Connie’s Quick Quack review of Deadly Gift (The Flynn Brothers Trilogy, Book 3) by Heather Graham
Romantic Suspense released by MIRA 1 Dec 08

Heather Graham is an old hand at giving you a story you want to read and this is no exception. 

Caer is spending Christmas with strangers to help protect Sean O’Riley – a man who seems to be threatened and they must figure out by whom, or he could end up dead

Sean goes to the old country for a visit and takes sick about the same time his business partner disappears.  Sean is accompanied by Zach Flynn, an old family friend and someone the family trusts to guard Sean. Zach stays to help unravel the mystery.  Sean has trouble believing someone wants to hurt him and is reluctant to believe his longtime friend is dead.

Sean’s daughter is sure he married an evil gold-digger and, since the woman is about her age, you figure she married for money, but is she evil? This is one of the questions you must answer to unravel the mystery.

It turns out this is not a new idea and the answers are old and long planned. Since I love serial killers I missed Zach’s brothers and was not sure where this story would go but it was worth getting there and I’m sorry I missed the other two books in the trilogy.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Zachary Flynn is off to Ireland to escort an old friend, Sean O’Riley, home to Rhode Island after a bout of illness in the land of his birth. Zach has no idea he’ll be coming home with far more than old friends. While Zach doubts that murder was intended, he must accept the possibility, since Sean’s business partner has gone missing. Caer, a woman with an agency in Ireland, knows that Sean’s life is in danger, and she takes on the role of Sean’s nurse to stay close to him. Zach doesn’t trust her anymore than he trusts the third partner in the sailing and charter business, his wife, the cops, or the man in the moon.

But if Sean is to make another Christmas, especially after receiving a strange gift in the mail, he knows he has to find the truth behind the mist that comes in the night, and the strange whispers of ancient Ireland that tease him in the darkness.

No excerpt available at the time this review was written.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Dying For You (The Protectors Series) by Beverly Barton
Romantic Suspense released by HQN on 1 Dec 08

Lucie is a private security agent and wants a fresh start away from Sawyer McNamara. She no longer craves his forgiveness for something she did not do. 

Lucie takes a job guarding wealthy Cara Bedell, from Barton’s earlier Protectors novels. Cara has money to burn and suffers from unrequited love because the man she loves wants to take care of his wife.

While guarding Cara, Lucie is kidnapped in a case of mistaken identity and everyone must try to determine why someone wanted to kidnap Cara and try to find Lucie before it is to late.  Sawyer can’t seem to get over Lucie but will risk his life to help save hers. They keep the mistake in the kidnappings covered up because they know if the kidnappers find out they have the wrong person they will kill her.

These are not new characters but ones you would not want to miss. I’m sure everyone will hate to see this series end, so grab it and enjoy it while you can.

Grade: B+

Summary:

All private security agent Lucie Evans wants is a fresh start – and the chance to show Sawyer McNamara, her unforgiving ex-boss, that she no longer craves absolution for a crime she didn’t commit. So when she’s offered a trip to South America as the personal bodyguard to a billionaire heiress, Lucie jumps at the prospect of leaving the Dundee Agency behind. But then she’s kidnapped in a case of mistaken identity, and her only hope of survival rests with the one man she never wanted to see again…

Sawyer has spent years convincing himself that all he feels for Lucie is contempt – but with her life on the line, he’s forced to face the passion that has always sizzled between them. Yet it might be a case of too little, too late. Because Lucie’s captor is still on the loose…and he won’t rest until Lucie is silenced once and for all.

Read an excerpt (I had to highlight the text with my mouse to see it).

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Casting Spells by Barbara Bretton
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Berkley Trade 4 Nov 08

Chloe Hobbs lives in Sugar Maple — a picture-perfect little town with all kinds of characters living there — and is the daughter of a sorcerer’s daughter.  Chloe has not yet come into her powers, so she is the only “normal” person living in Sugar Maple.  That is, until a visitor is murdered and a “normal” cop is sent to check it out. 

The town depends on Chloe to keep the cop in the dark and they all warn her she must not fall for a “normal” man. Chloe needs to get her powers to keep the town safe because the protection her family has been maintaining is getting weaker, and there is a power struggle on.

There are some strange goings on in this town but you will want to check out the knitting shop where your yarn never tangles (wish that shop was here!) and enjoy the light-hearted story with a bit of suspense and a touch of other-worldly fun.  A good, but not great, story to read next to the fire if you’re looking for some quick, escapist entertainment.

Grade: C

Summary:

Magic. Knitting. Love.

Sugar Maple looks like any Vermont town, but it’s inhabited with warlocks, sprites, vampires, witches—and an ancient secret. And Chloe Hobbs, owner of Sticks & String, a popular knitting shop, has a big secret too. She’s a sorcerer’s daughter in search of Mr. Right—and she’s found him in Luke MacKenzie, a cop investigating Sugar Maple’s very first murder. Bad news is he’s 100% human, which could spell disaster for a normal future with a paranormal woman like her.

Read an excerpt (scroll down).

Connie’s Quick Quack review of A Single Thread by Marie Bostwick
Contemporary women’s fiction released by Kensington 30 Oct 08

When Evelyn Dixon’s marriage ends abruptly she is at a loss until she takes a trip to a totally new town and finds the perfect (to her) spot to open her dream quilt shop. 

All the locals think she won’t have enough business to last six months but Evelyn is determined to try. Like all best laid plans many things go wrong and the business is indeed threatened. And it happens at a time that Evelyn’s health is not good.  New friends decide to help her keep the shop going.

Liza is troubled after the death of her mother and she is thrust on her aunt and both have a hard time with that. Aunt Abigail is wealthy but her feelings are kept under strict control. Liza blames Abigail for not trying to help her mother and is determined to make the situation as unpleasant as possible.

This is a small town with some really nice people. I don’t quilt but the story is compelling enough that it doesn’t matter.  All women need to be aware of the fight against breast cancer and how to help beat it. Everyone should find a character they like and enjoy the story.

Grade: B

Summary:

Marie’s fourth book, A SINGLE THREAD, will be her first contemporary novel. The November trade paperback tells the story of a displaced Texas homemaker who moves to Connecticut and pursues her dream of opening a quilt shop. But, on the day the shop opens, the owner discovers she has breast cancer. She survives, with the loving help of her friends.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Nightwalker (Dark Days, Book 1) by Jocelynn Drake
Urban fantasy released by Eos 29 Jul 08

Mira has been a vampire a long time. She is a bit of a rebel but enforces the rules in her little part of the world. She is different than other vampires as she has an elemental mastery over fire. Then a vampire hunter comes to town and he and Mira must make an uneasy pact to try to stop the naturi from breaking a seal and taking over. 

Mira must contact her old mentor and her maker to help defeat the naturi. No one is sure who to trust and no one is exactly what they seem.

You will find a few interesting characters but not necessarily one you will feel compelled to follow. I was compelled to finish the book after dragging along but would gladly follow the characters I liked by word of mouth.

Grade: D+

Summary:

For centuries Mira has been a nightwalker–an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fire sets her apart from others of her night-prowling breed…and may be all that prevents her doom.The foe she now faces is human: the vampire hunter called Danaus, who has already destroyed so many undead. For Mira, the time has come to hunt…or be hunted.

But in a dimension just beyond the world’s boundaries, a banished race stirs dangerously, hungry for power, for domination, for vengeance. Already a protective seal has been breached: already blood flows like a river through the world’s great cities.

And only the collaboration of two sworn enemies can save humankind…and its feral brethren.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Thread of Fear by Laura Griffin
Romantic Suspense released from Pocket Star on 30 Sept 08

Fiona Glass is a forensic artist and is the best in the business, but the things she sees haunt her.  She feels she needs to get out of this work and concentrate on her art.  However, Jack Bowman has a cop’s instinct and won’t take “no” for an answer and drags her into his case. 

Jack did not intend to bring Fiona so far into his case, or into his life, but he does both and can’t back away. Together they must uncover a small town’s secrets and expose the evil that lives there.

Fiona seems to have a a talent for getting the most from a witness.  She helps a young witness and they find his life is in danger.  Fiona can’t leave him to fend for himself and puts her own life in danger.

I don’t remember reading Laura Griffin before and, if you haven’t either, you might want to check her out. This story had some engaging characters.  I’m going to check out the next story and add her to my to-be-bought list.

Grade: B

Forensic artist Fiona Glass is the best in the business — which is precisely why she’s quitting. Her skill at mining victims’ memories to re-create the faces of sadistic criminals has left her haunted and wary, and only Jack Bowman’s dogged persistence convinces her to help him. The rugged police chief is hunting a serial killer who’s targeting teenage girls. But what seems like a simple assignment is fraught with complications, including a searing attraction to Jack that’s tempting Fiona to let her guard down in potentially dangerous ways.

Jack never intended for Fiona to become so deeply involved in the case — or in his life. But every instinct tells him she’s his best hope for finding a psychopath who’s lurking in plain sight, growing more ruthless with each passing day. And now that Fiona is right in the killer’s crosshairs, the only way to keep her safe is to unravel a small town’s darkest secrets, one terrifying thread at a time….

Read an excerpt (scroll down).

