When Evans friend and old boss is murdered, he and the rest of the force are in a race against time to find his missing daughter and grandson. It all seems to be connected but he cant seem to figure out how. Danger hits closer to home when the killer targets Evan, and possibly even the woman he loves. Its exciting, dangerous, action pact and has a satisfying conclusion. I loved catching up with Evan, Rowan, her brother and family, (Thor too!) and getting just a little more time with them. I am looking forward to Noelle getting her book!

Amazing book again Ms. Elliot kept me going from the beginning to the end. The case Detective Evan Bolton is working is a sensitive and personal one at that, and with the help of Rowan it helps. But something else is going on with the case which turns to him. It doesn’t look good.
Later Rowan can’t find Evan, any she’s getting nervous.
He finally tells her what’s bothering him, and she wants to help him of course he closes up.

I hope there’s more to come with these two.

Columbia River book 6

This is the 3rd book I've read in this series and it's the one I've enjoyed the most. I was totally hooked from start to finish. Loved it and looking forward to catching up with some of the earlier books.


Detective Evan Bolton is gutted by his latest investigation. His friend and mentor, retired detective Rod McLeod, has been murdered, his body left in the trunk of a junkyard car. When McLeod’s daughter and grandson abruptly vanish, Evan knows it’s not a coincidence. Search and rescue canine specialist Rowan Wolff agrees as she and her dog, Thor, track the missing family.

The two cases converge in a puzzling twist. Evan discovers that McLeod has been reinvestigating old crimes—solved but not forgotten. Evan takes them on, one by one, and a disturbing suspicion forms that someone in law enforcement has something to hide and would do anything to keep those secrets buried.

But Evan and Rowan’s time is slipping away. They have to find the killer now. Before someone else disappears. Before someone else dies.

Kendra Elliott's books never disappoint and the plot of this one was a doozy!

Evan's mentor Rod is found in the trunk of a car in a junkyard. When he goes to inform his daughter, a lot of blood is found at her house, and she is missing.

So, straight away, Evan has his work cut out for him and there are many twists and turns to come, whilst he tries to figure things out. One dead body, one missing woman, one grieving teenager.

Rowan is brought in, with her dog Thor, to try and find Sophia. And then Rod's grandson goes missing as well......

Very strong plot and I liked all the characters as well. Looking forward to reading another instalment in this series, in the future.

5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake.

The Next Grave by K. Elliot, published by Montlake, is the highly, highly anticipated sixth book in the Columbia River Series.
I was patiently waiting for Rowan and Evan to get their book, and voila, here it is.
Detective Evan Bolton and dog handler Rowan Wolff with Thor are a couple for some time now. They had their first appearance in The First Death and I couldn't wait for their story.
Evan's latest case is his hardest to digest so far, it's the murder of his mentor and friend. When his daughter and grandson vanish too, everything gets more complicated, more complex, more confusing for the investigator and his team. By his side, Detective Noelle Marshall, also already known from the Mercy Kilpatrick Series.
Everything is connected, is a tangled web and soon they run out of time.
The author masterfully placed miniscule only hints and kept me in high suspense right from the start, breathlessly awaiting the next hint, til the very unexpected last turn. And I was breathlessly speeding along with story and characters. Victims begin to stack up just like alleged proof against one of their own. This book left me with a serious bookhangover. I'm tiptoeing around this review for a few days now after fiinishing this 2024 fav read of mine, struggling a bit to find the appropriate words. I highly recommend the book and the series.

4.25⭐

Kendra Elliot's latest mystery is both intense and gripping. As she returns readers to the Columbia River series and focuses back on Detective Evan Bolton, his girlfriend, SAR Rowan Wolff, and her dog, Thor.

Who find themselves embroiled in a puzzling case. That is close to Evan's heart. When he finds his mentor, friend and retired police detective, Rod McLeod, murdered and his body dumped in the boot of a car in a junkyard.

And while Evan is devastated by the discovery, he is also determined to catch the killer. But when Rod's daughter and grandson suddenly disappear, Evan knows something more is going on and asks his girlfriend Rowan and her dog Thor to track them down quickly.

However, Evan is unaware that the murder and disappearance are connected in the most perplexing of ways. And that Rod had been reinvestigating previously solved cases.

So, Evan decides to reexamine them too, and one by one, he discovers a disturbing pattern. Which leaves him with the uneasy feeling that someone in law enforcement has something to hide and will do anything to ensure their secret stays hidden.

But unfortunately for Rowan and Evan somebody is on their trail and now it's only a matter of time before someone else disappears or worse ends up dead.

My Kendra Elliot experience has been limited to her Columbia River series, which I've enjoyed, so I thought it would be good to read the next one. This is the sixth book in that series.

