Skin and Bone (Digging Up Bones Book 2) by TA Moore

A missing women is found, Cloister is injured, and a new investigation has Cloister and Javi running into danger again. Cloister and Javi are trying to abide by the strictly casual sex rules as they are thrown into a ten year old mystery.


From the blurb:

Janet Morrow, a young trans woman, lies in a coma after wandering away from her car during a storm. But just because Cloister found the young tourist doesn’t mean she’s home. What brought her to Plenty, California… and who didn’t want her to leave?

With the help of Special Agent Javi Merlo, who continues to deny his growing feelings for the rough-edged deputy, Cloister unearths a ten year-old conspiracy of silence that taps into Plenty’s history of corruption.

Janet Morrow’s old secrets aren’t the only ones coming to light. Javi has tried to put his past behind him, but some people seem determined to pull his skeletons out of the closet. His dark history with a senior agent in Phoenix complicates not just the investigation but his relationship with Cloister.

And since when has he cared about that?


SNik's review:

Second in series (Digging Up Bones), must be read in order. Mystery suspense. Semi-established couple. Coworkers. POC representation. Found family. Dual POV. 

Cloister and Javi have been doing the casual thing for a couple months now when a missing tourist is found by Cloister and Bon and it sparks a new investigation drawing in both men. 

This is another intriguing story that has Cloister and Javi working together while dodging danger and uncovering secrets. Although Javi remains adamant that their arrangement is nothing but sex, there are glimpses that he is letting Cloister become important, but I wish he would communicate more and they could be in the firmly established relationship phase. Given that this series is a few years old it is exciting to see a third entry to the series is coming out soon as these characters deserve more of their story to be told. I enjoyed the police procedural elements, the steamy times, and the growing sense of found family in Plenty.


Skin and Bone is currently available as an audiobook, e-book and paperback