She’ll never give up on finding her baby.

And neither will the sheriff of Whistler.

For five years, Cora Reeves has searched for her baby, who went missing in a fire—a baby she swears is still out there. When the private investigator sniffing out clues ends up dead, Sheriff Jacob Maverick’s on the cold case.

As old evidence takes on new meaning, Jacob is desperate to ensure Cora’s safety. Especially once he realizes how far someone is willing to go to keep her from learning the truth behind what really happened that fateful day.

Titles in the Badge of Honor Mystery series include – Mysterious Abduction – Left to Die (April 2020) –

 

 

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Title:  Mysterious Abduction
Series:  Badge of Honor Mystery #1
Author:  Rita Herron
Genre:  Romantic Suspense
Published:  March 1, 2020
Publisher:  Harlequin
My Rating:  4 stars

Mysterious Abduction begins the Badge of Honor Mystery series with a story that is so intense and almost painful to read as we are thrust into the world that Cora now lives in every single minute as she searches for her kidnapped daughter.  Jacob lost his father in that same hospital fire and has vowed to Cora that he will find little Alice, but the clues are few and their questions remain unanswered – until murder brought everything to the forefront once again.

I am a mother, and I cannot imagine the absolute pain, fear, sadness, the panic of my child being snatched from me.  I cannot.  Yet I lived every moment of Cora’s terror and sadness right alongside her in this story.  I think there are readers who may find Cora’s depiction as over the top yet… I’ve never had my child stolen moments after her birth, I’ve never had to wonder if she was happy, in a loving home, safe or if she was being abused, harmed or even still alive… so over the top doesn’t come into this equation, it really cannot for until I’ve walked in a mother like Cora’s shoes I’ll never know how I would react.  Constant terror doesn’t even come close to what I think I’d feel, but you be the judge of her reactions for yourself.

The romance between Jacob and Cora is underplayed, it’s there, developing and acted upon but the main focus is finding Alice and the murder of the private investigator who was close to finding answers.  There are enough secondary characters to make Mysterious Abduction interesting as we sort through clues and actions.  I had my suspect picked out, and even though I was right there was still so much more to this story than taking down the villain.  This story is intensely emotional on so many levels, the story flowed smoothly, the characters believable even in the nastiness and vileness of some.  I was held captive in this world from beginning to end – and with enough hints and possibilities for the coming stories, I can say that I’m definitely hooked on this series and will follow it until the final word.  If you love a good, intense, emotional mystery that will hold your attention and not let go, then Mysterious Abduction should be on your reading radar.

I own a Kindle edition of this story.

Available in a variety of formats including paperback and the Kindle