Bittersweet

Bittersweet (Bitter Root Mysteries #4) by C. J. Carmichael has my newest favorite Sheriff Zak Waller at the helm of this missing person story. Thrilled to see him back into action when there was some talk that the series was over. While there are not so many people in this story that it is hard to keep up with them all, I appreciate that the author sorts them out by family and relationship before the story begins. I also found the prologue to be hair-raising making me want to double check all the rooms in the house when I return home alone.<br /><br />Bittersweet is filled with plenty of unexpected turns in the story while revealing the clues one by one, making this a worthy mystery. Even though the prologue does give the reader an inside look at the beginning of the crime, not too much is disclosed too soon. Great who-dun-it and why-they-did-it read. <br /><br />An ARC of the book was given to me by Tule Publishing which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.<br />

A must read addition to the series.

Bittersweet by C.J.Carmichael<br />Murder in a small town is always personal.<br />Local longtime librarian, Sybil Tombe, is missing, abducted from her home on the outskirts of the isolated ranching town of Lost Trail, Montana. An elderly neighbor reports seeing a gray-haired, bearded man driving up to Sybil’s house the night she disappeared. Newly-minted Sheriff Zak Waller can’t think of a less likely target for a crime. When an older man is reported lurking around a young girl at the local grade school, Zak wonders if this man could also be Sybil’s abductor? The descriptions of the men are similar—but what could be the possible link between a young girl and 60-year-old Sybil?<br />Peeling back the layers of Sybil’s life, Zak discovers Sybil is a master at keeping secrets, especially her own, and these secrets may now be threatening her life as well as the life of an innocent child. As Zak and his team work to uncover the truth, he also has to deal with issues in his romantic relationship with deputy Nadine Black, and mete justice to a respected town citizen who has been sheltering his criminal past for too long.<br />This Nadine Black and Zak Waller's story.<br />This is Sybil Tombe and her best friend Rosemary Masterson's story. <br />Sybil Tombe should have turned and run the moment she saw the finished crossword on her kitchen table, curls of dried orange peel beside it. But her mind was elsewhere, mulling over the anonymous letter she’d received at work that day.<br />She’d opened the mail in the lull after the preschool reading circle, the chatter and laughter of children still echoing off the library walls.<br />The brief sentences brought a chill to the room. She’d shivered. Felt a stab of panic. Then told herself it was impossible.<br />her mind was elsewhere, mulling over the anonymous letter she’d received at work that day<br />She’d read the note again. It must be some sort of prank. To be on the safe side, maybe she should show it to Zak Waller—the town’s new sheriff—he had good instincts about these things. She’d see how she felt about it in the morning. For the time being, she shoved it into the bottom drawer of her desk.<br />Zak Waller: the young, new sheriff. Lives in a basement apartment with his cat and has been dating Nadine Black for over a year.<br />“Sheriff? We may have a problem. No one seems to know where our librarian is.” The phone call from his dispatcher was almost a relief to Zak Waller, since it gave him a reason to set aside the financial spreadsheets he’d been working on since leaving the office at noon.<br />Peeling back the layers of Sybil’s life, Zak discovers Sybil is a master at keeping secrets, especially her own, and these secrets may now be threatening her life as well as the life of an innocent child. As Zak and his team work to uncover the truth, he also has to deal with issues in his romantic relationship with deputy Nadine Black, and mete justice to a respected town citizen who has been sheltering his criminal past for too long.<br />I highly recommend reading.<br />Bittersweet by C.J.Carmichael is a wonderful well written 5 star book.<br />I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.<br />CJ's Books with Tule:<br />Promise Me, Cowboy<br />Carrigans of the Circle C<br />The 75th Copper Mountain Rodeo<br />Good Together<br />Carrigans of the Circle C<br />Close to Her Heart<br />Carrigans of the Circle C<br />Snowbound in Montana<br />Carrigans of the Circle C<br />A Cowgirl’s Christmas<br />Carrigans of the Circle C<br />A Bramble House Christmas<br />Carrigans of the Circle C<br />A Book Girl’s Guide to Marietta <br />Melt My Heart, Cowboy<br />Love at the Chocolate Shop<br />Bitter Roots<br />Bitter Root Mysteries<br />Sweet Dreams, Baby<br />Love at the Chocolate Shop <br />Bitter Truth<br />Bitter Root Mysteries<br />Bitter End<br />Bitter Root Mysteries<br />Carrigan Christmas Reunion: A short story<br />Carrigans of the Circle C <br />Bittersweet<br />Bitter Root Mysteries<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

I received this arc in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoy C.J. Carmichael’s books and this mystery series was fabulous. I hadn’t read any of the first 3 books when I got this one so I bought them and read books 1-3 first. This series takes place in a small town in Montana, Lost Trail. The newly elected sheriff Zak Waller has set up his department to include deputies Nadine Black and Kenny Bombard and dispatcher Bea Rollins. Previously, Zak was the dispatcher but after he solved a few murder cases he decided to run against the then sheriff. Zak is also in a relationship with deputy Nadine and his best friend Tiff is in a relationship with Kenny. <br /><br />In this story, the librarian, Sybil goes missing from her home. When she doesn’t show up to work the next day, the sheriff is contacted. Zak has to go in through a window since her hidden key has disappeared. They search the house but don’t find Sybil. Her neighbor reports seeing a man in a pick up truck tuning around in the driveway. It is learned from searching her computer that she’s on an online dating group and they start looking at the men she’s been in contact with. There is also a note that she received that she stuck in a desk drawer at work that the team uses to look formher kidnapper.<br /><br />In the meantime, a little girl at the grade school tells that a strange man was watching her at recess. The little girl goes missing from her home. Zak and his staff search and go through any clues or ideas they can come up with. The townspeople are frantic over these two disappearances.<br /><br />This story has lots of exciting twists. The main characters’ personal relationships are also progressing and are quite interesting to read about. There are lots of interactions between the police staff and their significant others as well as friends and family. <br /><br />It appears to be the final book which is sad since it is a terrific series. I highly recommend it. I give it and all the books in this series 5 amazing stars.

