Las Vegas Girl by Leslie Wolfe (Baxter & Holt Book # 1)

I’ve been waiting patiently for the release of Las Vegas Girl, the latest novel by Leslie Wolfe, which I’m crossing my fingers will be the first in a new, equally addicting murder mystery series.

Synopsis

A young girl is brutally murdered in an audacious crime that shocks all of Las Vegas, and it takes place in a trendy hotel with hundreds of witnesses and countless video surveillance cameras watching.

At first glance, Detectives Laura Baxter and Jack Holt have what appears to be a straightforward case. However, they soon realize that one crucial piece of the puzzle—the killer—is missing.

The trio is determined to learn more about the deceased’s life despite a fingerprint from the crime scene that raises more questions than it does answers. But what they find out about her past is a complicated web of lies and intrigue that all seems to lead back to an ambitious politician and a deadly secret.

Now that the horrific truth has been revealed in a message from the afterlife, the lives of Baxter and Holt are in danger as well.

Could the answer to finding the murderer lie in the victim’s distant past? Also, is there a chance they’ll find them before falling victim to them?

New to the Las Vegas police force, detective Laura Baxter is paired with veteran investigator Jack Holt to solve a case that could have serious consequences. Both are on probation with the Las Vegas Police Department and are within a whisker of being terminated.

The young woman who died at the luxurious Aquamarine hotel is the daughter of powerful people, so why does the case fall on these two guys? The fact that the two detectives, neither of whom is known for taking direction well, had been told repeatedly not to talk to the victim’s loved ones only adds to their confusion.

Baxter and Holt start digging, and the more they look, the more evidence points to the family they aren’t permitted to talk to. The two do what they do best, which is probe thoroughly and disregard orders from their superiors (i.e., act like normal rebels), and they try to track down the killer, who is as methodical and crafty as they come.

The fact that someone is actively working to stymie their inquiry at every turn doesn’t help matters. If Baxter and Holt’s intuitions are correct, then there is someone at the top who does not want the truth to be revealed and can easily manipulate others in lower positions.

The story is exciting, brisk, and hard to put down. Reading is addictive; once you start, you won’t be able to put the book down. There is instant chemistry between Baxter and Holt; they act on it once.

But it’s not a thriller with a romantic twist. It’s a detective story with a twist of suspense thrown in for good measure.

In Las Vegas Girl, Each protagonist is struggling with personal problems and keeping secrets that the other is eager to learn. Although Laura Baxter was born in England, she later relocated to the United States. She still speaks with a slight British accent, which might be an asset.

The fact that Laura and Anne, the forensics expert, go way back is fascinating to Holt as well. Both parties are concealing something, and Holt is determined to learn what it is.

When Laura discovers Holt’s secret (or one of them) during the investigation, she has a fleeting moment of doubt about whether or not he will be able to have her back when times become difficult. The manner in which Holt discovered her secret made me laugh, too. Curiosity is a great tool for discovery when it doesn’t result in the cat’s demise.

And Holt is eager to learn every detail of Baxter’s existence.

You can tell they complement each other well because they are both interesting and sophisticated people. A fantastic contribution to the genre, Las Vegas Girl features excellent chemistry between the leads, exciting action, and admirable cooperation in the face of hardship.

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