Catching Heat

July 18, 2016
This third book of Cantore’s (Burning Proof) Cold Case Justice series will stand alone just fine, but readers will benefit from reading the backstory in the first two books. Detective Abby Hart and PI Luke Murphy continue their partnership and budding personal relationship as they work the cold case of a murdered college student in San Luis Obispo, Calif. At the same time, Abby doggedly pursues proof that the governor’s wife instigated the murders of Abby’s parents 27 years ago. The two cases converge unexpectedly, setting up dangerous events for key players in the drama. Luke worries that Abby’s unrelenting search is bordering on obsession, and Abby must determine if she’s willing to trust in a God who promises justice—even if she can’t close her parents’ case. Though a plethora of characters and several police cases make for a crowded story line, Cantore manages to balance quick-paced action scenes with developed, introspective characters to keep the story moving along steadily. The issue of faith arises naturally, growing out of the characters’ struggles and history. Their romantic relationship is handled with a very light touch, which may disappoint some readers, but the police action and mystery solving shine.

Starred review from September 1, 2016

Det. Abby Hart is still searching for proof that will convict her parents' killer almost 30 years after their murders. She teams up once again with PI Luke Murphy to investigate a cold case in San Luis Obispo, CA, her relentless pursuit of justice placing her in yet another personally dangerous situation. Still, Abby struggles as she waits for God to provide justice and learns to respect that His timeframe is not her own. The final volume of Cantore's "Cold Case Justice" trilogy (after Drawing Fire and Burning Proof) wraps the series with a gripping thriller that brings readers into the mind of a police officer involved in a fatal shooting case. VERDICT Drawing on her two decades as a Long Beach, CA, police officer, Cantore offers true-to-life stories that are relevant to today's news. The author's followers and fans of TV's Cold Case and Castle will line up for this title.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2016
The third book, following Burning Proof (2016), in the Cold Case Justice series is a police procedural wrapped in a personal quest for justice with a side of romance. Readers will be hooked from page one as they follow detective Abby Hart as she takes a new position on a cold-case team, seeking answers nobody else can find. She has a special connection with her teammate, PI Luke Murphy, over the case that left her an orphan, and Abby and Luke resolve to find answers together. Their cold-case investigation of the murder of a high-school girl leads them in an unexpected direction. Clues then lead to danger, as the killers, who thought they had gotten away with their crimes, realize they're close to being caught. Another case Abby, Luke, and their team agree to take on sends them on an even riskier manhunt. Despite its dark twists, each page of Cantore's novel is imbued with the faith of her characters, which keeps them hopeful in spite of their harrowing situations.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)