A review by laurenjodi
Dead Against Her by Melinda Leigh

4.0

Dead Agaiinst Her
4 Stars

When a former deputy who resigned in disgrace is the victim of a homicide, Sheriff Bree Taggert learns that she is only one of many who had reason to dislike the man. The suspects range from an ex-wife, a fellow officer, an angry parolee, and various family members. The investigation is further complicated when Bree is targeted by a twisted stranger who threatens to ruin not only her reputation but her family and fledgling romance with Matt Flynn. When her chief deputy vanishes, Bree vows to stop at nothing to locate him and apprehend the killer.

As always, Leigh has written a well-paced and action-packed police procedural. The mystery is intriguing, and it is entertaining to follow along as Bree uncovers the clues. That said, it is possible to guess the culprit when certain facts are revealed, and there is also a definite conflict of interest with Bree investigating the murder of a man she tried to fire; something that is indicated in the book itself.

In terms of the romantic elements, Bree and Matt's relationship is on track, and there are also delightful hints at a romance between
SpoilerTodd and Cady
. Hopefully, there will be more page time for them in the future.

On a final personal note - the
Spoilerrevenge porn
aspects are very disturbing and make my skin crawl. The fact that there are such sick and twisted people out there is scary, and their ability to destroy someone's life so quickly and so easily is horrifying.

Overall, a strong addition to the series and Leigh's plotting and characterization are improving.