Ellie Matthews

The case seemed open and shut. But there are secrets below the surface that somebody will kill to protect…When an unidentifiable body turns up at an abandoned water park, expert criminalist Ellie Matthews is recruited to once again step into a puzzling investigation that has "cold case" written all over it. Still nursing old wounds as she navigates a tense relationship with her former partner, and frustrated over a dead-end investigation, Ellie finds solace in her close friend, Vic Manetti.Ellie barely has time to regroup before a beloved local reporter is found dead in an apparent murder-suicide. Paired up with a lively out-of-town detective and tasked with unraveling a complex network of leads, Ellie begins to retrace the explosive stories that the late journalist had been working on-only to uncover heinous secrets that somebody is willing to kill to protect.The closer she looks, the more tangled the case becomes. With the media ready to condemn the reporter's husband as a monster, Ellie and her new partner must put their lives on the line to expose the sinister truth behind the murders-and to avoid becoming victims themselves.From USA Today bestselling author Caroline Fardig comes a How to Get Away With Murder-meets-CSI series nominated for multiple best fiction awards. Parted by Death is the fourth in a gripping forensic mystery series that will enthrall fans of Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot, and Lisa Regan.

When her partner's family is implicated in a brutal murder, expert criminalist Ellie Matthews must race against the clock to find the real killer…and save the people she loves.Ellie knows she can't live without her partner, Detective Nick Baxter. So when Nick's brother is accused of vandalizing the house of his former kidnapper and goes on the lam, she insists on accompanying Nick home to help with the family crisis.Marie Collins has just been released from prison after serving her time for kidnapping Shawn Baxter when he was a toddler. Reviled by the whole town, no one is surprised at the defacement of her property, and Ellie and Nick are able to bring Shawn in to face the consequences of his petty crime. Thinking the situation successfully handled and preparing to leave town, Ellie and Nick are blindsided when a dead body is found in a barn. On Baxter property. And the victim is Marie Collins.Now the entire town thinks they are guilty of murder...and Ellie is quickly discovering that she prefers being an investigator to being a prime suspect. Calling in Vic Manetti for backup, the trio must dig into Marie Collins' past, unearthing disturbing secrets and a list of potential suspects that keeps getting longer.But they are playing a dangerous game. Because this killer has gone through hell to get their revenge…and they won't let anyone undo their good work.From USA Today bestselling author Caroline Fardig comes a How to Get Away With Murder-meets-CSI series nominated for multiple best fiction awards. Relative Harm is the fifth in a gripping forensic mystery series that will enthrall fans of Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot, and Lisa Regan.

When the sins of the past come knocking on her door, Ellie Matthews must confront her darkest fears.The relative tranquility of Ellie Matthews's life is shattered when her estranged stepfather Marcus resurfaces, pleading for help against an unknown danger. Ellie's peaceful sanctuary is quickly tainted by an ongoing murder investigation. The victim: Marcus's ex-wife, Katie.When investigators set out to question Marcus, he is nowhere to be found. In a jarring twist, Marcus dies in an apparent drug overdose. When Ellie and Detective Baxter search Marcus's residence after his demise, they find unsettling evidence linking him to a series of murders, including the death of Ellie's own mother. Despite the mounting evidence against Marcus, the case isn't sitting right with Ellie. Was Marcus a cold-blooded killer, or was he being set up for the perfect crime?When the FBI is pulled in to help with the case, Ellie is brought onto the task force to uncover Marcus's dubious past. It is only after she receives a threat of violence that Ellie realizes that her own family may be the next target. But with every secret exposed, Ellie finds herself further ensnared in a mystery that not only threatens her life, but has her doubting everything she's ever believed about her past.From USA Today bestselling author Caroline Fardig comes a How to Get Away With Murder-meets-CSI series nominated for multiple best fiction awards. Sins of the Father is the sixth in a gripping forensic mystery series that will enthrall fans of Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot, and Lisa Regan.