When Sheriff Bree Taggert discovers the body of a young woman floating near the bank of the Scarlet River, a note in her abandoned car suggests suicide. The autopsy reveals a different story. Holly Thorpe was dead long before she dropped off the bridge and hit the water.
As Bree and her investigator Matt Flynn delve into the case, secrets in Holly’s personal life complicate their efforts to solve the murder. Holly left behind a volatile marriage, an equally divisive relationship with her sister, and an employer whose intimate involvement with Holly was no secret. Each one has a motive for murder.
When Holly’s sister is terrorized by a stalker’s sick prank, and the prime suspect turns up dead, everything Bree was sure of is upended and her case goes off the rails. When the killer strikes close to home, Bree and Matt must race to solve the murders before one of their own becomes the next victim.

After reading the first Bree Taggert book, ‘Cross Her Heart‘, I bought the next seven books in the series. That’s not something I would normally do but I recognised that Melinda Leigh had created a mystery series that I could use as a comfort read. The second book,  ‘See Her Die‘, was, like the first, a four-star read, ‘Drown Her Sorrows’ didn’t have as much going for it but it was still a solid three-star read that moved the series along.

It was an easy read that I immersed myself in from the first page. It had an engaging puzzle around what happened to the young woman whose body was found in the opening pages. The slow reveal of information to solve the puzzle was skillfully done, letting me feel as if I was being given a chance to put the pieces together before Bree did. 

Telling the story from two points of view, Bree’s and Matt’s, made exposition easier and more varied. It also allowed me to see each character through the eyes of the other. My interest in the story was sustained by the quality of the character sketches that Melinda Leigh drew of suspects, victims and witnesses. The people felt real and the descriptions had an impact. 

Part of what makes this a comfort read rather than a puzzle-solving exercise or a thrill ride is that the story is seasoned with a light touch of romance, a dash of family drama, a little optimism and dogs who wag their tails when they see their people. 

I found reading this as soothing as good coffee on a cold morning.