Who is Tess Grey? Formerly she was a law enforcement officer with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office in Maine. Now she’s a genealogist but more basically a PI. She came well recommended to the local DA’s office who hired her to find and bring back Crawford Wynne who is wanted as a material witness for the prosecution of Albert Suarez (alias Albert Sower). It was highly suspected that Wynne returned to his home of New Orleans, Louisiana. Before she heads out, she hires Nicholas Villere (Po) who is an ex-con, but he knows N.O. like the back of his hand. Once they get settled and begin their search in earnest, the danger level quickly escalates. Tess and Po are not the only ones looking for Wynn, and the competition they offer is far from welcome.

It starts with a little “flutter in her stomach”, a very unexpected and not altogether wanted, attraction to Po. What attracted her to him? She admitted it was his “rugged exterior, his languidness, and his old-fashioned mannerisms [that] had their own appeal.” They couldn’t be any more different if they tried. And, so this is not only a fascinating suspense, it also adds a little bit of romance … when they’re not busy watching each other’s backs.

In Blood Tracks, Tess Grey is introduced as very capable and daring in this brand new PI series. I just have to note that this is not for the faint of heart as it is quite gritty especially in the beginning. The characterization is wonderful. I liked both Tess and Po and ultimately, they worked well together. The dialogue between them is realistic and even humorous at times. The side characters are also fresh and unique. Matt Hilton is not a newbie in the world of writing. In fact, he has many adoring fans already hooked on his Joe Hunter series. He has a knack for taking his imagination and displaying those same scenes on the pages of a novel for readers to delve into and enjoy. Rating: 4 out of 5. ( )