at the end of Close to Home because he has something very relevant to say, and I learned a lot about the Heroin problem. Let's just say he blew a few of my ill conceived notions out of the water.
'In the year prior to writing Close to Home, I read of multiple students at a local high school dying of Heroin overdoses. The loss of a young person is always tragic. The loss of that person, often after years of the torment Heroin wreaks on the entire family, is shocking. As I researched this topic, I was surprised and dismayed at the long-term and long-range ramifications of the legalization of Marijuana. I had no idea that the loss of Marijuana income had led to the Mexican, South American, and Chinese drug cartels plowing under their Marijuana fields to plant poppies and to flood the market with cheap and affordable Heroin. This came at an unfortunate time when so many people had become addicted to prescription opioids.'
EXTRACT: '"Why did you ask if your son was dead, Mrs Welch?".....She shrugged, then sighed. She looked to be fighting tears. "I've been expecting a call or knock on my door for some time." "What's he addicted to?" "Heroin, for about a year now. I can't control him. I 've considered kicking him out, but. ..he'smy son..........Can you arrest him? Put him in jail? Maybe he can get some help. I don't know what else to do. Every time the phone rings, or there's a knock on the door. ...I expect it to be someone coming to tell me my son is dead."
THE BLURB: New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni’s acclaimed series continues as Tracy Crosswhite is thrown headlong into the path of a killer conspiracy.
While investigating the hit-and-run death of a young boy, Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite makes a startling discovery: the suspect is an active-duty serviceman at a local naval base. After a key piece of case evidence goes missing, he is cleared of charges in a military court. But Tracy knows she can’t turn her back on this kind of injustice.
When she uncovers the driver’s ties to a rash of recent heroin overdoses in the city, she realizes that this isn’t just a case of the military protecting its own. It runs much deeper than that, and the accused wasn’t acting alone. For Tracy, it’s all hitting very close to home.
As Tracy moves closer to uncovering the truth behind this insidious conspiracy, she’s putting herself in harm’s way. And the only people she can rely on to make it out alive might be those she can no longer trust.
MY COMMENTS: I have to say that I usually avoid books about drug addiction and drug usage. I just don't like them, especially the ones who promote it as something glamorous. I certainly can't accuse Robert Dugoni of doing that! Added to that, I have read and enjoyed the earlier books in his Tracy Crosswhite series, so I wasn't about to miss out on this one. I had a bit of a slow start with Close to Home, dipping my toes in cautiously, but I was soon firmly entrenched in the story.
Dugoni's writing puts you firmly in the center of the action. I found myself battling alongside Tracy, trying to make sense of what was happening. I was way off with my suspicions! Dugoni gets the balance between his characters work and private lives exactly right.
So if you are looking for a gripping crime-thriller/ police procedural, I can heartily recommend Robert Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite series. But I do recommend you start with the first to get the most out of the series. And if, like me, you are a fan of the series, you won't be disappointed with Close to Home, #5.
Thank you to Thomas and Mercer via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Close to Home for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page for an explanation of my ratings. This review is also published on my blog
https://wordpress.com/pages/sandysboo... -
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.
4.5 stars!
This is another great book in the Tracy Crosswhite series!
The book starts with the investigation of a hit and run death of a young kid. The victim is an African American boy and the case instantly puts the black community on edge. I like how Robert Dugoni writes about current political issues in his books. He writes about how the murders in the black community have not gotten the justice that they have deserved.
So, Tracy Crosswhite and her partner Kinsington "Kins" Rowe end up making an arrest for the murder of the young boy and the suspect is a Navy officer.
The Navy takes jurisdiction of the case looking at a possible court martial and when they take over in the book, that's when it gets fantastic. I'm not writing anymore in my review about the details of this case due to spoilers. Let’s just say that I felt like I was reading about an episode of Law and Order but NCIS style.
Dugoni knows how to write about the court and judicial system. His real-life experience as an attorney has made his writing solid! I can say without a doubt that he’s in the same league as John Grisham, maybe even better. And his writing about police procedure is also on point.
But back to the plot, while the Navy is trying to prosecute one of their own, Detectives Vic Fazzio and Delno Castigliano are in deep with the heroin overdoses that have become an epidemic in Seattle. Del’s niece overdoses on heroin and dies. She's just a teenager and you read about how the detective and his family try to cope with her death. Dugoni does not skip on any of the details of this fast growing epidemic and this part alone in the book is worth reading about.
