by Stacy Green
Series: Delta Crossroads #3
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Source: Author
Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
Just when Jaymee Ballard’s life seems to be on track, a massive derecho attacks the Delta Crossroads sowing destruction in its path. Her boyfriend, investigative journalist Nick Samuels, comes up missing, and she fears the worst. Nick’s abandoned car contains evidence of his involvement uncovering a controversial case mired in political power and greed. While her friend and local detective, Cage Foster, heads up the inquiry into Nick’s kidnapping, Jaymee finds it impossible to sit back and do nothing. Enlisting the help of her best friend, Dani Evans, Jaymee discovers a trail leading to the dangerous and secretive Dixie Mafia. Facing a fraudulent Confederate artifact scheme, dark local history, and a powerful enemy lurking in the shadows, the two friends find themselves holding the key to not only Nick’s disappearance, but a shameful town secret someone will kill to protect.
Ashes and Bone is the third book in the Delta Crossroads trilogy by Stacy Green. These romantic suspense stories all take place in the quaint southern town of Roselea, Mississippi. I have come to care for the characters in this town and quickly settled in to the story. Mini review: A great tie in to the overall story arc, with intense action and interesting suspects.
We first met Jaymee Ballard and Nick Samuels in Tin God, book one of the series. Their romance has been slow building and one I enjoyed. Nick is an investigative reporter and a case he has been working on ends up getting him into serious trouble. After a storm Nick’s car is found abandoned, and there is evidence of foul play. As Jaymee, her best friend Dani Evans, and Cage Foster a local detective begin to piece together clues regarding his disappearance they open a dangerous can of worms. They find themselves in the cross hairs of the Dixie Mafia and a confederate artifact scheme. The tale that unfolds is action packed and kept me on edge.
Green continues to flesh out the characters in this small-town and gives us a list of suspects that kept me guessing. Her characters are colorful, and I enjoyed them from their southern charm to their secrets. Jaymee and Dani together spell trouble as they decide to investigate on their own. Green gives us a few chapters from Nick’s perspective which only intensified the search for him. Old suspects and characters are woven into the tale, and I loved how she pieced together aspects from each book.
Ashes of Bone was an intense mystery with threads that led us from corrupt politics to ties to the Dixie Mafia. Green writes engaging mysteries and weaves in past southern history and artifacts which I found fascinating. Jaymee and Dani are in the thick of things, and, despite getting into trouble, they are quite the crime stoppers. I enjoy the banter between these two. The romance which has been building throughout the trilogy and is very low key, with moments of reflection and tenderness but I fear those reading this as a standalone won’t connect. For that reason, I strongly recommend reading these books in order. Some of the action scenes were over the top, but Green did create a base for them with subtle hints and foreshadowing. There were a few minor discrepancies that threw me out of the book that did not pertain to the mystery. For example, Nick remarks on the scent of Jaymee’s hair when he pulls her close. Romantic right? But each time the scent was different and yes it struck me right away. Green did a wonderful job of threading the stories to the overall ARC of the story. She tied up loose ends and answered those niggling questions I had. Ashes and Bone was a satisfying conclusion to this series, and I will miss visiting Roselea.
Fans of romantic suspense and mystery nestled in southern charm and history will enjoy Ashes and Bone and the entire Delta Crossroads trilogy. I look forward to Stacy Green’s next endeavor.
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Lindy
This sounds like a great action packed mystery! I love when a story has foreshadowing. It’s good to know that this series needs to be read in order. Great Review Kim. I’m glad that you enjoyed this one overall 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
I really enjoyed this series, thanks Lindy!
Melliane
it’s great to have a good mystery like that, I always love when it’s the case. I didn’t know this one but I used to read a lot of books like that. I should try to go back to them. Thanks for the great review.
kimbacaffeinate
thanks Melliane, I hope you try them 🙂
Amir
I do enjoy romantic suspense and this one is definitely interesting so I’ll check out the first books in the series as you suggested. Great review Kimba!:)
kimbacaffeinate
thanks Amir this had so many elements I enjoy 🙂
Kimberly
This one is new to me, I hadn’t heard of either the author or the book itself before but I do love a well written romantic suspense, I seem to be going through a mystery/suspense phase so I’ll be looking out for this one.
kimbacaffeinate
I really liked this series Kimberly, start with Tin God.
Lark
I really appreciate it when reviewers tell me whether I have to read a series in order or not, so thank you for that, Kimba! Sounds like this series is romantic suspense with the accent on suspense? I’ll tuck the author’s name away for the next time I’m in the mood to try someone new in that field.
kimbacaffeinate
Thanks Lark and yes I would say all the romances are on the side.
Braine Talk Supe
Maybe Jaymee got a shampoo/conditioner sampler for Christmas and she’s now testing it? LOL Anyway, what’s the Dixie Mafia? Sounds real interesting
Happy Friday, Kimberly!
kimbacaffeinate
hahaha..maybe.It was more that he noted the scent with tender familiarity.
Angela Adams
This post certainly has me interested in the book!
kimbacaffeinate
I really enjoyed this series Angela!
