BEFORE, AFTER, ALWAYS By Tracy Cooper-Posey

Tracy Cooper-Posey’s Before, After, Always has it all. Secrets, intrigue, love, suspense, and more.

The characters are relatable and I feel as if I have known them forever. The situations are realistic and outcomes are well thought out and reasonable.

I have always been a fan of murder mysteries like Sherlock and Poirot, and this omnibus edition more than lives up to their standards. It is just incredible. Before, After, Always definitely leaves you wanting more.

Although I had read all of the stories in this omnibus edition some time ago, it was a rewarding and engrossing experience to read them all together. Not for the first time, I was awed by this author’s phenomenal touch with story-world development. Her descriptions of Banff and the Canadian Rockies are so deeply integrated into the plot that the physical environment was every bit as significant and as exceptional as if it were an additional main character. Her human characters? They are real people, well-drawn and compelling, flaws and all — and they are extraordinary.

All of the parts of this compilation — the short stories, the deeply involving novel, and the astounding novelette, not to mention the extra bits and pieces that help to stitch them all together into a tight and cohesive narrative — pull the reader in and do not let go. These stories first grabbed my attention years ago. I was hooked by this saga, captivated by the suspense, the growing tension, and the mounting uncertainty, and I was quickly involved with the characters. It’s a marvelous thing to read a book where you can’t guess what is happening next and are consistently surprised by events, and that’s the magic that happens with this collection. It’s the hallmark of a master wordsmith, providing an immersive reading experience highly valued by dedicated readers. The ending of Dead Drop, the pivotal point in the last portion of that book, includes my all-time favorite book problem solution. Nothing short of genius!

Experiencing this saga in chronological order makes the reading experience richer and even more exciting, and I was on the edge of my seat throughout. The overarching story is relentless and sometimes terrifying, but it’s always human and, most important of all, it is always true to the characters. Through the years that I’ve been reading Tracy’s work, I have observed that her titles are not just carefully chosen: they have meaning. When you finish reading this collection, you will fully appreciate Before, After, and Always. It’s a stunner.

I thoroughly enjoyed all the stories to this collection.

Deadweight
An adrenaline rush situation!
A tense and intense undercover operation that had me on the edge of my seat!

Dead End
Breath-stealing drama!
It seemed like things just kept going wrong and I didn't know how the impossible situation was going to be resolved!
I loved the ending!

Dead End Out-Takes
I liked the backstory introductions that bridged the gap between stories and helped make the main characters more real to me.

Dead Again
Loved it! Tension, intrigue and mystery.
A fascinating story full of suspense, thrilling anticipation and romance. I couldn't help myself, I became completely enthralled, and read it in one sitting!
A traumatic event brought the characters together before they spent nearly a decade apart.
I enjoyed a pulse pause moment when their chemistry ignited!
The strong and independent female lead was a great match for the alpha hero while both characters had their moments to shine.
I was delighted by several unpredictable plot twists and thoroughly enjoyed this suspense romance.

Dead Drop
A tension filled situation!
I enjoyed the peek into life after Dead Again. Things seem to be going well except for the current crisis Sophie finds herself in.
Sophie faces the situation with stoicism and determination despite many worries and doubts over the best way to handle it.
I loved the closure this brought to the collection.

I would highly recommend this collection, even if, like me, you don't usually read suspense.

I saw all kinds of movies on the subject of undercover work, some about betrayal, some about redemption, but this book is the most eye-opening insight into the dedication needed, the bravery and cunning involved and the sacrifices made, all in a fight to the death for justice.

There's a lot of edge-of-the-seat action, and the plot is very well constructed and believable. The dimension of the corruption is staggering, as is the spread of evil.
The writing is masterful, I could feel what Jack felt after 10 years of running and hiding while having done nothing wrong, and I could feel Sophie's pain and despair. A story of love enduring beyond near-death, betrayal, choices and never-stop-running danger. Well done!

Ok, hear me out, just the title: love it! I love me some well round story, and goodness this is it: Deadweight, Dead End, Bonus lead-in scenes and outtakes, Dead Again and Dead Drop. Deadweight is the prequel to all of it. I'm such a glutton that I'd have very much enjoyed a full novel of Max and Kajal too. Mafia, undercover operation, two people falling in love in the middle of it, you have it. The rest of them centers in the story of Jack and Sophy, with the mountains as witness. The characters and the story seem so real I got anxious at times! That's suspense as its finest.
I loved the end, suspensful until the last word ;). If you want to know yoursef, just pick it, you won't put it down til the end!

Before, After, Always, by Tracy Cooper-Posey, is a collection of related stories about an undercover operation that blows up in spectacular fashion. The center-piece novel, Dead Again, is absolutely riveting. The other stories are licks of frosting, but Dead Again is the real treat. Literally couldn’t put it down, despite the late hour. Jack Laubreaux and Sophie Ryerson are so well crafted, they could step off the page fully formed and stand in front of you. Loved the twists and turns of the plot, hated the heartbreak of a decade lost as they find each other once more. One of Cooper-Posey’s very best (and I’ve read many, many, many of her books). An absolute must read by this author.

DEAD WEIGHT: Intro story sucked me right in. More!
DEAD END: A quick, nerve wracking thriller. Wow!
SCENES & OUT-TAKES: I particularly liked the Bonus Post-Credit Scene from DEAD END and the scene, MY NAME IS JACK LAUBREAUX.
DEAD AGAIN: Great full length novel! Action, suspense, romance, excellent plot, believable dialogue; what more could you want?!
DEAD DROP: Wonderful novella length wind-up of this phase of the tale of Jack and Sophie. I especially loved how Sophie handled the threat to all she held dear!