On Her Father's Grave (Rogue River Novella, Book 1) (Kindle Single)

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars | 14,221 ratings

Price: 1.99

Last update: 07-18-2024


About this item

In a small town like Solitude, Oregon, keeping a secret can be murder.

Stevie Taylor had left her sleepy Oregon hometown for a more exciting life. But after her police chief father passes away, the LAPD cop returns to Solitude and signs on as a patrol officer, hoping to heal from her loss…and from the horrific things she’s seen in the city.

In Solitude, everyone knows everyone else’s business—and, to Stevie’s dismay, local gossip soon ties her to the new police chief and a man from her past. Tragedy then shakes up the small town when a teenager dies after taking a strange new drug. Now, the seasoned LA cop must hunt down the dealer while investigating the most important case of her life, one that could divide her tranquil town.

The first of four thrilling Rogue River novellas, On Her Father’s Grave launches a new romantic suspense series from Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh.


Top reviews from the United States

CrossFire
5.0 out of 5 stars great book
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2024
This book includes characters from another series and expands them. You get to meet the Taylor’s. Which were mentioned in the Windows Island series of novellas. All Ms Elliott’s books are great
Mindo'ermatter
4.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Police Procedural Series for Short Escapes
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2021
I've enjoyed other Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh novella series collaborations before and was not disappointed in this first installment of the Rogue River series. Perhaps this is one of the author's better works for both character development and storyline descriptions. The storytelling was not rushed and I felt I got to know both the community and key characters well enough to finish the series.

Set it Solitude, Oregon, former LAPD officer, Stevie Taylor, came home to her father's funeral, only to take a job in the local police department, where her deceased father had been police chief. The night before her first day at work, Stevie got called in to help her father's replacement with a suspicious death at a local teen party. Then, everything goes downhill quickly as things don't make sense to Stevie.

Small-town tensions and suspicions grow as facts emerge and more questions challenge the fledgling police department. This short, fast read makes for a great lunchtime escape or early evening diversion with a straightforward plotline and a suspenseful reading experience. Although the ending is not a cliffhanger, enough unanswered questions remain as motivation to want to read the next installment.

I liked Audible's narration for developing character personalities and establishing the story's tone. I bought the rest of the series, which I plan to read between other longer works.

Although I was not originally a fan of either novella series or two-author collaborations, I've not been disappointed with this writing duo's other joint efforts.
Smccolley
5.0 out of 5 stars On Her Fathers Grave
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2024
I enjoyed reading this story. Elliot is a master at developing her characters, you will feel you know them. You will look forward to their next adventure. The negative is a Novella is to short.
booklover
3.0 out of 5 stars Fast, Easy Read
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2015
Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh have teamed up to write a series of books that take place in a small town called Solitude.

Stevie Taylor has returned to Solitude after being gone for many years. Her father, Chief of Police, has recently died and she has wearied of living in the big city of LA ... and she's especially tired of all the dead bodies she's had to deal with in her position in the police department. So she's more than ready to be a policeman in this small town where all her family reside.

But the day before she is actually on the payroll, her uncle Roy, now Chief of Police, calls her in .... a teenage has been found dead on the beach. There are no signs of injury and the other teens who were at the beach party saw nothing,

There are several different story lines since this is the introductory novel. The Chief of Police leaves a note saying he quits and disappears. Stevie finds this extremely troubling as Roy had been her father's best friend. The she meets Zane, the now new Chief of Police who has been living and working in Solitude for years .. yet still remains an outsider to some.

Her father's journals are missing ... and something in them points to her older brother, who's acting strange and his wife is always in tears.

The only mystery solved is the dead teenager. Seems there is a new exotic drug being mass produced. So where did the drug come from ... who's dealing ... and how many more will die before they find answers.

I have read both Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh and enjoyed both their books. This one seems a little tame, but I'm willing to give it a pass until I read Book 2 of the series. Nothing earth-shattering, but just a fast easy read.

3.5 Stars
John Kurtze
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Mystery From Kendra Elliot With All Sorts of Interesting Twist and Turns.
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2014
"On Her Father's Grave" delivers readers well-developed characters is a fast moving plot with mystery, murder, drug dealers, suspense, and romance. This new series is a joint effort of Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh with each writing two of the novellas in the series.

Elliot's story takes place in Solitude, Oregon a small town where everyone knows each other. 15 days after the death of her father, Stevie Taylor tired of working and living in LA finds motivation to move back home in Solitude. Stevie returns to Solitude looking forward being close to family in particular to the regular Sunday dinner at the family home.

Stevie knew immediately she had made the right decision to move back home. Elliot continues to provide her readers with back stories of each important character and their relationship to all 4 stories. By Introducing each character as Elliot needs in the story, she is always giving readers a different perspective of what is happening. Elliot's readers will enjoy how she develops the story involving her readers every step of the way to the conclusion.

"On Her Father's Grave" introduces several well-developed support characters for the antagonists. Readers will enjoy the pace of the story as Elliot helps her readers know what is happening by placing them next to Stevie Taylor to see and feel what she is experiencing. Stevie reacts to changes in her brothers and sister's lives and their roles in Solitude. She also notices changes in some her friends and acquaintances in Solitude such as an old boyfriend thinking they will rekindle their relationship.

Stevie steps into the story's chaos as she joins the Solitude Police Department. First, the police chief who hired her has resigned and then disappears. Zane Duncan is the new chief and Stevie finds the her brothers, sister and mother considers him a part of the Taylor family. The first investigation for Stevie and Zane to work together involves the murder of young people by an new deadly drug being sold to kids of Solitude.

The story line often changes directions, keeping readers guessing on what will happen next. Elliot masterful transitions between the Taylor family, the citizens of Solitude, and the expanding investigation of murder and drugs adds the suspense to the story. She hooks her readers who want more and sets the stage to give them what they want. I recommend "On Her Father's Grave" and give a 5 star ranking. I enjoy the collaboration of Elliot and Leigh in this series and hopefully others in the future.

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