Book Review: Killer Tracks by Mary Keliikoa

 

Sheriff Jax Turner of Misty Pines is invited on a getaway by his ex-wife Abby who he is trying to reunite with. This means leaving his second in command, Rachel, in charge of the unit while he's gone. It's not her, but leaving at all that has him anxious. And when Abby requests that they leave their service revolvers behind for the weekend, he has his qualms.

When they arrive at the cabin, there are signs of a break-in.  And soon other events follow that have the hairs standing up on the back of his neck and his suspicions in overdrive. A death with the markings of a serial killer that he put away ratchets up the tension. Meanwhile, they are dealing with a similar death in town. Add in a mysterious young woman and a wildfire for a few more elements and you have the makings of a thrilling mystery.

My Thoughts: This is a good, solid mystery/thriller. The action, thrills, and mystery start early on. They grab you and take you on a ride as the tension only increases. Jax and Abby are in danger in one place. Rachel and his deputies are dealing with dangers back in town. 

The book is told from Jax's viewpoint and Rachel's. We get to know more about both characters. And we get to see them both wrestle with issues and grow as people and law officers.

There's an unexpected twist to the ending of the crime storyline that works quite well. There is a personal twist as well.

I did have a little trouble suspending disbelief that two officers of the law would go someplace isolated and not carry their service revolvers. The shotgun makes a nice compromise.

Overall, I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. The thing with the guns was my only complaint. Otherwise the mystery/thriller was well executed. I would recommend it to people who have been reading the Misty Pines series as this is book 3. But, it can probably be read as a standalone as well. Things were explained well enough to enjoy the mystery. So, if you enjoy fast-paced, small town mysteries, this could be a good book for you. It's not quite a cozy because it's professionals doing the crime solving, but it still has a little of that vibe.

Killer Tracks by Mary Keliikoa was released September 30, 2025 from Level Best Books. I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review.

Book Review: Deadly Tides by Mary Keliikoa

 

From the publsher:

A missing surf legend. Waterlogged clues. Can he trust his gut instincts to end the wave of murder?

Sheriff Jax Turner is learning to live again. Holding tight to the hope of reconciling with his FBI agent ex-wife, the wary man is determined to keep his focus on his coastal Oregon community. And after a concerned brother requests a welfare check, Jax is troubled to find the absent surf shop owner’s tracks lead to a pool of blood.

Now investigating a potential homicide, Turner chases a tip from his former spouse about a severed foot found on the beach. But when a torrent of leads links the victim to a politician's son, a jealous competitor, and a get-straight program for youth, the steadfast lawman fears layers of lies and secret agendas will keep him from stopping a vicious killer.

Can he unravel the fatal agenda before he’s the next corpse to wash ashore?

Deadly Tides by Mary Keliikoa was published October 24th, 2023 by Level Best Books.

My Thoughts:  Sheriff Jax Turner and his ex-wife Abby Kanekoa are a good team up of characters, one working for Misty Pines and the other for the FBI. Even though they are exes, they still manage to work nicely together. Jax is the one that the book focuses on primarily with some of the story being through Abby's eyes. Both characters show personal growth over the course of the book. Makes me wonder what book 3 in the series will hold in store for them. 

Plotwise, the book moves along at a good pace. Some of the settings are described more than others. Those that are, are written vividly. The house on the side of the mountain and the area around it that becomes a crime scene, for example, are described so well, you could practically be there. The overall plot arc goes well from the first foot washing up on shore until the conclusion. There are good twists. It kept me guessing and changing my mind on just who the killer really was. I was surprised because I had ruled out the character who turned out to be the killer about 3/4 of the way through the book.

I gave the book 5 out of 5 stars. It's well written. The characters are interesting and multifaceted. The plot is well done and has good twists. It kept me guessing right up until the end. There were some references to a previous case which I assumed was in the first book in the series. These were explained enough to not interfere with the enjoyment of the story. If you like a well-written mystery, I would suggest this one to you.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book.