Hell in a Handbasket: Rose Gardner Investigations #3

I say this almost every Rose Gardner book I read, but this is my new favorite book in the series! The action was amazing, the writing is amazing, the story line is amazing, and there were so many twists and turns in this book that I just did not see coming but I absolutely loved!! There is absolutely nothing that I disliked even a little bit in this book. Not one page, not one sentence, and not one word. It was phenomenal and had everything I hoped for and more. And the emotions! I was not just reading the emotions in this book, I was feeling each and every one of them. I was yelling my enthusiasm while Rose stood up for herself. I was smiling at jokes and sarcastic parts. I was bawling like a baby when I felt the emotion of Rose and other characters with both happy and sad tears. I feel emotionally attached to this character and feel invested in her future and even if something were to happen in the books that I didn’t like, I know I am in Rose’s life for the long run. Hell in a Handbasket is just as good, if not better, than the books that got me hooked back in the Rose Gardner Mystery series. There are no dull moments or repetitive parts in the book whatsoever. Denise Grover Swank keeps me amazed at how well she keeps the story going, while being realistic and entertaining, book after book, and how obsessively I wait for the next book to come out each time. I hope this series never ends because I will never be ready to say “Goodbye” to Rose Gardner.

This book the investigating comes to Rose and Neely kate, thrown straight into it without much of a choice. Neely kate and Jed seem to be going well. I just wish it would all go well for Rose, with Malcolm, and mason coming back. And the possibility of Mason going after what Rose cares about in a vindictive manner is set to be a nail biting story line. I love how Rose stood tall against him. As she does with anyone trying to disrespect her.

The Rose Gardner Investigation series continues as strong and tense as ever. Major events make Rose's life more difficult as she tries to fit into her new role as the neutral Lady in Black. While many are willing to support that role, there are a few people who would gladly destroy her. While much of Neely Kate's troubles remain hidden from Rose, and are only being revealed to the reader in her new series, shadows of her past influence the newest investigation that she undertakes for their agency. Excellent but frustrating as always.