MRC RECOMMENDS: Bait the Devil by Winter Austin
“Readers who love plenty of action, suspense, and explosions are in for a butt-kicking good read.”
—The Mystery Review Crew
Bait the Devil
By Winter Austin
Genre: Historical, Cozy Mystery
Series: A Bounty of Shadows book 2 (See our review of book 1, Ride a Dark Trail)
In bounty hunting, clean jobs are a myth. Dot knows—she’s seen the blood.
Dot Ybarra doesn’t bluff. Fresh into her bounty hunting career, she’s already earning a reputation for results. But when a “routine” rogue bounty—taken as a favor to her lawyer cousin—turns lethal, she’s staring down a case with international reach, bodies in its wake, and the stench of power.
Her business partner, T.J. Roman, is hiding a secret. If Dot finds out … well, she can’t find out. It would end the effective partnership they’ve built. But the trail won’t wait. What should have been a clean pickup of a fellow military veteran spirals into a hunt through the shadows, where one wrong move could see them both buried in an unmarked grave.
To stop the predators at the center of a violent trafficking ring, they’ll have to go straight into its core—and make themselves the bait. Every step makes them vulnerable to each other as well.
The devil’s coming for them.
Dot plans to be the one still standing after he bites.
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Review of Bait the Devil by Winter Austin
Dot Ybarra has found a new purpose in her bounty hunting career. To no one’s surprise, she’s pretty good at it. And she isn’t quite a PI yet, but she’s working on it.
When her attorney cousin Vivian asks for a favor, bringing in a fellow veteran who’s jumped bail before the judge can issue a bench warrant, Dot and T. J. grudgingly agree. Vivian’s “favors” usually end up costing them time, money, and hassle. They don’t know it yet, but this favor is no exception.
As they pursue their quarry, Dot and T. J. soon realize that Cade Porter—the name they’ve been given for the man—is not your average soldier. They find a trail of bodies, none of them Porter, and far more questions than answers. The bail bondsman of record doesn’t exist. The senior attorney on Porter’s file has gone missing. Every lead they follow only raises more concerns, and soon they find themselves in a mess of international intrigue, trafficking, and danger at every turn.
I loved the first Bounty of Shadows book, Ride a Dark Trail. I didn’t think it was possible to love Dot Ybarra more, but oh, I do. She’s worked past her fear of flying a helicopter after a crash, and one scene has her blasting AC/DC before takeoff. This just won my heart:
Dot was notorious for blaring some of the band’s more famous songs while she flew. Rumor had it, on the FOB during the flight that put her in consideration for a Distinguished Flying Cross medal, she had been playing “Shoot to Thrill” while she took out an RPG bunker and a squad of insurgents hell-bent on shooting her down.
I love a woman who knows that you need a good playlist to fit the occasion! And I do love me some AC/DC, cranked up loud. Dot, you are my people.
In the middle of trying to save the good guys, stop the bad guys, and bring Cade Porter home safely, T. J. is also trying to keep a secret from Dot. He fears it will ruin their relationship, and he knows Dot is excellent at deep thinking and reading people. Can he keep his past in the past? Does everyone make it home alive? Will Dot ever do another favor for Vivian again? Go grab the book and find out for yourself. I promise it’s well worth the read.
Readers who love plenty of action, suspense, and explosions are in for a butt-kicking good read. I hope there are many more stories yet to come for Dot and T. J.
About Winter Austin
Winter Austin perpetually answers the question: “were you born in the winter?” with a flat “nope,” but believe her, there is a story behind her name.
A lifelong Mid-West gal with strong ties to the agriculture world, Winter grew up listening to the captivating stories told by relatives around a table or a campfire. As a published author, she learned her glass half-empty personality makes for a perfect suspense/thriller writer. Taking her ability to verbally spin a vivid and detailed story, Winter translated that into writing deadly romantic suspense, mysteries, and thrillers.
When she’s not slaving away at the computer, you can find Winter supporting her daughter in cattle shows, seeing her three sons off into the wide-wide world, loving on her fur babies, prodding her teacher husband, and nagging at her flock of hens to stay in the coop or the dogs will get them.
She is the author of multiple novels. Find her at https://authorwinteraustin.com/
