Gripping! Even better than book two! This third book felt so much more action-packed (heh. Pack. Pun intended). We also finally get a deeper glimpse into Oliver and his past and it was all so worth it! Not only was this book incredibly immersive, but the interplay of control and vulnerability between Cooper and Oliver is so wonderfully equal. This time we spend the story in Canada with Oliver’s family and finally get to meet them. And the title is quite literal in that way. Once again we have a whodunit and more deeper levels and hurdles for our dynamic duo to jump through together. But if I thought book two brought them together beautifully, book three is almost even better.


Would I go back in time and still read this book, knowing what I know now?
Definitely!



See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book


CHARACTERS: Although we are still in Cooper’s POV, we finally get to focus more on Oliver and who he is beneath the unflappable, gentle man. The glimpse into his past that we get in this book is glorious and made me fall in love with both of them even more. Cooper is the lone wolf (heh) by being the only human surrounded by wolves, this time, a place that Park was in for most of the previous two books. It’s fascinating to see how the wolves react to Cooper and Cooper handles himself so incredibly well. It feels realistic and utterly brilliant. I adored the moments they were together, even when there was contention between them. But they emerged stronger than ever and I cannot begin to tell you how much I squealed with one admission from Oliver that he said to his family near the end of the book. GLORY.


PLOT: Similar to book two, we have another murder mystery, except this time it involves Oliver’s family, both as victims, and possibly part of the perpetrators? It’s hard to know who to trust and no one comes off in a very good light at first. Cooper is navigating with limited resources and he and Park are once again attempting to discover the truth, except this time it’s Oliver who is also shaken by being back home and contending once again with his past, a past he never wanted Cooper to learn about.




EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.


4/5: high. Wonderfully immersive. The book tackles a lot of themes about belonging and is incredibly relatable and painful on some levels but so worth it in the end.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?


90%. I’ll admit that I did wish this book didn’t end quite so abruptly. Once again, in terms of the plot I didn’t get as much denouement as I’d hoped for. But in terms of their relationship goals, it ended brilliantly.