Description:
Detective Evan Bolton is gutted by his latest investigation. His friend and mentor, retired detective Rod McLeod, has been murdered, his body left in the trunk of a junkyard car. When McLeod’s daughter and grandson abruptly vanish, Evan knows it’s not a coincidence. Search and rescue canine specialist Rowan Wolff agrees as she and her dog, Thor, track the missing family.

The two cases converge in a puzzling twist. Evan discovers that McLeod has been reinvestigating old crimes—solved but not forgotten. Evan takes them on, one by one, and a disturbing suspicion forms that someone in law enforcement has something to hide and would do anything to keep those secrets buried.

But Evan and Rowan’s time is slipping away. They have to find the killer now. Before someone else disappears. Before someone else dies.

My Thoughts:
I love following the relationship between Rowan and Evan in this series. They work so well together. Rowan's skill with training and using dogs to seach is amazing and important to the investigation. This investigation was difficult in that it involved a dear friend of Evan's and there were so few clues to go on. There were a number of twists to the investigation that kept me guessing. Anyone who enjoys a good crime mystery will enjoy this book and the series.

Thanks to Montlake through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Small town Oregon has a freakishly high homicide rate! Evan is the local kid turned sheriff and when his mentor is found dead he vows to find the killer. But the case gets more complex when the victim's daughter is also targeted and then Evan himself becomes a target.

Rowan and her SAR dog Thor are settling into life with Evan. Rowan and her family are settling into their new normal with the return of their lost son/sibling and she relishes the sibling nights they have. However, Evan is not the only one pulled into this latest case, Rowan is targeted too and poor Thor almost becomes a crispy critter! Who wants Evan tagged as a crooked cop and killed?

OOh this was a twisty thriller of the best kind. It was really difficult to figure out who was after Evan and why. There were a few misdirects and it didn't help when witnesses and victims weren't giving them all the facts. I thought Zack, the original victim's grandson, was a brave lad and really tried to help the investigation but he ultimately was just a kid and the big bad used that to their favour and muddied the investigation further.

The background romance between Evan and Rowan isn't the focus of the book, the suspense/thriller is the main storyline but it was nice to see them settling into their new life and planning for the future. It gave them a very normal day to day relationship instead of once forged in adventure - life after the HEA if you like.

Evan really goes through the wringer in this one and poor Malcolm doesn't exactly have a stellar time either, those big feelings of his nearly get him into real trouble! You can't really go wrong with a thriller from Ms Elliot!

Kendra Elliot’s The Next Grave masterfully blends mystery and suspense, delivering a compelling tale that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. The story opens with the sudden death of a retired cop and the simultaneous disappearance of his family—a chilling premise that sets the stage for an intricate and action-packed investigation.

Elliot excels at weaving a web of secrets, corruption, and betrayal, keeping the tension high as the layers of the story are peeled back. The revelations come fast and furious, each one more surprising than the last, making it nearly impossible to set the book down. Her well-drawn characters and sharp dialogue lend authenticity to the twists, while the pacing ensures the reader is fully immersed in the unraveling chaos.

One of the highlights is Elliot’s ability to tease what’s coming next, leaving fans eager for her future works. This glimpse into what lies ahead adds a sense of continuity and builds excitement for her next installment.

In summary, The Next Grave is a tightly plotted, suspenseful mystery that showcases Kendra Elliot’s talent for creating unforgettable stories. It’s a must-read for fans of crime fiction and anyone who loves a story packed with intrigue, action, and surprises.

A gripping addition to a favorite series, The Next Grave starts with Detective Evan Bolton discovering the body of his mentor, retired detective Rod McLeod. When police show up at Rod’s daughter’s house to make the notification, they discover a gruesome scene, blood everywhere, and there is no sign of the daughter or her young son. Evan’s girlfriend, Rowan Wolff, and her search and rescue dog Thor try to track them but the trail hits a dead end. Detective Noelle Marshall takes over the missing persons case, working closely with Evan to coordinate their investigations. With no idea who they are up against and few clues, can the detectives find the daughter and figure out what’s going on before anyone else is killed? The story is suspenseful, with twists I didn’t see coming and likable characters that readers of Elliot’s books will recognize and enjoy getting to know better (although the book can easily be read as a standalone).

Retired police officer is foud dead and his daugter is missing. Detective Evan Bolton investigates the death of his mentor and dear friend. The case is a total mystery and gets more confusing as time goies by. Evan's girlfriend Rowan and her search and rescue dog Thor are also a big part of the story.

This was such an engaging and suspenseful read. It kept me guessing and glued to the pages. I liked the characters, they all had such interesting backstories. The search and rescue dog Thor was my absolute favorite, kind hearted and well trained. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite series of all time.

The Next Grave is book six in the Columbia River series by Kendra Elliot.
Kendra Elliot never disappoints.
An intriguing page turner that had me guessing until the last page. I was instantly pulled into the book needing to what happened.
Tense and compelling. I can’t wait to read more.

