When the past knocks, deadbolt the door…

For private investigator Samantha Price, life is finally starting to feel more settled. Working investigations with her live-in boyfriend, Nate Bennet, is both personally and professionally fulfilling. With one of Nate’s brothers engaged and his older brother, Cal, finally moving back home to Marietta, Montana, the only thing that can disrupt the present…is the past.

Mystery author Jill Harrington can no longer pretend that her grandmother’s history isn’t important. She secretly hires Sam to get to the bottom of what caused Glenda’s traumatic muteness decades ago. But Glenda Harrington is a local ghost story to the people of Marietta, and she has no desire to change that. For years, she’s protected the Bennet family secrets along with her own, and she’ll do whatever she can to stop Sam and Nate from discovering the truth.

But attorney Cal Bennett knows his childhood memories still shield critical secrets. To understand what happened when he was a child, he joins forces with Jill, Sam, and Nate to dig up what Glenda’s been hiding. And what they unearth endangers them all.

Titles in the Western Edge Mystery series include: Double-Edged Reckoning ~ Dark Mountain Ambush ~ Long Lost Winter ~ Murder Never Forgets ~ Dead Man’s Alibi ~

This story may contain language, violence, and/or sexual situations intended for an adult 18+ audience.

Title:  Murder Never Forgets
Series:  Western Edge Mystery #4
Author:  Nicole Helm
Published:  April 1, 2026
Publisher:  Tule Publishing
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Murder Never Forgets is the fourth title in the Western Edge Mystery series, set in my favorite fictional small town, Marietta, Montana… a darker side to that town, and all towns, large or small, have a darker side.  I would strongly suggest reading this series in order (if at all possible), as it builds on the “secrets” revealed in the previous titles in many ways.  Yes, you could read this one and have a completely enjoyable experience, yet in my opinion, knowing all that went on before will answer questions that might arise.

Throughout this series, Glenda has wandered through, almost ghostlike, definitely silent, as past mysteries have been either explained or solved.  Yet, this time, Glenda is more determined than ever to hold tight to her secrets and let the past remain where it is… buried.  Her granddaughter, Jill, has quietly hired Sam to look into Glenda’s past to understand what caused her to go mute years ago.  Cal Bennett has returned home to stay, and it seems no sooner had he begun to get settled into his new life than threatening notes began to appear on his doorstep.  Cal has childhood trauma and memories that stay just beyond recollection, and now, facing threats, he needs to know what really happened and what he’s struggling to remember.  His life could depend on those answers.

I have loved this series; the intensity just keeps building as we’ve watched friendships form, romantic relationships strengthen, and, for the most part, family secrets revealed.  There are still questions, and we’ll get some answers this time around.  Some, not all.  Murder Never Forgets is well-written and intense, with laughter and romance scattered throughout.  Much like life with ups and downs.  Ms. Helm has created an ongoing world full of interesting people, connections, both known and unexpected, to keep us on our toes.  I’ve enjoyed getting to know each family member through the book devoted to them while revisiting familiar faces within the ongoing mysteries.  Secrets will finally see the light of day… but some still linger in the darkness.  If you love a story with well-developed character connections, one that will keep you wondering throughout as you follow clues and red herrings, if fitting puzzle pieces together is your favorite pastime, then you’re going to love this one.  Dead Man’s Alibi is up next, so we aren’t yet done with this world.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or the author’s team via Booksprout, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Do you love anything (any story) that’s even slightly connected to Marietta, Montana?  Yeah, me too.  Be sure to visit our Marietta, Montana pages (this link to where this series is located – there are three pages :)) to catch up on the series that you might have missed over time.  It’s quite an amazing and diverse community, with happily-ever-after endings guaranteed.

This title is available at Amazon