Both plot stories are excellent!
So, in conclusion, I really enjoyed this book. I have loved all of the Tracy Crosswhite books in the series. Dugoni has a way of making each book different. Each book goes in a different direction in regards to plot and characters. It’s always a joy to read these books! -
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Dugoni, and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Adding another explosive novel to the Tracy Crosswhite series, Robert Dugoni has answered the call of his fans to create another superior story. Pulled from the headlines, Dugoni draws on some heart-wrenching topics to add depth to this fifth novel. After young D’Andre Miller is struck and killed in a hit and run while walking home, Tracy Crosswhite and her partner, Kinsington ‘Kins’ Rowe make their way to the scene and begin an investigation. With no vehicle, it might be like finding a needle in a haystack, with a grieving family breathing down their necks. After someone calls in a vehicle matching the evidence left at the scene, Crosswhite and Kins trace it back to a member of the Navy, one Laszlo Trejo. He denies being in Seattle at the time of the crime, though admits his vehicle was stolen overnight. As things are heating up, Trejo makes a call and JAG lawyer Leah Battles appears to lay the groundwork for whatever defence she can formulate. Trejo continues to claim his innocence, even when evidence points in the direction of his being placed at the intersection where Miller was struck. While juggling this agonising case, Crosswhite has her own issues at home on which to focus. With a biological clock that continues to tick, she has agreed to seek some intervention surrounding not being able to get pregnant. With the support of her husband, Dan, Crosswhite takes her last apparent avenue to bring a life into the world, though the prospects are poor. In other events around the Violent Crimes Squad, Detective Delmo ‘Del’ Castigliano is still reeling at the death of his niece from a heroin overdose. Forced to hold the family together, Del tries to track down the person who derailed his niece’s life after she’d recently completed rehab. When he discovers that she has been sold a highly-potent form of heroin, Del will stop at nothing to run up the supply chain to get to the creep who destroyed his family. Del liaises with Celia McDaniel, working in the D.A.’s office on the rise in drug offences. Del and Celia tackle the legal angles and soon find themselves trying to come to an agreement to remove the dealer from the street before another family is torn apart. When the Article 32 hearing arrives for Trejo, Battles is hoping to score at least a few points before a court-martial. However, a key piece of evidence paralyses the prosecution and all eyes shift to Battles, who was the last person with the box of evidence. A killer going free, a young life taken due to heroin, a budding romance, and the perils of pregnancy. All of these are issues that strike close to home in this latest Dugoni legal thriller that will keep the reader enthralled until the last sentence. Series fans will flock to this and newbies will surely find their curiosity piqued.
I have long been a fan of Dugoni’s work, as I find it flows so easily and keeps the reader’s attention. The growth of Tracy Crosswhite has be prevalent throughout the five novels, allowing the series reader to explore her from various angles. The exploration of her maternal side here is poignant, as her work within Violent Crimes has her consoling witnesses and families on a daily basis. However, she is left to be stoic, even in the face of her own personal tragedies. Dugoni does well to build on this throughout the story, adding aspects of Dan’s interpretation. All this, while Crosswhite keeps her detective skills sharply honed to find a killer. The added storyline involving Del Castigliano pulls on the heartstrings of the reader as the family regresses after the death of a young woman. As Dugoni mentions in his Acknowledgements, he cannot fathom the depths of despair that these people must face, but has tried to put a face on it to allow further character development for Del. Dugoni’s use of other characters pulls the story in many directions, all of which prove useful to the overall story arc. The premise of the novel is timely, even if the drug-related storyline takes second chair to the hit and run. The reader is able to relate to both stories, or at least is given enough to allow them to connect, without dwelling too long and losing the narrative’s momentum. Dugoni’s writing style allows the chapters to flow with ease and the narrative to keep things fresh, which makes digesting the book in short order a real treat for the reader. The only issue with this, is the need to wait for the next instalment, though Dugoni seems to be able to churn them out so easily without losing their quality. I hope many will find Tracy Crosswhite to their liking and add this series to a teetering ‘to be read’ pile. It is well worth the gamble.
