Catherine Landauer is a defense attorney with a traumatic past which she's determined to keep to herself, her past defines her life, she doesn't make friends and constantly has her walls up. Rio Starr is a prosecutor who has ambitious plans to become District Attorney. Being on opposing teams, Catherine has professional dislike of Rio, particularly as Rio tends to bend the rules to get a result. They find themselves working together more as Rio is trying to crack a case involving Catherine's past and slowly the chemistry between the two increases.
Carsten Taite always delivers with her legal thrillers and this book is no different. Catherine's past is interesting and we slowly learn the details of her traumatic past and why she doesn't let anyone in. Rio's character is far more open and I found myself cheering her on when she was slowly chipping away at Catherine's walls. There was loads of suspense, not just in the storyline but in Catherine and Rio's relationship, we had to wait a long time before they got together.  Overall this was a good read, I really enjoyed this book.

Prosecutor Starr Rio has worked hard in her quest of becoming the next District Attorney. Winning has led her to sometimes blur the line of what is used for evidence but she really believes that sometimes you have no choice when it comes making sure a murder goes to prison and doesn’t walk free. Not on her watch. And if she keeps her conviction numbers high, that too will help her in the next election.
Catherine Landauer works hard defending her clients and keeping them from a life in prison. From personal experience she knows all about the line being blurred when it comes to messing with the evidence. She fights against that happening and nothing gives her more satisfaction than showing the courts just how the evidence isn’t always untainted.
While Catherine and Starr have never work the same case, of course of different sides they finally get a chance to go against each other. Catherine get the better of Starr in this case. But when Starr is appointed to handle a particular child abduction she finds herself also working with the unfriendly defense lawyer. Neither like the situation but it’s the only way to possibly bring a young girl back to her family.
Ms Taite has a reputation of giving us a good solid story, with a few twists and turns, and of course a little romance doesn’t hurt either. Simply another great read that I’m sure will have you looking at other works by this author. Very, very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

Catherine Landauer is a criminal defense attorney who was once a victim of a serious headline-grabbing crime. Now she’s focused on holding law enforcement officers accountant for their actions and keeping everyone at bay. Prosecutor Starr Rio has a reputation for doing whatever it takes to get a conviction. When she’s assigned a high profile case, she has to deal with Catherine as a potential witness. Catherine is guarded, uncooperative and sexy. Will they be able to work together and avoid risking their hearts and their lives in the process?

I was expecting this book to be a courtroom drama which is the type of novel I love about this author. Instead, it’s an introspective exploration of the struggles of a serious crime victim. Even though the novel has its dark moments, I wouldn’t say that it comes with trigger warnings because it’s more focused on the present trauma of a survivor rather than on the past crime itself. In that context, I really enjoyed the scenes between Catherine and her therapist in which Ms. Taite throws pears of her own wisdom for us to enjoy.

Parallel to this, there is a present time crime investigation that brings both main characters together. The romance part of the book is at the background of the crime investigation and I personally would have liked a better development of their chemistry but I understand that the focus of the book is elsewhere.

Even though I enjoyed this read a lot, my rating dropped a bit because I found the resolution a bit rushed in both the criminal and romance parts. However, I think that if you normally enjoy legal/crime thrillers in general and Carsen Taite’s books in particular, you are gonna like this one too. Just be aware that it’s a bit darker than her usual style but nevertheless entertaining.

Overall, a very enjoyable lesbian crime investigation drama book with a romance on the side. 4.5 stars.

ARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com

Leading the Witness by Carsen Taite is the type of book that just grabs hold of you, makes you sit on the edge of your seat as you read, and refuses to let go until you reach the end of the intrigue. Ms. Taite is a master of stories that revolve around the courtroom filled with lawyers, judges, and of course the criminals they are bound to prosecute or defend. This is one of those tales with the added element of fear.

