The third book in the series of Rockwell & Decker, and they team up once again to solve yet another brutal murder.
Peter Fox, a public defense attorney and, lived a comfortable life with his wife, Hannah, and three kids. They were the picture of the perfect family. And this makes their murder particularly gruesome. The police are surprised and cannot figure out who would want to kill them.
Thomas Fox, the youngest member of the Fox family, survived the massacre. He is the witness who saw the entire murder happening in front of him. Traumatized and shocked by the events, Olivia and Decker save him. But he shivers the minute his eyes land on the uniform of the nearby police officer.

Olivia and Decker have a double challenge. They not only have to find the culprit but also have to save Thomas too. Because now the killer knows about the witness. They do not have many people whom they can trust.

Olivia is smart & instinctive and, her profession helps get her insight into the human mind. She is engrossed in solving her father’s case. The events around his incarceration were complicated and unclear.
Decker is more case-centric and yet distracted by other events around him. He is moving as if he has to prove something to himself.

Their partnership has grown since the first book. Their relationship has brightened. But, on the professional front, they are not in sync.
Olivia’s presence is less than in the earlier books. Decker takes center stage and investigates the case with Olivia’s help.

Olivia's attention is divided between her father’s case and Fox’s multiple homicides. It forms a parallel story and continues from the first book. The readers can hope it will continue to the next book.

The mystery and intrigue stay unaffected by the subplot. A lack of suspect pool and motive makes it harder to investigate the case.
The finale of the book comes with a huge thrill part and, the epilogue ends with hope for the next book.

The series is a must-read but, readers should read Book 1 and 2 as the subplots are related to the earlier books.

One child alive is a suspense thriller with a twist ending.

My rating for the book is 4 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

One, two, three. She counts the bodies dragged from the burning beach house, smoke rising from their cotton pajamas, and remembers a fourth; red hair, freckles, clinging to his mother’s legs, begging to watch the fireworks a while longer. “Where’s the little boy?” she whispers…

The third installment in the Rockwell and Decker Series sees the duo investigating the murder of the picture-perfect Fox family while on summer vacation. Four-year-old Thomas is the only one who survived after fleeing from “the bad man”. Olivia promises to keep the terrified boy safe, but how can she do that when it seems the killer could be one of the very people who swore to protect and serve?

Gripping, tense, twisty and compelling, this was another readable thriller from Ellery Kane. She keeps you guessing, offering a variety of suspects that are hard to narrow down to just one. And just when you think you have it figured out, she throws a twist your way to make you question what you thought you knew, making it one of those great thrillers where you don’t know who the perpetrator is until she decides to make the big reveal.

The characters are so familiar now that I feel like I slot easily back into their lives, but the author succinctly catches us up and makes it easy for anyone who has never read the series before to also enjoy the book. Olivia and Will are great protagonists who are easy to like and root for. They make a great team and I think that Olivia working as a psychologist rather than for the Police gives this series an edge, something that makes it stand out from the other crime series with dual protagonists.

One Child Alive is an exciting, fast-paced thriller that any fans of this genre will enjoy.

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. While you could read this book as a standalone I think you would get a better experience if you read all three books. There’s quite a bit of background that leads up to this story.

Detective Will Decker and Doctor Olivia Rockwell are an excellent team. In the previous books you got to see more of Olivia’s profiles which I missed in this book. In this book it seemed like Olivia just got herself into trouble more than anything else.

The pace of this book is quite slow to start with but it really ramps up about half way through. I found myself speeding through the last half as I just needed to know what was going to happen.

Ellery is very good at keeping the killer hidden. I had no idea who the killer was except that I didn’t think it was any of the suspects Deck and JB had in their sights. They all seemed too obvious and nothing ever really fitted.

The side story of Olivia’s Dad is still intriguing me and I’m sure at some point (maybe the next book?) it will come to the forefront and I will devour that book as Ellery has kept me in suspense about this for too long!

The 4th of July is supposed to be a day of celebrations but for the seemingly perfect Fox family, the day of independence ends in horror and bloodshed when four members of the family are brutally murdered. The fifth member, four year old Tommy is found, traumatised and sobbing in a nearby coast guard tower by Dr Olivia Rockwell who does her best to comfort the little boy. When Detective William Decker (Deck) arrives at the scene and tried to reassure Tommy by showing him his police badge, Olivia and Will are shocked by the young boy's hysterical reaction.