Ginny
I am all kinds of curious about this Dixie Mafia. I am sure the picture in my head is a lot different than the one depicted in the book but either way it sounds interesting. This is a new to me author that I will soon be checking out. Thanks for introducing me. 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
I have enjoyed all of her books Ginny 🙂
Michele-A Belle's Tales
I’m originally from MS, so I can be hard on books when they are set in towns and states that I know well (one of the characters even has my family’s last name!); but you sure do make this series sounds good! Aside from the discrepancies you mention, I think I need to put this series on my wish list. Great review, my friend! Have a wonderful weekend 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
I think she did a good job, and hope you try them out 🙂
Melissa (Books and Things)
Romantic suspense… yes! Mystery… yes! Hm… looks like you got me here. Now I’m wondering about the scent of her hair of all things! 🙂 Might have to check this book out!
kimbacaffeinate
yes..lol
Lily B
I love finding out about little treasures like this that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. This sounds like a great mystery and I think I would love the southern charm.
kimbacaffeinate
It is always fun discovering new reads. I really enjoyed this series Lily and hope you decide to try them.
Tanja
This series is new to me but the relationship between these two sounds something I need to read about. I love the sound of Nick too. Great review, Kim 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
I loved that this was a slow building romance but you need to start with book one Tanja 🙂
Lupdilup
Romantic suspense might be the only genre I really don’t do much of, maybe I just been listening to the wrong titles. I live in the south now, and believe or not I do enjoy reading books with southern charm, is almost like I can relate, just like I also enjoy books set in the north east…LOL
Thanks Kimba
kimbacaffeinate
This is more mystery/suspense with a side of romance and good lord Loupe..i need to help you remedy this. Hmm, maybe we should start you off with a paranormal romantic suspense?
Dre
Sounds like a good summer read. I am on the lookout for romance books with unique plots, and this one’s a suspense! I will check this series out and see if it’s something I’d totally enjoy. Fantastic review!
kimbacaffeinate
This was heavier on the mystery/suspense but I really enjoyed this series Dre 🙂
Heidi
I love a good Southern read and this sounds like a good series, but now I am most curious as to what was up with the hair scent.
kimbacaffeinate
LOL it really wasn’t a big deal but stuff like that throws me..hehe
Candace
I love small town settings, especially for mysteries! This sounds pretty good!
kimbacaffeinate
I think you would like this, and the romance is fairly clean 🙂
Rita
I have book one, Tin God, on my kindle now. I need to get to it soon! Thanks for a good review, which I only skimmed because I didn’t want any spoilers until I read her first two. Thanks!
kimbacaffeinate
No worries Rita, and I am glad you have Tin God, this series was enjoyable.
aurian
I had to look up the word Derecho. It does not even translate into Dutch, but the pictures were terrifying! I hope never to see that IRL.
Great review Kimba, adding this to my wishlist. I like subtle romances.
kimbacaffeinate
I have seen them, and they are both beautiful and terrifying.
Amanda
“But each time the scent was different and yes it struck me right away.”
That’s something I would totally notice too.
kimbacaffeinate
Ha..it really did throw me. Yep, I actually went back and looked because we women tend to pick a scent and stay with it but some peeps won’t even notice and it wasn’t a huge deal it just threw me out.
Stacy Green
Hi Kimberly! I wanted to stop by and thank you for taking the time to read and review. I’m happy you liked how the trilogy ended, and I really appreciate your comments on the characters being fleshed out. That was one of the biggest challenges of this book. Thanks to the commenters as well. I hope you enjoy if you get a chance to read!
kimbacaffeinate
I really felt like I got to know them and connected which always makes a story stronger for me, thanks Stacy!
blodeuedd
*whispers* Boring cover
kimbacaffeinate
*whispers* I know…but sometimes there is a great story inside them!
Jenny
Good to know that the romance really needs the build up of the previous books to understand the emotional significance Kim. Some romantic suspense series you can just dive in and start in the middle, but in this case it seems like I would be missing out if I did so, so I will definitely be checking out the earlier books!
kimbacaffeinate
Agreed, but hers are slow-building and more realistic.
Jenea
What a great sounding mystery, even the romance sounds good. Wonderful review, I am glad that you enjoyed it.
kimbacaffeinate
The romances are wonderful, clean and slow-building.
kindlemom1
I love that there is a whole town and list of characters that are not only fleshed out but any one of them could be the suspect. These sound like fantastic reads. I need to check the first book out.
Have a wonderful weekend Kim!!!
kimbacaffeinate
Me too Ali, I also love how she weaves in past events, people and places to past events.
Carmel
Hmm… I don’t think I’ve ever read anything in the Romance Suspense genre, but this trilogy does sound kind of awesome.
kimbacaffeinate
It is one of my favorite genres 🙂
brandileigh2003
Great to hear it was a satisfying conclusion and it was a good trip to small town mysteries
kimbacaffeinate
It was, she tells a great romantic suspense
Felicia the Geeky Blogger
I just purchased Tin God the first in the trilogy 🙂 This sounds wonderful!
kimbacaffeinate
Squee..I hope you enjoy them. I love the mystery and small southern town 🙂
Jessica
I DO love romantic suspense with southern charm, so I will for sure be checking this series out!
kimbacaffeinate
Agreed Jessica!