I just love the Widows Island series. Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh are the perfect writing duo. This batch of two to the series explores more with Kate and Tessa, Logan and closer to the disappearance of Samantha

I love these kinds of mysteries. Melinda Leigh does them well and I'm on the edge of my seat as I read them, hoping that Tessa can solve the case. Looking forward to more in this series.

From the first page, you are sucked into the murder mystery and Deputy Tessa Black is pulling you along for the ride. The book is full of well developed characters, an intense mystery, a sense of violence. Tessa’s mother is suffering from Alzheimer’s and this only adds to the many things on her plate. There is the chance of a romantic relationship developing, but that’s just a blip on the radar and does not take away from the mystery that needs to be solved.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Thrilling story that kept me gripped until the very end. The book was very well written, and I enjoyed until the very end. Recommended.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book and to be an early reader via NetGalley! However, I will not be writing a review for this title at this time, as my reading preferences have since changed somewhat. In the event that I decide to review the book in the future, I will make sure to purchase a copy for myself or borrow it from a library. Once again, thank you so much for providing me with early access to this title. I truly appreciate it. Please feel free to contact me with any follow-up questions or concerns.

As the series continues, Melinda Leigh brings us one more step closer the disappearance of Samantha, with her two best childhood friends trying to work out a murder in their little town. As always, Melinda with her mastery of suspense, keeps the main plot captivating as she weaves in the sub plot.

Another great continuation of her series "Widow's Island" series co-written by her twinsie, Kendra Elliot.

Tessa and Logan, yes please! I like both of these characters, a lot. They’re both driven yet hold themselves back a little. I like their dynamics together and how well they balance each other whether it be personally or professionally!

I never saw the murderer coming! I was so shocked. Great job Melinda!

This novella is just as good as the first and I'm finding I'm loving getting to know these new characters and what the do next. This book is good at grabbing your attention and keeping it the entire way through while getting you hooked on these people.

So, for a quick read with lots of entertainment these are perfect.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thrilling story with a plot that kept me turning the pages, really well written with great characters. Highly recommend to everyone who is a fan of this genre.

I obtained an ARC from NetGalley for my unbiased review. Melinda Leigh continues the story from Kendra Elliot's Close to the Bone, of Deputy Tessa Black and FBI agent Cate, with the focus on Tessa. On the small island they grew up on a very gruesome murder is discovered in the starte park, An artist who came to the island a few years back is discovered. Logan, Cate's brother, who just returned to the island and is now the state park ranger, is helping Tessa since the body was found in the state park. So many strange things come to light about the artist and who he really is and what he's really doing on the island leading Tessa and Logan to a lot of suspects. While trying to catch a killer Tessa is dealing with a mother who has dementia and keeps dissapearing. Logan is there to help her search the cold night for her frail mother. Could this older brother of her best friend be more than her friends brother as he was in High school? What are these new feelings coming to life when he's around? Can't wait for more of this series. Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot write flawlessly together each writing a book that flows together.

*3 stars*
This is the second book in the Widow’s Island series and concerns local police officer Tessa and park ranger Logan. They have to investigate a vicious murder as well as look into the disappearance of a local girl from 20 years before.

This book was better than the previous one, but still required some leaps of deduction. The plot of this story was better suited to the novella length, but it would have benefitted from the longer structure of a novel. The murder was dealt with comfortably, however the disappearance was hardly touched on which didn’t sit well in the plot.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher*

The second novella in the Widow's Island series follows the perspective of Tessa as she tries to solve the murder of a local artist.

I read this one straight after I finished Close to the Bone. It was interesting to read from different perspectives - and the fact that there are two authors writing this series and each taking a different character is fun. The returning characters are fairly consistent across the two books, and the writing style was still really easy to engage with.


I loved Tessa as much as I did Cate, meaning that I enjoyed this as much as the first. Once again the solution was fairly straightforward (I think a potential issue with this series is once you spot the pattern for the identity of the perp if will become fairly simple to solve). Logan was a nice addition, although I was slightly unhappy that both women got "paired off" in the first two books of a promising series. I think it was an unnecessary part of the story.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed the book, I am looking to reading more in this series (which looks set to have four books in total). I really want to see where the ending to this series goes and whether there is a resolution to the whole overarching case with Samantha. Once again, a recommended read for those who like their cosy mysteries.

A brilliant second novella in the series that picks up where the other left the story.
It’s equally as well written and the characters remain consistent despite a change in author.

We are off on our 2nd adventure with the FBI agent (Cait) / Police officer (Tessa) duo. The focus of the first book was with FBI agent Cait and the focus of this one is Deputy Tessa all centered around the remote Pacific Northwest island know as Widow's Island.

This is another quick, but satisfying read. The characters are (still) likable and the story has a nasty little murder with some twists and a lot of crazy happenings. It has just the slightest bit of romance, which makes it perfect for me!

I have enjoyed all the "paired"/alternating novellas by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh. These two writers work well together and while I can tell the differences in their styles, I think it enhances the reading and gives you that little extra that you wouldn't get if only one of the pair were writing these series.

I look forward to the continuation of this series and hopefully lots more series!

**Received from NetGalley for my honest review.**

This is the second book , from this series which is a great series . I cant wait to read next book. . Thanks to Netgalley, for allowing me to review this beautiful romance novel. .

Stevie‘s review of A Bone to Pick (Widow’s Island Novella, Book 2) by Melinda Leigh
Contemporary Romantic Suspense published by Montlake Romance 30 Oct 18

Having read the first novella in this shared universe series, I moved straight on to the second, penned by another new-to-me author, intrigued to see how the change of writer and of point of view characters could provide new insights into the series’ overarching mystery. Tessa Black left the remote islands where she and her best friend, FBI Agent Cate Wilde, grew up in order to pursue a law enforcement career in the city. Her mother’s recent widowhood and early onset dementia have necessitated a return home for Tessa to care for both mother and teenage half-sister. Since taking up the post of Deputy on the islands, Tessa has been joined by Cate – on medical leave – and the pair have begun to uncover clues as to what happened to the third member of their schooldays best friend group, Samantha Bishop. While Cate is now dating the island’s new doctor-cum-coroner, Tessa is still single, though that looks set to change as she investigates a new murder with Cate’s older brother, Logan.

Tessa and Logan are first to arrive on the scene of this latest murder: Tessa has been called out to investigate screams in a remote area of woodland, while no other Deputies are available, and asks Logan, as the park ranger, to provide backup. Logan is another recent returner to the islands, having left military service to take up what he hopes will be a less fraught second career. Still suffering flashbacks from his last tour of duty, he had initially discounted the noises he heard until Tessa came calling. Now the pair are faced with the sight of a brutally murdered man, a local artist, although they are soon joined by Doctor Henry and Agent Cate.

While Logan helps Tessa investigate the background to the murder and Cate helps with Tessa’s mother, the women also keep up their investigations into Samantha’s disappearance – or murder as they suspect – learning that some of the original evidence has gone missing in the intervening two decades. Meanwhile, it transpires that a number of people – both local residents and visitors from the mainland – had reasons for wanting to get the murder victim out of the way.

I much preferred the way the central premise of this book was handled to that of the first novella, possibly because we’d already met most of the main characters and so had more room to meet the various suspects and understand their motives. While the mystery of what happened to Samantha is still rather murky, I’m keen to continue with this series to find out what awaits our heroes and heroines next.

Grade: B

Received from NetGalley
Completed 1/7/19
83 page ebook & 101 page ebook

I enjoy all of Kendra Elliot's books so I was looking forward to this new series from her. I haven't been a fan of Melinda Leigh's books in the same series, but this book I liked much better. Their new series takes them to a new area in the Pacific Northwest and the first book follows an FBI agent (Kendra's books) and a police officer (Melinda's books) as they try to figure out whose bones are found. Not just one girl has gone missing from the area, so they are looking into who the bones are, and who killed them.

In the 2nd book, they are on the trail of a killer who left a body harpooned to a sign. They find out that the killed man may not be who everyone thinks that he is.

Both books were enjoyable and typical for these series. They move quickly but are so enjoyable and it doesn't feel like you are missing out when you are getting a novella rather than a full length book. I think I'll enjoy this series more than the Rogue River series as I enjoyed both the characters of these, while I dislike one of the characters of Rogue River.

Recommended to fans of romantic suspense. These books by Kendra Elliot are always enjoyable, and while I personally don't enjoy Melinda's books as much, they are worth it to get the full story from Kendra's books. And the covers are awesome!


Setting = A
Plot = A
Conflict = A
Characters = A
Theme = A

Second of the novellas and another excellent read.

Very much looking forward to seeing how the series develops.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for a copy of this book!

The second book in the Widow's Island series of novellas is another excellent read. Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot have joined together on this series to keep the stories fresh and the characters interesting. The books are linked through the main characters, focusing and building on their differences and similarities. All of the main characters are law enforcement officers in differing branches of the law. This makes an interesting contrast in their skills and point of view. But, they are interested in making sure the bad guys are caught in the end.
Tessa Black is a deputy in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. She moved back to the area to care for her mother. She did not expect to find a gruesome murder on a routine call. She must work in less than ideal conditions to solve the murder quickly.
There is a back story running through both books in the series of a friend's disappearance twenty years ago. It keeps the books and their main characters linked as they work this cold case together.
I'm excited to find two great authors joining together to write these short novels. I loved both books and I'm looking forward to seeing how the series develops in the next ones.

Deputy Tessa Black has come back home to Widow’s Island to look after her mother, giving up her career as a detective in Seattle to do it. When she came back to her small island to look after her mother slowly succumbing to dementia she expected her job as deputy would be the easy bit. However, first there were the bones of a missing teenager found, a crime solved by her close friend Cate Wilde. Now there has been a grisly murder which she and Logan Wilde, her best friend’s brother and park ranger must investigate before the murderer strikes again.

This is the second book in the Widow’s Island series, in this series Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh each write alternating books. In this novella we get to know Deputy Tessa Black, Leigh’s character, as she solves a brutal murder where at the dead of night in a public park a man has been harpooned. With her is Logan Wilde, the brother of Cate Wilde, the heroine in the first book and Tessa’s best friend.

This was a short read, approximately 100 pages, but in that short time we get to see a murder solved, a woman struggling to take of someone with a mental illness and the beginnings of a romance. It’s no wonder I raced through it! It was a lot to pack into such a small amount of pages. I’m a fan of Leigh’s work and this book was no different, it was a good mystery read and I can’t wait to read more.

I especially can’t wait to read about the disappearance of Cate and Tessa’s friend Samantha. It has been hinted at in these first two books that there may be something sinister happening in regard to their missing friend, so I now can’t wait for them to dive into the case. Hopefully that will be the focus of the next two books coming out next year.