A group of old high school friends reunite once a year. Now at 32, they seem to be drifting apart due to adult obligations. Regardless, they meet once again for a weekend of fun and sun in the Mustang Island/ Padre Island area in Texas. Then Jones, the most boisterous of the women, gets murdered. Nina, one of her friends, finds herself involved in the investigation.

The book starts slowly. But then as soon as the detective, Quinn Stewart, begins the legwork and knocks on doors, the story gets into its groove. Quinn’s backstory adds good depth and I’d be interested in reading the stories of when she was a Corpus Cristi detective. Nina is also a solid character and her relationship with Quinn adds heat. I’m never good at solving the mystery but I almost did this time. My favorite parts of the book are the Gulf setting, Quinn and her internal struggles, and Willie the dog.

This is how I like my romantic suspense mysteries. The story leans towards romance more than solving a murder. Childhood friends meet together for a weekend every year. This year while having a beach trip in Corpus Christi one of the women, Jones, is found murdered. Quinn is in charge of the local beach patrol and also serves as its detective. She has years of that experience on a bigger police force. Nina is one of the friend group. She lives and runs a business nearby. Their paths cross a few times and they become friends while the case slowly progresses.

I liked both women. Quinn (38) was a past player and life of the party before realizing that wasn’t what she wanted. That is when she switched to beach patrol and took a step back from dating. Nina (32) is proud of the business that she has grown. She feels drawn to Quinn and safe with her. I like that there is time for dinner and dates. The murder investigation becomes more complex as other bodies are found, but they aren’t in Quinn’s jurisdiction. It allows an appearance from characters from Moonlight Avenue (Mar 2019). The suspect pool is limited and although you know there will be a showdown this doesn’t feel menacing like some of Hill’s other stories.

I enjoyed the reflective nature of the women and their openness with each other. I always find Hill’s writing top notch and am happy to recommend this book, especially if you enjoy romance more than mystery.

Hill’s books and I have a complicated relationship. I tend to like the books without any paranormal stuff, so I thought this one would be a winner for me. Unfortunately, it wasn’t so much.

Quinn is a terrible “detective”, yes I put it in quotation marks because she’s probably the worst detective ever. She seems better suited for her beach patrol job. Speaking of the job, while I find her detectiving lacking, I find this entire storyline lacking. All this happenstance and not much detective work, it’s a shame in my opinion.

If you read this book for the romance, I guess that is better. Two women in their thirties, having a better idea of what they want and need in their lives. It’s a nice grown up romance. It’s slow, but fast. I know this doesn’t make any sense, you’ll understand when you read it.

I would say read for the romance, not the crime.

For a mystery/thriller that involves murder, the story felt pretty low stakes to me. There’s a slow developing romance between two women who are reluctant to falling in love. And I enjoyed the way they focused on their friendship as it led into something more.

I’ll admit, I was annoyed at first. Nina and Quinn first meet while Quinn is investigating the death of Nina’s longtime friend. It’s been weeks when they run into each other again. The case is still open, so it shocked me that Quinn would unexpectedly flirt with Nina. I thought it was unprofessional and crossing lines, but since Nina isn’t actually involved in the case, there’s nothing stopping them from dating? I don’t know. I kind of assumed it wouldn’t be allowed especially since Quinn talks to Nina about the case and blurs the lines between professional and personal, but I digress.

Overall, this is an enjoyable slow burn romance with some open door spice.

Nina, on a summer trip with her friends, loses track of the titular Jones. The next morning she and her friends are shocked to find out Jones is DEAD.

Quinn Stewart, a local cop, is assigned to the case, and befriends Nina as she investigates. As Quinn unearthed more about Jones, the odder the case starts to look.

I find Gerri Hill is really good at romance, but a bit hit or miss on crime/mystery. Her Hunter series is very good, but on another mystery I was stunned at how dumb her heroines were. Thus, thankfully, is one of the good ones.

I did NOT guess the killer, but I thought it made sense. The mystery is good, the romance works and it was overall a good read.

I am a big fan of Gerri Hills books but have shied away from the crime/thriller ones. After reading Jones, I will definitely be seeking them out now. I was enthralled by Quinn’s and Nina’s story, their chemistry, banter made me smile. Then there was the captivating solving of a series of murders and the slow unveiling of Quinn’s past and Nina opening her self up to love.

Hill certainly does write wonderful stories, with complex characters that make you care about them. I was totally invested in this relationship. Reading this book felt like I was watching a movie, it was so clear in my head, I highly recommend Jones!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Each year, six childhood friends meet up to reminisce and party on the beach. Tragedy strikes this year when one of them, Jones, is found murdered.

Nina has organised and attended the annual party every year, but lately has been feeling too old for the drinking and out of touch with the others.

With Jones' murder, it becomes clear that Jones has kept many secrets from them all. How well did the childhood friends really know each other?

