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Melinda Leigh

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Cross Her Heart (Bree Taggert Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Melinda Leigh (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.5 48,345 ratings

Book 1 of 10: Bree Taggert

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A homicide detective’s violent family history repeats itself in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s novel of murder, secrets, and retribution.

For more than twenty-five years, Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert has tucked away the nightmarish childhood memories of her parents’ murder-suicide…Until her younger sister, Erin, is killed in a crime that echoes that tragic night: innocent witnesses and a stormy marriage that ended in gunfire. There’s just one chilling difference. Erin’s husband, Justin, has vanished.

Bree knows how explosive the line between love and hate can be, yet the evidence against her troubled brother-in-law isn’t adding up. Teaming up with Justin’s old friend, former sheriff’s investigator and K-9 handler Matt Flynn, Bree vows to uncover the secrets of her sister’s life and death, as she promised Erin’s children. But as her investigation unfolds, the danger hits close to home. Once again, Bree’s family is caught in a death grip. And this time, it could be fatal for her.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This romantic suspense tale thrusts readers into the action, with one heart-racing, adrenaline-filled scene after another. Leigh’s (Morgan Dane series) vulnerable yet strong lead characters add depth to an exciting new series.” —Library Journal

“Leigh, (Whisper of Bones, 2019, etc.) has a genuine talent for creating believable, appealing characters and realistic dialogue…With a clear setup for future adventures, this novel promises to become a likable series.” —Kirkus Reviews

“From the first page in this gripping mystery, we are hooked…Start with Cross Her Heart, and keep reading as Leigh produces more installments of her series. You won’t regret it.” —Bookreporter

“Cross Her Heart by Melinda Leigh is action-packed. The mystery is full of twists and turns that leave the reader on the edge of their seat.” —Crimespree Magazine

“A gripping thriller, Cross Her Heart is fast paced and riveting, with the complex and compelling lead homicide detective, Bree Taggert. The first in a destined to be a hit series.” —Karin Slaughter, international bestselling author

“Melinda Leigh has topped herself—and goes to the top of my must-read author list. Cross Her Heart is everything I love in a thriller, and Bree Taggert is everything I love in a heroine. READ THIS BOOK. You won’t be able to put it down.” —Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author of The Third to Die

“Masterful! Melinda Leigh knows just how to blend poignant family drama with edge-of-your-seat suspense. As the heroine of this thrilling new series, Bree Taggert will capture your heart.” —Laura Griffin, New York Times bestselling author

About the Author

#1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker. After joining Romance Writers of America, she decided writing was more fun than analyzing financial statements. Melinda’s debut novel, She Can Run, was nominated for Best First Novel by the International Thriller Writers. She’s also garnered Golden Leaf and Silver Falchion Awards, along with two nominations for a RITA and three Daphne du Maurier Awards. Her other novels include She Can Tell, She Can Scream, She Can Hide, She Can Kill, Midnight Exposure, Midnight Sacrifice, Midnight Betrayal, Midnight Obsession, Hour of Need, Minutes to Kill, Seconds to Live, Say You’re Sorry, Her Last Goodbye, Bones Don’t Lie, What I’ve Done, Secrets Never Die, and Save Your Breath. She holds a second-degree black belt in Kenpo karate, has taught women’s self-defense, and lives in a messy house with her family and a small herd of rescue pets. For more information, visit www.melindaleigh.com.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07TMN6WR7
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Montlake (March 17, 2020)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 17, 2020
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 4480 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 333 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #3,810 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #10 in Police Romance
- #103 in Police Procedurals (Kindle Store)
- #109 in Women Sleuths (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 48,345 ratings

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Melinda Leigh

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#1 Amazon Charts and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh has sold over 14 million books. As a fully recovered banker and a life-long lover of books, she started writing as a way to preserve her sanity while raising her kids. Melinda's debut novel, SHE CAN RUN, was an International Thriller Award finalist. Since then, she has garnered numerous writing accolades, including two RITA® Award nominations and an induction into the NJ Romance Writers Hall of Fame.

