I read Deadly Melody by Connie Mann a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed this fast-paced romantic suspense/thriller. Here’s the back cover copy:
Home is where the heart is. The danger too…
The Martinellis were the closest thing to family Cat Johnson ever had. That’s why she ran—to protect them from her threatening past. The orphaned child of classical musicians, she’s been lying low in Nashville and performing at the No Name Café. When Cat reluctantly agrees to attend the wedding of her beloved foster sister, the plan is simple: make a quick appearance at the Martinellis’, then disappear again. Instead, she’s thrust headlong into a nightmare.
After a wedding guest is murdered, Cat’s past becomes harder and harder to avoid. So does handsome and inquisitive Safe Harbor cop Nick Stanton, who will stop at nothing to uncover the town’s secrets. That means exposing Cat’s as well. The more intimate Nick’s feelings for Cat become, the more driven he is to find out what she’s hiding.
As things in Safe Harbor take a terrifying turn, Cat realizes that the man she’s afraid to trust might be the only one she can turn to.
My take: This was a fast-paced on the edge of your seat story. Cat was independent because she had to be–she learned how to take care of herself at an early age, but it left her scarred. She couldn’t trust anyone. I loved the family dynamics in the story. I loved Nick’s storyline and how he was adapting after a life-altering revelation that occurred in book two.
This is the third book in the series, but I had no trouble keeping up. Mann gave just enough information without giving away too much of the two previous books that I plan to read. I will probably read the other two in order.
How about you? Is it important to read a series, even stand-alones, in order? Leave your comment and I’ll enter you in a drawing for a book from my library.
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Comments 48
Great title. I didn’t think of that when coming up with musical titles for my light mystery series. Far as do I have to read series in order–not necessarily, not if the author does a good job of integrating the previous books’ most important info. I don’t read too many series though, so hard to say. Janet Evanovich’s books are so easy to keep up with Stephanie Plum. And Charlaine Harris’s Aurora Teagarden mysteries are better in order because it’s more fun to go along with the character for the ride, but she certainly does a good job of weaving previous plot and character points to make it easy to follow if you don’t.
Author
I agree, Amy, especially when a series is about one character. My series after the NPS series will probably feature one character throughout the series…if my publisher agrees. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by…and Deadly Melody would fit nicely with those other titles. 🙂
Ooh, this book looks intriguing!! I’m wanting to read it now!
And it really just depends for me. If I don’t have the whole series, then I usually read the books out of order, but sometimes that doesn’t work out super well.
Author
I know, Kathryn. The Safe Harbor series probably should be read in order. 🙂
I like to read them in order but that isn’t always possible. I’ve read some that work as stand alones. Thank you for sharing.
Author
Lucy, my first series, Logan Point, was stand-alones, but I think it helps with that series to read them in order. The cold case novels, not so much because I didn’t mention the previous characters in each book much at all. Thanks for stopping by.
I prefer to read a series in order. If I see a book I think I would like to read, and it’s a later book in a series, I will wait until I have read the previous books in order before I read the current book.
Author
Linda, I usually do that too, but sometimes a book catches my eye and I’ll grab it only to discover once I’m into it that it’s a series. lol
I usually like to read books in order, but if the book can be read as a stand-alone book, I don’t mind reading it to see if I want to read the whole series. I will definitely be adding this one to my TBR pile.
Author
I’m going back and reading the other books in the series, Jeanna, too. Thanks for stopping by.
I usually like to read series in order, so I wait until they all come out and then binge read. It’s so hard to wait when they release a year apart. Although with Your series, Pat. I try to do both, read when they come out and binge the whole thing from the start. It’s easier to do when they are somewhat stand alones. But all in all I love series!
Author
I wonder, Paula, if publishers have caught on to readers waiting until the whole series release before buying and that’s why they only want four-book-series? 🙂 Thanks for reading and reviewing mine!
We have both series and stand-alone books in the Church Library. Our series are marked with a dot. If an author has written more than one series, than their books have different colored dots to separate the series. As for me, I will not read a book out of order, it takes away the element of surprise.
Author
Yeah, I usually read a series in order for that reason, too, Janet. I read this one out of order because it was an impulse buy and I didn’t notice it was a series. 🙂
I prefer to read a series in order if at all possible. That way things that refer to the earlier books make sense.
Author
I think almost everyone feels that way, Betti. Thanks for stopping by!
I prefer reading them in order but sometimes read a book because it’s available and then realize it’s part of a series. Some authors/publishers are not always as clear in identifying books as part of a series as those who print the series name on the cover and list the number in the series. I wish they would.
Author
Me, too, Edward, me, too. Thanks for commenting!
