REVIEW by Jena: A Bone to Pick by Melinda Leigh

In this gripping second novella in the Widow’s Island series, bestselling author Melinda Leigh delivers a chilling tale of murder in the Pacific Northwest.

Deputy Tessa Black gave up her career as a detective with the Seattle PD and returned to the Pacific Northwest island she calls home to care for her ailing mother. Tessa thinks her mother’s illness is the worst thing she’ll face—until she responds to a routine call in the state park and discovers a local man harpooned to a sign.

As the murder investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that the victim harbored secrets. Together with her FBI agent best friend, Cate, and park ranger Logan Wilde, Tessa must connect the pieces before the murderer strikes again. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more she finds herself—and the ones she loves—in harm’s way.

Pressure mounts as Tessa attempts to juggle the current case with her search for the truth behind her childhood friend Samantha’s disappearance twenty years ago. Can Tessa find the murderer and uncover answers about Samantha without jeopardizing everything she holds dear?

Purchase Your Copy Today!
Amazon | Jump to the Widow’s Island Series on Amazon

Also Available On

KEEP READING TO SEE JENA’S REVIEW!

About the Book

A Bone to Pick
by Melinda Leigh

Series
Widow’s Island Series Book Two

Genre
Adult
Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense
Romantic Suspense

Publisher
Montlake Romance

Publication Date
October 30, 2018

Purchase Your Copy Today!
Amazon | Jump to the Widow’s Island Series on Amazon

Also Available On

Jena’s Review

In yesterday’s review of CLOSE TO THE BONE, I explained the following about the Widow’s Island series:

If you are familiar with [Kendra Elliot], this might not be news to you, but she writes in tandem with another author, Melinda Leigh (my review of her first Widow’s Island book is coming tomorrow). The Widow’s Island series is a new one for them, but they’ve done these tandem series in the past (I’ve added one called the Rogue River series to my TBR pile….because it wasn’t big enough already…). For this series, Kendra Elliot penned CLOSE TO THE BONE, Widow’s Island book one, and Melinda Leigh wrote A BONE TO PICK, Widow’s Island book two (Melinda wrote book three and Kendra wrote book four, both of which are coming in October 2019).

A BONE TO PICK is the second Widow’s Island novella. Instead of following FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde, Melinda Leigh’s installment follows Cate’s best friend, Dupety Tessa Black. Tessa is much softer than Cate and immediately likeable. She’s got a lot on her plate juggling her own life and job while taking care of her ailing mother. But she handles it with grace and warmth even when it has run her ragged. Much like her series counterpart, Tessa is whip smart and sweet as pie, and I found myself rooting for her immediately.

The mystery of the day in this book surrounds the discovery of an especially gruesome murder scene and the resulting investigation. Due to the location of the body, Tessa ends up investigating with Cate’s super-hot brother Logan. I will say, this book is a little heavier on the romance angle than the first book was, but the mystery is still what’s front and center in the plot. In addition to the mystery and romance plots, this book also deals with the difficulties of caring for someone with an illness that causes severe deterioration of their mental faculties. I know we’re not supposed to call it a burden but it’s the truth. Not only is it painful to watch someone you love slip away, but taking care of them yourself is a lot to take on for anyone, especially when you’re not a trained medical professional. Over the course of the story, we see Tessa learn that it’s okay to ask for help. You’re not required to shoulder everything alone.

Overall, I loved A BONE TO PICK and this series (and both authors!) has officially been added to my watch list. As I mentioned in my review of CLOSE TO THE BONE, if you read R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series as a young teen, the Widow’s Island series is a great adult equivalent. A BONE TO PICK fits that statement soundly and I cannot wait for Melinda’s next installment in October. The story moves swiftly and keeps you glued to the page to the very end. I will warn you, keep a tissue with you because you’ll probably cry at least once while reading. lol

See All Reviews by Jena

Disclaimer

The review copy of this book was borrowed by the reviewer through the Kindle Unlimited program. All titles reviewed on this blog are a fair and honest assessment of the book. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this review. For more information regarding our review process, please visit our Review Policy & Review Request Submission page.