Catherine Landauer is a defense attorney well known in Austin, Texas for going after officials and prosecution witnesses who sometimes skirt the edge of the law in their zeal to obtain convictions. What no one knows, is that Catherine was once a victim of a violent crime, and due to police focusing on the wrong suspect, the perpetrator escaped capture. When the man who kidnapped her as a child suddenly reappears as a suspect in a similar crime, Catherine becomes an unwilling witness who must rely on one of her biggest adversaries in the courtroom for help.

Starr Rio is one of the most successful prosecutors in the area, and she is not above riding the very edge of the law to get a conviction in the courtroom. When she is tasked with helping the police in the kidnapping of a prominent politician’s child, she sees this as a stepping stone for her career. But she has to deal with an unwilling witness in Catherine who Starr has had a major problem with in the courtroom. Now she must help find a kidnapped child, keeping Catherine safe from the same kidnapper, and dealing with that annoying attraction she has for Catherine.

It is obvious from the first sentence that this is a well-written mystery. Ms. Taite hooks you on the first page and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end. There is a slow-burn and rather sweet romance that runs almost as an undercurrent to the story, but the main focus is really the mystery. I connected with the characters right away, and the two slowly go from adversaries to a romantic couple in spite of what is happening to and around them.
I was thoroughly entertained with this book, and I am looking forward to reading more of Ms. Taite’s novels.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Riveting. I picked this one up thinking it was either a second in her newest series or a regular old legal drama with lots of smoldering glances across the courtroom – not that there’s anything wrong with those kinds of books (I particularly enjoy them), especially as Taite is adept when it comes to compelling and entertaining legal and courtroom romance plots. Leading the Witness is neither of those – there’s the legal angle, but rather than legal battles and briefs leading to a couple of super hot lawyers between the sheets, this is a pretty intense story revolving around the investigation of a missing child.

Starr Rio is an ambitious Assistant District Attorney with her eye of running for DA when her boss retires. A skilled prosecutor, she’s driven by the need to succeed but also by her conviction to see justice served, even if a few corners are cut. On the opposite side of the courtroom is Catherine Landauer, a smart and relentless defense attorney whose focus is to hold law enforcement and the prosecution accountable to the law. The two women cross paths during a trial where Catherine picks apart a detective’s sloppy work and the politics within the DA’s office have Starr’s rival for the future DA position trying to undermine her. That in itself would have been a great story – but that’s just the first chapter.

When the Mayor’s young daughter goes missing, Starr is pulled from her current case load to focus on the high profile investigation based on her past experience in prosecuting child endangerment cases and her relationships with the detective assigned to the case. When Catherine hears of the potential abduction, her own past rears it’s horribly ugly head and she becomes consumed with finding out more about the investigation.

The character of Catherine Landauer is absolutely fascinating and Taite does a phenomenal job of drawing her out. At first she’s aloof and cold, consciously keeping herself apart from everyone and singularly focused on exposing the incompetence and shoddy work done by the police and prosecution. Whether her clients are guilty is not the key driver – instead she zeroes in on whether the law was followed. When she hears about the mayor’s missing daughter, we begin to see cracks in her icy resolve and an underlying vulnerability that she has spent years shielding begins to emerge. As a young girl, Catherine was abducted and held for a month while the police and prosecutors focused on the wrong leads, missing things right in front of them and allowing the abductor to evade capture. There’s just so much opportunity for overblown angst but Taite handles the backstory a remarkable level of restraint and Catherine’s character resonates as with inner strength and resolve and doesn’t allow her past to overshadow her life. As the story progresses and the parallels with the current case emerge, we see her unraveling but she is self-aware enough to recognize it and makes conscious choices and reaching out to her therapist and Starr- she is not a victim, and she’s more than a survivor – she saves herself. She’s reinvented herself, changing her name and pursuing a law career where she can challenge and push law enforcement not to make the same mistakes as in her case. After the loss and betrayal of her childhood and she refuses to allow her past to overwhelm her present.

With all that going on with Catherine, I wasn’t sure if I was ready for a romance to build between her and Starr. Taite manages to set the initial spark during and after the initial trial and there is a believable build between the women, enhanced by the emotionally charged investigation. Perhaps not the smartest thing in the world to be attracted to a potential witness but there’s an undeniable connection and underlying chemistry between the two women. Starr’s empathy and respect for Catherine and Catherine’s own vulnerability and struggle to reach out works and doesn’t feel contrived.

The investigation itself is not the focus of the story and at times I thought it was taking them a long time to chase down leads or get warrants – especially with this being the Mayor’s daughter. At the same time, I was so focused on the unfolding of Catherine’s story and character that it didn’t irk me too much.

For those who don't know her, this author specializes in books on law and order, starring lawyers, judges, prosecutors and also investigators and police officers or other public servants. She has a long list of books of this kind with some series included. I have not read them all but there have been enough and not all have been to my liking.

And this one is definitely one of those I've not enjoyed completely. The plot of the police intrigue is not very well raised, there is a kidnapping in the current situation that is linked to another that happened years ago and that remained unsolved. But neither the previous nor the current circumstances are well exposed, explained or resolved.

The two women protagonists are antagonistic characters at the beginning, so that the passage from adversaries to lovers, within the course of the story, is rushed and forced. This might be why the personality of these two women is not well defined or why some of their acts are confusing and unclear.

It's not that the story isn't interesting, but compared to some of his other books, I thought it was missing. It is definitely not one of her best.

I enjoy all of Carsen Taite's series, but it was a nice change to read a standalone. This one is a bit different as it is 80% case and 20% romance, and easy to read in about 4 hours.

I was thoroughly invested in the case, and if this story wasn't "borrowed" from Taite's previous law career, then kudos for some really interesting writing. Catherine is probably the iciest ice queen Taite has written but we learn why fairly early on. And the fact that she and Starr fell into bed quickly didn't bother me as they are both women who have had zero time (or inclination) for dating and relationship-building.

If this isn't my new favorite Carsen Taite, it's certainly in the top 3, just for the break from traditional lesfic formula.

Catherine Landauer, a defence attorney is particularly adept in finding flaws in the investigation leading to prosecuting her clients. She finds a loose thread in the investigation and pulls at it unravelling the case against her clients and earning either a reprieve or a negotiation for them. Her obsession with complete and thorough investigation is entirely personal because of her own nightmare experience in the past. A past that she keeps well-hidden since by not socialising at all and thereby not allowing anyone close. Prosecutor Starr Rio is known to take shortcuts to being perps to the court. Her methods are borderline but her passion is justice for the victim. Catherine is not particularly impressed with Starr and makes no bones about it. The two are at opposite sides of the ring till the twelve-year-old daughter of the Mayor is kidnapped. Catherine’s worst nightmare has come true and she has to reach out to Starr who is in charge of the case.

This is mostly a taut thriller with Catherine’s past being unfolded as the case for the missing girl proceeds. Catherine's persona is slowly unfolded giving her characterisation a satisfactory depth. Two-thirds of the book is extremely engrossing and then it goes a little sideways with a very abrupt leap into bed. This is quickly followed by the kidnapper-Catherine drama – without enough groundwork to explain why Catherine was always looking over her shoulder and why the kidnapper would be obsessed by Catherine. Conclusions have to be drawn for that.

This book could’ve done with some more detailing for both, the growing attraction between the MCs and for plausibility of the climax. But still, an okay read.

I have enjoyed books from Carsen Taite in the past, but Leading the Witness takes things to a new level for me. While there is an element of a romance between the 2 main characters, Starr and Catherine, it plays a minor role, which did not bother me at all while reading. The mystery took the main focus and was so enthralling and made me want to not stop reading. In some ways, the main sex scene becomes a logistical issue for the police and DA's office since it gives the appearance of impropriety on the arrest of a suspect. It was an interesting way of bringing the romance to light while at the same time introducing it as an issue that could affect the overall investigation and case. It was a wonderful piece of writing.

The abduction of the mayor's daughter starts the story in one direction, but as the search for her continues, it is clear that there are ties to another abduction that occurred 2 decades before, that of Catherine. Taite did an amazing job of bringing Catherine's story out through her interactions with her psychiatrist and showing the deep emotional scars that Catherine's trauma as a child had caused her over the years.

In many ways, this was more of a mystery/suspense novel with a dab of romance instead of a hot-and-heavy romance novel and I loved every minute of it. This is a fantastic novel and anyone who likes a good mystery will enjoy it as well.

4.5 stars

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

I liked Leading the Witness. I am beginning to really like romances that have more of a suspense theme. In the past, I found them to be heavy and I would have anxiety over them. I am sure there are some that are out there that I will stay away from, but this one was on the lighter.

Catherine Landauer works as defensive attorney that is a bulldog in the courtroom. She capitalizes on any errors the prosecution makes. Outside of the courtroom is a loner. She is not interested in making friends and it is mainly because of her background. Starr Rio is a main prosecutor. She want to win every case and make the bad guys pay for it. She is also looking to run for the DA the following year when her boss retires.

So i enjoyed the suspense on this one. Starr and Catherine start working together to solve a case. There seems to be some chemistry there, but the author doesn't play it up. The main focus is on the suspense part of the novel. I know this is considered a romance but if I had to just rate that portion, I would say it left me wanting more. I did not feel the the MC's connected on a personal level and the romance portion seemed rush or even forced. Again, I really like the other aspects of this one so I am going to give this 4 stars.

This was my first book by the author and it took me some time to get into the writing. Otherwise, the characters were well developed and the plot flowed smoothly. There was a bit of suspense which was good but I felt it could have been better with another one or two layers. Overall, a good read.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley

There are writers whose names alone are enough to convince you to buy and read their works. Taite is one of those. Seriously, you won’t regret it.

This is a very engrossing read. I prefer pure romance in my stories, or at least 50/50, and while the romance in this book took up only about 20% of the story I just couldn’t put it down. Taite just knows how to keep you interested. The characters were realistic, the plot was well woven. If I could pick a book and make a movie, i’d pick this one.

Another home run for Taite. 5 stars

Netgally Review:

Sigh. This was very hard to get through. So much legal back and forth and no real character development. I think this is the last time I request a Carson Taite book. Perhaps it is just meant for a different reader.

Taite’s already an automatic read for me whenever she puts out a new story, but this novel cemented that even more for me. Instead of the typical courtroom legal romance story, Taite married her law knowledge with a more gritty crime investigation in this one, and I personally loved how it turned out!

The reader doesn’t know this at the outset, so I’ll hide it under a spoiler in case you want to read along, but MC Catherine was <spoiler>abducted and held captive as a child while the police and prosecutors searched and focused on the wrong suspects.</spoiler>. As an adult, she’s an aloof ice queen who’s a kickass attorney but also severely haunted by her past. She’s out to make sure that the bad guys never get away again because of cut corners or shoddy police work. MC Starr is a high profile prosecutor who finds this out the hard way when their paths collide in the courtroom.

When the mayor’s daughter is abducted, Catherine’s calm and cool suddenly erodes and her past begins to haunt her. Starr is assigned to the case, and despite their rocky start, Catherine contacts Starr to provide help on the case.

I loved the tension that Taite created in this read. It’s go, go, go from page one, and full of suspense. Taite masterfully develops Catherine’s backstory, and creates a wonderfully complex character. Starr is a perfect counterpart to Catherine, full of compassion and a need to ferret out the truth as well as care for Catherine. While I felt like the romance developed way too fast (and actually wonder if I would have enjoyed this story a lot more if there had been no romance at all!), I still loved this novel overall. It was an easy 4.25 stars for me.

**Many thanks to Bold Strokes for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.**

An excellent read. Taite has produced another fascinating legal romance but this time, rather than taking place in the courtroom, the two leads are involved in the investigation of a missing young girl. This is not a procedural, but more of a character study of one of the mains - Catherine Landauer and the impact this abduction has on her.

As a child, Catherine (then Jill) was abducted and held while the police and prosecutors focused on the wrong suspects. As an adult, she is a relentless defense attorney who's goal is keeping law enforcement focused on following the law and not cutting corners or ignoring other avenues of investigation. With the abduction of the Mayor's young daughter, Catherine's cool, calm and reserved demeanor starts to dissolve and she's desperate to make sure that the same mistakes that happened on her case don't get repeated.

Starr Rio is the prosecutor who's been brought in to oversee the high profile investigation. Her path intersects with Catherine in the courtroom prior to the abduction and once Catherine contacts her for information on the case she is drawn to the mystery behind the reserved defense attorney.

Taite does a fantastic job in developing Catherine's back story as well as her reactions in the present, creating a wonderfully complex character. Starr's empathy, compassion and her own resolve to find the girl bring them closer together. There's a great tension and suspense as the story progresses.

Really enjoyed this.

This is another excellent book by Carsen Taite . Because of her history as an attorney she writes believable and accurate courtroom drama like no one else can. In this book there are two ice queen attorneys who are on opposite ends of the law when in fact both have more in common than they ever possibly could think. Catherine is a defense attorney who carries a deep emotional pain and keeps to her self she does not trust in people only her assistant and therapist. Starr is an assistant district attorney who is on the move up to hopefully be the district attorney. Both Catherine and Starr are drawn to one another but neither would take a chance to pursue that attraction . A case of the mayors missing daughter draws both Catherine and star together in a way neither expected. The mystery in this story is mind blowing and extremely well written. As these two main characters need to work together can they allow the attraction for the other to grow or does it need to be cut off before it even begins?
If you like courtroom drama, mysteries, and romance this book is for you.

When Carsen Taite releases a book especially when it's something to do with US criminal law/legal matters, I get very excited because as you may know, Taite's my official go-to author for all things US criminal law-related. I love all her law-related books because I can always feel this sense of authenticity, the level of detail and knowledge that Taite innately injects into her stories. I love authors who use their other professional expertise to validate and substantiate the realism of the cases/plots weaved. For me, it makes for a better, more convincing, more informed read when I believe in what's being written and told. But that's just me, so...!

Anyway, back to Taite's latest legal romance outing, "Leading the Witness," which I read it in one short sitting. First off, I was already intrigued by what the blurb revealed about the story, the plot and the MCs. A seasoned prosecutor, a zealous defence attorney hellbent on grilling law enforcement witnesses in all her cases (aka a chip on her shoulder but as a result of very legitimate reasons which readers will get to discover as the story progressed), two attorneys with opposing methodologies in trying criminal cases, a high profile child kidnap case, an old equally high-profile child kidnap case resurfacing that was related to one of the MCs, not to mention, both MCs butting heads in every step of the way whilst also being attracted to each other! Intriguing, innit? But then, as I started reading it, I must say, how this story unfolded from the start was an unexpected one for me because going into the story, mindful of what the blurb alluded to in regard to the plot, I was prepared for what I thought would be Taite's usual writing structure and storytelling style. Alas, it wasn't and my intrigue level increased exponentially! For me, this was not the usual style that Taite uses in her writing and story-weaving of a crime-and-law-related plot and romance.

As soon as Taite introduced Catherine, the maverick, no-BS defence attorney, and Starr, the veteran prosecutor, and pitted them against each other in a criminal case, I was immediately drawn to them especially Starr. I thoroughly enjoyed their first courtroom encounter as opposing sides in a trial that Taite depicted in such meticulous detail and cerebral thrill with all the legal jargons and the play-by-play trial proceedings, that I thought I was watching it play out on-screen instead of reading it! This is why I love Taite's writing because she knows what she's talking about when describing and portraying criminal law and all the intricacies involved in it including procedures - oh how I love procedures, rules, regs - sustaining them AND breaking them!! Yeh, I'm a nerd. A rebellious nerd. Back to Taite's writing, what happened between Catherine and Starr in that courtroom scene and its aftermath, was depicted with realistic intrigue, as far as I'm concerned! Catherine's utter distaste of Starr's apparent disregard for the rules, playing them fast and loose just so she could win her cases, maintain the quota and help in her campaign for the next District Attorney was the crux of her bias against Starr in just about everything! Whereas for Starr, Catherine was an enigma but respected her work ethics and couldn't help being drawn to her, without any conscious thought. In fact, that's one of the reasons I loved Starr's character because whilst she was this powerful seasoned prosecutor with a professional reputation that preceded her, she was oblivious to matters of the heart. Her single-minded focus in advancing her career, working her way up to becoming the next district attorney, had given way to anything related to her personal and private life all this time. Until Catherine came along. Did I notice a little crack in Starr's previously held strong conviction in staying chronically single where she'd always been more than content to be alone but not lonely? Well, read and find out!

Speaking of Catherine, I was intrigued by Taite's construction of her character. Unlike any other attorney characters from Taite's previous books, I thought Catherine's character as not just a brilliant and methodical attorney, but also someone with a dark past that still haunted her to this day, where she had to juggle between being present and getting lost in her dark, still unresolved childhood trauma, was written and portrayed with vigour and realism. I loved how Taite slowly revealed her character - by leaving breadcrumbs for us readers to chew on, contemplate and postulate, making our own conjecture about just who Catherine really was. And Taite nailed every nuance of Catherine's slow and steady disclosure, which at the same time, Taite swirled us around to meet Catherine's therapist and the "Aha!" moment arrived. At least for me, I was hopeful for more scenes between Catherine and her therapist. It was so intriguing, what Catherine went through as a child and how her PTSD was still lurking behind her otherwise very successful career as a defence attorney which when triggered, would rear its ugly head. And the bombshell dropped on the poor unsuspecting Catherine when another high profile child kidnapping case surfaced, sending her chronic, unresolved PTSD on a tailspin! Taite nailed all the emotional and psychological effects that Catherine was experiencing including her instinctive need to talk to her therapist. A step that, imo, would be a realistic one, especially for someone who'd been in therapy for quite some time, showing a level of trust with the therapist, which is a positive result. Whether Taite included that little psychotherapy tidbit consciously or subconsciously, it was very compelling and propelled the new kidnapping case and all its impact to Catherine's state of mind to even more captivating heights as Taite continued to weave the plot into new developments.

Another intriguing development was Starr's involvement in the high profile child kidnapping case, which spurred Catherine's already biased opinion against Starr's methodology in solving her case into a whole new level of contention, much to Starr's confusion! Poor Starr! Utterly oblivious to Catherine's deeper more entrenched reason for her outbursts whilst trying to force info out of Starr about the status of the kidnapping case, whilst trying to insert herself into the investigation. What was captivating to me when it came to Catherine and Starr's relationship was that it didn't really begin or have any possibility of having encounters until this case came along.

Speaking of, I loved the slow buildup of Catherine and Starr's relationship. From professional adversaries (Taite's spot-on dialogue and exchanges between two successful, strong-willed attorneys, better still, a prosecutor v defence attorney!), to tentative acquaintance, to being in friendly terms, to the slow and steady recognition of their attraction for each other albeit having a lot of dilemma expressed in either one's private thoughts. I utterly enjoyed their chemistry from the start. Their fiery exchanges during trial and subsequent negotiating positions, not to mention the fact that they were both in formidable positions of power and from opposite sides, which fanned the flames even more acutely, even though neither realised their attraction toward each other at that time, except their private acknowledgement of each other's intrigue followed by a dismissal of their feelings. But the more they denied it, the hotter and more potent their chemistry!

Another interesting fact about these two characters was that both were chronically single, used to being alone, never entertained the notion of loneliness except for fleeting moments but would quickly had it dashed. Until they both crossed paths into each other's lives. Like two destined souls. I loved how Taite took her time to build up their relationship with realistic circumstances and timeline. With such a compelling plot which had a major impact on one of the MCs, I was glad that the romance part of the book wasn't the main focus because that'd make the overall story which subsequently led to Catherine and Starr's romance less authentic and genuine. As such, the development and growth of their relationship made this story a compelling read all throughout for me. Catherine's journey to recovery - from her lifelong trust issues including love and relationships, being alone versus loneliness, to the long-awaited reconciliation of her past, finally able to let go when everything was eventually resolved and she could close the chapter of her childhood trauma and open one in her life that could be filled with the promise of love and future with Starr - mirrored Starr's especially in the context of being alone versus feeling lonely as Starr also had issues with trust, love and relationships albeit for a different reason. Star was singularly focussed on her career and always had this notion that having an ambitious career couldn't possibly allow her to fall in love and have a committed relationship. But as her relationship with Catherine turned deeper, more emotionally invested and discovering that she'd fallen for the uber-mysterious defence attorney, Starr realised that having a career and a relationship weren't mutually exclusive, that she COULD have both equally successful with the right commitment, support, communication, honesty, mutual compromise and understanding. And she realised Catherine was the one with whom she could have both. Taite's mindful weaving of these two characters' intricate lives and their character growth in conjunction with the development of their relationship that moved in parallel with the ongoing case, once again, created a captivating flow of the story from start to finish. Brilliantly written and portrayed, imo.

And oh, regarding the case, I was pleasantly surprised that there was a twist! Well, a twist in that I was expecting the case to go toward one direction but Taite had other ideas and the next thing I knew, I was slow-clapping at her ingenuity in turning the same bog-standard outcome of these kidnap cases on its head and gave it a better one for me and imo, for the story, as it moved toward the end. At least for me it was! Taite also wrote some great secondary characters in this story. I particularly liked two of them, namely, Starr's ever- delightful and personable mum, Stella! I loved the scene with Stella, Catherine and Starr, which was supposed to be a brief encounter that turned into having a homely meal together! It was written with such warmth and a sense of family that I could sense Catherine's melancholy as she reminisced about her own warm and cosy relationship with her own mum particularly during meal times.  The other one was Catherine's therapist, Dr. M. She was warm, positive, funny, and could very well become a good friend. Although neither Stella nor Dr. M. had many scenes, I thoroughly enjoyed their characters!

All in all, I must say, "Leading the Witness" is now my favourite Carsen Taite book, yet!! Yeh, I was surprised myself. This book surprised me in every way, from the development and execution of the plot to the characters, but mostly how Taite structured, designed and weaved the story, balancing the case in both the law-&-order and romance contexts, which I thought was a refreshing, rather un-Taite-like, style of story and character development. In other words, this romance was written in a totally different narrative and style than the other law/crime-related Taite stories that I was accustomed to. At least that's how I felt when I read this book. I utterly loved Taite delving deeper into her characters' psychological and emotional mindset in this story which flowed so effortlessly alongside the legal case on hand. The pacing was well-structured all throughout which lent to a well executed story, in both the criminal case and romance categories. To me, this story was brilliantly devised, structured, written and told. The icing for me was obviously all the criminal law and law enforcement-related proceedings, procedures, politics, and all the legal vernacular, which Taite's superb in! And this story had a wealth of all these gems that I look for in a story about criminal law, courtroom dramas, investigations and attorneys. Needless to say, I was well and truly satisfied with everything in the book. Well done, Ms. Taite, and thank you!