During the ensuing, complex quadruple murder investigation Will learns that the Fox's marriage was not as perfect as it appeared to be and the shocking possibility that their killer could have been a police officer. As if he didn't have enough to deal with, Will also finds himself lumbered with obnoxious Graham Bauer as his partner and is also still struggling with his feelings for a certain, stubborn Dr Olivia Rockwell who keeps poking her civilian nose into his investigation. Graham Bauer is not a very likeable individual and my least favourite member of the police team but he did actually redeem himself a bit in this story. The problem was that I really like JB, I love the banter between him and Will when they work together, they are just like a old married couple and are one of my favourite fictional detective duos. The case was a frustrating maze of dead ends, red herrings and brick walls and as Will struggled to found the answers he needed, a ruthless killer was hiding in plain sight and waiting for the perfect opportunity to deal with the one witness who could identify them.

Meanwhile as well as helping the police try to get answers from little Tommy,poking her nose into Will's investigation and carrying out her therapy sessions at the prison, Olivia is still investigating the death of her father. She still doesn't believe the official version of events and has decided to use her position at the prison in her quest to uncover the truth, even if it means breaking a law or two. Despite knowing that her investigation is placing her life in danger, she is determined to uncover the identity of the mysterious figure known as the General. Throughout the story as well as having concerns about little Tommy's safety and well being, Olivia was also worried about the behaviour of her younger sister Emily and then there was the developments in her relationship with Deck.

Omg, this is fast paced, thrill ride during which the reader is hardly given the opportunity to draw in a breath as the story unfolded and you encountered more twists and turns than a roller coaster. A child in danger always adds intensity to a story especially when the child is as adorable as little Tommy and I spent a lot of the book with heightened feelings of anxiety for his safety and well-being. The final quarter of the book is a nerve shredding, nail biting, life threatening battle of wits and contains a unexpected, mind blowing twist. The author has created a fantastic cast of vivid, recurring characters, individuals who worm their way into your heart and ensure that you look forward to revisiting them in the future. Although this book can be read and enjoyed as a standalone, to enjoy the series to its full potential and due to Will and Olivia's continuing background stories,it is advisable to read the books in order. This is brilliant, addictive series and I can't wait to find out what the author has planned for Will and Olivia in book 3. Very very highly recommended and definitely going to be one of my favourite reads of this year.

One Child Alive is another gripping instalment in Ellery A. Kane's Rockwell and Decker series.
The book opens with a prologue featuring the affluent Fox family, defence attorney Peter, his wife former-lawyer-turned-socialite Hannah and their three children, fourteen-year-old Dylan, eleven-year-old Lily and four-year-old Thomas. The Foxes are preparing for a photo shoot and interview for local lifestyle magazine Santa Barbara Living, for an article that will crown them "Santa Barbara's Perfect Family".
For the remainder of the novel, the action shifts to northern California and the (fictional) town of Fog Harbor, three months after the Fox family's photo shoot. Residents, including forensic psychologist Olivia Rockwell and Fog Harbor police detective Will Decker, join the influx of summer visitors in watching a 4th of July fireworks display from the town beach. After sharing an awkward first kiss (which readers of the series have long anticipated) with Decker on the beach, Olivia has to leave early with her younger sister Emily, who's had a little too much to drink. On the drive home, they come across a burning car on a back road, and Olivia attempts unsuccessfully to save the driver - later identified as Peter Fox - who's still inside the vehicle. Shortly afterwards, another fire is reported at a beachfront house. After the fire is extinguished, first responders find three bodies - all shot - Hannah, Dylan and Lily Fox. Four-year-old Thomas has somehow managed to escape the carnage, and is found by Olivia huddled inside a lifeguard shelter nearby. Will the traumatised little boy be able to help police figure out what's happened to his apparently "perfect family" and identify a killer?
One Child Alive is a well-paced mystery-thriller, with a compelling character-based storyline featuring the series leads, Olivia Rockwell and Will Decker. The supporting characters, both recurring and new, are well-developed and the dialogue punchy and convincing. The plot takes many twists and turns as Decker follows up several promising suspects in the Foxes' murders, while trying to balance office politics and his developing relationship with Olivia. The northern California setting - which I picture as the awe-inspiring redwood forests and dramatic coastline around real-life Crescent City - is evocative and perhaps plays more of a direct role in this book than in previous series instalments. When Thomas goes missing, the trail leads searchers, including Olivia and Decker, towards a thrilling denouement in the disused mines beneath the heavily-forested State Park that surrounds Fog Harbor.
This is shaping up to be a really great series, and I can't wait to enjoy the next instalment. While there is significant character and relationship development over the course of the series, I believe that One Child Alive would also prove an enjoyable standalone read, or perhaps a starting point to return and re-read in series order. I'd recommend both One Child Alive and the series as a whole to any reader who enjoys well-written mystery-thrillers with great characters, intriguing plots and an evocative setting.
My thanks to the author, Ellery A. Kane, publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this great title.