Quinn is the Beach Patrol Officer called the scene of Jones' murder, although the investigation work is taken over by the local police force when it becomes clear that this isn't an isolated incident.

Quinn and Nina randomly meet but then continue to seek each other out as their attraction grows stronger. Will they be able to work through their pasts, insecurities, and the shadow of Jones' murder hanging over them?

This tale is more thriller than romance, but everything wraps up in a satisfactory manner.

Quinn's growth and her relationship with Nina feel very organic, plus there are some nicely hot and spicy scenes between them on their way to their HEA ending.

Overall, this is a nice beach or rainy afternoon read with an ever-welcome HEA conclusion.


*I received an advance reader copy for free, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.*

Good start. Character laid out. I want to know more. However, my want was downgraded as I kept reading. I had trouble buying in to the relationship between the mains. I felt pacing slipped a bit too. Up to 3, cos I don't think Gerri Hill can write a below 3, but if she did this might be it.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.


Nina and her friends have a tradition of having a girls weekend once a year. When one of them is murder Nina is devastated and wants to know what happened she introduced to Detective Quinn who is on the case as they both discover secrets of her friend Jones Nina realizing she may never knew her friend that well as more victims seems to be connected. Nina and Quinn romance was great I like how they didn’t rush as they grow closer while finding out the truth of what happened. I like seeing characters from Moonlight Avenue as the case was moving forward. I love that’s this author know how to balance the romance and mystery without overpowering either one and sneaking in previous characters can’t wait for the next mystery romance hopefully one with supernatural twists.

4.5 Stars

Nina and her childhood friends have an annual tradition of having a girls weekend once a year after they graduated. They have been meeting for a number of years but this year tragedy hits when one of the friends is killed during the weekend. Enter Quinn, the Beach Patrol officer, former Corpus Christie detective, who ends up investigating the death of the friend. Nina and Quinn end up meeting several times and realized that their loneliness may just be coming to an end.

Hill has always done well with romantic thrillers, and this is no different. There are some name drops from her previous work, specifically Moonlight Avenue, which was nice to follow up on. I like both Nina and Quinn, they were each lonely for different reasons and provided fulfillment to each other. The mystery of who killed Jones, keeps the story going while Nina and Quinn figure out how they factor into each others lives. There were some twist and turns with the mystery. It was nice seeing Dee and Finn again.

All in all, I enjoyed this very much. It is right in line with all of Hill's other romantic thrillers. I would recommend this to fans of police romances and other Hill's works.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC

Childhood friends meet in Corpus Christi for their annual beach trip. One of the women is found murdered and Quinn, a local beach patrol officer and former detective comes onto the scene. Nina is one of the other friends, the only lgbtq member and her and Quinn connect, first as friends.
We learn a lot about Jones and her lifestyle and other murders occur. For me, I enjoyed the growing relationship between Quinn and Nina more than I did the investigation.
I had no sympathy for the victim and quickly figured out who the culprit was the moment they were introduced. I have found Hill's other thrillers much more entertaining and kept me on the edge of my seat more. This wasn't a bad read, it just wasn't up to the standards I have come to expect from Hill. As a romance, it works for me. It's a slow burn that progressed nicely from friendship to more.

An ARC was received from Bella Books via NetGalley for an honest review.

Always enjoy a good story from Ms. Hill-here we have Det Quinn a pretty easy-going cop that gave up the hectic life of big city policing for small beach community and Nina a small business owner enjoying a girls weekend-throw in a murder of Nina's childhood friend and you have a nice easy read for both a romance and a bit of suspense.

In general I liked the MCs, both Quinn and Nina a low key but both just seemed a bit flat I guess, in that I wasn't getting much personality off of either and really not much spark when they were together. I liked them just wasn't very much invested in their relationship I guess. The story started out quickly, with a murder taking place in the first few pages, then the investigation starts. I loved that we got a bit of Moonlight Avenue crossover actually had me picking that book up to re-read (smile). The story moves along at a good pace, I will say I was enjoying the investigation more then the romance but they balance each other out chapter by chapter.

Overall a nice balanced read with a bit of a twist at the end. Thank you Ms. Hill for your storytelling, always enjoy your stories and characters.

I received a review copy from NetGalley for my review

Jones - Gerri Hill

3.5 stars. I would say this book is 50% romance and 50% crime investigation. I tend to especially enjoy Hill’s crime books, but I thought the romance part was better than the crime part in this book.

The book starts with a murder and this is where detective Quinn and Nina (friend of the victim) meet. I thought the book would continue with a crime scene investigation, but it actually didn’t. To be honest, the first 30% I had no idea where this book was going, it didn’t feel like a romance or a crime scene investigation. After 30% it picked up on the romance.

The romance was very enjoyable, it’s about two people who have settled down into a more organized and quiet life, but are missing that one special person. Both MCs are likable and the romance was pretty easygoing and cute.

