In the Line of Duty by Carolyn Arnold

 

NEW RELEASE….

He devoted his life to seeking justice. But would she get any for him?

It was an ordinary day for police officer Barry Weir. It was the end of shift, he was tired, and he just wanted to get home to his wife and kids. But someone had other plans for him, shooting him down and forcing him to make the ultimate sacrifice.

When news of Weir’s murder reaches the department, it leaves Detective Madison Knight and every cop in the Stiles PD itching for revenge. It cuts Madison’s boyfriend, colleague, and Weir’s childhood friend, Troy Matthews, deepest of all, driving him away from everyone he loves just when they need one another the most.

With evidence pointing to a gang-related drive-by, Madison and her team investigate the town’s seedy underbelly in search of justice for their fallen brother. But the deeper they dig, the more convoluted the case becomes. Now they need to figure out if this was a random shooting as part of a gang initiation, a straight-up hate crime, or a targeted kill. But with members of the Stiles PD under attack, they have to do it fast…before more officers pay with their lives.

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

“In the Line of Duty” by Carolyn Arnold is the seventh book in the Maddison Knight series. Having never read the previous books in the series, I was a bit worried that I would not be able to follow the story. However, my worries were unnecessary. This book can be read as a stand-alone.

The story began on a sad note. Madison’s colleague and friend, officer Barry Weir, was shot and killed while off duty. The question on everyone’s lips at this point was, was this a specific hit or was it an attack on police officers in general? The men and women of the Stiles PD find themselves in a race against time to find the killer before he strikes again.

This story is a demonstration of what the persons who swore to protect and serve face on a daily basis.  It also demonstrates the trauma and turmoil they face when one of theirs is taken down by ruthless criminals. This was a story of real human emotions that hit too close to home.

What stood out most to me in this story is the manner in which grief can either bring persons together or pull them apart. In this instance, I saw officers who could barely tolerate each other, working together to achieve a common goal. Also, I saw the toll it took on Madison’s relationship with her significant other.

The characters were interesting, but the one that stood out for me was Madison. She was a kickass detective who was fearless, strong-willed and tenacious. She followed all possible leads as she was committed to solving this case. She confronted everything head on. I loved how the author portrayed both her personal and professional life. It shows her struggling to gain approval from her mom who does not approve of her career choice.

This showed that there is a sensitive side to her kickass detective who was fearless, strong-willed and tenacious. She followed all possible leads as she was committed to solving this case. She confronted everything head on. I loved how the author portrayed both her personal and professional life. It shows her struggling to gain approval from her mom who does not approve of her career choice. This showed that there is a sensitive side to her.

The story was gripping. I could not wait to find out who was responsible for the killing and what was the motive. There were so many possible suspects. Just when I thought I had it figured out another suspect was thrown into the mix.  When all was revealed I was in utter shock as I never saw it coming.

This is my second time reading Ms. Arnold’s work and I am impressed with her writing style and how she portrays her characters. It is evident that she had done her due diligence before putting pen to paper. Her attention to detail was on point and the way she described each scene made me feel as if I was actually there.

 

VERDICT:

This is a must read for fans of police procedurals.

 

 

 

This guest review was contributed by Totally Addicted to Reading. This website features promotional posts, cover reveals, book tours, and author interviews.