Touch of Red
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4.5 • 221 Ratings
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin “delivers the goods” (Publishers Weekly) again with this gripping, “spellbinding” (Fresh Fiction) thriller full of twists and turns—the twelfth in her bestselling Tracers series.
When crime scene investigator Brooke Porter arrives at the home of a murdered woman, the only thing more shocking than the carnage is the evidence that someone escaped the scene. But where is this witness now? A thorough search of the area yields more questions than answers, and before Brooke even packs up her evidence kit, she’s made it her goal to find the witness and get them out of harm’s way.
Homicide detective Sean Byrne has seen his share of bloody crime scenes, but this one is particularly disturbing, especially because Brooke Porter is smack in the middle of it. Sean has had his eye on the sexy CSI for months, and he’s determined to help her with her current case—even if it means putting his attraction on hold so he and Brooke can track down a murderer. But as the investigation—and their relationship—heats up, Sean realizes that keeping his work and his personal life separate is more complicated than he ever imagined; especially when the killer sets his sights on Brooke.
With Griffin’s signature “fully fleshed characters, dry humor, and tight plotting” (Publishers Weekly), Touch of Red demonstrates why she is one of the most acclaimed and popular authors of sexy thrillers today.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
The twisty, sexy 12th book in the Tracers romantic suspense series revolves around a brutal homicide that brings together crime scene investigator Brooke Porter and detective Sean Byrne. As the murder’s details get stranger and more startling, the pair find themselves turning to each other for comfort. Laura Griffin’s focus on female investigators and her deep dive into forensic science will delight fans of true crime podcasts like My Favorite Murder, although more sensitive readers may find Griffin's unflinching depiction of murder too intense.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Griffin never disappoints with her exciting, well-researched, fast-paced romantic thrillers, and her 12th Tracers novel (after At Close Range) is a fine example. The murder of a young barista is particularly brutal, but it's nothing that Austin, Tex., crime scene investigator Brooke Porter hasn't seen before. Looking for the tiniest shred of evidence, she finds traces of a hidden eyewitness who may be the key to finding the culprit. Homicide detective Sean Byrne respects Brooke's tenacity and skill. He doesn't want her to play detective, possibly bringing herself to the attention of the killer and making herself a target, but he realizes that his personal feelings for Brooke may be coloring his perspective. Despite Brooke being skittish from a previous relationship, Sean's determined to earn her trust and explore their undeniable chemistry. For fans of the long-running series, Griffin tosses in mentions of the many Delphi Center crime scene experts who have recently gotten married or paired off to round out an engrossing story full of twists, turns, and sexy interludes.
Customer Reviews
Fantastic
This is the first book in this series I've read but after reading it I am now hooked!! It's fast paced, lots of twists and action, suspense, and a steamy romance. The writing and characters are fantastic and the plot will keep you guessing. I don't want to giveaway too much of the story since that's part of the fun of reading this one. It starts with a horrific murder and the action never stops from there. If you enjoy a good romantic thriller/suspense this is a book you don't want to miss. I highly recommend it.
Enthralling
Laura Griffin is a remarkable writer and I love everything she writes but her Tracers series remains my favorite. TOUCH IF RED is the twelfth book in the Tracers series and it is just as enthralling as the rest of the series. It has suspense and romance with characters that are easy to relate to, smart and vulnerable.
Brooke works for the Delphi Center as a Trace Evidences Examiner. She has a reputation for being thorough because she has a knack for seeing small details that other people miss. Brooke is on a break from men after a few bad relationships. Her last boyfriend was controlling and possessive and is still unhappy she broke up with him.
Sean is a detective working on a murder case with Brooke. He is an easy going, nice guy with a big ego. Sean and Brooke work well together and Sean has grown to trust Brooke's opinion. They respect each other and there is also an underlying attraction growing between them. I really liked Sean. He is tender, confident, patient and also protective.
While Sean and Brooke are trying to solve the murder we also learn their personal history. Both of them love their jobs, are workaholics and don’t have time for relationships. Yet, they can’t seem to ignore the simmering attraction growing between them. Sean and Brooke have incredible chemistry and I liked both of them. This is an intriguing mystery with romance and passion; my favorite type of story. I was never able to figure out who the murderer was until the very end.
Thanks to the author for providing a copy of this book vIa Netgalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
A fascinating read!
This was such a good read! The heroine is a crime scene investigator and the Hero is a homicide detective. That right there was enough to keep me engrossed in this story. Laura Griffin did a fantastic job of creating a story that was exciting, while adding some spice into the mix with a love interest between Brooke and Sean, as they worked together to solve a murder.
I was fascinated with Brooke's job. There were several scenes describing what her job entails to help investigations. I didn't know I would find that so intriguing. I actually enjoyed the parts about her job more than I did Sean's. I did enjoy Sean's pursuit of Brooke though. I loved these two as a couple. Brooke was a bit standoffish due to a bad break up previously but Sean handled it perfectly. It never got to a point that I was annoyed by the pushing away.
This is book 12 in the series and it can be read as a standalone. I never felt like I was jumping into the middle of a series. I have not read any of the previous books but I did look at a few of the blurbs in previous series books to see if the side characters have their own books and they do. You can bet I will be going back and reading the rest of the series.
ARC provided by NetGalley