Personally, I prefer books that have an 70/30 ratio in crime and romance, because a good crime scene investigation needs time. That’s where this book missed it for me. I love figuring out who dunnit and honestly Quinn doesn’t investigate much. She has other people doing the investigating for her and every time when something happens she is just there, but not so much because of her investigating skills. I also guessed the murderer very early on in the story.

All in all, if you’re in it for a crime investigation, I think Hill has written better books, but I liked the romance, it was an easy read and you also get to see some of the characters from previous books.

Gerri Hill is one of my favorite authors. When a review starts like that you know it's not going to be good. And I'm afraid this review falls in that category.
If I didn't know this was a Gerri Hill novel I would have thought it was a first timer attempting at a murder mystery.
First I didn't warm up to any of the characters. I didn't know or care about the people that got killed. And I didn't feel much chemistry between the two main characters. No thrill, fear or warmth. So for me, it was a difficult read. I felt nothing other than a bit bored.. Not my usual response to a Gerri Hill novel. I guess I was spoiled with her "Hunter" series.
But I will keep reading her novels cause I know she normally has the touch.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

as childhood friends all grown up 6 friends all meet up yearly to catch up and remember all their good times

this year though one of them would end up dead..... and with no obvious clue as to who did it....the investigation does stall a little

as revelation after revelation comes out about jones her friends realise that they really didnt know jones at all....and that childhood friendship may not last forever

a good solid read and i only suspected the murderer towards the end... but even then wasnt to sure....

the love interest was sweet and nicely done between the two main characters i did enjoy their tentative start...all in all a good read

Another great romantic thriller by Gerri Hill filled with intrigue and tension!

Six lifelong friends gather for their annual girl's weekend in small town, Port Aransas. When one of the friends is found dead, their worlds are upended. Dealing with the grief and shock of their loss, they return to their lives. Nina is the only lesbian in the group and lives nearby. She becomes embroiled in the investigation into their friend's murder and finds an ally in the investigating detective, Quinn Stewart. As the investigation takes it's twists and turns, secrets are revealed that expose betrayal in their friend circle. Nina and Quinn become closer as Quinn strives to keep Nina safe as the investigation continues. The chemistry between the two women is a nice, tension filled and sweet slow burn.

I found myself completely absorbed into the story and look forward to many more by this author.
I received and arc of this book from NetGalley and Bella Books and leave my review voluntarily.

Gerri Hill is an automatic read for me. When I saw the cover and title of "Jones", it looked like such a departure from what I was expecting. Talk about your non-cookie cutter mystery. This one had several surprises, none of which I will spoil.

As usual with Gerri Hill, the setting is a main character in itself. Although I've been to the Gulf Coast in Florida and Alabama, I've never seen the Texas coast. Except in my head when reading so many of her books. The other characters, the five childhood friends and their significant others, add to the richness of the storyline.

This is another in a long line of must-read Gerri Hill books.

Whether it's a romance or a mystery, Gerri Hill has a gift for making the reader want to read "just one more chapter" before they stop for the night. Jones is no different. Just when you think you have her latest mystery figured out, you don't! It is a wonderfully told web of love, deceit and well...mystery! There is so much going on in the novel and I definitely do not want to give any spoilers. If you are a fan of Ms Hill, you will love it. If you aren't, please give this one a read. I think you will become a fan. Great writing, great characters, great story line, keeps you guessing, and of course a little romance. What more do I need to say?

This was a really good story. I really liked the murder mystery aspect of this story. There's quite a bit about Jones that no one knew about and the unraveling of the secrets was very intriguing and interesting to read about. This book is a murder mystery, with a bit of romance thrown in. This was a very satisfying read. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family and I look forward to what's next from this author.

𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦: 𝚂𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲. 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚈. 𝚃𝙷𝚁𝙸𝙻𝙻𝙴𝚁. 𝙵𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙽𝙳𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿. 𝙿𝙾𝙻𝙸𝙲𝙴.
📖ᴀʀᴄ 🏳️‍🌈⁠ - 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

"𝙂𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙞 𝙃𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥, 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙖𝙡, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡-𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧."

𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬:⁠
I liked this one. And since it has been a long while since I had something from Gerri Hill, well I took my sweet time. The book is a little thrilling and the romance is simple, little angst but has a lot of deep emotions among the friends. Jones was a lot of things but after reading this book, and understanding the things she went through, well, I just wanted to give her a hug. The psychological effects of growing up in poverty can lead to very destructive lifestyles.

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦:⁠
There were a few of them but that killer revelation was absolutely pulled. When the killer was introduced for the first time, I knew right away it was them. The way they were talking to Det. Quinn. It just made sense esp all the current leads were tuning up nothing.

𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲: There is appearance of Detective Dee Woodard, Finley Knight, ex-cop turned private investigator and mention of Finley's partner Rylee Moore. These three are main characters in 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 that was released in March 14, 2019. I don't know how much time has passed since then, but I am saddened by the fact that my favourite character, Dee, is still single. Lord.


𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙤 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.