A review by mollyreadsandcrafts
The Keeper of Bees by Gregory Ashe

5.0

•spoilers•

We are finally at the end with the Keeper case! The Keeper is back to finish what he started. The Keeper is pulling Hazard and Somers in different directions and putting their lives and careers at risk, but they have to power through and find the person who's been one step ahead the entire time before more people die.

I had the brilliant strategy to suspect absolutely everyone so that I could say "of course I was right" at the end. In all actuality, I had no idea who the Keeper was and I just had to think it was everyone because I couldn't narrow it down. The case was convoluted and twisty, throwing in random roadblocks that I never saw coming. I think the big reveal was a little bit anticlimatic, but only because the journey to get there was so wild. And of course I suspected who it was because I suspected like 15 people. The end of the first book really hit me hard and I had a lot of anxiety that this book was going to be just as heart wrenching. Surprisingly, it wasn't as emotionally taxing as I was expecting based on the series. What had me hooked was the fast-paced action and the rush to find the killer. I really enjoyed the twisted route this case took and the satisfying ending. 

Much of this series was focused on Hazard and Somers recovering from the trauma and the climatic ending of the last series while trying to move forward with their lives. It's been a really bumpy road and definitely a rough patch of their relationship. Hazard is struggling with his worsening unacknowledged PTSD and Somers is working through how to help and be there for him. Their relationship is also actually fairly new and they both have to find that middle ground to make it work with the stress of their jobs and families. At the end of the last book things were looking up for them, and I'm glad it continued here. Their relationship was falling apart and when it was rapidly approaching that breaking point they were able to get the perspective they needed. They are both trying to be a lot more to be communicative and branching out for help. Hazard wants to be better for his family and Somers just wants to be able to be there for Hazard however he can. I'm really happy with where they ended up and this is the most sure I've been that they can make it through anything.  

The side characters always add so much to these stories - whether it's to knock sense into Hazard or Somers or to add some comic relief. I will say, I kinda thought maybe it was Dulac for a large part of the book but honestly it was part of my suspecting everyone strategy. I really want to like him now, but I just can't help but be wary still. I will give him a bit of the benefit of the doubt though because he did try to pull through for the guys. I'm also kinda happy that Nico is getting a bit of a redemption story, especially after the shit he pulled in the middle of this series. I know he has his own story to tell but I like that even he is getting some character development. 

Their whole friend group brings such a realistic angle to their lives which I really appreciate. Even Evie is written so well. Sometimes it's annoying how authors write kids but she seems like such a typical three year old, throwing tantrums, screeching with joy, and just being a handful. I love her and Hazard's relationship, he's truly an amazing dad and I hope we get to see more of it. 

This second series as a whole was a lot less action packed than the first. I would say this last book stood out because it was so much more fast-paced. However what the series lacked in fast-paced action it made up for in emotional angst and drama with Hazard and Somers. I actually liked this series as a whole more than the first, but it's interesting looking back and comparing the two. I wouldn't have thought based on the pacing that I would like the second one more, but I think the writing and character development has just gotten so much better as these books go on. 

The series wraps up on a happy and hopeful note. I have faith that Hazard and Somers will figure out their issues because they love each other too much not to. I read the short stories, and I'm flabbergasted by the ending and how it'll effect everything. And how it's even possible. I still have a North and Shaw series to go through before I get back to John-Henry and Emery, but I can't wait to see what the future has in store for them (hopefully lots of good happy moments to make up for this last year of their lives). 

Read if you like: 

• romantic suspense                              

• private investigator/detective            

• hurt/comfort              

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