Connie’s Quick Quack Review of A Cedar Cove Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Contemporary Romance hardcover released by MIRA 1 Oct 08

We have an extra book in this series to enjoy for Christmas.

Mary Jo Wyse’s three brothers have finally decided to kidnap that the cad who got their sister pregnant and left her high and dry. They’re determined to force him make an “honest woman” of her.

Mary Jo decides to warn the cad before her brothers get to him because she doesn’t want to be forced into a marriage neither want. Of course, Mary Jo is stranded at Grace’s when there is no place for her to stay and then she goes into labor. Meanwhile, her brothers run around the Cedar Cove streets looking for her. Luckily for her there’s medical help at Grace’s – yummy Mack McAfee.

This is a quick enjoyable visit to the Cove and a reminder of the real Christmas story, with all the the similarities in the stories.

Grab a mug of hot chocolate and enjoy the visit and root for Mary Jo to end up happy, without the cad.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Mother-to-be Mary Jo Wyse arrives in Cedar Cove on Christmas Eve, searching for her baby’s father. David Rhodes had said he’d be in town. But he isn’t. Which leaves Mary Jo stranded, pregnant and alone. And there’s no room at the local inn….

So Grace Harding brings Mary Jo home to her nearby ranch. She and her husband, Cliff, have a houseful of guests, but they offer her a room over their stable (currently sheltering the animals – including a donkey and a camel – for Cedar Cove’s Nativity pageant!).

When Mary Jo goes into labor that night, a young man named Mack McAfee, a paramedic, comes to her rescue, just as her brothers – the three Wyse men – show up in town. The people of Cedar Cove join them in celebrating the birth of baby Noel. But no one has more to celebrate than Mack. Because this Christmas brings him faith, hope and love…

Read an excerpt scroll down.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Sweetheart (The Beauty Killer, Book 2) by Chelsea Cain
Mystery thriller hardcover released by St. Martin’s Minotaur 2 Sep 08

Archie is back, and addicted to pain pills, when another girl is found in the park where Gretchen’s first victim was discovered. He’s managed to get back with Debbie and is not visiting Gretchen when this victim is found. Then, Archie is forced to see Gretchen again when she is attacked in the prison where she was incarcerated at the end of Book 1.

Henry goes behind Archie’s back and arranges to get Gretchen moved far away from Archie. All Henry has actually done is play into Gretchen’s hands and she escapes while being moved – she has found new lovers to do her bidding.

Susan is back, with another hair color, and we see a lot more of her mother than we need to when, because of Gretchen’s escape, they and Archie’s family are forced to go into hiding. Problem is Archie is in liver failure and wants to end the threat to his family – so he has a plan…

Archie’s story is a sad one. He is actually someone who cares. Gretchen targets him and a family is ruined because of her sick desires.

Cut Archie a little slack and enjoy the book. I love a good serial killer and Gretchen certainly fits the need, and then some. I enjoyed this book more than the first so be sure to check out Archie’s plan!

Grade: A

Summary:

With Heartsick, Chelsea Cain took the crime world by storm, introducing two of the most compelling characters in decades: serial killer Gretchen Lowell and her obsessed pursuer Portland Detective Archie Sheridan. The book spent four weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and garnered rave reviews around the world. But the riveting story of Archie and Gretchen was left unfinished, and now Chelsea Cain picks up the tale again.

When the body of a young woman is discovered in Portland’s Forest Park, Archie is reminded of the last time they found a body there, more than a decade ago: it turned out to be the Beauty Killer’s first victim, and Archie’s first case. This body can’t be one of Gretchen’s—she’s in prison—but after help from reporter Susan Ward uncovers the dead woman’s identity, it turns into another big case. Trouble is, Archie can’t focus on the new investigation because the Beauty Killer case has exploded: Gretchen Lowell has escaped from prison.

Archie hadn’t seen her in two months; he’d moved back in with his family and sworn off visiting her. Though it should feel like progress, he actually feels worse. The news of her escape spreads like wildfire, but secretly, he’s relieved. He knows he’s the only one who can catch her, and in fact, he has a plan to get out from under her thumb once and for all.

Chelsea Cain has topped her own bestselling debut thriller with this unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat story.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Mass market paperback released 29 Jul 08

Connie’s Quick Quack Review of Left To Die by Lisa Jackson
Romantic Suspense released by Zebra 1 Aug 08

Lisa Jackson is a long time favorite author of mine, one I followed from romance to suspense. She is an author who more often than not delivers a great story and an entertaining one. I am happy to say Left to Die was a book that kept me turning the pages wanting to know what happens next and surprising me.

