A Cold Trail

Written by Robert Dugoni

Narrated by Emily Sutton-Smith

An Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestseller.

“Tracy Crosswhite is one of the best protagonists in the realm of crime fiction today, and there is nothing cold about A Cold Trail.” —Associated Press

In New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni’s riveting series, Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite returns home to a brutal murder and her haunted past.

The last time homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite was in Cedar Grove, it was to see her sister’s killer put behind bars. Now she’s returned for a respite and the chance to put her life back in order for herself, her attorney husband, Dan, and their new daughter. But tragic memories soon prove impossible to escape.

Dan is drawn into representing a local merchant whose business is jeopardized by the town’s revitalization. And Tracy is urged by the local PD to put her own skills to work on a new case: the brutal murder of a police officer’s wife and local reporter who was investigating a cold-case slaying of a young woman. As Tracy’s and Dan’s cases crisscross, Tracy’s trail becomes dangerous. It’s stirring up her own haunted past and a decades-old conspiracy in Cedar Grove that has erupted in murder. Getting to the truth is all that matters. But what’s Tracy willing to risk as a killer gets closer to her and threatens everyone she loves?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Feb 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9781799749844

Robert Dugoni

Robert Dugoni is the critically acclaimed New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite series, which has sold more than four million books worldwide. He is also the author of the bestselling David Sloane series; the Charles Jenkins series including The Eighth Sister, the stand-alone novels The 7th Canon, Damage Control, and The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, for which he won an AudioFile Earphones Award for the narration; and the nonfiction exposé The Cyanide Canary, a Washington Post best book of the year. He is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Book Award for fiction and the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He is a two-time finalist for the International Thriller Award, the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction, the Silver Falchion Award for mystery, and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award. His books are sold in more than twenty-five countries and have been translated into more than two dozen languages. Visit his website at www.robertdugoni.com.

Reviews for A Cold Trail

[Elaine C Petrosino · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

He always writes a great mystery, a decent police procedure, although in my experience with law enforcement, those are some very lenient, understanding departments they are involved with the thing that might keep me from continuing with the series is there’s just too much gooey, lovey-dovey stuff Also I personally prefer a little less mental clutter in over detailed descriptions. I like crisp prose. But I love a good mystery.

[geauxgetlit · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another great Tracy novel! Looking forward to the next.

[amcheri-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thoroughly enjoyed this episode of the series! Never sure from one book to the next if the stories and mysteries and cases will be believable or it they'll send my BS meter into overdrive and make me mad.

This one was really good! If you're mostly a fan of the series, you'll probably like this one.

[sallyelizabethmurphy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Generous rating. Mediocre at best

[buffalogr · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A Cold Trail is the 7th mystery in the Tracy Crosswhite series. While visiting their home at Cedar Grove and away from their home in Seattle, detective Tracy takes up a cold case and her lawyer husband Dan works on a village case. Both run concurrently and the reader must keep them sorted out. There are plenty of surprises that keep you guessing.

[carole888fort · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A Cold Trail by Robert Dugoni is the seventh mystery in the Tracy Crosswhite series but it works well as a stand-alone. However, I now realize that I would enjoy reading the previous books as well. Seattle police detective Tracy Crosswhite has returned to her hometown of Cedar Grove with her husband Dan and their infant daughter, while their home is being renovated. Dan is a lawyer and is soon working on a case for a local merchant. Tracy is asked by the police chief to assist in the investigation of the death of a journalist who died under suspicious circumstances. It soon becomes evident that Dan and Tracy’s cases may be related and someone in town is feeling threatened by the truths they are uncovering and will do anything to stop them. The pair will need to go several decades back in time, in their search for the truth. The story moves at a fast pace with plenty of suspense to keep the reader guessing. Highly recommended. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[marykuhl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another fine installment in the Tracy Crosswhite series. Tracy and Dan temporarily move back to Cedar Grove as their house in Redman is being remodeled. The Chief enlists Tracy's help in investigating a couple of murders, years apart, that seem connected. Although I almost had the ending I was quite there! With Dan representing a client of Cedar Grove's long time businesses and Tracy investigating the murders, the couple have their hands full.