A little while ago I was thinking I really wanted to start reading more thrillers again. And like fate wanted to help me out, I saw a Tweet by Bookouture and took the opportunity to request ‘One Child Alive’ on Netgalley. Luckily, I got approved to read this book. Although this is book three in the Rockwell and Decker series it can be read as a standalone.

In ‘One Child Alive’ Olivia and Will are being shook up by two fires and the death of a young family. The only surviving family member is a young boy who seems to be horrified of Will. What does this mean? Is the suspect working for the police too? ‘One Child Alive’ is a book filled with a lot twists and surprises.

What is clear from the very first page is that this is a book where a lot is happening. Things don’t get boring for sure. And I loved how this book goes from mysterious and thrilling, to a little romantic and back. As someone who reads a lot of romance it was fun to read a little bit of romance in this thriller. But I didn’t feel the connection between Olivia and Will as much as I’d like. I do wonder if I’d felt this way if I read the previous books in the series?!

One of the things I loved most about this read was the interactions between Will and his partner, JB. Those where really funny and made this book even more interesting. But above all there was just a lot going on and I found myself wondering what was really going on several times. Ellery Kane definitely was able to keep things mysterious with this read.

Although this book did work as a standalone, I did wonder a lot about the two main characters and their history. I think I would have preferred to read the first two books first. I just felt like I missed fun stuff about Will and Olivia’s past. But overall this was a fun read.

As with all of Ellery's books, I read for more hours than I should. I never like to say much about the plots, which are always excellent. After many twist and turns, I was still shocked at the outcome. Olivia and Decker are heating up, which makes for a good side story and a breather. I am ready for the next book! I received an advance copy of this book, all comments are my own and my own/honest thoughts.

One Child Alive is the 3rd book featuring Ellery A. Kane's detectives Rockwell and Decker.

The story begins with a prologue featuring the Fox family, defence lawyer Peter, his wife former-lawyer-turned-socialite wife Hannah and their three children, Dylan, 14, Lily, 11 and four-year-old Thomas. The Fox's are preparing for a photo shoot, interview and article for a local magazine.
Set in northern California and the (fictional) town of Fog Harbor, three months after the Fox family's photo shoot, residents, including forensic psychologist Olivia Rockwell and Fog Harbor police detective Will Decker, are watching a 4th of July fireworks display. Olivia leaves the beach area with her younger sister Emily and on their way home, they spot a burning car. Olivia attempts to save the driver, who's still inside the vehicle but he's already gone. The Fire and Rescue engine suddenly roars into life on its way to another fire, this time at a property at Shell beach, the rental where the Fox family are staying. The police find three dead bodies there, but Thomas is missing. Olivia finds him in an abandoned lifeguard hut.

One Child Alive had a well-thought-out plot and there was a lot going on. The novel is told from Olivia and Deck’s points of view, so the finer details remain obscure and puzzling until the action-packed showdown. The characters all have strong personalities, and an array of suspects but few clues meant some hard work for the team. The author's fluent writing continues to impress me and I never found myself bored. The main thread of the plot is accompanied by other subplots chiefly concerning the private lives of Decker and Rockwell. The primary storyline is well wrapped up leaving a few dangling threads, paving the way for further development in future books. I can't wait to read more about Rockwell and Decker.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Another great read in the Rockwell and Decker series.
Will is called to a house fire and there are three people who have been shot before being left in the fire.
One of the family’s children is missing so the hunt is on for Thomas. When he’s found he’s terrified to talk as he saw ‘the bad man’ before he shot his family.
JB has a health scare but is soon back at work ready to wind Decker up.
Olivia and her sister Emily are still trying to get to the bottom of their father’s death but are getting nowhere, and someone is out for revenge on Will and lives are soon in danger.
This is an action packed crime thriller that definitely had me hooked.
I’d recommend you read the other books in the series to get the full backstory of Will and Olivia.
A great read that I’d highly recommend.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This was a compelling and thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish with a great storyline, interesting cast of characters and all capped off by skilful writing. It's well worth your time if you appreciate great storytellers.

