Tracy Crosswhite · #6
A Steep Price
New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni’s thrilling series continues as Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite is plunged into a case of family secrets and murder…
“Another outstanding novel from one of the best crime writers in the business.” --Associated Press
Called in to consult after a young woman disappears, Tracy Crosswhite has the uneasy feeling that this is no ordinary missing-persons case. When the body turns up in an abandoned well, Tracy’s suspicions are confirmed. Estranged from her family, the victim had balked at an arranged marriage and had planned to attend graduate school. But someone cut her dreams short.
Solving the mystery behind the murder isn’t Tracy’s only challenge. The detective is keeping a secret of her own: she’s pregnant. And now her biggest fear seems to be coming true when a new detective arrives to replace her. Meanwhile, Tracy’s colleague Vic Fazzio is about to take a fall after his investigation into the murder of a local community activist turns violent and leaves an invaluable witness dead.
Two careers are on the line. And when more deadly secrets emerge, jobs might not be the only things at risk.
The series
The rain-slicked streets of Seattle don’t give up their secrets easily—but detective Tracy Crosswhite never stops digging. Beneath the gray skies and murky alleys lies a world of long-buried truths, and in this gripping crime fiction series, one woman’s search for justice becomes a relentless journey through grief, corruption, and the shadows of the past.
Read full series description
Once a high school science teacher, Tracy’s life was upended by the disappearance of her younger sister. That personal loss became a driving force behind her transformation into one of Seattle’s most formidable homicide detectives. Each novel in this darkly atmospheric series peels back layers of the human psyche, exploring not just the mechanics of murder, but the quiet, aching spaces grief leaves behind.
The series opens with a cold case that hits too close to home, but it soon unfolds into something larger: a portrait of a city teeming with political games, twisted loyalties, and moral gray zones. Over the course of the books, readers witness Tracy evolve—not just as a detective, but as a woman struggling with trauma, love, and the high cost of truth.
Written with a precision that mirrors its protagonist’s analytical mind, the series balances the gritty realism of police procedurals with the emotional resonance of psychological thrillers. It doesn’t just ask who did it—it asks why, and what justice really means when the system itself is flawed.
With each installment, the tension builds—not through cheap shocks, but through carefully layered storytelling that lingers long after the final page. From serial killers and courtroom battles to betrayals within the force, every case Tracy takes on is a step deeper into the city’s darkest corners—and her own.
Perfect for fans of suspenseful detective fiction with strong female leads and morally complex mysteries, this series continues to captivate readers and critics alike, earning spots on bestseller lists and year-end accolades. But at its core, it’s one woman’s quiet defiance in the face of loss—and her refusal to let the dead be forgotten.
Step into Seattle’s shadows, and follow a detective who never lets them close in.
#0.2 · 2014The Academy 
#0.5 · 2015Third Watch 
#1 · 2014My Sister's Grave 
#2 · 2015Her Final Breath 
#3 · 2016In the Clearing 
#4 · 2017The Trapped Girl 
#5 · 2017Close to Home 
#6 · 2018A Steep Price 
#7 · 2020A Cold Trail 
#8 · 2021In Her Tracks 
#8.5 · 2021The Last Line 
#9 · 2022What She Found 
#10 · 2023One Last Kill 
#11 · 2025A Dead Draw 
#12 · 2026One Split Second 
#13 · 2027Graves Tell Lies Be the first reviewer
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