Cold Case Detective Katie Scott unearths her next investigation after a devastating house fire when fire fighters discover an entire family of bones in the basement…
By Jennifer Chase
Smoke curls from what’s left of the beautiful family home on the edge of the woods. The heat is unbearable as she descends the stairs to the basement, past a set of bicycles––two big, one small. That’s when she sees three little white bones in the cracked earth at her feet, turning her blood to ice…
When firefighters tackling a blazing house in a quiet suburb of Pine Valley, California discover human remains, Detective Katie Scott races to 717 Maple Street. She calls a halt to the excavations the moment she sees the full number and size of the bones; someone has buried a whole family down here.
Working night and day, it’s up to Katie to prove her theory that the fire was no accident, that someone wanted to expose the secret in the basement. Tiny traces of explosives residue found at the scene is all the proof she needs. But the Cross family have been missing for months––leaving friends and loved ones in agonizing pain––what twisted soul would do this now? And why?
The case takes another heart-shattering turn when Katie’s suspicions over recent renovation work on the house leads to the discovery of more bodies in the back yard: two little girls, buried years apart. What other devastating secrets are hidden in this perfect family home?
It’s a dead end at every turn as Katie tracks down anyone who knew the family. Just when it looks like all hope is lost, reports of the Cross’s landlord harassing the family before they went missing gives Katie a crucial lead. With a menacing grey sedan following her every move, how many more innocent lives will be lost before Katie can dig up the truth?
“Edge-of-your-seat suspense to the very end! … Clear your schedule… you will not want to put it down!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“Love, love, LOVE… I absolutely adore this series!!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“Grabbed me from the very first page! It was so intense, and enthralling. I stayed up until 11pm two nights in a row so I could finish it.” NetGalley reviewer
Book Information
Release Date: September 13, 2022
Publisher: Bookouture
Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-1803145945; 329 pages; $11.99; eBook $3.99
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3SQBsZA
Book Excerpt
PROLOGUEFour Years Ago
The heat was even more scorching than usual. It wasn’t a surprise to the special army team whose mission it was to find bombs and insurgents in Afghanistan while keeping civilians safe. It was late afternoon, barely 1700 hours. Still, the temperature raged at one hundred ten degrees and wasn’t showing any remorse.
The assignment was to enter a small village, search it, and maintain a presence while waiting for further orders. They had intelligence information that the enemy had possibly used the village for storing bomb-making paraphernalia. The inhabitants were not known hostiles, merely farmers, and would not pose any type of danger.
Katie Scott took point, which meant she was holding the most exposed position leading her unit. She trudged forward, feeling every muscle ache in her body. Her gear seemed heavier than it had only two hours ago. She adjusted her helmet and, keeping her weapon poised and ready, watched the black German shepherd pad along the roadway. The dog’s posture was almost regal and he was on high alert, ears perked forward as his head moved from side to side catching scents from the open area. Cisco was Katie’s constant companion and partner, one who had alerted her team to danger on several occasions. The dog was invaluable in so many ways, thwarting multiple potential dangers and keeping the team safe.
They finally entered the village. A couple of elderly townspeople acknowledged the American soldiers with a subtle nod but stopped what they were doing immediately to take refuge in their small, makeshift homes. There were supposed to be families with children in the village, but now Katie could only see two young men out and about.
It seemed strange.
Something was out of place.
Katie slowed her pace and her sergeant caught up with her.
“What’s up, Scotty?” he said quietly, still keeping his eyes on any movement around the village.
“I don’t know…” she said softly. “But something is wrong.”
They stopped.
The rest of the team spread out and kept a watchful eye around them.
Cisco stopped too. He stood completely still, taking in the sights and sounds as the hot breeze ruffled his black fur. He growled and turned his attention ahead toward a group of buildings.
“He senses something,” she whispered to her sergeant.
The sergeant gestured for the rest to follow in that direction.
The company moved out. Each soldier had their position, watching for any movement as they covered each other’s backs.
Katie could feel her heart beating hard. She shivered even though the temperature was blistering. Moving cautiously in the direction that Cisco had headed, she brought the dog close by her side. She was ready to return fire or take cover. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves and keep focus. They continued to advance.
A building made of mud bricks and concrete with blocked up windows sat silent. It didn’t appear to be the same structure type as the family homes around it. On one side of the dwelling the windows were crumbling, appearing more ancient than the rest.
Katie watched Cisco slow his pace. His fur bristled down his spine.
The team stopped just before the entrance. There was no visibility as to what was inside.
Under the direction of the sergeant, two team members opened the door and then cleared the entrance, heading farther inside.
Katie heard gasps from her group. She cautiously entered behind them, directing her weapon in front of her. The musty stench hit her first—it was an unmistakable odor. As her vision slowly became accustomed to the dim, dusty lighting, she saw what her teammates had seen. Death.
