Episode 182: Diving Into Lynn Shannon’s Fractured Memories

About This Episide

About the Book

Fractured Memories follows Texas Ranger Felicity Capshaw, who witnessed a murder as a teenager. The traumatic incident left her with amnesia that has affected her entire life. When she reopens the cold case years later, the investigation takes a dangerous turn—she’s assaulted and nearly killed.

Enter Detective Noah Hodge, a man no stranger to loss. Having buried his parents and his wife, all Noah wants is to raise his two-year-old daughter Harper and keep his hometown of Knoxville, Texas safe. But when the killer targets Felicity, Noah commits to protecting her, even though each second in her presence makes him question why he’s locked away his battered heart.

As Felicity’s memories return, the threats escalate. Can Noah help her uncover the truth, or will the killer silence her forever?

Our Thoughts

This book certainly lives up to its description with an “explosive beginning”—and we mean that quite literally! The story opens with Felicity returning to her hometown and the very house where her babysitter was murdered. The location? Now an Airbnb. Talk about creepy! We couldn’t help but discuss whether we’d stay somewhere if we discovered someone had been murdered there.

The Characters

One aspect we really appreciated was the family dynamic. Noah lives with his aunt (or grandmother—she was a foster parent who takes in kids), and they’ve created this wonderful blended family that includes Amber, who calls Noah “cousin” even though they’re not biologically related. Everyone pitches in to help with little Harper, and it creates this warm, supportive environment.

Felicity and Noah have history—they grew up together until she was sixteen and had to leave town after the trauma of witnessing the murder. We loved how Noah starts calling her “Fee” again, bringing back that familiar sweetness from their past. Their relationship has layers of complexity, especially with Felicity stepping into Harper’s life and navigating feelings about Noah’s late wife, whom she actually knew.

The interactions between Felicity and Harper were genuinely sweet. Felicity had maintained a connection with Harper even from afar, sending gifts and keeping in touch. Still, we discussed how awkward it might feel to be in Felicity’s shoes—wondering if you’re replacing someone, if comparisons will be made, and how to be that mother figure without overstepping.

The Mystery and Suspense

As a whodunit mystery, this book keeps you guessing. We rated the mystery level as a “latte”—there’s plenty to puzzle over and piece together. The suspense? Definitely a “latte” as well. There were moments when we genuinely wondered if Felicity would make it through, and the tension builds throughout the story.

The one thing that always gets us in these types of books is when the children get mixed into the dangerous situations. When Harper became involved in the scary stuff, it definitely ramped up our anxiety levels!

Lynn Shannon’s Connected Universe

One of the things fans love about Lynn Shannon’s books is how she weaves her series together. Characters from her Special Forces series and her Texas Ranger series make appearances in this Badge of Honor installment. Grady from the Texas Ranger series appears as Felicity’s partner, and we see characters like Tucker, Jason, and Nathan pop up because their wives are friends with the main characters.

Shannon wrote this series in response to reader requests for more stories centered around the Knoxville police force, who appeared throughout her Triumph Over Adversity series. She’s incredibly in tune with what her readers want, and it shows in how thoughtfully she brings these worlds together.

The Romance

While the romance is present in Fractured Memories, it’s on the lighter side—we’d rate it as a “mocha.” Shannon tends to keep the romantic elements from overwhelming the suspense plot, which works well for the pacing of this type of story. The relationship development feels natural and earned, even if it’s not the primary focus.

The inspirational elements also rank as a “mocha”—they’re there without being heavy-handed, adding depth to the characters’ journeys without overtaking the narrative.

Our Rating

We both give Fractured Memories three lassos! This is a hard-to-put-down read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s packed with mystery, suspense, and drama, all wrapped up with Lynn Shannon’s signature style of connecting her beloved characters across series.

Fair warning: the book ends with enough resolution to satisfy, but if you’re like us, you’ll immediately want to dive into book two, Dangerous Lies. And when you finish that one, be prepared—book three doesn’t release until February, and there’s a cliffhanger!

Final Thoughts

Fractured Memories is perfect for readers who enjoy romantic suspense with strong mysteries, complex family dynamics, and characters you can root for. Lynn Shannon has created another compelling story set in Knoxville, Texas—though we have to laugh that so much crime happens in this fictional town. Maybe avoid moving there!

If you’re a fan of Shannon’s other series, you’ll love seeing familiar faces. If you’re new to her work, this is a great jumping-off point that will likely have you seeking out her other books.

Want to learn more about Lynn Shannon and her Badge of Honor series? Visit her website at https://www.lynnshannon.com/badge-of-honor/

Join us next time on LiteraryScape when we discuss book two in the series, Dangerous Lies. Until then, happy reading!

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