Kudos, Mr. Dugoni for impressing yet again with an explosive thriller. You touch the heart while spinning a crime and legal thriller like no other in the genre.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/ -
I have a confession to make. Neither the cover nor the blurb describing the contents of Robert Dugoni’s
Close to Home really enticed me. The thought of a hit-and-run death involving a serviceman and a potential military trial, possible ties to heroin trafficking...I don’t know, the idea just didn’t really grab me. But it’s Dugoni, and it’s Tracy Crosswhite, so what did I have to lose? Wise choice! I am so thankful to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author for the opportunity to read the electronic version of this fifth in the series as an ARC, which will be published in early September.
Immediately, Dugoni tugged at my emotions by portraying the 12-year-old African American boy as someone who deserved a chance to live a long, successful, happy life – a chance he never got, thanks to a driver who plowed him down and sped away without stopping. Tracy and Kinsington Rowe (Kins) enter the scene when it becomes obvious that this is a homicide. Seattle PD is currently overwhelmed with cases, but even when the suspect is booked and transferred to the naval facility, Tracy stays in the loop. The victim’s family deserves it, she feels.
In a second thread, Del Castigliano and his partner, Vic Fazzio, investigate the overdose death of Del’s niece. What? They get around the obvious conflict of interest by having Faz sign off on everything, but one has to put aside the disbelief to accept that this is even possible, especially given that the department is up to its eyeballs in homicides already. Okay, it is what it is. Fiction. Dugoni has done a great deal of research, and it shows. Not everyone will agree that legalizing marijuana is what has led to the increase in the heroin and opiate use, or that free clinics that provide drugs to addicts will help prevent deaths from overdosing, but some data bears that out, and that’s what our SPD detectives are hearing. What really makes an impact is the scope of the problem is laid out. As Del meets with Celia McDaniel, he finds that he must grapple with so much more than getting the dealers and suppliers off the street. There are always more where they came from. He knows firsthand the resulting agony and suffering it causes in the lives of so many. You can talk about “justice”, but that doesn’t ease the pain of the loved ones left behind. As Celia says, “What you have to realize is that crying is God’s way of helping us wash away the pain.”
Meanwhile, Tracy is convinced that the suspect is guilty, but since the case is now in the hands of the Navy, it is out of her control. When the most important piece of evidence goes missing, she is determined to reinsert herself into the investigation – yet another instance where the reader is asked to accept an implausible situation, since she is stepping on toes big time by wandering into another department’s jurisdiction.
What I enjoyed most about Close to Home is the character development. Already very familiar with the characters of Tracy, Faz, Del, and Dan, I found myself loving them even more. Del becomes embroiled in a very personal, emotional quest to find the person(s) responsible for his niece’s drug overdose, as well as for the health and well being of his sister and nephews. In the process, he strikes up a relationship with Celia. The initial scene where they are chatting – flirting – so, so good! It felt real. Tracy and Dan, now married and settled, are trying to start a family. Dugoni did some research in this area too, and we see another side to Tracy and her relationship with Dan that makes her more vulnerable and more human than we’ve seen her in previous stories.
I must also say that I enjoyed two new characters: Celia, whom I’ve already mentioned. She is smart, empathetic, tough, and apparently a very lovely, sexy African American woman who raises a spark or two somewhere in Del’s soul. The other is Leah Battles, a judge advocate from the naval base. She gets the call to represent the suspect in the hit-and-run case. She also faces an uphill battle when the evidence goes missing. She’s strong, exceedingly competent, and very determined. I liked her a lot, and I liked her use of the phrase, one I’ve used myself on many occasions – “Be careful what you wish for.” I suspect that we may be seeing more of these two women in future Crosswhite books.
The main plot, that is, the hit-and-run case, really had me confused! I really could not figure out how the evidence went missing. Common sense said that the obvious culprit was lying; if not, who did it? I was flummoxed! Luckily, Tracy Crosswhite was on the case!
Along with all of that, there is so much going on in this book. Drugs and how police, cities, families, and society handle the problem. How crimes against African Americans are investigated and handled by law enforcement, including the military. Interpersonal relationships in families, in dating situations, in marriage. Food! I love how the author always works Italian food into his stories, and the dialogue between folks over food is wonderful. Even the scenes between the characters and their dogs are true-to-life. I mean, this man can flat-out write!
Take the parts that are a bit unbelievable with a grain of salt and dig into the meat of this story. I highly recommend it!
