Echo Valley, Colorado, is a place where the natural beauty of a stunning river valley meets a budding hipster urbanity. But when an internet stalker is revealed to be a cold-blooded killer in real life the peaceful community is rocked to its core. As Detective Jo Wyatt unearths the layers, a more sinister pattern begins to emerge--one driven by desperation, shame, and a single-minded drive for revenge.
In Shadow Ridge M.E. Browning melds an energetic police procedural and an appealing heroine set against a vivid Colorado background in this launch of a new series that shows great potential. Browning's affinity for realistic plotting gets a boost in Shadow Ridge, as does her skills in creating believable characters that readers will want to spend time with ... Browning skillfully weaves in sexism on the police force and among the video game aficionados and predatory professors into a tightly focused police investigation. ... Browning's Jo should be with readers for a long time.
Convincing action and vivid characters make up for Jo’s credulity-stretching discovery of the murderer. Police procedural fans will look forward to seeing more of tough, smart Jo.
Not surprisingly, retired police captain Browning—who's previously written as Micki Browning—is best on Jo’s professional frustration with a department that values her labors as long as she doesn’t step out of line. Thoroughly workmanlike, if not terribly original or surprising.