I like to read a series in order. I also prefer to have the whole series at once. I read so much that I forget too much about the story if it’s a year in between books!
Author
I totally get that, Joan. Soooo, with the release of the fourth book in the cold case series, maybe there will be a boost in sales. 😀
I’m adding this book to my Book Request list for my county Bookmobile! I prefer to read books in order–my kids would tell you I’m OCD!
Author
That does not surprise me, MS Barb. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
I’m a little OCD about it, too, but I’ve been known to stumble onto a book out of order and then go back and play catch-up! This sounds amazing – I will definitely be looking for it! Thanks for the review!
Author
Glad I could be of service, Regina. 😉 Thanks for stopping by.
I prefer to read series in order but read this series out of order without a problem. I read the 2nd one first through NetGalley, then read the third, then first, I believe. It is a great series. I enjoy stories set in Florida, my home state. Connie Mann is a boat captain so most of her books take place around or on the water.
Author
Gloria, I think it’s so cool that Connie is a boat captain! Thanks for commenting!
Thanks so much for reading and reviewing DEADLY MELODY, Patricia! I so appreciate it. And it’s great fun to read all the comments here. I tend to read a series in order, too, so I don’t feel I missed anything. In case anyone is interested, the first Safe Harbor book is TANGLED LIES, and book 2 is HIDDEN THREAT. Each book tells the story of one of the three Martinelli sisters. I live in Florida and am a USCG licensed boat captain, so it was great fun to set this series in and around the water. Feel free to hop over to my website for more info. 🙂 http://www.conniemann.com. Have a great weekend, everyone. Happy Reading!
Author
Thanks for stopping by, Connie. Love this book. And I’ve got the first one downloaded to read as soon as I get a chance!
I’ve not read any of Ms Mann’s books, but this one sounds intriguing. Thanks for drawing it to my attention. Regarding reading a series in order, yes I prefer to do that because it usually provides the continuity the author, or in some cases authors, intended. That said, it depends on how important it was to the author to make out-of-order reading a positive experience. Sometimes it’s not important, and those stories show it by leaving the reader feeling they’ve missed something. So, whenever possible, which is almost always for me, I will read the series in order. If for some reason I get a series book that’s not the first in the series, and I like it, I will then try to read the rest in order.
Author
I know what you mean, Tim. My series books are more stand-alones with the common thread usually the setting and in the case of the Memphis books, they are all about cold cases. Thanks for stopping by.
I have not read her books….sounds interesting. I like to read series in order! I have read Justice Delayed and Justice Buried. I have Justice Betrayed on my shelf, but am waiting to read it (hard to do) when I get my hands on Justice Delivered!!
Author
😀 Thanks, Jackie! If you signed up for my newsletter, you should have received an invite to download the novella Revenge. It follows Andi Hollister and Will Kincade on another adventure.
I feel the need to read them in order when it’s the same protagonist otherwise not really :).
Author
I can see that, Jessica. I like writing series because I have my setting and a lot of my character’s information in my head. Thanks for stopping by.
I think it really depends on what the series is if it needs to be read in order. Some really do because each book grows on the one before. I like to try to read them in order, just in case a character overlaps, you don’t know the end of their story before you have read the beginning of it!
Author
Colleen, that was why I was careful with the cold case series not to have my stories overlap. I think that series is truly stand alone where the Logan Point series might have a few spoilers in the books.
I agree with Bette: “I prefer to read a series in order if at all possible. That way things that refer to the earlier books make sense.”
Author
I agree with her too, Joni. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
If I can, I read books in series in order but if not, I just read as I get them
Author
I’m pretty well that way, too Shelia. 🙂 Thanks for adding to the conversation!
I have to read a series in order. I actually enjoy binge reading a series when complete.
Pat, Enjoy your Mother’s Day weekend!
Thank you, Caryl! It will be a quiet weekend as my girls live in South Florida, but I’ll see one of them next weekend! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a lovely Mother’s Day!
Of they are stand-alone I can read them in any order, if it’s a series I like to read them in order
Author
I agree, Phyllis! Thanks for stopping by.
I love reading series books in order, even if they are loosely based on the previous books or completely stand-alone. It’s ingrained in me to do so, lol!
I have not read anything by Connie Mann yet, but have heard good things about her books. Someday I’ll read something she’s written 🙂 IF I ever whittle down my massive TBR pile!
Author
I know about massive TBR piles, Trixi! I’m slowly working my way through mine, but it’s made worse because I keep adding to it! lol Thanks for stopping by.
I like to read the series in order. I can stay in the story if I’ve followed the story line.
Author
I understand that, Suzanne…I’m the same way, although I can usually catch up pretty quick. But it kind of spoils it if I know how a story will end because I read the series out of order. 🙂