Her Buried Past

Carolyn Arnold’s Her Buried Past, the fourteenth book in the Madison Knight police procedural series, is a well-plotted story with great characterization. Set in and around Stiles, Michigan, Detectives Madison Knight and Terry Grant are called to the scene of a remote cabin. Sidney Callahan was a therapist who helped her clients explore their past lives and how that might be affecting them in their current life.

She was found dead in her home office by her assistant.

Madison and Terry soon find out that Sidney had planned to release a book that featured case studies from her clients. Did one of them want their private information kept secret or is there something else going on? As they continue to work the case, they find Sidney had her own secrets.

Madison is strong, guarded, loyal, intelligent, tenacious, and independent. She tends to react first, often jumping to conclusions without fact, and seems to attract confrontation. She also is quick to judge people, can be sarcastic, and doesn’t like change. Madison is not as likeable as many protagonists, but her faults make her feel more realistic than the perfect strong female lead. Driven to solve crimes and seek justice, Madison often goes on instinct, which doesn’t always mean she keeps an open mind. Terry Grant, Madison’s work partner, provides a calmer nature to counter some of her flaws. He is fair and balanced, good-willed, keeps her grounded, and challenges her when it’s needed. He’s also someone people tend to trust.

Fluid writing, great characterization, and a mystery to be solved kept me engaged. I also enjoyed the threads weaving Madison’s person life into the story. While this is mainly a police procedural from Madison’s point of view, readers also get insight into another character with scenes from the past. The author did a great job of bringing together the past and the present using this technique in the story. The plot has several twists and turns and multiple suspects that kept me guessing. There’s some action in the last part of the novel as well.

Overall, this was a story that hooked me quickly and pulled me into the lives of the characters. The author did a great job of building suspense throughout the story and weaving the threads together. I look forward to seeing what is next for Madison and Terry. Readers who enjoy police procedurals, this author, crime mysteries, and those who like a strong but flawed protagonist with a keen sense of justice and determination will likely enjoy this novel.

Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc. and Carolyn Arnold provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for October 16, 2025.