I was intrigued and held in suspense while reading Bitersweet by CJ Carmichael, the fourth book in her Bitter Roots Mysteries series. Sybil Tombe, longtime librarian, is missing, possibly abducted from her home. Now that Zak Waller has replaced the longtime Sheriff in Lost Trail, Montana he can legally conduct the search for Sybil. Having known Sybil for a while, he, along with her friends, is at a loss as to why Sybil would disappear and who might have taken her. Then, a few days later when an older man is seen hanging around at the grade school, near a young girl, Zak wonders if there is a connection between him and Sybil’s abductor. As Zak searches for Sybil he discovers that she might not be all she appears; that Sybil had a life, before returning to Lost Trail, one she never shared with anyone. As Zak and his team work to locate Sybil, he also has to figure out what is going on in his relationship with Deputy Nadine Black. I love how CJ Carmichael kept me on my toes, guessing and wondering what would happen next throughout this story.<br /><br />I really, enjoyed reading this moving story. Ms. Carmichael is an outstanding storyteller, who wrote a wonderful story that is definitely not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with suspense, growing love, and interesting interactions between the endearing characters in this series. I highly recommend Bittersweet to other readers. <br /> <br />I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.<br />

Just the right amount of mystery and romance makes this a memorable book.<br /><br />If you have read any of the Bitter Root mystery series, you definitely don’t want to miss this book. In this story, Sybil Tombe, Lost Trail’s beloved librarian, and a little girl, Darby Larkin, turn up missing. Zak Waller, who has recently been promoted to sheriff and his team need to work fast to solve these crimes before it’s too late. Meanwhile, Zak and his girlfriend/deputy Nadine Black’s relationship advances to a whole new level. <br /><br />I have thoroughly enjoyed every book in this series and when I heard another book was coming out, I couldn’t wait to read it. It was definitely a page turner and I had a hard time finding a stopping place when it came to taking a break. If you are new to this series, I would recommend reading the books in order. I don’t know if this is the last book in the series, but it felt like it the way some of the characters loose ends were wrapped up in the end of the book. But I am secretly hoping more books will follow. I am not ready to say goodbye to the residents of Lost Trail, Montana. <br />

In the other bitter root books Zac was just a dispatcher, now he is the Sheriff and he is facing a tough case. One of the town's least likely citizens have been abducted and he doesn't know a motive or anything at this point. She is the local librarian and her name is Sybil. She locked up from work, went to the grocery store, brought her groceries home and put them on the phone to check her computer.<br /><br />When she doesn't open the library the next day and there is no note on the door she begins to worry.<br />His girlfriend Nadine is still a deputy for him, and his best friend Tiffany Masterson's boyfriend is also one of his deputies. The dispatcher Bea thinks he doesn't have his priorities straight when he has to investigate a kidnapping and he takes other calls such as a child abduction. She thinks the child abduction should come first. He thinks they might be related so he continues to investigate the way his heart is telling him to go. <br /><br />A really good book

This is a well written mystery that really drew me in I hadn't read the previous stories but ha no trouble following the storyline I do think it would be a better read if you had read the previous books something I intend to rectify<br /><br />When you live in a small town everyone knows your business or thinks that they do but sometimes there are skeletons that are kept so hidden that when they are released they can cause dramas That is what has happened to Sybil Tombe and now she is missing Does her case have anything to do with the missing little girl Darby Larkin. Zac Waller the newly appointed sheriff will have to solve these crimes all while also balancing his romantic relationship with his deputy Nadine Black as it develops into more. <br /><br />This is a story that really draws you in and keeps you engaged until you turn that last page

When Sybil Tombe turns up missing, Lost Trail Sheriff Zak Waller is puzzled. After all, who would want to harm the librarian? As he and his deputies try to unravel the mystery, they realize there was more to the mild-mannered librarian than anyone knew. When a child disappears in the middle of the investigation, Zak knows they need to find them before their time runs out. Zak and his deputy/girlfriend are the main focuses of this story outside the mystery, but we do revisit the characters from the other stories. I love how Carmichael continues to develop all of the characters and their relationships as well as the town of Lost Trail, Montana. This is the fourth book in the Bitter Root Mysteries series, and they just keep getting better. If you haven’t read the other three, you won’t be lost, but you will miss a lot of fun. <br />#BitterSweet #CJCarmichael #ReadzTule #BitterRootMysteries

This is book that I had a hard time putting down. Full of suspense, mystery and a splash of romance that kept me turning the pages. Sybil. longtime town librarian of Lost Trail has been abducted from her home. Everybody thinks they know Sybil but as layers of her life are peeled away secrets come out.<br />The town sheriff Zak and his girlfriend/deputy Nadine work together to solve this mystery as their relationship develops. <br /><br />I love this little sleepy town, with so many twists and turns. The secondary characters also bring so much to the story. This is the fourth book in the series, can be read as stand alone but even better if you read the previous stories. I don't want to see this series end.