Melinda holds a 2nd degree belt in Kenpo Karate. She's dabbled in Arnis stick fighting, studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and taught women's self-defense. She lives near the beach with her family and two spoiled rescue dogs. With such a pleasant life, she has no explanation for the sometimes dark and disturbing nature of her imagination. Find out more about Melinda by visiting www.melindaleigh.com.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5

48,345 global ratings

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C. Adams

Another Great book by Melinda Leigh

Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2024

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I enjoy books about female cops and Melinda Leigh didn't disappoint with this one. Times became intense and past history of more than one person came up to help you understand some of them. I truly enjoyed reading this book!

Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2024

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4.25 Stars

I got into this series due to the fact that it was on Kindle Unlimited listen and hear. Super happy that I did. My second favorite genre is Mystery and this was the first that came up in my list.

This book follows Bree and her desire to find her sister's murderer. I love the prologue of the book that gave very vital information to our FMC. The MMC is mmm-mmm love him. This is not really a romance per se. It's just a shake of it.

I enjoyed the pace of the book and the narrator. The end was a smidge cheesy, which is why the 4.25.

I definitely will keep going with this series.

Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2024

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Great read!! Keeps you on edge and interested . It's a very quick read, though! Highly recommend. Not much romance though if any at all.

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Tom McGee

Melinda Leigh Hit the Mark Again with this Stellar Murder Mystery! Enjoy!

Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2020

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I have read and reviewed so many books over the past 12 years that I have forgotten about some of the great authors I have read over time. Recently, I came across a review of one of Melinda Leigh’s books and quickly added her to my authors to follow on Amazon.com after I recalled how much I enjoyed her earlier murder mystery novels.

Cross Her Heart is the first in a series of Bree Taggert novels. When the ureka light went on in my head, I quickly bought the Kindle version of this book. It grabbed my attention and I could not put it down until wee hours of the morning and could hardly wait to finish it the next day.

In 1993, in Gray’s Hollow, New York when Bree was just 8 years, and her baby brother, Adam was still in his crib, while her little sister, Erin was just 4, her abusive father was having a knock down drag out fight with her mother that scared her so much to see the gun pointed at her mothers head that she took the baby and Erin out of the house in the dead of winter and hid under the steps for protection and heard the shot that killed her mother then the shotgun that killed her father.

The kind Sheriff, Bob, discovered and rescued them from freezing hiding place, warmed them up and made them safe.

That kindness and protection impacted Bree’s life and she eventually became a homicide detective in Northern Pennsylvania where she was raise by her cousin while her siblings remained in Grey’s Hollow where they were raised separately by their grandmother.

Adam grew up to be a famous artist, yet flawed person who had lots of money, but spent his time withdrawn within his dark art. His sister, Erin, loved her job as a hair stylist, but would have found it hard to survive without Adam’s help. He bought the house and paid the taxes on property that she and her two children, from the sociopathic and abusive father of Luke and Kayla lived in.

Bree requested emergency leave and came as fast as she could when Erin left her a message telling her that she was in trouble and needed her help. Before she could get there Erin was murdered and her estranged husband, Justin was missing.

Three years earlier Matthew Flynn and his dog, Brody while working a K-9 of the Grey’s Hollow Sheriff’s Department team received career ending wounds by friendly fire.

Matt was the best man at Erin and Justin’s wedding. He teamed up with Bree’s in an attempt to find Justin and find out who killed Erin.

Grey’s Hollow Chief Deputy Todd Harvey knew the reputation of both Matt and Bree and allowed them to work with him unofficially as long as they remained incognito and did not speak to the press. It was the least he could do considering he was the officer who shot Matt and ended his career a few years earlier.

Initially, Justin was the only suspect since it was his gun that shot and killed Erin; however, knowing Justin since they were kids, Matt was convinced that Justin loved Erin and would never cause her harm.

Deputy Sheriff Harvey, Matt, and Bree worked hard and identified numerous suspects as they searched for clues and for Justin until they solved the case.

Melinda Leigh is now a seasoned author with loads of talent. I enjoyed this book so much that I have already purchased and am reading the second in this series.

I recommend this book to family, friends, and others who enjoy best selling murder mysteries by truly deserving authors.

Enjoy!

