Risk Factor

When Buddy Steel's father .. the Sheriff .. becomes ill, he asked Buddy to take on the role of Acting Sheriff. It's not a job that Buddy particularly wanted, but how to tell his aging father? In the meantime, Buddy and the other deputies have their hands full. Their small town of Freedom, California is usually fairly quiet .. these days not so much. There have been a series of home invasions and burglaries. Luckily, so far, no one has been home when these things occurred. On top of that, there are now cybercrimes targeting local businesses. The entire town is demanding that something be done. LAPD Gang enforcement's computer geek, Detective Quinn Anthony, has been following the trail of these particular hackers. But it's only when Buddy and Quinn join forces that they begin to understand just what they're facing. The closer they get, the more danger they face and the more danger they face, the closer they get. This is an action-packed page turner. The crime itself was captivating, but the relationships are what sold me on this novel. Buddy has a tremendous sense of humor. His relationship with his father has been somewhat contentious in the past, but it's getting better. Quinn is a forced to be reckoned with. She's smart, she's sassy, got a mind like a steel trap and is unconventional in her work. They are all solidly written and stand tall in the midst of a crime spree. A few twists and turns led to a surprising, unexpected conclusion. Although 4th in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone. However, I highly recommend reading the books in order. Many thanks to the author / Poisoned Pen Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this humorous crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.