Three Strikes, You’re Dead by Elena Hartwell is the third book in the “Eddie Shoes” mystery series. Publisher: Camel Press, coming April 1, 2018

Private investigator Eddie Shoes heads to a resort outside Leavenworth, Washington, for a mother-daughter getaway weekend. Eddie’s mother Chava wants to celebrate her new job at a casino by footing the bill for the two of them, and who is Eddie to say no?

On the first morning, Eddie goes on an easy solo hike, and a few hours later, stumbles upon a makeshift campsite and a gravely injured man. A forest fire breaks out and she struggles to save him before the flames overcome them both. Before succumbing to his injuries, the man hands her a valuable rosary. He tells her his daughter is missing and begs for her help. Is Eddie now working for a dead man?

Barely escaping the fire, Eddie wakes in the hospital to find both her parents have arrived on the scene. Will Eddie’s card-counting mother and mob-connected father help or hinder the investigation? The police search in vain for a body. How will Eddie find the missing girl with only Eddie’s memory of the man’s face and a photo of his daughter to go on?
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A simple hike turns into something more when Eddie finds a wounded person and then finds herself caught in the middle of a forest fire. Keeping his last wish alive, Eddie goes back to the place where she left him, only to discover that there is no body to be found, thus starting her investigation to find his missing daughter.

This fast-paced and action-packed drama ran the gamut with help from her parents as they found a mysterious compound and a local rancher that may or may not hold the answers to their questions. This was a no-holds-bar adventure that had me immersed in the activities that this trio faced as the author’s narrative placed me in a resort area surrounded by woods and the occupants who play pivotal roles in the exploits that caused a man’s death and possible harm to his family. Every move they made, every breath they took, took them closer to the truth and as the story reached its conclusion, there was a tense moment when I didn’t know how the impending situation was going to end. Kudos to the author for delivering an engaging tale that I did not want to see end, especially as I enjoyed the camaraderie between Eddie, Chava and Eduardo so much so that I hope we get to see more of them in future adventures. This was an excellent read and I hope there are more stories left to be told with this crew.

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FTC Full Disclosure – I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the publisher.