Essay Questions

Which book series of the author does this novel initiate?

Normally, this might seem to be some kind of trick question. Not that many authors have created so many self-contained series of novels that it might be confusing to some readers hoping for a reading binge. That is not the case with Melinda Leigh. Does Bree Taggert's investigation into her sister's murder commence the She Can series? Sounds reasonable enough, but then so does the idea of it kickstarting a series known as Rogue Justice. After all, the Philadelphia homicide detective is going a bit rogue in her quest for justice outside her jurisdiction. Fortunately, in this case the author makes it much simpler and clearer by naming the series after that protagonist: the Bree Taggert Series.

How does the author use the two prime suspects in the murder to pursue themes related to addiction?

As is usually the case, the husband of the victim is immediately made the center of the investigation into the murder of his wife. His life has in recent years spiraled downward due in large part to an addiction to painkillers which became a gateway to other drugs. The victim's sister Bree, however, is less than convinced and believes that the father of her sister's children is a more likely culprit. In this case, the suspect is the drug and her sister the addict: despite marrying another man, Erin was as obsessed with her former lover as her husband was with OxyContin.

In addition to the complications of an out-of-town cop investigating the murder of her own sister, how is local law enforcement also compromised by personal issues?

The dead body of Bree's sister is not discovered as a result of official police procedure. The body is discovered as a result of a longtime local cop arriving at the house in search of his best friend, the painkiller-addicted estranged husband about to become the prime suspect. Multiple elements are at play in this particular crime that lift the story out of routine police procedural thriller and into a much more idiosyncratic realm. Not only is the victim the sister of a Philadelphia homicide detective, but the crime scene is a grisly mirror of the murder/suicide of the parents of Bree and Erin. The relationship between the man who discovered the crime scene and missing man suspected of committing the murder only serves to add another layer of emotional complexity.