Dru’s Short Musing:
Because he did the right thing, Detective Justice is exiled to another location where he is teamed up with a rookie detective on his first assignment, one that is bigger than they both imagined.

All I can say is “wow” as I was immediately pulled into this grippingly suspenseful drama of a submerged death and the repercussions it set forth as the detectives began their investigation. The author set the stage with two strong-willed, yet flawed detectives in a well-written and tightly woven police procedural that I could not put down until the last page was read. With visually descriptive narrative and engaging dialogue the authenticity of the action-packed storyline made the scenes come alive and I could feel the tensions that both detectives felt as they pursued their leads.

The pacing of how well this story was being told gave us some urgency as the closer they got to the person(s) behind the death which involved drug smuggling, the fear of who else might be involved, going up against others they did not see coming, and some, well that is a surprise that you will know once you read this riveting tale of deceit and corruption.

Bruce has created a masterful tale of suspense, and I cannot wait to see where we go next with detectives Justice and Wright. And how appropriate are their last names? Awesome.

Series Name: A “Detective Justice” Mystery, Book 1
Genre: Police Procedural
Release: November 4, 2025
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link

Book Synopsis:
A detective’s fall from grace. A rookie’s baptism by fire. A town’s secrets laid bare.

In the unforgiving wilderness of Maine, a disgraced detective must confront his past to solve a chilling murder.

Detective Brock Justice’s career is on thin ice. Once the golden boy of Maine State Police, Brock now finds himself exiled to the remote northeastern wilderness, punishment for crossing the thin blue line. Assigned to the Major Crimes Unit—North, he suffers the added indignity of partnering with newly-minted Detective Chloe Wright, a rookie with her own hidden struggles.

The pair’s uneasy alliance is put to the test almost immediately when a routine snowmobile retrieval in the coastal town of Blue Hill unexpectedly escalates into a full-blown murder investigation. Even as the case exposes the darkest corners of the town, their fragile partnership threatens to undermine the investigation at every turn.

Brock and Chloe’s hunt draws them into the lives of several intriguing locals: the town doctor, a biker gang involved in drug trafficking, a politically connected sheriff, and Brock’s own father. With each revelation, the line between ally and enemy blurs, compelling Brock and Chloe to question their trust in everyone around them, including each other.

Even as winter’s icy grip loosens from Blue Hill, the noose of suspicion tightens. Brock must navigate not only a shaky partnership and a town harboring deadly secrets, but also the shadows of his own past. Can he and Chloe piece together the puzzle before Maine’s wilderness swallows them whole?

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the author.