ARC Review: Secrets Never Die by Melinda Leigh

Secrets Never Die
Author: Melinda Leigh
Series: Morgan Dane (Book 5)
Publication: Montlake Romance (March 19, 2019)

Description: The #1 Amazon Charts bestselling series continues as Morgan Dane and PI Lance Kruger fight for the innocence of a young murder suspect—if only they could find him.

When a retired sheriff’s deputy is shot to death in his home, his troubled teenage stepson, Evan, becomes the prime suspect. Even more incriminating, the boy disappeared from the scene of the crime.

Desperate to find her son, Evan’s mother begs PI Lance Kruger for help. She knows her son is innocent. Kruger and defense attorney Morgan Dane want to believe that too, but the evidence against the boy is damning. Just as the trail goes cold, another deputy vanishes. His shocking connection to Evan’s stepfather throws the investigation into chaos as Lance and Morgan fear the worst…that Evan is the killer’s new target.

With so many secrets to unravel, will Lance and Morgan find him before it’s too late?

My Thoughts: This latest in the Morgan Dane series finds Morgan and Lance living together in the middle of a remodeling project and with Morgan's girls recovering from a bout of flu. When the phone call comes at 1:39 AM telling them that one of Lance's hockey players is missing and his stepfather - a retired sheriff's deputy - murdered, Morgan and Lance immediately go to try to find Evan Meade.

The Sheriff soon begins to suspect the Evan is not a victim but, rather, is the killer. Evan has had some trouble with the law and was recently seen arguing with his stepfather. But Lance is certain that Evan is a victim and is determined to find him. 

Looking for Evan means looking into his stepfather Paul's death. The more they investigate, the more questions they have. First Paul's former partner is a suspect, but then he disappears under suspicious circumstances, and they are back to the beginning of their investigation again.

Then a secret from Evan's mother's past turns the investigation in a new direction... While Lance's partner Lincoln Sharp and investigative reporter Olivia Cruz pursue the new lead. Morgan and Lance continue the hunt for Evan and deal with three-year-old Sophia's trip to the ER with flu and a raging fever.

I enjoyed the sections from Evan's point of view which gave us lots of information about him and the trouble he was going through as he ran from the man who killed his stepfather, dealt with a gunshot wound in his arm, and wondered who he could trust.

I also enjoyed the excitement and fast pace of this story. It was a great blend of pulse-pounding action and danger and chaotic family moments. Did I mention that Lance and Morgan are also supposed to be planning their wedding?

Favorite Quote:

He'd learned many things in the past three months. Teamwork was essential in parenting. With three kids and two adults, he and Morgan were down a man. If their family were a hockey team, they would be trapped in a never-ending power play in the kids' favor. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.