Yes! This series just keeps on getting better and better. Heart wrenching, murder, mystery a little romance and a twist or two that I did not see coming, I loved that Ben and Olivia are so human, doing the best they can. JB's sarcasm is 100% so relatable to me. While searching for the killer there are suspects, no suspects, wrong suspects making you understand somewhat the roads our police go down searching for answers. The subplots that come out are just the icing on the cake, I am ready Rockwell and Decker, bring it on. Thank you Ellery A Kane for another great read. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture! I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions.

One Child Alive is the third book in the Rockwell and Decker series. It didn’t take long for the first two book plots to come back to me even though the third book starts right off with the crime. This time and almost entire family is murdered and there are a lot of suspects. One little boy, 4 year old Thomas, is left behind with the identity of the killer. Olivia has to try to get the memory from him without tormenting the poor child further and Decker has to solve a crime with one less ally and too many suspects. Oh, and don’t forget Drake is out there somewhere.

Olivia and Will move their relationship along as it has in the past few books and none of the previous storylines are pushed aside-Olivia’s dad, Will’s brother, the serial killer who escaped in the first book-all of those continue to be part of their lives. You’ve got to appreciate the continuity. It sure makes it easier to read when you are teaching in person for the first time in over a year and watching a three year old most of the rest of the time. Still, I was able to read this one in a couple of large chunks of time (3 year olds have to nap sometime) and I was always to get back each time I had to put it down.

The series doesn’t fail to deliver in its third installment and I look forward to many more. Thanks for the ARC and see more reviews and extended reviews updated on my blog whenever I have time.

There are some authors that just have that special quality that makes you want to read the book, even knowing that it will make you cry, laugh, and seethe with anger. Ellery Kane is one of those authors, and I'm so glad that I picked up her first book and am now finished reading the third book in what is fast becoming one of my favorite murder mystery series. I originally picked up the first book in the series thinking that there might be a bit of romance, since that's what I normally read, and since I love crime shows, I thought the murder mystery aspect would be really interesting to me. What has kept me reading isn't the romance, which remains a very small part of each book, but rather the thrilling, keeps-me-on-the-edge-of-my-seat mystery that the author continues to throw at me with amazing detail and drama. I never guess who the villain is. Never. I love that she is always keeping me guessing with each book.

Santa Barbara's Perfect Family. That was the caption from an article surrounding the family just weeks prior to their gruesome murder. Olivia Rockwell wasn't expecting to pull the father out of a burning vehicle, already dead from a bullet wound to his head. Detective Will Decker wasn't expecting to then be rushing to the scene of a fire with a gruesome body count. One child is all that's left when the smoke finally clears from the fire that consumed the vacation home. The mother, dead. The eldest son and daughter, dead. The youngest son is nowhere to be found. When they finally find him, he takes one look at Will and screams. Shaken to the core, Olivia and WIll must work together to keep the child safe from harm and find the killer before he or she removes the only remaining witness to the crime.

I kept the summary short, because there is so much going on in this story and I'm afraid to give too much away. There is a lot to unpack as more and more clues are uncovered. What I loved about this book was that we not only get an amazing murder mystery to keep us on our toes, but we also get to see Olivia and WIll become closer and realize their feelings for each other. They had such a rough start in the first book, and I've really enjoyed seeing their partnership go from business to friendship to now a true romance. I felt like yelling into the air, FINALLY! As a person who reads mainly romance books, I have been waiting for the day when they would finally see the light. The murder mystery aspect was fascinating, and I loved seeing how everything developed as more suspects were uncovered. I never knew what to think - at first I would point the finger at one suspect, then I would think the wife had something to do with it, and at the end of the day, I realized that was the point to it all. Murder isn't simple, a truly evil person isn't always the most obvious, and even if you think you've resolved a particularly terrible part of your past, sooner or later it will always come back to bite you.

The latter half of the book had my heart racing, and I found myself loving it so much. When it ended, I was both contented and also anxious to know what would happen next. I can't wait to see where Ellery Kane takes the series from here.