[kimkimkim-7 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Robert Dugoni has woven a tangled web of rage, murder, arson, and possible fraud all bound up in a civil case. Stranger things have happened. Returning to their hometown of Cedar Grove, Washington for what was supposed to be a brief respite, a married couple, one a lawyer, the other a homicide detective, have stepped into a vicious wasp’s nest.Lawyer Dan O’Leary is fighting a potential eminent domain takeover by the city of his client’s property and business. Detective Tracy Crosswhite, on maternity leave, is encouraged to take on an investigation into the death of the new sheriff’s wife. As a standalone the book is great. As a continuation in the series it is even greater as it ascribes additional dimensions to the characters we have gotten to know. There is just enough backstory that a first-time reader of the series will be able to fit many of the puzzle pieces together and those of us who have some familiarity will appreciate the reinforcement and reintroduction to the peripheral characters. The introduction of a baby, motherhood, a complete family circle allows for a softening and introspection that was well thought out and appropriate. I loved the courtroom drama and the fleshing out of that part of the plot. Now about that jurist - best Judge ever – Sustained, Overruled and wow, just about perfect. Robert Dugoni never disappoints me. I look forward to each of his books.Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy.

[bonnie.franks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the 7th book in this series and I have not read a single one of the others! But I intend to change that.This book did just fine as a standalone, but I did notice that I want to know more about Tracy's past. I am relieved that I can actually find that out.This book has believable characters, circumstances, mysteries, twists, and is just an overall enjoyable read. This is exactly the type of book that is always a go-to for me. Readable, relatable, well-written. There are parts that are frightening , as you worry about the new friends you made in the book, but that's what keeps us on our toes and reading into the night...which I did!Thank you to NetGalley.com and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book.

[rowingrabbit · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tracy Crosswhite is back & the first thing you’ll notice is her gun & handcuffs have been replaced by bottles & diapers. Baby Daniella has arrived. She & Dan are ecstatic but their little house in Seattle is bursting at the seams so the whole family moves back to Cedar Grove while it undergoes renovation.Dan picks up a case representing a local merchant. For some reason the city has been buying up properties on the main drag but his client has no desire to sell. As far as Dan is concerned, there’s something sketchy about the whole thing & begins to dig.Tracy is on mat leave & adjusting to being a stay at home mom. She runs into her old friend Roy Calloway & is surprised to learn he’s come out of retirement to fill in as chief of police. The current chief is on leave after his wife died in a house fire & Roy has a proposition for her. It seems the chief’s wife was a journalist who was looking into a local murder from 1993 when she died. The case was related to the death of Tracy’s sister. With questions swirling about the original investigation & the woman’s subsequent death, Roy needs a fresh set of eyes on the whole mess. Would Tracy like a part time job? Why, yes….yes she would. Dan’s case becomes increasingly more complex & as Tracy unearths old secrets, it’s clear some people would rather she let sleeping dogs lie. She & Dan grew up here & as things heat up, she’s very aware that her search for a killer may lead to someone she knows.This instalment focuses just as much on Tracy’s personal life as the investigative side of the story. She comes across as more fragile in this one. A combination of postpartum hormones, doubts about motherhood & reminders of her sister have her emotionally on edge. Dan’s not happy she’s back in business & Tracy has to wonder if she can really have it all. It’s the guilt every working mother deals with. Thankfully, her colleague Faz shows up to lend a hand & boost her spirits. There are plenty of red herrings & surprising connections along the way to keep you guessing. It’s a solid read but I must confess I preferred the investigative side of the plot. Having Faz pop by provides some added humour but I missed Kins & the Seattle PD. What hasn’t changed is this author’s ability to deliver a story full of vibrant characters in an atmospheric setting. A slower middle gives you time to rest up before a cracker of a finish. Big fans of the series will find much to enjoy here.3.5 stars