REVIEW: Catching the Carling Lake Killer by K.D. Richards

In Catching the Carling Lake Killer by K.D. Richards, the twentieth anniversary of the Card Killer’s last kill is approaching. Suddenly a new body appears, killed in the same way as the previous victims. Journalist Simone Jarrett and sheriff Lance Webb have been casually hooking up for months, and once the murders start up again, Simone wants to help him catch the killer. But Simone is keeping a secret from when she was a child, and Lance wants to know what it is. But when it comes out, the killer’s sights turn to a new victim-Simone.

This is the sixth book in the West Investigations series, but it can be read as a standalone. I’ve only previously read the fourth book in the series and found there was little overlap in regard to characters, and none when it comes to the story itself. Readers who are new to the series will be able to jump into the series here with no issues.

The mystery and suspense in this book are well-written and will keep the attention of readers throughout the book as they’ll be waiting to see what’s going to happen next. It’s also hard to pinpoint who the killer actually was; I appreciated that the author didn’t make it easy to figure out. I did feel the romance between Simone and Lance was a bit lackluster, but the suspense of the story more than made up for it.

One of the things I did like about the pair was how much they each respected not only each other, but their careers. Simone never expects to get the inside scoop from Lance, and he understands when she does have to do her job. When they pair up together to work the case, they both respect each other’s job boundaries.

If you enjoy romantic suspense, this is a book for you, especially if you prefer more suspense than romance. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next in the series.

Book Info:

Publication: March 28, 2023 | Harlequin Intrigue | West Investigations #6

Journalist Simone Jarrett and Carling Lake sheriff Lance Webb have kept their casual affair clandestine to avoid gossip. But as his feelings for Simone deepen, Lance is troubled by the knowledge that she’s hiding something. Then, after twenty years, the Card Killer strikes again. And Simone’s secret puts her in the killer’s sights. Now the two must team up to find the murderer…and save Simone’s life.