Good book. The book opens as Ford, on his way home after leaving the military and haunted by his experiences, comes close to ending his pain by driving off a cliff. Stopped by the ringing of his cellphone, he is shocked to hear a woman scream and then a gunshot. When he realizes the call came from his college crush, Rachel (who married his best friend), he calls the cops and rushes to Rachel's side. But, when he discovers she'd been badly beaten before killing her husband, he doesn't know what to think.

Henrietta, aka "Hitch," is a state medical examiner assigned to the case by the governor. Unfortunately, the dead man's father is a bigwig, and she's under a lot of pressure to solve the case quickly. Though the local sheriff believes it's a clear-cut case of self-defense, Hitch isn't so sure. Something doesn't feel right.

The suspense of this story was great. Hitch considers that "butt-dial" call suspicious from the get-go, while Ford believes it was accidental. Though the two butt heads at the beginning, it isn't long before Hitch's suspicions have their effect on Ford. As Hitch uncovers more suspicious activity, Ford joins her in her pursuit of the truth. There were quite a few twists as they considered if Rachel had an accomplice and, if she did, who it was. Just when I thought I had it figured out, someone new would appear on the scene. The tension ramped up when both Hitch and Ford experienced attempts on their lives. I never suspected the person finally identified as Rachel's partner. The final confrontation was a nail-biter to the very end when karma came for Rachel.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Ford and Hitch. Once they got past their initial suspicion and antagonism, both noticed sparks of another kind. I loved seeing them work together and get to know each other along the way. Ford discovered that when he was with Hitch, the numbness that he'd felt since the crash began to fade, and his emotions came roaring back. Hitch had pretty much given up on relationships. She found that she intimidates a lot of men, and her job hours are irregular at best. I loved their interchange after their first kiss: "You don't find me too scary, then?" "Oh, I wouldn't say that," he chuckled... I liked that each recognized their feelings and continued to get to know each other in the aftermath of the case. The epilogue was excellent, as Ford took Hitch home to Cardwell Ranch to meet the family. ( )