5 stars -
This is the fifth in the Tracy Crosswhite series and I'm pleased to say that it's as strong as its predecessor. I was slow to appreciate this series. I was ok with the early books but not overwhelmed. I liked the fourth book much more and this one as well. I love the interaction between the team. Their personal lives had as much bearing on my enjoyment as the actual case being investigated. Here, Tracy is pursuing getting pregnant in her early 40s and Kins is readying himself for hip replacement.
The plot is ripped from the headlines as it involves the heroin epidemic and efforts to go after the dealers for overdose deaths. As with what we're seeing on the news here, fentanyl is involved.
Dugoni adds enough detail to his scenes to provide you with insight, whether it's about why the police are reluctant to go to the news media when overdoses go up or what the navy thinks of their working uniforms. As to the first, “it's like moths to the light. Addicts will go looking for it. Overdoses are the best advertisement out there for the quality of the product.”
The plot is well written and the auxiliary characters, like Leah Battles and Celia McDaniels, are fully drawn. I’m hoping both of these ladies will continue to be involved in book six.
My thanks to netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book. -
Couldn't put it down.
Started with hit-and-run of young boy, coming home from basketball game. Investigations found the reported stolen vehicle with damaged front fender. Their starts the investigation of the vehicle owner. In beautiful Seattle many high school students are dying from the heroine overdose. Who is behind this, who are the suppliers? Many twists in this story and Tracy while going through her own trouble to get pregnant. Like this strong character and hope to read about her in the next book very soon. -
the setup…
D’Andre Miller is a 12-year old boy who is already showing promise as a basketball player. He has a plan for his life that is suddenly cut short when he’s viciously mowed down by a hit-and-run driver running a red light and who never even attempted to brake. Detective Tracy Crosswhite and her partner are called in because brass believes this is more than a typical traffic accident and the optics are concerning. Meanwhile, the 17-year old niece of Detective Del Castigliano, another member of Tracy’s unit, recently died from a drug overdose after weeks of seeming to overcome her addiction following rehab. Del is determined to find those responsible and make them accountable for her death. While he and Tracy work their cases independently, they’ll soon find themselves at the same crossroad.
the heart of the story…
This was a puzzler as Tracy and her team quickly find the car and identify the owner, an enlisted Navy soldier assigned to the naval base in Bremerton. He reported the car stolen but they have evidence he was in Seattle the night of the accident. But the Navy has asserted jurisdiction, the suspect is unwavering in his bizarre assertion that it wasn’t him and won’t accept a plea. Things go even more sideways when crucial evidence turns up missing. It was pretty clear to me something was rotten in the Navy and this was clearly about more than the accident. I went down to the wire trying to figure out the who and why and had to just follow the investigation.
the narration…
Again, listening to the story just heightened my reading experience as the narrator continues to deliver an outstanding performance on every level. She’s definitely become my voice for the characters and storytelling.
the bottom line…
There’s a lot going on in this one, both the cases and personally for Tracy and Del. Through his niece’s death, we get to experience the heartbreak and futility of the opioid crisis on families. Tracy is struggling with fertility issues and the impact on her relationship with Dan, her husband. These secondary storylines just made everything more interesting and brought some balance to the strange investigations. Things seemed peculiar throughout and I enjoyed learning more about how local jurisdictions interact with the military justice system. It wasn’t riveting stuff but it was highly intriguing, so much so I had a hard time putting this one down. And, that epilogue just left me in a really great place!
Posted on
Blue Mood Café -
Tracy Crosswhite Series, Book 5.
Tracy Crosswhite is thrown headlong into the path of a killer conspiracy. Tracy is investigating the hit-and-run death of a young boy and makes a startling discovery, the suspect is an active-duty serviceman at the local naval base. A key piece of evidence goes missing and he is cleared of all charges in a military court. Tracy knows she can't turn her back on this kind of justice. She then uncovers the drivers ties to a spate of heroin overdoses in the city and realises that this is not a case of the military protecting its own. With the truth being uncovered, Tracy is putting herself in harms way.
