This book starts a little slowly but then it picks up speed. It's a nice twisty mystery about a serial killer in a small community. Jax Turner is the Sheriff of Misty Pines and his ex-wife Abbey Kaneoka is an FBI agent in the regional office. The grief of losing their daughter to leukemia split them apart. Neither has handled their emotions well. Professionally, they try not to let their history interfere with their work, although this becomes harder when their cases overlap. It's an easy to read book that does not demand too much of the reader.

I reveived a review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.com. ( )

Great for Fall Reading
Deadly Tides, the second installment in this enthralling series, functions seamlessly as a standalone read. Despite not having immersed myself in the first book, I found myself effortlessly drawn into the narrative, swiftly devouring its pages within a span of two days. While the intricate storyline predominantly revolves around the complex relationship between Jax Turner and his former wife Abbey Kaneoka, it's worth noting that the case they confront this time stands independently from the preceding narrative.

However, I must mention that, in my opinion, there might be a slightly excessive focus on the dynamics between Jax and Abby. The primary plotline delves into the mysterious disappearance of a surfer, intricately entwined with the discovery of a solitary foot on the beach. The lingering question persists: does this detached extremity belong to the missing surfer? Notably, the nexus between Jax and Abby's personal struggles and the unfolding criminal investigation becomes apparent when Abby's mother wanders onto the shore one eventful night. Suffering from Alzheimer's, her dissatisfaction with the food at her care facility forms a peculiar connection to the unfolding events.

The narrative gradually unfurls, steadily building suspense until an unexpected climax propels the story to an impactful conclusion. Personally, I was captivated by the author's vivid depiction of the coastal town, with its enchanting woods and tempestuous ocean, illustrating how the environment significantly shapes the characters. With a compelling blend of dual narratives, a series of bodies, and a host of divergent motives, the story coalesces into a gripping and highly accessible book. Eager anticipation lingers for the next installment, as it appears the author still has a few surprises in store for her avid readers.

A heartfelt thanks to Netgalley and Level Best Books for generously providing a review copy. ( )

This fantastic follow-up may be even better than the series’ stellar debut!

Deadly Tides is the second book in author Mary Keliikoa’s Misty Pines Mystery series, and it may be even better than the fantastic series’ debut. Strong, multi-dimensional characters and a complex and robust plot had me glued to the pages from start to finish.

The story is told through the eyes of Sheriff Jax Turner and his ex-wife, FBI Special Agent Abby Kanekoa, and the plot involves one of the most puzzling of current phenomena: the detached, sneakered feet that keep washing up on the beaches of the Pacific Northwest. Their two-pronged investigation, involving missing persons and two such grisly clues, is fascinating and logical, with twists popping up regularly to keep things even more interesting. Their complex personal situation and the case are complicated as Abby’s mother, a possible witness to the events in Misty Pines, suffers growing mental and physical decline due to the effects of Alzheimer’s.

Jax Turner has grown considerably since his first appearance in book one, and while Abby was only a supporting character there, she takes a full and prominent role now. Both are beginning to feel like people I know. Readers learn more about recurring characters, and new ones are introduced. They are also developing beyond what is usually seen in supporting figures, again resulting in a realistic tale and a more robust look and feel to the town of Misty Pines.

This story absolutely hits the ground running and maintains an urgent pace and forward momentum until the final page. I recommend DEADLY TIDES to mystery readers who enjoy police procedurals, thrillers, psychological suspense, and stories set in the Pacific Northwest or those curious about the feet washing up on the beaches there.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. ( )

I was drawn into the mystery by the cover for Deadly Tides by Mary Keliikoa. Isn’t it gorgeous? And, the man is silhouetted on the beach. Oh yeah, I’m in.

Abby has a lot on her plate. Her grief over the loss of her daughter to leukemia and her mother’s early onset Alzheimer, at times overwhelms her. It is her job with the FBI that keeps her moving through the days.

Jax is the Sheriff of Misty Pines. When his and Abby’s cases intersect, they struggle to keep their personal lives separate from their professional lives. This is where I feel I missed out by not reading the first book in the series, Hidden Pieces. Does this affect my review? Yes, it did, so keep that in mind.

Abby’s mother had found a shoe…with a severed foot in it and wanted to keep it. I remember seeing TV shows with this as the subject and I even surfed the web to find out more. Do you ever do that? Read something in a novel, then have to do your own research to satisfy your curiosity? That’s a definite plus.

