Where the Truth Lives

4.5When I listened to [b:Where the Blame Lies 52320637 Where the Blame Lies (Where, #1) Mia Sheridan https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566565327l/52320637.SX50_SY75.jpg 73038439] I had no idea of a sequel but I'm glad there was especially as [a:Teddy Hamilton 15007880 Teddy Hamilton https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] and [a:Callie Dalton 7438028 Callie Dalton https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1541784504p2/7438028.jpg] perform their magic once again. The bulk of the story takes place some twenty (20) years after the events in the previous book. Reed Davies, Josie's son, is now a detective too, his way of trying to right the wrong of his conception. Elizabeth ‘Liza' Nolan has survived a harrowing childhood and is making herself anew. A series of connected murders bring them together and [a:Mia Sheridan 6994378 Mia Sheridan https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1367881726p2/6994378.jpg] uses this template to explore the scars of deep trauma. I loved that part. I liked that the romance part developed slowly, justifiably so, that the author didn't skip steps in Liza's journey of recovery, and that Reed continually questions himself, his past, his motivations etc. He's a good man. The way the relationship developed between the H and h, the progress of the actual investigation, Reed's bond with Josie & Zach, and most of all the goodness that is Dt. Ransom are my favorite things. The things that worked a bit less well for me are my usual complaints with thrillers/mysteries: omnipotent and omniscient villains and a final confrontation where the villain explains themselves and their reasons. Another niggle was though Liza is now a psychologist IMO she doesn't seem to have a good enough grasp on her own mental health to be poking around with other people's psyches. I'm sure it happens but at the very least she should have her own therapist, psychologists & psychiatrists regularly do. Scars as deep as hers aren't for the self-help category. What I would love to read? A book about Charles Cooper Hartsman. He's undoubtedly a villain but also the most interesting person in this series. Recommended.