Dare Game (The Irish Garda Squad Book 1)

Amber Reed and her daughter, Hayley, move to Ireland from the United States after Amber’s divorce. On the same day they move in, a woman across the street is murdered. Detective Inspector John O’Sullivan of the Irish Police Force, or the Garda, is on the case. When he encounters Amber, romance is stirred for the first time since his own tragic loss. When his case is connected to cases in several other countries, he has his hands full trying to solve the mystery. As Amber cracks down on Hayley’s autonomy in an attempt to keep her safe, Hayley rebels, ultimately ending up hopelessly entwined in the murder investigation. 

Melinda Colt weaves an intricate story from the point of view of three very different characters, each as intriguing and captivating as the next. The plot is perfectly paced, and believable. Each character is sympathetically written and relatable; they feel like real human beings that anyone could meet at any time. There are a small number of instances in which an action or description is repeated in extremely similar wording very close together. These moments seem out of place and unintentional. However, these moments are minimal and do not detract from the overall strength of the book as a whole.  Despite the amount of information to uncover as the crime is solved, the action of the story never once drags, and dialogue feels organic and true. “The Dare Game” is an engaging and masterful work of contemporary mystery with a dash of romance that will keep readers enthralled from start to finish. 

Shailyn Rogers