REVIEW: Cold Case Murder Mystery by Nicole Helm

Cold Case Murder Mystery by Nicole Helm:  When forensic anthropologist Brooke Campbell stumbles upon a mass of skeletons in a cave, she turns to the only person she feels she can truly trust: Zeke Daniels, a fellow former North Star operative. The police believe they already have the killer in custody, but Brooke suspects there’s another murderer, or murderers, responsible for all the remains. It soon becomes clear that Brooke’s discovery has put her in danger, and Zeke is determined to do everything in his power to keep her safe.

This is the seventh book in the Hudson Sibling Solutions series. I haven’t read any of the previous books in the series and think that I would have understood some things better if I had read them. It seemed like I was expected to know that these people had previously worked together and what exactly North Star was. It also felt like the main characters, as well as some of the secondary characters, had already been introduced in previous stories. It left me feeling like I was missing quite a bit of information. I feel like this can be read as a standalone, but readers will definitely get more out of it if they’ve read the previous stories.

The author does a pretty good job with the mystery and suspense on this one. Some aspects seemed a little far-fetched, but she manages to make them work. I found some of Brooke’s actions questionable, such as not reporting that she was being followed. She seems to put herself at more risk than needed. She also has a tendency to push people away instead of turning to them for help, which was especially frustrating when it was clear she needed help.

The romance in this book fell flat for me. The author focuses more on building up the mystery and the suspense, which leaves the romance underdeveloped. There was nothing here that really made me root for Brooke and Zeke to make it as a couple, and by the end, I was more invested in what was going on with the cave than with their romance.

If you’re looking for a book with a good mystery and an interesting storyline, Cold Case Murder Mystery may be for you. If you’re looking for a well-developed second chance romance, you may want to consider looking elsewhere.

Book Info:

Publication: February 25, 2025 | Harlequin Intrigue | Hudson Sibling Solutions #7

Rancher Zeke Daniels left his secret agent career—and his doomed romance with Brooke Campbell—in the past. Until the forensic anthropologist stumbles across Bent County’s sinister secret…and attracts a stalker in the process. Brooke refuses to quit the job. And there’s no way in hell Zeke will leave her unprotected. But as his professionalism is challenged by their lingering feelings, his determination to protect remains steadfast—from the stalker, the danger and the violent serial killer using the caves as his burial ground…