Don't Tell A Soul (#1) by DK Hood

''Small town. Big crimes. Dark secrets."

In this first of a new series, Sherif Jenna Alton and her new hire, Deputy David Kane, try to solve what looks like 3 separate cases in the Montana town of Black Rock Falls. Missing persons, a body in a molasses barrel in the dump, and a hit-and-run attempt on Jenna herself. Part police procedural, part chilling thriller, and part suspenseful mystery combine to make this a single-sit read!

When I first started the book, I was immediately concerned about two things: an obvious set up for a romance angle AND the need to suspend disbelief at the notion that two people, formerly government agents who are now supposedly in hiding, could possibly end up in the same town. I managed to put those issues aside as the action started and the working investigations began. The short-staffed department is hard-pressed to take care of all the things that need to be done as other events pile up. The author is very adept at throwing out red herrings, so I honestly didn't know how this was going to end up as far as the identity of those responsible for the crimes. NO SPOILERS!

I liked the narrative told from the points of view of both Jenna and David. They both have backstories that I imagine will be further revealed in subsequent books in the series. I did have a bit of a problem with how quickly Jenna's "tough girl" turned into someone who all of a sudden needed a man to protect her and she makes some incredibly stupid decisions that ultimately result in her having to be rescued. WHY do this to the character? Keep her strong and independent so that the inevitable partnership with Kane is more on equal footing. Sure, we are told often that she is the "boss", but she abdicates her power position routinely and lets Kane take over. SHE is the Sheriff after all.

Regardless, I ended up racing through the book and ended up enjoying it. I'm looking forward to see where this story is going and want to know more about the characters. Obviously that small town will see an uptick in serious crime in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review!