Janice Cantore: Catching Heat

By Kelly Bridgewater

Twenty-seven years after the deaths of Detective Abby Hart’s parents, she’s desperate to find the proof that will put the mastermind―the governor’s wife―behind bars. When she joins a newly formed task force and teams up with PI Luke Murphy, Abby is sent to San Luis Obispo to work the cold case of a murdered college student. Realizing their investigation will bring them near the town where Alyssa Rollins grew up, Abby decides to do a little digging of her own into the Triple Seven fire.

Luke is eager to help Abby close the books on a case they both have personal stakes in. But as she uncovers long-held secrets, Abby stumbles into an explosive situation, and Luke fears that her obsession may prove deadly.

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My Review:

I have read five books by Janice Cantore including Drawing Fire and Burning Proof. I really enjoy her ability to jump right into the action in the first chapter and take me away on a mystery right away. With the third book in her Cold Case Justice series Catching Heat, I really enjoyed this one. It has what I think should be the ending to every good series. Lots of nail-biting moments that lead me staying up extra late because I couldn't possibly put the book down. Characters that I have come to know and can't wait to see if their romance will start or will it fade into regret. I believe Catching Heat was Cantore's strongest book in the series.

The writing was strong and concise. Being that there were two main point of view characters, Luke and Abby, I never once became confused whose perspective I was in. Cantore keeps me hopping along with the action. There were four different suspense subplots working against Abby and Luke in Catching Heat. Never once did Luke or Abby give up. They kept working to solve each one. The tension was kicked up a notch from the past two. I had a hard time putting the book down when I was reading it. If I put it down, then I would miss something important.

The romance had been hinted at in the previous two books. Abby and Luke both had other relationships, but they couldn't remove the idea of the other two from their thoughts. As typical in a romantic suspense novel, the couple has to end up together, but I was glad that Cantore waited for three books to make it happen. It appeared more realistic and made their budding feelings more realistic to me.

I really enjoyed returning to predictable and familiar characters. Since I have spent time with Abby and Luke in the previous two books, I knew their personalities and was pretty sure how they would interact. The storyline was original, and I really enjoyed all the twists that Cantore included in her story. It kept me on my toes. Cantore reminded me that justice will be served, even if it takes a while for it to come to a reality.

Again, as in my previous reviews of Cantore's writing, I love how realistic the police drama is. This time she included a bomb around someone's neck. It had me cringe, but glad that Cantore had done her research or maybe have seen one used in her line of work. I have never seen one before, and I enjoyed how it ratcheted up the suspenseful moment. 

My favorite thing about the complete Cold Justice Case Series is that Cantore kept an overarching mystery that still motivated Abby to move forward. Yes, there are individual mysteries in each book, but something hung over her that she needed to solve. The death of her parents. Also, I really enjoyed that it took three books for the romance to fully evolve. It didn't end by the end of the first book. 

Always thrilling, Janice Cantore's newest release Catching Heat will draw you in with the first chapter and not let go. Her memorable characters will tug at your heart and begged to be invited in. Cantore reminds us that God will allow justice to occur even if we have to be patient and keep having faith in his Word. 

I received a complimentary copy of Janice Cantore's Catching Heat from Tyndale Publishing and the opinions stated are all my own. 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

What keeps you up all night with a book? Does a chapter that end with a tense moment? Good writing? Let me know.