I love when Rachel comes into the picture, with her failed K9 partner, Koa. She wants a job, away from her parents. She is gay and her father thinks he can fix her. I love that Jax supports her and calls out his friend, her father, about his opinions. After all, Jax had lost a daughter, and Jameson still has one, if he would get over being so judgmental. I love a character like Rachel who marches to her own drum and makes the best of a bad situation.

We have lots of suspects…and motives, so solving the mystery is not simple.

I found myself picking up the book and putting it down. Was it too wordy? Too all over the place? Was it me? The pace and tension picked up near the end of the book and that left me with a feeling of satisfaction. I did waiver between a three and a four rating and I think that’s because of my confusion from not reading Book I, Hidden Pieces. So, if you are interested in the series, I highly recommend beginning with Book I.

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Deadly Tides is the second volume of the Misty Pines series. Author Mary Keliikoa immediately pulls readers into the atmospheric and suspenseful story. F.B.I. Agent Abby Kanekoa is in search of her mother, Dora, again. Abby was supposed to be enjoying a much-needed day off, but Dora, afflicted with early onset Alzheimer’s disease at only sixty-four years of age, has wandered away from the assisted living center where she resides, and Abby is worried. It’s a damp, cold January day on the rugged Oregon coast and Abby knows she has to face the fact that her mother needs better supervision and care than Stonebridge Assisted Living Center can provide. But she is loath to transfer Dora to a facility in Portland, two hours away. Her colleagues at the Bureau have been accommodating and supportive not only about Abby’s need to take time away from work to attend to Dora, but also as she has grieved the death of her only child, Lulu, from leukemia five years ago. And dealt with her divorce from Lulu’s father, Jax Turner, the local sheriff.

When Abby finally locates Dora, she is miles from Stonebridge on a sandy ridge near the beach, wearing only a bloody nightgown . . . and clutching a tennis shoe containing a severed foot! And Dora does not want to surrender it, insisting, “It’s mine.” She is unable to provide details that would aid in the investigation that is now commencing.

Meanwhile, Jax, working with only his trusted assistant, Trudy, and a small force of volunteer reserve deputies, is dispatched to conduct a health and safety check at the home of Terry Chesney on Bull Mountain outside the little town of Misty Pines. Terry, a former surfing champion and “aging beach bum,” operates the Surfrider Shop on the edge of town. But his brother, Gerard, has been unable to reach him since their telephone conversation the prior evening was interrupted when Terry went to the garage of his home to investigate unsettling noises. Jax arrives at the residence to find the garage door open, the lights on, tools scattered about the floor, and a toolbox on its side. Inside the house, an open package of steak is on the counter, along with Terry’s wallet, cell phone, a home baked pie, and groceries that should have been put away hours ago. A steak knife is missing from the wood block containing the rest of the matching set. There is no sign of Terry, but an expanded search leads to the discovery of congealed blood on a pile of leaves not far from an abandoned campsite in the forest near Terry’s house. On a ledge below the tent, Jax recognizes the body of Walter, a homeless man known to wander the Misty Pines area. There is no sign of Walter’s companion, Lois. Soon the missing steak knife is also located near a pool of blood.

Jax and Abby have been attending counseling together but making little progress on repairing their relationship. Both have sought solace in their respective careers as they continue mourning Lulu. Jax is clear about what he wants. He longs to reconcile with Abby and resume their life together. He has sought counseling separately — urged by Abby — and started implementing the counselor’s suggestions, including running to “work out the demons,” and is trying to bring himself to repaint Lulu’s bedroom. It has taken Jax five years to box up Lulu’s belongings, but he still is not able to part with them. Jax worries that he is “unfixable. Unlovable.” He was, after all, abandoned by his own mother. But Abby is not ready and actively evades talking with Jax about their counseling sessions. She’s weary of analyzing her feelings and, although she alerts Jax to Dora’s discovery, recognizing that his department has jurisdiction, she worries that working side-by-side on the case will complicate her efforts to decide whether she wants to get back together with Jax. Thus far, counseling has only heightened her confusion. Jax and Abby are both broken and lost, trying desperately to navigate their grief and, at least in Jax’s case, find their way back to each other. From Abby’s perspective, following Lulu's death, Jax was unable to “understand her struggle, he was so lost in his own. And she had no energy to make him understand, because he was so quick to have an opinion about her.”

