Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Richard E. Roach begins his tale with a blast. The description of the oilrig explosion should give readers an inkling of what to expect in Scattered Leaves. His imagery is vivid. At times, it is too vivid. The description of June’s body was almost too much to handle. Roach is an extremely talented author; however, his books are not for those with weak stomachs.

I was left with a few questions: If Ben McCord was so distraught over his wife’s murder that he could only think of bathing her (not of calling 911) how was he lucid enough to collect the stray pubic hairs? Would a man so in love with his wife not only be attracted to another woman after a few short weeks, but also ready to marry her? Okay, these are minor things and probably unimportant, except the woman thing…That really bothers me.

The gist of the story is Ben McCord finds his wife raped and murdered. He is determined to track down the killers and make them pay. He puts his own life on the line. During his investigation, he meets PJ, a beautiful doctor, also victimized by the same drug cartel. The two join forces to exact their revenge.

I was hooked from the first page; I had to know who did done it, and by then I had to be there just to help McCord and PJ stop the monster.  Scattered Leaves is the kind of book that draws the reader in and holds them captive to the end. I felt as though I were part of the plot. This is the first Richard E. Roach book that I have read; it will not be the last one. Rarely does a book contain this much action. This is an intense, brutal read. Readers are warned of graphic content! I do not think we have seen the last of PJ and Ben McCord.