I absolutely love this series. Each book just keeps getting better and better. I literally don’t want this to end.
This is another action packed novel filled with great characters. I have found this completely nail biting and unpredictable. I have devoured this book in just one sitting. I have been gripped and need more. I adore this series and how it is written.
The author transports me to the characters and I am completely caught up in the events.



Definitely one for the TBR.

One Child Alive by Ellery A. Kane is the third in the Rockwell & Decker series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
Series Background:  (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Dr. Olivia Rockwell is a Criminal Psychologist working at Crescent Bay State Prison, in her hometown of Fog Harbor, California.  Her father, a member of the Oaktown Boys, was murdered in prison, and she recently found out he was informing for the FBI.  Her half-brother Termite, also a member of the gang is in hiding.   Her younger sister, Emily,  is an art student.   Detective Will Decker moved to Fog Harbor after his brother was convicted of shooting a woman, ending up in prison because Will turned him in. Will's partner is Jimmy Benson (JB for short), and his boss is Chief Sheila Flack.

 
My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
On the way home from a fireworks show, Olivia comes across a burning vehicle.  She manages to pull out the driver, but he is dead, a gunshot wound to his head.  Peter Fox left a wife and three kids, and his murderer behind.  Soon after clearing the truck fire, the firetrucks are whisked away to another fire up the road, and to the house that Peter Fox and his family had rented.

The only survivor of that awful day was 4 year old Thomas, who screamed when Will tried to comfort him by displaying his badge. Olivia took control.  His Aunt Nora came to help with his care, but he is known for hiding, and one night, he can't be found.

The Fox family had recently been featured in a magazine and touted as "Santa Barbara's Perfect Family".  Perhaps not.  Peter Fox was a big-deal defense attorney, with a secret.  The list of suspects will be long, but include two police officers, and a felon recently released from prison.

Meanwhile, Olivia has not stopped investigating her father's murder, and it looks like her sister hasn't either.

Oh, and escapee prisoner Drake Devere is still missing.


My Opinions:   
This is definitely a "read the books in order" type of series, as the history of the characters is important in understanding their actions.

I still like both Will and Olivia (although the romance angle is getting old).  I really like JB (that's new), and Emily still annoys the crap out of me.  It's too bad the cop angle didn't play out, because that is one character I could do without.

There wasn't quite as much family drama in this book as in the last, and the author concentrated on the mystery more, which was definitely welcome.  It was a good plot, and with plenty of suspects to keep things interesting. Although I had guessed the identity of the perpetrator, I didn't have a clue as to motive, and I certainly didn't see who was egging him on.  This always makes things fun.

I fear that the next book will go back to "family" issues once again, and I'm not really looking forward to it, but we will see....cause I can't stop reading them now!

One Child Alive is a very well written crime fiction. Great plot and character development. I highly recommend this book.

Absolutely LOVED It. Kept me guessing right up to the end. Non-stop from the first page . This is a must-read. I adored the characters, they were incredibly well done. The atmosphere brings this book to life. The twists and turns keep you guessing the whole way through. Full of suspense, this one made my heart stop a few times.
A great book by a great author.

Another horrific case for Dr. Olivia Rockwell and Detective Will Decker. Olivia rescues a man from a burning car, but she is too late as he was already dead from a gunshot wound. Immediately following, Will is called to the scene of a house fire and there are three bodies that have been shot…the dead man’s wife and two of his three children. Who could be so evil as to shoot innocent children and where is the missing boy? When the young boy is found, he is deathly afraid as he saw the killer, a killer who was a police officer. The murder of the man and his family seems terribly personal. Did the man’s career as an attorney or his recently revealed secret life lead to their deaths? As Olivia and Will search for the killer, someone from Will’s past seeks revenge. A fascinating and complex mystery filled with so much emotion. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Fires...Murders...and now a missing child?
Olivia sure knows how to put herself into deep situations, and all she wanted to do was walk away from Will aka Deck at the beach.
Well, there is no walking away from what is going on, although you may want to run fast...from the killer that is.
JB has a scare and loses his stash... :( Sorry big guy...
There is a killer or killers to catch and your partner Will needs you on your A-Game.
Can Olivia and Will figure this one out and come out the same? Or might it change things?
This story gives us all the twists, and shocks we are accustomed to from this author's thrillers! So hang on tight it is a bumpy, creeptastic ride.

Detective Derek just wanted peace and quiet on July 4th. Not to happen, Murder interfered instead. Fast paced, intriguing story. Impossible to not get caught up.