Zoe Chambers, paramedic and deputy coroner, has been working overtime in Vance Township. Her boyfriend, Police Chief Pete Adams, has been doing the same since he's down one officer, a young man who had to take a life not long ago and has been having trouble dealing with the aftermath; even though in doing so he saved Zoe from certain death. But when the coroner becomes ill, Zoe is temporarily promoted into the job, giving her even more responsibility.

When Zoe and Pete are visiting his father at Golden Oaks Assisted Living, Pete sees a retired officer he once knew, John Kinney, and they begin to catch up on old times. But when the man is discovered dead shortly after their meeting, at first it's considered a terrible accident. But after Zoe finds out the truth - that he was smothered - it becomes an entirely different ballgame.

To add to this, they get a call about a man using a machete to attack another man. When they arrive, they find that the machete-wielding man was merely protecting his horses - the self-named professor had been throwing mown grass over the fence and the horses, if they ingest it, could become ill or die. The professor either doesn't understand or doesn't want to, but they diffuse the situation as best they can. Pete also discovers that the professor's wife is none other than Kinney's sister.

But then comes the biggest surprise of all - Zoe receives a cryptic message from a man named Jason Cox, and when she returns the call she learns she has an older half-brother she never knew about. While Pete is suspicious, he does a background check - without Zoe's knowledge - but can find nothing incriminating in the man's past. And after meeting Jason, Zoe is convinced he's the real deal. But when Pete meets him, there's quite a bit of friction, almost like Jason is baiting him. Pete doesn't like him, but won't disillusion Zoe.

But it still rankles when Jason decides to help out Zoe in more ways than one, it begins to cause unspoken problems between Zoe and Pete. Then there's another murder, and Pete, who isn't conducting the investigation at the nursing home because it's out of his jurisdiction (that's left to county detective Wayne Baronick) begins to wonder what the two murders have in common. Just as he's getting closer to finding the truth, it becomes apparent that there's more at stake than finding Kinney's killer. In fact, it could be his own life...

This is the seventh book in the Zoe Chambers mystery, and I am delighted to say that while other series are losing their momentum by this time, Ms. Dashofy has somehow managed to keep this one feeling as fresh as the first. There is no loss in characterization and no loss in keeping her readers engaged in the story.

Zoe and Pete are barely settling into their new life together - Zoe has agreed to live with Pete but still has issues she needs to move past in order to embrace their future together when a brother she never knew she had steps into the scene. While it seems wonderful for her; she's never had a real family since her father died when she was eight and her relationship with her mother is strained at best, it's an entire different story for Pete. While Jason doesn't come out and say he dislikes Pete to his face, it's apparent this is true, yet Zoe is completely oblivious of this fact, her newfound happiness masking everything else.

Zoe also has two murders to deal with, one where she's working with Detective Baronick, much to Pete's displeasure, and one where it's in Pete's jurisdiction, Pete also has to deal with the fact that his deputy Seth is dealing with heavy guilt and he needs help, even if he doesn't want to admit it. Baronick suggests his sister Abby who's unhappy in her current department and Pete's willing to give her a chance, even if it's only as part-time.

As you can tell, there are a lot of things happening that somehow manage to slowly connect together, much like a puzzle where you've never seen the picture but must still figure out a way to put the pieces together. Twists and turns abound with everything culminating in a suspenseful encounter that keeps you riveted to the tale right through the last pages. This book is indeed a worthy addition to the series and I look forward to the next. Highly recommended. ( )