I was so pleased to discover that Bree and Matts relationship is progressing in this 5th instalment in the series that continues to centre around trust, loneliness, love and the hurtful things people do to each other. Another thought provoking read by Melinda Leigh that held my attention through to the very end.

I volunteered to read and review an advanced readers copy of Dead Against Her through Net Galley . Wow this story is Suspenseful and intriguing from the very beginning . I could not put it down . The characters are unique and interesting . This is one heck of a suspense just wow ! Sheriff Bree Taggert goes out on a wellness check and discovers a double homicide . While investigating the case with criminal investigator Matt Flynn she discovers one victim is Eugene Oscar a former corrupt deputy . Who may have more enemies than anyone realized .As they investigate things get crazy and Bree becomes a target and suspect herself in this case . I absolutely love this story. I highly recommend taking the time to read .

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Mystery

Bree and Matt are at it again. This time, Bree is in the sights of someone who has a grudge. With her position being elected, Bree knows that things are precarious. However, since she was appointed to the position and ruffled quite a few feathers, she knew that this was a possibility.

As the threats come closer to home and closer to the people who Bree has grown to love and protect, she and Matt have to figure out who’s behind them in order to get the threat to be neutral.

You won’t sit down in this story. It’s fast paced, the characters are well thought out, and it is truly entertaining. I really enjoyed this installation into the series.

While you don’t have to read the previous books in the series, it does help somewhat with the personal relationships that you see in the book.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
I love a good mystery and Melinda Leigh does not disappoint. From the very beginning, there are few clues to who murdered her former deputy or his mother. Yet small town gossip goes a long way into convincing people that maybe Bree wanted Eugene out of the way to conceal her own wrongdoings.

The story itself is written in way that there are plenty of people who could be a suspect but you really can't put your finger on any one that had any reason more than the others. Bree is a strong female who doesn't have to downplay any of her strengths to assuage Matt's sense of masculinity and you have the feeling that Matt would be disappointed if she tried to do so. They truly love and respect each other for who they are.

Melinda Leigh's way of storytelling has a way of drawing me in and the next thing I know, hours have passed and it's 3 a.m. and I don't want to put the book down. I'm definitely reading the next book in the series.


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
DEAD AGAINST HER starts with a murder and Bree Taggert finding the victims, one of who is a former corrupt deputy under her command. We go straight into the investigation, which got me hooked on the story from the start.

The tension in this story builds up as the investigation progresses and never lets up. It isn't long before Bree is dealing with pressure from the media, from a local politician, all the while receiving violent threats. I was so angry and frustrated on Bree’s behalf at the media and the lies being spread. But Bree is such an impressive woman, and it is inspiring to see her managing everything and keeping her cool when people around her are trying to bring her down.

The tension really goes up to a whole other level when one of Bree’s current deputies goes missing. The final push and chase for the killer and the search for the missing deputy is a frantic mix of action and suspense worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster. It was just thrilling to read.

DEAD AGAINST HER is such a good read and I’d definitely recommend it and the whole Bree Taggert series if you are a lover of romantic suspense novels.

4.5*
On a call for a wellness check Bree finds a crime scene with two dead bodies, an old woman and a man whom she identifies as Eugene Oscar, her former deputy fired for corruption. As she was the one who forced him to leave Bree now becomes a suspect in his murder. She also keeps receiving creepy threatening messages and becomes a victim of a cyber attack when someone uploads fake photos and videos of pornographic content with her face in them, which the public believe to be true. So, Bree has it tough in this one.
I just love Bree's character so much! She developed throughout the series, became more open and vulnerable and trusting. The relationships she has with her family, Dana,Matt and her colleagues are so heartwarming that I love coming back to the series even if the books are thrillers with murder investigations in them.
The plot was good, the characters, the writing, the pacing-all great. But there was a chase scene at the end that wasn't quite believable I will say, so 4.5* instead of full 5*.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t realise that this book was part of a series but it didn’t really matter or spoil my enjoyment of it. I loved the storyline and the character of Bree Taggert. She certainly isn’t a quitter no matter what gets thrown at her. Thankfully she has her partner Matt to rely on and support her.
It’s a fast paced book with lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed the writing style and will definitely go back to the beginning as I’m interested how the characters evolve throughout the series along with what sounds like a blossoming romance and partnership.

I adore this series. This addition can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading from the beginning 1. to see the characters grow and 2. because it's a great crime thriller series. Bree Taggert is a lovable protagonist and we get to read the perfect balance of work and personal life. Her family are adorable and her relationship with Matt adds a bit of lightness to the murders. The hunt for the bad guy kept me guessing and I was hooked until the very end. I hope we get to see more from Bree

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

When it rains it pours. Trouble, that is, not rain. And Bree Taggert is up to her lovely neck in a passel to troubles. All right, enough with the all the tried and, in this case true, clichés. Bree has her hands full with several nasty things going on at the same time and I love how she is depending on Matt as her partner more and more. I love that their relationship is growing and that Bree is no longer hiding her feelings for him. A small part of her hard as nails persona is cracking and, even though she is still very much the woman in control she is sharing more of her burdens with Matt.

It all starts with a wellness check on an elderly woman called in by a concerned neighbor. What Sheriff Bree Taggert finds are two dead bodies. The elderly woman is dead and so is her son, former deputy Eugene Oscar, who left the department under a cloud of corruption.

During the initial investigation, Bree finds is that there is no shortage of suspects for the murders including the woman's brother, an antigovernment group - The Hudson Huntsmen, and the Sheriff herself. Facing intense scrutiny, Bree is forced to give up the investigation, but that doesn't mean she is quitting the hunt for the killer, especially when her chief deputy has gone missing and everything she holds dear is on the line.

Another great read
Another in the Bree Taggert series
Love this series
Can’t wait for the next book
Thanks NetGalley

Another breathtaking thriller by Melinda.
Bree and Matt's relationship is more mature now, when she needs him the most.
If you haven't read yet the previous book, I strongly recommend it!

I received an ARC copy of  #DeadAgainstHer via #NetGalley.

The people in Bree's town must really hate her. Someone seems to always be trying to kill her in these books. I think this is the third one I've read now, and look...some sexist guy is trying to kill her. It's getting a little old.

The plot was fairly predictable and I had to really slog through it at the end to finish the book.

So far have loved every book that I have read of Melinda Leigh's and this is no exception. Great book, well worth a read

Although this book is part of a series it can be read as a stand alone. The actual story isn’t great - we get a description of a brutal double murder at the very beginning of the book and the trustee heroine Bree Taggert happens to be the responder to the call out. The investigation seems to not have a lot of suspects and the book starts to slow down. Then the waters get muddied by a seemingly unconnected cyber attack on Bree and probably because the book is set in small town America where people seem to be totally gullible to fake news, the pressure on Bree mounts. The end of the book picked up for me with a page turning if somewhat far fetched chase. Overall I would read another Melinda Leigh book but probably not rush to do so just yet.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This is the fifth book in the Bree Taggart series. This book could easily be read as a standalone book; although the series is really good so I think it would be worth it to read the complete series.

Sheriff Bree and her team are tasked with solving a double homicide, but one of the homicide victims is a former member of the team and had issues with Bree. The next things she knows she is being trashed on social media and the press is calling for her resignation.

Can Bree and her team Solve the crime and keep her job intact? Lots of suspense and thrills. Cannot wait for the next book in this series

I have not read any previous books by this author so I was not familiar with the characters. It was a well written book and I enjoyed the characters and plot.

This book was absolutely brilliant. Although it is part of a series, the author has written it in a way that is serves as a stand alone book in it's own right. Thanks to this book, I will be reading the other books in this series and would recommend it to my audience

This was my first Bree Taggert novel as I did not realize it was part of a series when I picked it up, but I will definitely be going back and reading the other. Even though I knew nothing of the other books, this did not change my understanding or enjoyment of this book.

A quick read that is well written, with great character development and attention to detail. There was a great balance between Bree's personal life and work life. The crime aspects did not seem outrageous or unrealistic. Tackling touchy subjects, such as aspects of online harassment, the book opens eyes to the ever changing aspects crimes and the ramifications.


I want to thank Netgalley, and Montlake for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

This is my first Sheriff Taggert book and I enjoyed her spunk and determination. Even though it's a series, I was able to read this as a stand-alone book. Bree Taggert is placed in a gruesome double murder case, while also being framed for online porn - and possibly, for the double murder. Someone is determined to bring her down.

The story keeps you guessing as to who pulled the trigger, and why. I enjoyed the suspense thriller and will check out other Sheriff Taggert stories. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book.

Crime is one of my favourite genres when it's done right, and Melinda Leigh has done it right. I enjoyed every second of this book, and finished in within 36 hours. I'm going back now to read the other books in the Bree Taggert series, as I'd never come across them (this did not hinder my understanding of this book - they work just as well as stand alone books).

Dead Against Her is incredibly well written. The characters were were planned and thought out, with every person playing a vital role to the plot. Naturally, the main character is exactly that. She is a stand out - the perfect protagonist. She invites you into the story, with her relatable tone, and leads the story in a way that doesn't feel stilted. The plot flows in a way that is easy to follow, whilst keeping you on your toes and getting your heart racing. I felt drawn into this book in a way many books fail to do.

The only minor issue I had was that I felt that something was missing when I finished the book. I didn't feel like I had the closure I needed.

Thanks to NetGalley, Montlake and Melinda Leigh for the ARC.

I was a bit concerned after learning that this book was part of a series but although I was obviously missing a degree of backstory knowledge, it didn’t really affect my enjoyment.

Our protagonist is the local sheriff, Bree Taggert and the book begins with her being called out to a double homicide. The victims are her recently-dismissed corrupt deputy and his elderly mother. Soon Taggert is mired in police corruption, local politics and deepfaked pornography with her as it’s star.

The book provides a nice balance between the difficult home life, personal pressures and crimes that Bree faces. The writing is confident and pacy. Unlike many other crime novels, the impetus doesn’t tail off so that the ending seems rushed; it’s given thought and time and a sense of real urgency.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Montlake, for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

When a disgraced former sheriff andd his mother is found murdered it up to sheriff Bree Taggart to investigate.
Bree does tend to find trouble wherever she goes or the fact that trouble always finds Bree!
If you haven't read the previous four books in the series, I suggest you do so ,only for the fact that you get th feel for the characters but you can most definitely read Dead Against Her as a stand alone.