Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

“I’m going to love you forever.”

I’m not easily bothered by external stuff (violence, injuries, murder, you name it). At all. Yet this book made me squirm, even the second time reading it. Sure, The Murder Between Us is graphic and suspenseful, but the two books can’t even be compared when it comes to levels of awfulness. Tal Bauer wrote all of it in the most amazing way, and I loved every gut-clenching, tear-stained, squirmy moment. He writes suspense and bad guys *so* well. The psychological aspects of this thriller are just as impactful as the physical trauma and case. That includes Cole’s deteriorating mental health as well as really getting into the mind of the serial killer, through his own POVs, past interrogation and current situations. It’s flippin’ brilliant, and it’s a book (and duology) that I think anyone who feels comfortable doing so should read.

As can be expected, dealing with all of this trauma, past and present, affects a relationship, and Noah and Cole really go through it in this book. You just have to know that they get the most beautiful HEA with their lovely Katie, who is also a fantastic side character, and an emotional teenager through and through.

There’s a lot of good authors in this genre. Some are great too, but I still haven’t found anyone else who does what Tal Bauer manages to do (to me, anyway). These books are special.

And he already lived in a totality of fear, in a paralyzing terror that lasted the eternity between his heartbeats.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Established couple
Serial killer
FBI agents
Dads
Mental health rep
Age gap
Police procedural
Suspense

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Graphic violence
Gun violence
Murder attempt
Necrophilia (on page, from antagonist’s POV)
Rape (on page, from antagonist’s POV)
Graphic murder scenes described
Explicit sexual content
Severely injured side character
Severely injured main character
Deteriorating mental health
Paranoia and anxiety
Gunshot wound
Hospitalized MC
Mentions of suicide (unnamed character, past)
Mentions of abuse of a corpse
Themes of sexual deviancy
Stalking
Home invasion (no one home at the time)
On-page assault and torture of an MC (physical and psychological)
On-page killing
Resuscitation of a main character

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: Yes
POV: 3rd person, multi
Genre: Romantic suspense
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 40 and ‘early 30s’ in TMBU
Series: Duet
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 376

Every day, Cole put his face on like a mask. Something inside of him felt like it had dropped into the center of a deep pool, plunging further and further away. He felt like a worried thread coming loose, like part of him was unraveling.

They watched him walk away, slowly sipping their champagne. Cole elbowed Noah, flicking both his eyebrows and then jerking his head toward the hunk in the apron. Noah went redder than Cole had ever seen, fluorescent meltdown magenta, caught checking out another man. Cole giggled and kissed Noah’s temple, his cheek, holding him close, as he whispered, “I love you so much.”

Noah had drawn a heart over his sink in dry-erase marker. Would they ever not be ridiculous about each other? Would this hummingbird heart he had for Noah ever slow down? God, he hoped not. He loved loving Noah.

Noah had a second drink that night after dinner, but he’d also made love to Cole with a fevered intensity that had Cole desperately trying to muffle his groans, his gasps that were practically shouts. Lord, he’d hoped Katie had her earphones in that night.

Love was active. Love was engaged. Love was being there, day in and day out.


You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr