ARC Review: Dead Against Her by Melinda Leigh

Dead Against Her
Author: Melinda Leigh
Series: Bree Taggart (Book 5)
Publication: Montlake (May 17, 2022)

Description: Sheriff Bree Taggert’s downfall is part of a killer’s cunning design in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s novel of murder, lies, and revenge.

Called to an isolated farm to check on an elderly widow, Sheriff Bree Taggert finds a brutal double homicide. One of the victims is Eugene Oscar, the bitter and corrupt former deputy she recently forced out of the department.

Working with criminal investigator Matt Flynn, Bree discovers that she isn’t the only one who had a troubling history with Eugene. But someone doesn’t want Bree digging up the past. She becomes the target of a stranger’s sick and devious campaign calculated to destroy her reputation, career, family, and new relationship with Matt. To make matters worse, she’s the prime suspect in Eugene’s murder.

When her chief deputy goes missing while investigating the case, Bree refuses to back down. She won’t let him become the next victim. His life and her future depend on finding a killer nursing a vengeful rage.

My Thoughts: This fifth Bree Taggart mystery begins with her doing a wellness check on her way home from work and discovering two murdered people. One of them is the deputy that she wanted to fire but who managed to retire because she didn't have concrete evidence of his corruption. 

As she and her deputies and her investigator/boyfriend Matt Flynn investigate, Bree also has to do with harassment through a series of hate emails. That would be bad enough but then things escalate when someone begins posting deepfakes and revenge porn by posting her head on porn star bodies and sharing the videos all over the internet.

The fake videos threaten to take over all her time when she should be tracking down a murderer. Luckily, she hires Morgan Dane to help her by suing any place where the videos are being posted. That doesn't stop one of the county supervisors from demanding that Bree remove herself from the investigation or resign her position as sheriff. 

When her chief deputy is kidnapped, she and Matt need to put all the pieces together if they want to save him and solve the crime. 

This was a fast-paced story with lots of tension. I like the way Bree is growing into her new role as parent to her niece and nephew. I also like the way her relationship with Matt is progressing. 

Favorite Quote:

Her heart thumped and excitement rushed through her veins, forcing her to admit how much she enjoyed solving crimes and hunting killers. She might have joined law enforcement to help people, but the thrill of the chase was addictive, almost like a drug.

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