At first, it appeared to be a large pile of clothes. Katie saw shoes and various materials, but she then realized that the clothes were covering bodies that were by now mostly bones but there were some that were in the first stages of decomposition. There were smaller bones that had been children.
She gulped and took a few steps back. Her mouth went dry and her heart hammered. Her team searched and cleared the building before moving out in formation.
Cisco kept close to her side as Katie tried hard to erase the horrific spectacle from her mind. It had been a massacre. Parents had still had their arms wrapped around their children. She had seen tiny shoes and part of a toy.
Without warning, gunfire bombarded them, peppering off the old clay walls. Smoke filled the air. The team took their positions and returned fire. Katie tucked into a safe place with Cisco next to her. She began to help hold off the ambush attack by firing in the direction of the threat.
Later on, Katie realized that it had been the longest gun battle she had been in, lasting nearly thirty minutes. But the worst part wasn’t the shooting. It was that now she could never forget the image of the town whose inhabitants had been systematically murdered just to keep the enemy’s weapons safe. Something had changed in her perspective that day. The incident fused into her soul, and she would always now carry it with her.
Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and USA Today Best Selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master's degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling.
Her latest book is the crime thriller, Three Small Bones.You can visit her website at www.AuthorJenniferChase.com or connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.
REVIEW
A THRILLING ENTRY IN AN AMAZING SERIES!
A fire destroys the old house at 717 Maple. With all signs pointing to arson, it’s the unexpected grisly discovery of three dismembered fingers that leads to Detective Katie Scott being called to the scene. Upon arrival Scott does what she does best, and it doesn’t take long for her to unearth bodies buried in the basement. Not sure who they are, how they died, or even how long they’ve been hidden away, the excavation is expanded and leads to more complications … and more questions. But the investigation spikes to downright dangerous when one of the bodies is tied to a cold case of a missing child who disappeared twenty-five years ago. It’s this stirring up of the past that triggers the killer to take aim at Scott and her team, putting her … and everyone she loves … in the crosshairs of a sick unpredictable murderer, who up until now, has gotten away with murder. But Scott means to put an end to that lucky streak.
Author Jennifer Chase ups her game with this spine-tingling mystery. Easily the
best entry thus far in an amazing series, it’s all good for devoted readers
that the Detective Katie Scott Mysteries just keeps getting better and better
and better. And you can include me in the ‘devoted reader’ grouping.
I’ve been an ardent fan right from the beginning and fully admit to being
completely into the character of Katie Scott and her extended family. Love her
… and Cisco … her partner Detective McGaven … and Cisco … Chad, Sheriff Wayne
Scott, Detective Hamilton … and did I mention Cisco? Yeah, that dog is my
ultimate fav and obsession, even beating out Katie for the top spot. And psst:
Cisco even gets a chance to be heroic and save a life in this installment! But
no spoilers from me as to how he pulls off that trick and earns himself a big
box of Chewy toys that should take him round about just under an hour to
demolish! But about those favorite characters … yeah, there’s a subtle
hint that there may be storm clouds ahead for one of them. I hope not and am
not mentioning which one because I don’t do spoilers, but as long as Katie
doesn’t switch out and replace Cisco with another dog/friend/companion, I’m fine! But we’ll see where it goes.
In terms of what to expect from THREE SMALL BONES, let me deconstruct this 8th entry in the Detective Katie Scott Mysteries a bit for you. The storyline is complex and keeps you on your toes. The investigation is in Scott’s lane since it involves a cold case and cold cases are her specialty. In terms of the action, it is non-stop and includes twists and turns that keep you guessing. As to the pace of this thriller, no doubt it's accelerated and I’d put it in the category of a ‘trigger-happy blistering race to the finish’. The suspects are plentiful leaving us plenty of room to play detective and guess who dunnit. Personally, I had no idea who the murderer was until the reveal at the very end. All-in-all, it holds our attention and delivers a wallop of an ending, and there’s not much more fans of this genre can ask for. So if you're a fan, here's another stellar entry to sink your teeth into. And if you're a newbie to this series, it's the perfect time to download your first copy and hop onboard! I know I'm influenced to buy a series by the number of entries because there's nothing worse than scurrying around for something to read. So eight in the series means seven more books by this author for you to love if this first one checks all your boxes and turns you into a fan! I’m betting it will.
Oh, and one more thing ... Chase really shows off her writing chops in some pretty tense action scenes that had me holding my breath. There were three chapters that were real nail-biters for me (chapters 25, 29, and 48 to be exact), so keep the caffeine nearby so you can keep up and not miss a single word. As for negatives, I have none to report. Everything was spot on and designed to thrill. It’s what made THREE SMALL BONES such an enjoyable albeit nerve-racking read! But don’t worry, Cisco’s got you covered! He always does. So curl up on the couch, keep your beverage of choice nearby and maybe some treats ... make that 'definitely' some treats ... and have yourself a read that you are sure to enjoy! Kudos to the author for delivering a winner!
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