ARC: If You Know Her by Shiloh Walker

A SHADOW IN THE WINDOW

Nia Hollister doesn’t scare easily. Come hell or high water, she intends to find her cousin’s killer. She returns to Ash, Kentucky, for answers. What she doesn’t expect is to ache with desire every time she sees Law Reilly. If any man can help her escape the nightmares for a while, it’s him. But can she allow herself to take comfort in those strong arms when a murderer still roams free?

Unknown to Nia, as she quietly slips into Law Reilly’s home, is that she’s being watched—by someone who is waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Timing is everything, though he can’t wait forever. If she’s not frightened, she soon will be. Nia has made a vow to find her cousin’s killer. She should be careful what she wishes for.
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This is the third and final book in the Ash trilogy from Walker. The suspense arcs over the course of all three books. And hello! I guessed the killer correctly. It was just a feeling I got early on in the series, but I kept coming back to it. Hooray for me, LOL.

I do have to admit that I found the killer's unraveling even more interesting than the romance. For some reason, I didn't love this couple. I liked both Law and Nia, but didn't love them. And I totally wanted to love them the same way I loved the previous two couples. I think I just didn't feel the deep emotional response that I usually do when reading a Walker book. They were both likable, they were both strong. They did well together. I just wan't that invested in their HEA, unfortunately.

The suspense is where the book rocked for me. After two books of waiting, wondering, and freaking out, the town of Ash finally catches the killer. And all three couples play a big part in this. I liked the way that Walker never forgets that Lena's blindness needs special consideration whilwe they are in danger, but that she lets Lena's character be strong in her own right. I loved that Hope supported Remy, helping to show more of her evolution. And I liked the way that Law constantly had to talk Nia down, but that he did it with respect for her position and understanding of her needs.

The killer's identity has severe consequences for one of the citizens of Ash (well, ok, more than one), and it's great to watch the evolution of that character's journey as they discover the identity and go from denial to acceptance. I adored watching the killer become unglued and lose all sense of reality, really. Yeah, I'm freaky like that. The killer's journey in a RS is one of my favorite things to watch. It's why I love authors that show the killer's POV. I know some hate it but I adore it. In this series, we get a bit of the killer's perspective, but not too much.

Anyway, this was a good ending to the series. It wrapped up the suspense and all the romances, and really made you root for continued HEAs for all three couples. If you haven't read the series, I recommend you do so. It's got the emotional depth all Walker's books carry, and a terrific suspense plot to boot.

The first two, If You Hear Her and If You See Her are available now. If You Know Her is available on Tuesday 28 February.