I HIGHLY recommend this book to all fans of romance and crime/legal genres in lesfic! And if you're a Carsen Taite fan, run and grab a copy to read for yourself and see if you'd agree with my assessment about Taite's different style and take in this particular crime/legal/romance story! This will go to my reread pile, most defo, and Starr has become one of my favourite lesfic characters!

**I was given, with much thanks and appreciation, an ARC of this book, by BSB, in return for an honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Carsen Taite is one of my favorite authors especially when it comes to legal drama mixed with mystery and thriller.

One of the MCs Catherine, is a criminal defence attorney and the other is Starr who is a prosecutor. Starr is asked to lead the investigation on the mayor's daughter Hannah who is kidnapped. When Starr and another cop find a bow that they don't know is connected to Hannah (as she doesn't really wear bows) Catherine realizes that she may know who kidnapped the mayor's daughter.

The legal part was as always excellent and the pace was fast and engaging. The MCs are complicated characters who clash often so don't expect them to get together until close to the end of the book.
I would definitely recommend it.

I do like Carsen Taite as a writer and as a storyteller but I have felt her last couple of books were not her usual standard. This one is ace and puts her right back near the top of my lists. I might not like Starr quite as much as I like Skye or Parker but it's close. There is a lot happening here and it is well written, credible and with a satisfying ending. The story is plotted nicely and the slow burn romance feels "real" especially the angst from Catherine and the way she keeps pushing back. There are no spoilers here but a favourite scene involves Starr's mother as it gives some nice depth to the characters.

Catherine has a secret in her past that she has worked very hard to keep hidden but now she faces the dilemma of keeping it hidden being dangerous for another person. Unwillingly and carefully she steps forward. Starr is ambitious and has a bit of a reputation as a prosecutor who may cut corners or slightly bend rules to achieve her ends but Catherine needs to learn to see past the reputation.

The characters act as you would expect them to which is always a plus for me. Ms Taite knows how to build tension and when to relax the narrative enough to keep you involved. She has a winner for me with this story.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

When a predator returns.

Catherine Landauer is a local attorney who keeps to herself. Starr Rio is a star prosecutor who has plans to become the next District Attorney. The two women face off right from the start while negotiating a deal that would give Catherine's client a reduced sentence much to Starr's dismay. Soon after, Starr is assigned to lead an investigation into the abduction of the Mayor's daughter, Hannah. Catherine catches wind of the incident and is not at all convinced that Starr is the right person to bring Hannah home safely. She's been through this before and she doesn't want Starr to let the girl down the same way she was let down 20+ years ago.

This was an enjoyable read. We gradually learn about Catherine's past and how it relates to the disappearance of the Mayor's daughter. She has spent her life trying to overcome the trauma endured and has mostly been successful at it. If successful means great at your job but a recluse that feels safest behind her security system.

The romance between Catherine and Starr is non-existent for a majority of the book. It takes a long time for them to go from adversaries to allies. But it is believable because of what Catherine has been through. On the flip side, once they cross that forbidden barrier, things happen pretty quick. Love comes at lightning speed. But stressful situations can really move things along, right?

Side characters are used to move the plot rather than given any depth. Most characters we just never hear from again and that made me feel like I didn't get closure. Starr's mom? Assistant Doris? The much-too-close lawyer to the Mayor? The husband and his brother? Even the jerk who is also vying for DA. It would have been nice to see him get his in some fashion.

This ended up being somewhat anticlimactic for me. I was reading along and excited. Things are being uncovered and I think I know where this is going. I just know there is going to be some big dramatic reveal or event. But not really. Taite tries to deliver some action toward the end, but I was pretty let down already so it didn't have the impact I would have liked.

I'm not a huge fan of epilogues. And this ended fine enough. But I wanted to see more Catherine and Starr. This is mystery/suspense first and romance last.

Overall, I liked this book a lot. Sure, it did't have the great exciting reveal I was hoping for, but it was super well written and engaging.

I recommend this to those who like mystery, suspense, prosecution, investigations, romance, and Balcones bourbon.