Complicating matters for Jax is Commissioner Troy Marks’ insistence that he hire a full-time, salaried deputy. Misty Pines is a small town that is beginning to experience big city-like crime. Twenty-seven-year-old Rachel Killian has applied for the job and is scheduled for an interview. She has adopted her mother’s birth surname which is why Jax does not immediately realize that he is about to interview the daughter of his former partner, Jameson. She is seasoned, having spent two years working for the Vancouver Police Department before joining the Portland force. Her experience in search and rescue with her trained dog, Koa, could be a real asset in the Misty Pines area. Jax decides to make it an on-the-job interview, inviting Rachel and Koa to join him as he proceeds to Terry’s Surfrider Shop when Terry’s employee, Brandon, reports that he arrived that morning to find it ransacked. As Jax’s investigation proceeds, he learns more about Rachel’s history, relationship with her family, and the reasons she wants to relocate to Misty Pines to work for her Uncle Jax. Jax finds himself at odds with Jameson, with whom he has only recently revived his friendship, and recognizes that doing what he feels is morally and ethically honorable, as well as the right thing for his department, may again fracture their relationship.

Jax and Abby are likable and sympathetic from the outset. Both are quickly established as competent, earnest professionals who immediately commit to their new, intriguing case. Jax follows clues related to Terry’s relationship with his brother, Gerard, as well as his business acumen, practices, and prospects. Meanwhile, Abby looks into the disappearance of Jonathan Lilly, a consultant for a federal power company who went for a run a month ago and was never seen again. His sister and niece, Angel, a survivor of non-Hodgkins lymphoma who was treated at the same hospital as Lulu, are anxious to find him.

Keliikoa reveals that while a foot washing ashore in the Pacific Northwest is not an isolated phenomenon, it rarely occurs due to foul play. More often it is a result of detachment from the body of a drowning, accident, or suicide victim. But when another severed foot is discovered, the odds that harm was deliberately inflicted on the victims increase exponentially. “I was fascinated when I learned of the phenomenon happening right along the Pacific Northwest coastline and knew right then I had to find a way to weave it into a story,” Keliikoa recalls. She wanted to explore “what drives someone to such a gruesome act.” Which led her to create not just a compelling mystery, but an absorbing meditation on grief.

At the center of Deadly Tides is a clever and intricately constructed puzzle, and riveting story about empathetic characters. Keliikoa deftly reveals details about Jax and Abby's concurrent investigations, introducing a colorful cast of supporting characters as the list of potential suspects grows. But readers are kept guessing as to whether the two cases are related and, if so, what or who links them. Terry and Jonathan “lived in different cities, had unrelated professions, ran in different circles.” There is no indication that Jonathan was a surfer. Initially, there isn’t even any “evidence that the two men knew each other.” Jax and Abby work cooperatively, sharing information, but neither unfailingly recognizes how salient details may be relevant to the other’s investigation.

As the story progresses, and Jax and Abby inch toward unraveling their complex and perplexing cases, Keliikoa places several of her characters in peril, expertly increasing the dramatic tension. Abby is convinced that Dora inadvertently discovered information that might prove helpful to solving the mystery, but her ability to recall and accurately communicate waxes and wanes, making her statements inherently unreliable. Could her knowledge put her in danger? Would someone be motivated to harm a vulnerable woman suffering from Alzheiner’s disease to prevent their wrongdoing from being discovered? Keliikoa says she enjoys examining “what emotional wound was triggered to drive the person to commit such extreme acts” and with Dealy Tides, she effectively digs “into the emotional makeup of the killer" whose identity, when revealed, is shocking.

Deadly Tides is a suspenseful and engrossing thriller, as well as a moving and poignant depiction of the far-ranging and potentially destructive impact of loss, mourning a beloved child, and loneliness and isolation. Through Jax and Abby, she illustrates the myriad emotions, including guilt about continuing to live (particularly for Jax) and regret, that parents face in the wake of losing a child, individually and as a couple, and how the strain can derail a marriage. Abby is also shouldering responsibility to care for her mother, whose cognitive abilities are deteriorating, and striving to balance keeping her mother safe and her professional obligations. Keliikoa says she works “to create characters that are relatable and struggling on some level with the goal of overcoming those emotional obstacles” and hopes that her readers “connect with that or are helped in any way to move through their own process.” With Deadly Tides, Keliikoa attains her goals masterfully, leaving readers anxious to read the next installment in the gripping Misty Pines series.

Thanks to NetGalley for an electronic and Level Best Books for a paperback Advance Readers Copy of the book. ( )