Another fantastic Tracy Crosswhite book.with the usual twist and turns, suspense, tension and fast pace that we know we are going to get, Robert Dugoni has once again had me hooked from the beginning. I thought I knew where this story was going, but I was so wrong. A well written book with a great plot line, believable and some likeable characters, and I can't wait to read what happens in book 6 in this series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and the author Robert Dugoni for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. -
I had never heard of Robert Dugoni until I received an Arc of his book "The Trapped Girl". I loved that book, btw and thought to myself, "why have I not heard of this Author before?" Needless to say, when I saw there was another ARC out in the same series, I just had to read it! One of the things I enjoy most about his writing is that he doesn't spoon feed the reader anything. He lays out his story in an intelligent fashion, there will be plot twists and reveals and all seem plausible and believable. He is a master at mixing police procedural, character development, and suspense into his work. I also like his main character, Tracy Crosswhite. She is a likable, tough, sympathetic and interesting woman. She is dealing with personal issues in this book but does not let her personal struggles get in the way or her job.
While investigating the hit and run death of a young boy, Tracy determines that an active duty navy serviceman is the prime suspect. This issue becomes a military one but when damning evidence goes missing, he is released and Tracy can't let the boys death go on punished.
Meanwhile Del Castigliano is still coping with the death of his niece from a Heroin overdose. He and his partner are on the hunt to find those responsible for selling his niece the heroin the night she overdosed. He finds out that she is not the only one who has died after using the drug.
These two story lines help move the book along and give a real glimpse into police and detective work. Both story lines flow seamlessly as as revelations are made in both cases. I believe the beauty of this book is how the Author tells two stories or has two plot lines going at once. This way we get to see the detective work of both Tracy and Del as they work on each case. I think there is a fine line an Author has to tread when this is done to make the plot(s) flow and seem believable. Dugoni pulls this off while at the same time building the suspense. I love trying to figure out what is going on and what is going to be the conclusion when I read suspense/mysteries. This book did keep me guessing and I did have some theories. Sometimes I am right, sometimes I am wrong. In this case, I was wrong.
There are a lot of characters in this book but no so much that they get distracting or weigh down the plot. Now, I need to go back and read the other books in this series that I have missed while I anxiously wait for the next book in this series to come out. The pacing was spot on. I loved that there were no dull moments in this book. I was sucked in from page one.
I received a copy of this book from Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at
www.openbookpost.com -
This is my third Robert Dugoni novel and second Tracy Crosswhite book. There's something about this mans writing style that I love. A mixture of descriptive and factual detail along with great character development, Close To Home continues in this vein and delivers in spades.
The book starts with Tracy investigating the hit and run killing of a young boy in her home town of Seattle. Her chief suspect turns out to be a service man at a local navel base. However when a crucial piece of evidence goes missing he is cleared of the charges in a military court.
Tracy remains unperturbed and as she links the driver of the vehicle to a spate of recent overdoses, she realises that this may not just be a cover up by the navy but something much deeper, involving numerous suspects and a lethal strain of heroin.
So as said at the start, I loved this book. Although it's the fifth in the series it's only my second read in the said series, my other being the previous in the series - The Trapped Girl. I'm already all in with the character of Tracy and her world. I certainly intend to seek out the previous three books.
Mr Dugonis writing style is just right up my street. He manages to balance writing a lot of forensic stuff and case detail, along with giving plenty of time for his characters to breath and be rounded out. A near perfect balance on the book. So many vivid characters in this book but yet so much explained in the story. The story. Yes it's a good one. Leading you one way and then the other. I was intruiged from the start to the finish and I honestly didn't know what the ending would bring.
An easy five star review from me. This book gave me loads of enjoyment. It was such a pleasure to read. If you haven't read any of this series, I'd certainly encourage you to do so. This is coming from a reader who has only read book four and book five but certainly intends to read the previous three.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Robert Dugoni and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. -
Five books into this series, and it’s still exciting to spend time with Tracy Crosswhite and her team. In every book, there is growth in the characters. Tracy and Dan are as strong as ever and want to start a family. Kins has hip replacement surgery. It’s Del who gets to shine in this book.
There are two storylines. One starts with the hit and run death of a young basketball player. Tracy's investigation leads to the local naval base where JAG lawyers take over jurisdiction. The other has Faz and Del backtracking the flow of extra bad heroin from users to the dealer after Del's niece recently overdosed. Dugoni's depiction of the consequences of heroin on Del's family was poignant.
