The Lake Prophet Mysteries has been a fantastic series and I’m a bit sad to see it end. There’s another murder in Prophet and Sheriff Gabe has his hands full again only this time things hit too close to home. The body is found on the Thompson Cabins property and it’s not looking good for his brother Sam. Zenith was riveting and suspenseful and I loved it. This series is best read in order and things about Gabe’s past that have been hinted at are finally revealed.

Unlike the first two books in this series, Gabe and Tiber aren’t working together and that ends up in near disaster. Because the murder involves Gabe’s brother, he doesn’t want to get Tiber involved. At the same time, things are happening at Tiber’s house that he doesn’t want to bother Gabe with because he knows that Gabe is busy with the murder.

Like the first two books, the main focus is on solving the murder but Gabe and Tiber’s relationship has continued to progress. There are a couple of nice spicy scenes with the first one coming (pun not intended 😊) at around 38 percent. I love all of Tiber’s animals and how much he and Gabe care for all of them. I always enjoy it when pets are featured in books.

The epilogue was wonderful; Gabe and Tiber get a perfect HEA. I think Eli Easton and RJ Scott make a great writing team. Their writing is so compatible and I’d love to see them write another series together or at least maybe a Christmas novella with Gabe and Tiber–hint, hint. 😊

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Tiber

“You said in your application that Bruno is having anxiety issues?” I peered at the man and dog on my computer screen, a polite, non-judgmental expression on my face. Or my best attempt at one anyway.

I was getting weird vibes from this new client, and I’d only been on the Zoom call for sixty seconds.

“Anxiety. Yeah, that’s it.” The man awkwardly patted the head of the dog seated on the couch next to him. With the other hand, he slipped a treat that was in his palm. It was done sneakily, as if I wasn’t supposed to notice.

Was the guy—Jim Smith, according to his application—thinking I’d judge him for spoiling the dog? Or was he worried the dog wouldn’t stay seated on the couch if he didn’t bribe him?

The dog, Bruno, was a large boxer with the breed’s typical brown coat and white muzzle. He sat upright and stiff, his alert gaze off-camera as if looking at someone or something else. I made a note.

“Tell me about the anxiety,” I said. “What in Bruno’s behavior make you think he’s anxious?” Though he seemed pretty anxious to me right then.

Jim Smith gave me a half-smile. “Before we get into that, tell me about yourself, Tiber. I’d like to know who I’m dealing with.”

I hesitated. “You can find my bio on my website.”

“I know that. But I wanna hear it from you.” He gave me what presumably passed in his mirror as an encouraging smile. It had the legitimacy of a three-dollar bill.

I was puzzled about Jim Smith. He was not my usual caller. My pet consulting clients were often, though not exclusively, women. If they were men, they tended to be older; Jim Smith appeared to be in his late-twenties, close to my age. They included people who were worried about their pets, obsessed with their pets, and people who were at the absolute end of their rope. Some of my clients were desperate—their dog hated their new love interest or was about to be tossed by their landlord. Some simply wanted to communicate with their furry friends. But, whatever their issue, they were always people who loved their pets. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t have sought me out or willing to pay my consulting fees.

Jim Smith didn’t strike me that way. His pale skin was flushed, as if he’d been exerting himself or was angry. His face was plain, his physique too thin, his blue eyes dull, and he was dressed in a black turtleneck, black slacks, and—perhaps a personal quirk—even black gloves. But it wasn’t his sartorial choices that made my skin crawl. I got the vibe he was someone with a hair-trigger temper.

“That’s fine,” I said easily. “I have a Master’s in Animal Behavior from the University of Washington. It’s a field that combines zoology and psychology. I’ve been working with private clients for four years, and I have reviews and references on my website if you’d care to take a look.”

“I know all that,” Jim said. “I can read. I want to know about you as a person. What are your hobbies and interests? Are you married? In a relationship?” He raised his eyebrows and half-smiled again.

“Mr. Smith, you’re paying for my time. I think we should focus on Bruno.” Sweat gathered under my arms, tickling my skin, and I felt lightheaded. I hated it. I hated that it was so easy for me to get thrown off on a call. Or by any human interaction, really.

Unlike animals, humans often had hidden agendas, ulterior motives. I was shit at dealing with those.

The Lake Prophet Mysteries Series

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