17 people found this helpful

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Candice Starcher

Interesting

Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2024

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Great start to what I hope to be a good series. The plot line moves fast, characters had depth, and I’m enjoying the friendship between Bree and Matt. I’m moving on to the second installment and hoping the storyline continues to grow.

Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2024

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I loved the storyline! I read a later book first & liked the writing style & characters so much I looked for more books. I now have all the books in this series including a preorder for the future one! And a list of her other series to check out!

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M A Martin

In my opinion, Melinda Leigh has written many 5-star books but this one is really, really good

Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2020

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This is one very good thriller - I highly recommend it.

It’s always good to start a book series with the first book. To do so provides you with the history of the main characters. Cross Her Heart provides a thorough description of what Philadelphia Police Department Homicide Detective Bree Taggert and former Sheriff’s deputy Matt Flynn have been through.

After Bree collars a criminal she has chased down, she listens to a voice mail message from her sister, Erin, in which Erin sounds like she is scared and says she is in trouble asking for Bree’s help. Bree immediately arranges for time off to go to Grey’s Hollow, New York, where she was born and where her sister Erin, and her brother Adam, still live.

Before Bree can get there, Matt Flynn, a former Sheriff’s deputy and K9 officer, who was shot in the line of duty, as a result of which can no longer pass a firearms test because of the damage done to his dominate hand from a “friendly fire” bullet, arrives at the house where his long-time friend Justin Moore, lives. Because of an injury received in an automobile accident, Justin has become addicted to OxyContin.

Erin did not want drugs in the house where her children lived and so she asked him to move out. He was now attending NA meetings and, since he was not allowed to drive, Matt picked him up and took him to meetings. When Matt and Brody, his former K9 partner and now his personal pet, arrived to pick Justin up, Brody alerted Matt to the fact that something was not right. When Matt finally entered the house he found Erin in Justin’s bedroom floor dead from a gunshot wound with Justin nowhere to be found.

Bree arrived at Erin’s house to find two deputies searching it. Upon their advice, she went to the Sheriff’s office to learn where her sister was and why her house was being searched. The acting Sheriff, Chief Deputy Todd Harvey, advised her that her sister had been shot and killed and her nephew and niece were with their Uncle Adam. The previous Sheriff had been found guilty of corruption and had committed suicide and it seemed as though no one wanted the job.

Realizing that both the individual who found the body and the individual who knew the victim best were experienced police officers, Todd asked both of them to steer clear of the investigation since they were too close to it. Since Bree knew of Matt’s history as a deputy sheriff, she wanted to talk to him about the situation.

Upon leaving the Sheriff’s office, Matt found Bree waiting for him. She asked to talk to him in private so he took her to his house. Unfortunately, because of an incident that happened when she was a child, Bree was terribly afraid of dogs and Brody was a large German Shepherd who looked a lot meaner than he was. Recognizing this, Matt sent Brody to his cage.

Matt and Bree agreed that it seemed certain Todd had already made up his mind that Justin had killed Erin. Matt assured Bree that he did not believe Justin was the killer. They also agreed they did not have confidence in the ability of the Sheriff’s office to find out who killed Erin. They decided to join forces and “work the case” together.

Then, of course, there is the matter of the secondary characters, Luke and Kayla, Erin’s children, Adam, Bree’s and Erin’s artist brother, Dana, Bree’s partner in Philadelphia, Craig, the children’s biological father, to whom Erin was never married and who is not named on their birth certificates, and Marge, who is the woman who “runs” the sheriff’s office from the receptionist’s desk.

All of these secondary characters have important roles and you will find them very interesting. So, by all means, read this book.

55 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

KatD

Excellent, fast read

Reviewed in Canada on March 7, 2023

Verified Purchase

Great mystery.with suspense, tender moments, a hint of romance, and unpredictable. I read it in a few days rather than slowly over 3 weeks. .Can't wait to start book 2!

Amazon Customer

very enjoyable

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2024

Verified Purchase

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters come to life and are engaging. Hopefully there will be a sequel to read too.

Rajeev Sabade

Enjoyed the suspense

Reviewed in India on January 25, 2024

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I did enjoy the suspense. But the revelation of the actual murderer and his motive were not adequate or convincing. Nonetheless, i am going to read the next one in series, as i like all the positive characters portrayed.