Initially I was not fond of Leah Battles, the main military defense lawyer, but as she was fleshed out, she grew on me. She's a strong character, maybe stronger even than Tracy. But could I trust her? At about 75%, I thought I had this book figured out. Boy, was I wrong. Misdirection worked very well on me. There is a satisfying ending. I was happy for Del and for Tracy and can’t wait to see where things stand in the next book. -
I do love this series! The characters are great and the storylines are different. This book starts off with a hit and run killing a 12 year old boy but it twists and turns and becomes so much more. I always look forward to the next Tracey Crosswhite book.. i hope we don't have to wait too long for book 6..! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Thomas and Mercer for a copy of this book to read and review
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Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswaite almost takes a backseat in this police procedural with two major storylines. In the first, Tracy and Kins are called to investigate the hit and run death of a young boy. The victim is an African American boy and there is tremendous amount of interest and scrutiny from the black community. Tracy and Kins soon make an arrest but since the suspect is in the Navy, the Navy asserts prosecutorial control and the case is transferred to them. To the black community this seems like it means just a big whitewash. Their fears shortly seem to be borne out.
With the second story line Detectives Vic Fazzio and Delno Castigliano take center stage in the investigation of the heroin overdose death of Del’s niece. The investigation takes an urgent turn when the detectives realize this is the same heroin being cut with fentanyl and causing overdose deaths all over the city.
Dugoni writes a fascinating amount of information about why the heroin epidemic has become so severe with the growing legalization of marijuana to the expense and difficulty in now obtaining prescription opioids. This is worth the price of admission alone.
This book has the themes of motherhood and race running so clearly throughout it. The mother who thinks her black son’s death doesn’t matter, the mothers of white children who wait nightly for the knock telling them their junkie child is dead from an O.D. There is also the older woman who so strongly yearns for motherhood but has been told it is unlikely.
I do have a couple of quibbles with this mostly excellent book. Not likely that a detective would ever try to run surveillance on their own as Tracy does. Also the idea that Del would be legitimately kept anywhere near the investigation into his nieces overdose death is unlikely as it would make prosecution almost impossible. I think Dugoni is a good enough writer that he could have figured out a work around to both of these problems.
A lovely grace note “What you have to realize is that crying is God’s way of helping us wash away the pain.”
I hadn’t read any of the Crosswaite books before. So when I received this ARC I spent the weekend catching up on the others. What a great way to spend the weekend. So this is a great series, but I had no problem envisioning this as being read as a standalone.
These two stories twist and turn, there is nothing straight forward about them. Both can break your heart. But they can get your heart rate accelerating too!
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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If I'm completely honest, this would be more in the *3.75 star range. And, that's only because it took me half the book to care about the plot.
This is my least favorite Tracy Crosswhite book. The subject matter was something I hardly cared about. Which is mainly the drugs angle. Tracy gets involved after a hit and run on a 12 year old boy happens. Meanwhile, Del--another detective--is investigating the overdose of his niece. I did like the fact that we got more of a story on other characters lives, but, once again, Dan is on the sidelines. The reason it took me so long to get into the story was I felt there was a lot of information dumped on me in the beginning. The Navy is involved in this story so there were facts and acronyms thrown in the air. It did get somewhat tedious. About 53% into the book, the story picks up and more of an investigation happens. It was good the 2nd half for which I'm happy about. Although, the ending? If only real life was as good to people.
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. -
Once again Dugoni has switched it up for his latest instalment in the Tracy Crosswhite series. Personally, I love that he takes each new book in a slightly different direction, not just with the characters but with the overarching style too. This one was a mix between an episode of Law and Order and A Few Good Men, something I'd been thinking since the early on in the book and which made me laugh out loud when the author actually name drops that film, clearly well aware of what the readers will be thinking. Not only do we get a much deeper and heart warming look into Del, an integral part of the team but one who has largely been on the sidelines until now, we are introduced to a new female presence in the form of naval Lieutenant Leah Battles. I can't say too much about her without being spoilery, but she knows Krav Maga. Well done Mr. Dugoni, I love your female characters.
This is a series that gets better each time and it started high. If it's new to you, start at the beginning because the character development builds so well over the books that, while not exactly necessary to read them in order, it would be a real shame to miss out.
