REVIEW: Operation Witness Protection by Justine Davis

Operation Witness Protection by Justine Davis is the fifteenth book in the Cutter’s Code series, but it can be read as a standalone. I haven’t read any of the other books in the series and felt fine jumping into the series here.

After trying to do the right thing, Case McMillan lost his job as a cop. But when he witnesses a woman being attacked in an alley after robbery, his instincts kick in and he runs to her aid. Terri is weary of law enforcement but puts her trust in the man who risks his life to save hers.

When Case finds letters addressed to a mystery man in her bag, he decides to dig deeper, finding that the man Terri had been missing for years might be nearby. This leads them to a business called Foxworth, who help people who find themselves up against impossible odds. When the victim of the robbery dies, it becomes clear that the killer has his sights set on the only witness: Terri. Case doesn’t have trust in many people anymore, but he needs to put it in the people of Foxworth, in order to keep her safe.

Case and Terri worked well as a couple. They’ve both been let down by people in the past but find themselves starting to heal with each other. Out of the two, Terri seems to be the most willing to give people a chance, while Case refuses to let his guard down with most of the people they encounter. One of my biggest issues with the book was Case’s inability to feel worthy of anything just because he lost his job. He did an honorable thing and should have been proud of what he tried to do, yet he doesn’t believe anyone when they try to praise him for his actions. No matter how many times the people at Foxworth, and the people that assist them, told him he did the right thing, he kept putting himself down about it.

I enjoyed Cutter, the dog of Foxworth. Not only was he extremely intelligent, he also seemed determined to play matchmaker between Case and Terri, by doing things such as forcing them to sit together and finding ways to push them together whenever possible. He was an amusing character, and it seems he has a history of matchmaking with the other couples at Foxworth.

The suspense in this story was so-so, and when it finally reached the climax, it felt like it was over almost as soon as it started. I also felt like a lot of the book was built up around Terri meeting up with someone from her past, but when that finally happens, most of their interaction takes place off the pages. Considering it was such a large factor in the book, it was a little bit of a letdown not to see more of their reunion.

Operation Witness Protection is the story of two lost people coming together to find their way, and to find healing amongst an unexpected new chosen family. While I would have liked to have seen some things shown or drawn out more, it was still a good read that drew me in and kept my attention to the end.

Book Info:

Publication: March 28, 2023 | Harlequin Romantic Suspense | Cutter’s Code #15

Case McMillan isn’t a cop anymore, but instinct sends him running when he sees a woman being held at gunpoint. Skittish and secretive, Terri is hard to trust—until a wily dog named Cutter helps Case see the true self she’s been hiding. As the sole witness to a murder, she needs more protection than he alone can provide, but he’s not leaving her side until he knows that she’s safe.