Remembering Dresden is the second book in the Jack Turner Suspense series by Dan Walsh. The action in this book begins about a year after the events in book 1, When Night Comes. Main character Jack Turner has joined the university as a history professor while working on his dissertation to acquire his PhD. He has seemingly gotten over the trauma that filled his days and nights the year before and is settling into a routine of work while advancing his relationship with Rachel. All seems good until he discovers a journal and scrapbook at a cabin he is renting — all thoughts of scholarly research go out the window! I liked the growth we see in Jack. He is not nearly as naive (my husband said he was a doofus 😉 ) and has done things to be able to defend himself and Rachel should future threats emerge. And the threats do! If you like a quick-pace in your reading, then this one is for you. Interactions between Jack and Detective Joe Boyd have gone from disbelief and distrust to a mutual respect and willingness to work together to get to the bottom of a decades old case. I see that Walsh has another series featuring Boyd, and the development of his character in this novel leaves me anticipating those books as well. One big plus for me was the description of the Dresden firebombing that involved British and American forces during WWII. The scenes depicted were truly horrific and added greatly to my understanding of that event. That pivotal event in the past set in motion all that Jack uncovers, as well as the attempts to thwart his investigation. Walsh does a great job of blending past and present in a highly readable suspense novel. I purchased the audiobook version and could not stop listening!. The reader is the same as book 1, and did a good job of bringing the characters to life.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )

For history buffs, this delves into the bombing of Dresden and the aftermath of what happened to those that were there. ( )