ARC via Netgalley -
This was a case that expanded outwards from a hit and run accident. It turned into so much more! I really enjoyed learning more about Gel, Tracey’s work partner in this book and it’s tie ins to the case. It gave a more rounded view of her team and hope we similarly learn about the others.
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This is the 5th offering in Dugoni’s popular Tracy Crosswhite police procedural series and his many fans will not be disappointed. Detective Crosswhite is the lead detective investigating the death of 12-year-old D’Andre Miller, killed by a hit-and-run driver. The driver proves to be Laszlo Trejo, a Petty Officer in the United States Navy; and the inevitable jurisdictional conflicts are just one of the many twists and turns the author presents in this fast-moving tale. Of note, Dugoni introduces the formidable JAG attorney, Leah Battles, as Trejo’s defense attorney. This fascinating character will surely pop-up in future offerings in the Crosswhite series. Enjoy!
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This is the 5th book in this very good series.
In this instalment a young boy is killed in a hit and run and the car that hit the boy is traced back to a member of the Navy. Tracy finds herself dealing with a military that appears to want to close ranks and protect one of their own.
In this book we also get to know Del, one of Tracy's colleagues a lot better. He is dealing with the death of his niece due to a drug overdose.
A lot in this story and certainly quite a few twists. -
Enthralling!
Good crime mystery, brilliant Tracy, always with deep meaning.
"In time, though, you learn how to live with the pain. You learn how to live with all the memories, and you learn not to fear them. You learn to embrace them, to welcome them.
It isn’t going to be better. It’s going to be different, and different is okay. You just have to learn how to embrace it. Like anything, it takes time. What you have to realize is that crying is God’s way of helping us wash away the pain. So don’t you ever apologize for crying; it’s a reminder to us all that we’re human, and that we love our family with our entire being. And that’s a beautiful thing." -
Young D'Andre Miller was killed while crossing the street on his way home from a basketball game. A camera in the area showed a black Subaru Outback never slowed down before hitting him. Detective Tracy Crosswhite and her team are put on the case. They quickly find the vehicle and learn that it was reported stolen earlier that morning. The owner of the car, enlisted Navy Sailor Laszlo Trejo, claims he was home at the time of the accident; but evidence shows he may be lying. Meanwhile, Detective Del Castigliano is trying to hold his family together after the overdose death of his niece Allie. Del is determined to discover who provided the heroin to Allie.
This is a very good addition to the Tracy Crosswhite series. We have two investigations which both tie to the impact of drugs in our society. We get to see the devastation to the families of the victims of the opioid crisis. I enjoyed following the evidence and trying to figure out exactly what was happening when the Navy asserted jurisdiction over the Trejo case. I was very surprised by the ending. My rating: 4 Stars. -
Close to Home is the fifth installment in the Tracy Crosswhite series. While I liked the previous book The Trapped Girl better, Close to Home is still a good addition to the series. Drug trafficking seems to be the “crime du jour” these days, and heroin is the drug at issue in this book. The suspect is an active serviceman at the local Navy base, and the issue of jurisdiction and the handling of the crime as a result was very interesting. There was a twist at the end that I felt might be coming but liked it nonetheless. Dugoni focuses a fair amount on Tracy’s personal life too which I enjoyed. This is a great book for anyone who likes realistic mysteries with a strong protagonist. I am already looking forward to the next book in the series. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for my copy. All opinions are my own.
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Close to Home (Tracy Crosswhite #5) got off to a relatively slow start; not slow enough to DNF it but slower than I expected from Robert Dugoni. About a third of the way through, it began to take off and, ultimately, became a very enjoyable read.
A young black is on the way home from playing basketball when he is killed by a hit-and-run driver. After a debate as to whether the case should be handled by the police unit that investigates vehicular accidents or homicide, a key piece of evidence is found that makes it seem that this was, indeed, a homicide. Tracy and his partner identify a prime suspect who happens to be a Naval Petty Officer. That brings to the table the question of whether the Navy will assert jurisdiction, which is their right.
They do assert jurisdiction and a career member of the Judge Advocates Office worms her way into being assigned the case. Ultimately, a key piece of evidence disappears and it looks like she may have taken it. Might the case be much more than a simple hit-and-run? Things get really twisted from there as new theories emerge and the defense attorney seems to be in danger.
