LauraC’s review of If You Know Her (Ash Trilogy, Book 3) by Shiloh Walker
Romantic Suspense published by Ballantine 28 Feb 12

This is the final book in the Ash trilogy, so all secrets are revealed…and boy are they deeply buried! Walker takes you on a great, emotional ride full of twists and turns. Book 1 of this trilogy gave us Lena and Ezra, book 2 Hope and Remy, and finally Law Reilly gets his chance in the spotlight. Although this is definitely Law and Nia’s book, the other four are never far away, and we see further developments in their characters and relationships as well.

In the first book—If You Hear Her—a murdered woman is found. She is identified as Nia Hollister’s cousin and her only family. In this book, Nia is back in Ash because she refuses to believe the story that the man who killed her cousin has himself been killed. Things don’t add up, and she’s having a hard time processing her cousin’s murder. She’s looking for a killer, not a relationship. But the best laid plans and all that…and she can’t help her feelings for Law. Even if she does spend as much time pissed off at him for trying to protect her as she does lusting after him. Indeed, the two frequently occur at the same time.

I figured out the killer about a third of the way into this book. (He was a prime suspect for me back in Book 1, but I wasn’t sure until now.) But the characters figure it out about two-thirds in, and knowing who it is doesn’t take away any of the tension, since he disappears and they don’t know where he is or what his plans are. Plus, he’s in on everything that goes on in Ash (which we know from his thoughts through the whole series), so it sort of doesn’t matter that you know who he is. It’s like when you see the creepy villain in the horror movie waiting around a corner, and you see the girl walking toward the corner, but you can’t do anything about it.

Nia and Law are a good, solid couple. They fight, they make up, they’re believable together. Their careers and goals don’t seem far apart and you can imagine them having a future. The romantic aspect is very emotional and complements the suspense in a way that’s not easy to find.

This is an excellent book, but a word of warning—you want to read this series in order, preferably back to back. So go grab all three, then settle in for a good time!

Grade: A

Summary:

Nia Hollister doesn’t scare easily. She’s returned to Ash, Kentucky, with a vengeance—and with a mission: find the killer who brutally ended her cousin’s life. What she didn’t count on was trembling with desire every time she sees Law Reilly. If any man can help her escape the nightmares for a while, it’s him. But can she allow herself to take comfort in those strong arms when her sister’s killer still roams free?

She may think she’s a bad ass, but she should not have come back to his town. He is watching her—as she slips into Law Reilly’s house, as she storms into the sheriff’s office. These men won’t be able to protect her when her time comes. Timing is everything, though he can’t wait forever. She’s nosing around the woods, looking for his hiding place. Yes, he is watching her . . . through the window . . . in her bed . . .

If she’s not scared, she should be . . . because he is very good at what he does.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: