I have read everything by Melinda Leigh. Her books keep getting better and better. I get so excited whenever a new book comes out.

Tessa is a Deputy Sheriff at Widow's Island. She has her hands full between her job, her mother who is in the beginning stages of Dementia, and raising her sister who is only sixteen. Receiving a call to respond to a complaint of bone-shattering screams at the Forest Park in the middle of the night is one more thing to add to her list. Finding a body harpooned to a sign by the Park's picnic area is the icing on the cake.

Logan the Park Ranger is there to help her. He has been part of her life since she was little. Her crush is still as strong as ever for this quiet man. He is a man the immediately exudes the feeling of safety. No one better to help her solve this crime.

This is the second novel about Widow's Island. As new crimes as solved, the disappearance of Samantha, Cate and Tessa's best friend, is still foremost in their minds. If you love mysteries and suspense, this series is a winner.

I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Thanks to the publisher for sharing a copy with me.

I have read a lot of Melinda Leighs books and was interested in a new series. Really enjoyed the first in the series by Kendra Elliot, and was looking forward to this, but it was even shorter than the first in the series. A good story if a little obvious. Just wish there was more to it.

Short thriller,continuing the story of Widows Island. Moves along quickly with a few twists. Interesting characters. To be continued.

Really enjoyed the book!! I wish it was longer. It's the second book in the Widow's Island series. Loved the story, characters and writing style. This book is centered more on Tessa Black and Cate's brother Logan. Definitely see a romance starting with Tessa and Logan. All the familiar characters are back in this book- Cate, Henry and Jane.

A local artist is found dead in the state park. It's definitely murder, since he was harpooned to a sign. Local doctor, Henry, gets to be coroner again on the island. While investing the murder, Tessa is also dealing with her mother. Her mom is suffering from dementia and has recently started leaving the house at night. Logan helps Tessa with the investigation. He's fighting a few demons of his own after returning home from Afghanistan.

I loved how Jane and the knitting group helps Tessa with her mom. Jane seems like a wonderful person. She is always there when someone needs her. I loved the mystery behind the artist and the solving of the crime, but I don't know if I could really believe the reason behind it. It seemed like a dumb reason to kill someone, although I guess there never really is a good reason for murder. I do love the characters in the book. Cate and Tessa are the perfect pair.

Definitely recommend the book. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I really want to read about Samantha and hopefully find out what happened to her.

Thanks to NetGalley, Montlake Romance and the author, Melinda Leigh, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

This is the second in a group od four novellas that crossover between Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot. Tessa Black is a deputy with the local department--having moved home from Seattle to take care of her mother who is ailing from Alzheimers. When a body is discovered, Tessa gets help from her childhood best friend Cate, an FBI agent, who is home recuperating from a gunshot wound. Also helping is her teenage crush Logan, Cate's older brother, who is a park ranger. While trying to solve this mystery, Tessa also is dealing with her mother, who has started wandering off, and also looking into the disappearance of her and Cate's childhood best friend. I cannot wait for the rest of this series! I highly recommend!

Wonderful story .
I volunteered to read and review an advanced readers copy of A Bone To Pick a widows Island novella 2 . It's as wonderful as the first . I really enjoyed reading this story . The main character Tessa Black county deputy of sheriffs department is investigating a crime after she gets a call of screams being heard ..
She inlists the help of Logan Wilde state park Ranger brother of best friend Cate and childhood crush . This story is full of suspense and intrigue . Very well written . The characters are great Cate and Henry help thru out the story as well as the local Islanders . I could not put it down . Just a fantastic story line .
I highly recommend taking the time to read .

Loved it! I always enjoy Melinda Leigh's collaborations with Kindra Elliot. I like the new setting for the series on Widow's Island. I just wish this were novels and not novellas. The stories are so good, but over to soon:)

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this lovely little novella

who wouldnt want to live on an island that had residents that looked out for each other...

murder finds its way to the island where the police officer and the park ranger are put together to help investigate it

this is how a novella should be written with plenty of action and a meaty storyline with believeable characters....hope there is going to be more in this series

A. BONE TO PICK. Melinda Leigh
Deputy Tessa response to a call, a woman.heard a screaming m off in the park. With Ranger Logan they come upon an artist, been on Willow Island, less than a year, murdered. Who was he really, the ID was fake. Logan thought after the things he saw in the Middle East returning here would help him escape the nightmares, and now this. Going to search his rental place an intruder attacked Tessa, the place, had been ramshacked. Tessa found a duffle bag .and the contents definitely belong in evidence, he was no starving artist. The paintings themselves would be a concern for some women in the community.. Murder came into play when he would put the painting on display, if the agreement wasn’t fulfilled. Intriguing, many could of been guilty, as we read to the end to find the guilty one. A romance maybe for Logan and Tessa, along with others we enjoyed in this story. Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novella. I am a great fan of Melinda Leigh's and have read many of her novels. What I love most about them is that they grip me from the very beginning and keep me in suspense throughout the story. This is the first novella I have read by this author. The story kept me interested but did not have the level of suspense I have become accustomed to. I think that is the result of the story being a novella rather than a novel. It was a good read but I prefer her novels.

I'm extremely excited about this new novella series by Leigh and Elliot. We met Tessa previously while she helped her FBI friend, Cate. Tessa has unofficially partnered with a park ranger, Logan, also Cate's brother. She's got a million things going at once: mom has Alzheimer's, solve a murder and get some sleep are just a few. Last time we learned about the Island's history, now we get more about the residents. The two authors write separately but the stories are deeply connected and it's obvious they plan and work well together. Each has a new mystery but a long standing personal mystery continues through the series. Looking forward to the next set. My copy came through Netgalley, review given voluntarily.

A Bone to Pick is Widow's Island Novella Book 2. Although this is a short story it continues with the mystery and characters is part 1. I would have like a longer book as I hated to see this one end. Will be watching for the next 2 installments which will tie up all the loose end and the mystery behind the missing friend

I have really fallen in love with the characters of this novella series. Melinda Leigh picks up right where Kendra Elliot left off I feel like. These two are a great duo that will leave you longing for more of their reads.

Tessa is a local deputy that had to give up her job as a detective with the Seattle PD because she needed to be closer to her mom and younger sister. Tessa's mom has been battling Alzheimer's and has started wandering away more at night. Tessa is trying to do her job as a deputy on the island and keep up with her mom, but sometimes that is more of a chore than Tessa realized.

When Tessa is called to someone hearing a scream close by, she finds that Dante, a local to the island of only a few months, has been harpooned. As Tessa begins to unravel the mysteries behind Dante, not his real name, she finds that there is more to him than just a fake name. Dante is a fabulous artist, but is he really all that he is cracked up to be? Tessa, Cate, Logan, Henry and some other locals all pitch in to find out the truth about Dante and help Tessa with her mom in this story. You will not want to put this one down either until you are done with it. This is a quick, easy read that you can devour in one sitting.

I am looking forward to what this series brings us next. This duo of writers has a hit with this series as usual. Great job!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this novella. All opinions are my own!

This is an excellent second novella in the Widow’s Island series. Like it’s predecessor, this story had intrigue, suspense, murder and hints of romance. It gives you the feel of island life, has appealing characters that you can relate to and a plot that kept my attention. The stress and emotional pain of slowing loosing ones mother to Alzheimer’s comes through well and you can literally feel Tessa’s heartache and fear. The trauma that Logan went through and his ability to cope with his PTSD draws you to this strong, kind man and you really want him to find happiness. Even though each novella in the series is complete and can be read as a stand-alone, there are threads that connect the books together. I look forward to reading the next books in this captivating series. I received an early copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way influenced my review and all opinions expressed are solely my own.

An engaging whodunit as well as an honest depiction of a family dealing with Alzheimer's. I enjoy the characters of Cate and Tessa, and hope there will be more in this series. We have to find out what happened to Samantha!

A Bone to Pick was another enjoyable novella in the Widow's Island series with an intriguing mystery and a hint of romance.

Deputy Tessa Black left her job at the Seattle police department to return to Widow's Island to care for her mother. One night while on call she receives reports of someone screaming in the woods of the state park and upon investigating finds a local man harpooned to a sign. After she begins the murder investigation it becomes clear the victim was not who he claimed to be. Faced with the possibility the murderer is one of the island's residents, Tessa is in a race to find the killer before they strike again.

Tessa is stretched thin lately between caring for her ill mother, her day job as a deputy, and looking into the disappearance of one of her best friends from over twenty years ago. Tessa works closely on the murder case with local park ranger Logan Wilde, her best friend Cate's older brother. Logan recently returned to the island after several years in the military needing less violence in his life. There's the beginnings of a romance forming between Tessa and Logan and I'm excited to see where it goes in future books.

The death of the local artist provided an interesting case for Tessa to work on and it was readily apparent that the man was full of secrets. The hidden bag of money and fake ID definitely kept you guessing as to what exactly he was involved in. A few of the revelations surprised me and it became clear he had amassed a few enemies in his lifetime. I was curious who would be his killer and I have to admit I ended up being wrong in my guess. As to Tessa and Cate's investigation into Samantha's disappearance, there isn't a ton of new information in this novella but I'm interested to see where their investigations leads them in future books.

Overall A Bone to Pick was an enjoyable read and I definitely recommend these two novellas if you're in the mood for some quick suspense reads with a touch of romance.

The second book in this series...A short story - very quick read. It all all the elements of a good story, but fees a little rushed. The fast pace is kind of nice, but at the same time leaves a few questions and a wish for a few more details and a little more suspense.

Ah, I love mysteries but didn't love this one... writing was not great and the plot was predictable. I wish I had more to say and wanted to find another mystery writer I could love... I did not.

A Bone to Pick is a quick, fun read, perfect when you need an easy, gripping mystery story for entertainment. Deputy Tessa Black responds to an evening call from Mrs. Driver who heard a blood curdling scream. With the other two deputies otherwise occupied, Tessa enlists the help of park ranger Logan Wild. Together, they find the body of artist and newcomer Dante Moreno harpooned against a warning sign on beach within the state park. Searching Dante’s house, they found $100,000 in cash--and a stash of portraits of nude women. With the limited resources of a small town and distracted by her mother’s Alzheimer's and her caretaking responsibilities, Tessa must figure out who killed Dante before anyone else--including herself--is put at risk.

Set on Widow’s Island, an isolated community in the Pacific Northwest, the novella is populated with quirky characters like Jerry, the aging hippy and owner of the local head shop, and Herb Lawson who played the oboe at the local bar every Thursday night. One of my favorite aspects was the Widow’s Knitting and Activist group led by Logan’s grandmother, Jane Sutton. Not only did the group know everything happening on the island and manage to solve most problems, they were the driving force for good in the community.

The Pacific Northwest offers a beautiful setting, and the isolation of the island heightens the suspense. The possible role of the nude portraits as a motive for the killing was an unusual and interesting touch. Additionally, the book emphasized the necessity of interconnection among residents when living in a rather hostile environment.

While I liked the mystery element, I wasn’t thrilled when it ended by having Tessa wrap up the loose ends through a recap provided to her friend, FBI agent Cate Wild, Logan’s sister. The romance subplot also rang a little hollow. Although the second in a series of novellas, I had not read the first and had no trouble understanding the characters or plot. However, I enjoyed A Bone to Pick enough that I preordered Close to the Bone, the first novella in the series, and will probably read #3 and 4, too.