Dugoni does an excellent job with both the continuing and new characters. He nicely develops most although I thought he might have gotten a bit more out of a couple. The plot, which started slowly, as mentioned earlier, really got rolling and ultimately the last half was genuinely engaging and had a number of clever twists. Containing parallel stories, that seemed unconnected but ultimately were drawn together is a common writer's vehicle but done quite well in this case. Dugoni's writing, as is typical of his books, is literate yet down to earth.
Understanding that the book begins a bit slowly, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good cop investigation/courtroom drama and doesn´t insist on end-to-end action.
Fini -
I had just finished reading
The Trapped Girl and was looking for the next book to read. I have a large number of books on my TBR shelf and had narrowed it down to 3 or 4. Even though I had just finished reading one Tracy Crosswhite novel there was no real hesitation in reading the next book in the series. It is that enjoyable. The series remains fresh. The characters and the stories interesting. Mr. Dugoni does and excellent job of making each story a little bit different. But not too different. Tracy and her team do work in the Violent Crimes Section of the Seattle Police Department. This time out there are actually two story lines that neatly tie together at the end.
Tracy is called out to the scene of a hit-and-run. Twelve year old D'Andre Miller was struck and killed while coming home from a basketball game. The driver fled the scene. It doesn't take long to identify the car and it is found abandoned. The owner is an active duty serviceman at a local naval base and jurisdiction is turned over to the Navy. But then a key piece of evidence mysteriously goes missing and the case is dropped. Tracy was at the scene of the hit-and-run. She witnessed the anguish of D'Andre's mother. She is reminded of when her sister Sarah disappeared and the impact on her family. For Tracy this case hits Close to Home.
The second story centers on Delno Castigliano whose niece died from an overdose of heroin. The author provides a compelling insight into the impact on families from addiction. Del is allowed to be involved in the search for the dealer who sold the heroin to his niece. While this is not very realistic, even considering that his partner Vic Fazzio promised to keeping an eye on him, this is fiction and doesn't detract from enjoying the story and feeling compassion for Del, his sister and her family. Or other families who are experiencing the devastating impact of addiction. For Del this too is Close to Home.
One of the fascinating things that I learned having read this book was the impact that the legalization of marijuana has had. According to the author "I had no idea that the loss of Marijuana income had led to the Mexican, South American, and Chinese drug cartels plowing under their Marijuana fields to plant poppies and to flood the market with cheap and affordable Heroin. This came at an unfortunate time when so many people had become addicted to prescription opioids". This was depressing to read.
The story had a satisfying ending and I think we were introduced to a potential new character in future stories in the series. I am looking forward to the release of
A Steep Price in June. Highly recommend to fans of suspense / thriller and police procedural stories. -
In my opinion, the weakest novel in the Tracy Crosswhite series...
There are 2 investigations under way in Close to Home. The first one is about a boy who is killed after a hit and run. The suspect of the hit and run is an active-duty serviceman located at the nearby naval base. The navy becomes involved in clearing the name of the serviceman through a court investigation. During the trial a key piece of evidence is found to be missing. The second part of the novel is solving the death of Del's niece, who died of an overdose. Del wants justice to be served for those who were involved in supplying the drugs to his niece.
I don't know, this novel just didn't speak to me in the same way that the other ones did. I found myself getting bored with the court case and the navy becoming involved. I did enjoy the last quarter of the novel, but it just took so long to get there. Also it didn't blow my mind the way that the other novels did.
Thank you to Netgallery for providing me an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. -
This is the fifth in Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite series and in my opinion, unlike a lot of detective series, they keep getting better and better. Dugoni is a totally underrated mystery author. In my opinion he is one of the best writing today. His plots are masterful and the characters are real and are fully developed. Highly recommended.
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Tracy and Kins are investigating a hit and run that of a 12 year old African American , D'Andre Miller. The suspect is a Navy based Officer Laszlo Trejo but is proven innocent . Tracy though believes that justice was not served and digs deeper only to uncover a conspiracy that puts her in great danger. Meanwhile Del Castigliano is struggling with his niece's fatal heroin overdose and along with his partner, Vic Fazzio, tries to hunt down the dealer whose supply is resulting in the high number of OD’s happening around the city
Close to Home by Robert Dugoni is the fifth installment in the Tracy Crosswhite series .This is another action packed thriller with great characters that will keep you hooked to the end. A great addition to the series
I would like to thank Thomas Mercer & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
