Buried Deception

Written by Amanda McKinney

Narrated by Arielle DeLisle and Lance Greenfield

In the pulse-racing first installment of the On the Edge series, a criminal psychologist teams up with a former marine on a deadly wildland mission. Not even their hearts can stay out of harm’s way.

In the swamps of East Texas, alligators aren’t the only danger lurking in the shadows.

After a young woman is brutally attacked on a popular hiking trail, the evidence points to the notorious Black Cat Stalker. The town of Skull Hollow enlists Dr. Mia Frost to provide a psychological profile and assist in the investigation.

When another person goes missing, Mia partners with Easton Crew, former marine and current CEO of a tactical tracking company. Both Mia and Easton are stubborn, strong-willed, and independent, but neither can deny the smoldering attraction between them.

As professional lines blur, Easton starts to question Mia’s motives and worries she’s getting too close to the investigation. The mystery begins to unravel, but so does Mia’s mental health as the clues dredge up her own haunted past.

It soon becomes evident that things aren’t as they seem … and people aren’t always who they say they are.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Sep 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9781799784715

Amanda McKinney

Amanda McKinney is the author of more than twenty romantic-suspense, mystery, and action-and-adventure novels. Her books have received over fifteen literary awards and nominations. She lives in Arkansas with her handsome husband, two beautiful boys, and three obnoxious dogs and enjoys hiking, daydreaming, and very dirty martinis (on occasion, all three at the same time).

Reviews for Buried Deception

[ftbooklover · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Black Cat Stalker has been causing panic in the Louisiana swamp town of Skull Hollow. When a young girl, Courtney, goes missing, rescue specialist, Easton Crew and his LINX group are called in to help find the girl. Hypnotherapy specialist, profiler, and psychologist, Dr. Mia Frost is called in to help create a profile of The Black Cat Stalker. Once Courtney is found, Mia offers her services to help Courtney describe her rapist and deal with the trauma, but the more Mia learns, the more she sees similarities between Courtney's case and incidents in her own past. Little does Mia know but she has a stalker of her own. Buried Deception is an excellent romantic suspense/mystery. The descriptions of the settings and characters creates an atmosphere that draws the reader in and doesn't let go until the very end of the book. The author uses the common elements of romantic suspense masterfully to create feelings of uncertainty and anticipation. Even though the romance doesn't inhabit as much of the story as the mystery, it's still very evident in the plot. Unfortunately the conclusion of the story and some of the character motivations don't reach the same level as the rest of the story. Overall, however, Buried Deception is a very effective romance with enough suspense and tension to make it difficult to put down and is well worth the read.

[virginia51-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book filled with psychological suspense and a bit of action. I loved that I could not figure out who the killer was until the very end. Mia and Easton were fantastic characters. I am hoping that there will be many more books featuring these characters. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

[cathygeha · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Buried Deception by Amanda McKinneyOn The Edge #1Excellent introduction to a new series by an author that has never let me down. Two tortured souls with difficult pasts shadowing their lives find a safe haven in one another after ups and downs that cement their connection and their love for one another. What I liked: * Mia: psychologist, works with three women who are also friends, suffered trauma in her teens, has anxiety attacks and PTSD, works with patients to alleviate similar symptoms to her own, uses birds as therapy animals, has chemistry with Easton* Easton: ex-Marine, skilled tracker, owner of business with government affiliations, trains professionals in tracking and other skills, has a great team to work with, was smitten with Mia from first sight and has immediate chemistry with her* Goldie: Parakeet, lives with Mia and other parakeets, vocalizes words , had me on YouTube listening to parakeets talk* The plot, location in Texas, character development, supporting characters, and writing that drew me in* Easton’s team: Dane, Beck, and Alex are intriguing and men that I would love to know more about* Mia’s colleagues: Jo, Stella, and Luna are true friends and coworkers that are people I hope to hear more about as the series progresses* The way the backstories of Mia and Easton finally came to light and how those backstories had an impact on their lives* The thread dealing with the serial rapist-murderer and the way the criminal was eventually exposed* That I was made to feel a part of the story and became fully invested in it* Knowing that there will be another book to look forward to. What I didn’t like: * Who and what I was meant not to like* Knowing that there are evil people in the world as bad as and even worse than the one in this book.Did I enjoy this book? YesWould I read more in this series? YesThank you to the author for the ARC – this is my honest review. 5 Stars