She Treads Softly: Dead Woman Walking

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Dead Woman Walking

Dead Woman Walking by Carolyn Arnold
2/25/26; 304 pages
Bookouture
Detective Amanda Steele #15

Dead Woman Walking by Carolyn Arnold is a highly recommended procedural and the 15th book in the Amanda Steele series set in Woodbridge, Virginia. This continues to be an excellent series.

Detective Amanda Steel and her partner Trent Stenson are investigating the murder of Christine Lane, a real estate agent. After Amanda's half-brother Spencer calls her worried because he can't get a hold of his girlfriend, Christine, she and Trent get permission to look into it. Their inquiry results in Christine's body being found in a house she was showing. Spencer is immediately on the suspect list, along with others, because of his relationship with her. The house where the body was found is owned by caustic lawyer Dominique Sharp, who certainly also has enemies.

The Amanda Steel series continues to be a well-written, excellent series of procedurals. The novel moves at a fast pace and is well plotted as the investigation logically follows clues and discoveries. The tension increases as the investigation continues to look at new suspects, lines of inquiry, and unexpected information. Even though this is the 15th book in the series, it can be appreciated as a standalone novel, especially for fans of procedurals who are carefully following the investigations rather than personalities.

At this point fans of the series know Amanda and Trent, but those new to it will appreciate the intelligent, likable characters. They always logically follow the lades provided by the information they discover. This wasn't my favorite case the two have solved, but it is always enjoyable to join in one of their investigations.

Dead Woman Walking is a great choice for readers who enjoy fast-paced, engaging police procedurals. Thanks to Bookouture for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.