This is another entertaining mystery and suspense novel set in the high desert of central Oregon. There is plenty of action in this novel as a vicious villain is bent on revenge. Evan is a capable detective who is being framed and falsely accused. My favorite character, however, was Rowan, along with her dog Thor. She is tenacious at solving the case when Evan is out of commission.

The plot moves along well as a murder and then abductions occur. There is a good deal of suspense and some torture along the way. Evan is heavily invested in solving the murder, too much so perhaps as he fails to try to figure out how he is being framed with false fingerprint evidence. That was a harmful oversight.

While this book is the most recent in a series, it reads well on its own, featuring different lead people than in the earlier books. I like Elliot's writing and the setting of the novels is a plus. I will be watching for the next in the series.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

The story starts out fast and keeps going at full speed. I like Evan and Rowan's characters a lot. The two cases in the book are interesting and puzzling. The pace of unwinding what happened was good. This is one of my favorite series and I really enjoyed this installment. It can be read standalone and still enjoyed. There are a lot more characters I want to know more about so am looking forward to the next in the series. The story was a great way to escape into a book. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Great characters and a lot of suspense! I was sucked in from the beginning. It's fast paced. I am a big fan of this series. This one wasn't my favorite, but it's still a good addition. Evan and Rowan had me invested.

I have read the entire series with Evan and Noelle. The 6th book in the series does a great job of catching the reader up with the backstory of the main characters allowing the reader to be reminded of the history which also allows the reader to also read this book as a stand alone book. The story is a police procedural mystery. There is a murder of a retired detective to solve and a missing person to find. What I’ve enjoyed from this author is the amount of detail of the process that is written into the story and the personal relationships that give an emotional pull in the story. What bugs me is the obscure nature of some of the clues that can seem unrealistic. I try to suspend some of this reality to just roll with the thriller aspect.

Overall, a great story and I enjoy the series.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Columbia River series is a mix of stories utilizing characters from some of the author's other series or supporting characters. Mercy Kilpatrick makes a very brief appearance here from the Mercy Kilpatrick series.

The primary characters in The Next Grave are Evan and Rowan. They have both featured in other books in the series. Evan is a sheriff's deputy. He is saddened when they find the body of his old mentor, Rod. Then Rod's daughter and grandson go missing. His girlfriend, Rowan and her dog, Thor, are in search and rescue. Rowan tries to help track them but both were put into cars and taken away.

The suspense and terror continue to build as more things happen but the information is not enough to locate the missing. There is definitely both skill and chaos demonstrated by law enforcement in this story. I don't want to say too much about all the other events as they should be discovered by the reader.

I really enjoy this series and these characters so much. The pacing was steady with plenty of action and events. I hope the series will continue. These are great characters with good hearts, working their hardest to save people and make lives better.

In The Next Grave by Kendra Elliot, Detective Evan Bolton is investigating the murder of a retired detective and a missing persons case. He’ll need the help of canine specialist Rowan Wolff and her dog Thor to solve this one. A gripping mystery that will keep you up past your bedtime.

While each of the novels in the Columbia River series work as a standalone mystery/case, I recommend reading in order for the relationships that form even if the author does a great job of bringing new readers up to speed.

Bolton is shocked when his old mentor is found murdered in the trunk of a car. Things take a turn when he realizes the detective’s daughter is missing as well. Old case files found in the retired detective’s home have him question what really happened and why.

Elliot delivered a compelling case, and the story hooked me from the start. When it appears Bolton might be in danger, the risk escalates and soon a young boy and Bolton find themselves in great danger. Can Rowan and Thor find them in time? Twists, corruption and compelling facts make this one a must read.

The romance is served on the side and continued from a previous story. I love the well-developed characters and side stories involving them, the dogs and other officers.

The body of a well respected retired detective is found murdered in the trunk of a car at a junk yard. His daughter has also gone missing. Why was the detective murdered and what has happened to his daughter. This is definitely a page turner, a great addition to the Columbia River series. Loved the characters and the story. Even tho this is part of a series the author does a good job of giving you enough background so this story could easily be read as a stand alone. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this awesome book

you can never go wrong with a kendra elliot book and this book is no exception... you wont be able to put it down

when a body is discovered in a junk yard in the boot of a car its all hands on deck but evan knows who the murdered man is because not only was he murdered he was tortured before he was killed....

its all hands on deck for the next bit but when a visit to the family to tell them their loved one is dead a shocking discovery is made....

as the police start their investigation more and more things dont add up... as another member of family goes missing... what could evan be missing....

its a tense thriller and could there really be someone a lot closer to home involved in the murder and disappearance of a loved one....time will tell

what a ride.... cant wait for the next instalment from this series