Books & Spoons Review CAVANAUGH COLD CASE by Marie Ferrarella

3/6/2016

Working in a morgue, medical examiner Kristin Alberghetti hardly expects a living, breathing man to walk through the door and make her heart pound. So she's floored when gorgeous playboy Malloy Cavanaugh is her partner on a new case. The cold-case detective has a rep for charming the clothes off every woman…except her. And it's tough to keep her eyes on the prize as the two investigate recently excavated, long-buried bodies at a cacti nursery.

Malloy has no plans to change his bachelor lifestyle, until reclusive Kristin catches his eye. Something about this case—and his beautiful colleague—touches his heart. But can a flowering romance survive the rigors of a brutal case and its infinite dangers?

Fun and flirty, pensive and puzzling, passionate and devoted, insatiable and keen, the story is all that, while being immensely entertaining.
The twenty year old serial murder case gives the story a mystifying ambience. It is a baffling and difficult crime to solve, since the clues are non existent. Both Kristin and Malloy are hard at work on the case, but mostly it stays in the background, as Kristin and Malloy are getting to know each other, and the developing relationship takes the center stage.
Malloy, the famous playboy of Aurora, is so over the top flirtatious, that it is hilarious and fun. He is easy going, caring, has the old gentleman ways, despite of his reputation. He is easy to like, since he makes you smile.
Kristin, the complete opposite of him, is uptight, cautious, and uneasy with new people, to the point of being rude. She constantly assumes the worst of Malloy, and reacts to her own assumptions, she desperately wants him, and judges all his actions on the presumption, that he wants her as well, and overlooks all his sweet and kind gestures towards her as hitting on her. Also, this behavior is so over the top, it comes humorous, if not charming.
The burgeon Cavanaugh family is assuredly present, helping to solve the mystery, and pushing Malloy and Kristin together, as if that would have been needed.
An absolutely terrific story, a bit addictive, and largely reminded me of the first episodes of the Bones' television series, so if you are a fan of Bones, you are going to love the story.
~ Four Spoons