Bitter Past by C.J. Carmichael

Bitter Root Mysteries, Book 5

Tule Publishing (October 7, 2025)

A missing woman. A small-town sheriff. A cold case no one wants solved.

Twenty years ago, a young hiker vanished in the Montana wilderness. No body. No suspects. No answers. New sheriff Zak Waller has always believed it was murder—now, he finally has the power to prove it. But without evidence, he’s chasing a ghost.

Then, a new death shakes Lost Trail, drawing investigative journalist Joelle Medler into town. For years she’s been convinced the missing hiker’s disappearance is part of something bigger. As she and Zak uncover long-buried secrets, someone else is watching—someone who has kept the truth hidden for almost two decades and is willing to kill again to keep it that way.

The deeper they dig, the deadlier the investigation becomes. Can Zak and Joelle expose the past before someone else dies?

A gripping police procedural with small-town intrigue and heart-pounding twists—perfect for fans of C.J. Box and Karin Slaughter.

BUY LINKS AND EXCERPT

Bitter Past – Tule Publishing Group |

REVIEW

Small town mystery with likeable characters and an interesting plot. I liked that I did not know who the killer was. So happy to return to the Bitter Root series. Characters from previous books make appearances but this can be read as a standalone. The other books are wonderful so definitely check them out if you haven’t read them. Good read!

Note: It is part pf a series, but you can read it as a stand-alone.

Reviewed by Comfy Chair Books/Lisa Reigel (September 24, 2025)

eARC provided by publisher

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today Bestselling author C. J. Carmichael has written over 45 novels in her favorite genres of romance and mystery. She has been nominated twice for the Romance Writers of America RITA Award, as well as RT Bookclub’s Career Achievement in Romantic Suspense award, and the Bookseller’s Best honor.

She gave up the thrills of income tax forms and double entry book-keeping in 1998 when she sold her first book to Harlequin Superromance. Since then she has published over 35 novels with Harlequin and is currently working on a series of western romances with Tule Publishing. In addition C. J. Carmichael has published several cozy mystery series as an Indie author.

When not writing C. J. enjoys family time with her grown daughters and her husband. Family dinners are great. Even better are the times they spend hiking in the Rocky Mountains around their home in Calgary, and relaxing at their cottage on Flathead Lake, Montana.

Visit C.J.’s website at http://CJCarmichael.com

https://www.facebook.com/authorcjcarmichael

https://twitter.com/cj_carmichael