Jillian is lured to a small town when someone tries to tell her her first husband is still alive. When her tire is shot out, it is feared she has become the victim of a serial killer who strands women, pretends to rescue them and then ties them to a tree to become a victim of the brutal winter weather. Jillian is rescued by a man who does not trust the police; is he her rescuer or the serial killer trying to win her trust, then kill her?

Two totally different women cops are on the trail of the killer (with no leads), when Jillian turns up. Another victim is found before she dies and rushed to a hospital, where it is hoped she will have more information on the killer.

Jillian and her rescuer try to find out who wants her dead when it is discovered that she is not a victim of the serial killer.

As usual, Lisa Jackson delivers with a good book but this one could have been a little less lengthy. Don’t let the length stop you! But do be warned–the end has a cliffhanger and a year long wait for the next book.

Grade: B-

NOTHING’S MORE TERRIFYING…  One by one, the victims are carefully captured, toyed with, then subjected to a slow and agonizing death. Piece by piece, his exquisite plan takes shape. The police can’t yet see the beauty in his work–but soon, very soon, they will…

THAN BEING LEFT ALONE…  In the lonely woods around Grizzly Falls, Montana, four bodies have been discovered. Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli have been hoping for a career-making case, but this is a nightmare. Even with the FBI involved, Selena and Regan have nothing to go on but a killer’s cryptic notes, and the unsettling knowledge that there is much worse to come…

TO DIE…  When Jillian Rivers opens her eyes, she’s trapped in a mangled car. Then a stranger, claiming to be a trail guide named Zane MacGregor, pries her free. Though she’s grateful, something about him sets Jillian on edge. And if she knew what lay out there in the woods of Montana, she’d be truly terrified. Because someone is waiting…watching…poised to strike and make Jillian the next victim…

Read an excerpt here.

Connie’s Quick Quack Review of 8 Sandpiper Way (Cedar Cove, Book 8 ) by Debbie Macomber
Contemporary Romance released by MIRA 1 Sep 08

Everyone will want to join on this trip to Cedar Cove. Debbie Macomber has a great way of creating a feeling where the reader gets a chance to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones.
The minister’s wife thinks he is having an affair and he is reluctant to tell her where he is. So the suspicions grow and then he has some stolen jewelry in his pocket that he can’t explain.

Olivia has her surgery for cancer and the sheriff is trying to patch things up with Faith now that his daughter has regained her emotional footing. Megan also finds out that she is pregnant again. When Megan goes to the doctor she meets a woman she decides would be just right for her father but unfortunately it is Faith with her twice broken heart.

No one will want to miss dropping by Cedar Cove again, so sit back and enjoy the book. I know I stayed up late reading.

Grade: B+

Dear Reader,

I have something to confide in you. I think my husband, Dave, might be having an affair. I found an earring in his pocket, and it’s not mine. I’m also worried because some jewelry was recently stolen from an old woman—and Dave used to visit her a lot.

You see, he’s a pastor. And a good man. I can’t believe he’s guilty of anything, but why won’t he tell me where he’s been when he comes home so late?

Reader, I’d love to hear what you think. I also want to tell you what’s going on with your other friends in Cedar Cove. Like Sheriff Troy Davis, to mention one. His long-ago love, Faith Beckwith, just moved here!

So come on in and join me for a cup of tea.

Emily Flemming

Read an excerpt here.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Then You Hide (The Bullet Catchers, Book 6) by Roxanne St. Claire
Contemporary romantic suspense released by Pocket Star 24 Jun 08

Bullet Catcher Wade Cordell is assigned to track down a woman on a Caribbean vacation to get her to meet her birth mother and see if she can help save the woman’s life. Vanessa has known she was adopted and that her birth mother was in jail for murder and wants no part of meeting or helping her and has her own agenda for her vacation and leads Wade on a merry chase.  Vanessa is an extremely strong willed person and hates her birth mother. 

Wade is just as determined to get Vanessa back in time to help her birth mother.  Vanessa is determined to help her friend but someone doesn’t want her to find him or uncover what he found and is trying to hide from.

The Bullet Catchers are a good series and this book was a good read. There are some rather strange characters and some you’ll really like. This series is one to check out.

Grade: B

Summary:

When Bullet Catcher Wade Cordell is offered a cushy assignment to track down a woman on vacation in the Caribbean and persuade her to meet her birth mother, the secret ops sharpshooter decides it’s the perfect antidote to his stressful job. Except spirited and sassy Vanessa Porter isn’t on vacation, she’s on a hunt for a friend who has disappeared. Wade’s news doesn’t faze a woman who swims with the sharks on Wall Street — Vanessa knows she’s adopted and has no intention of meeting or helping the woman who gave her up in a black market scheme. But as it becomes clear that her missing friend is deep in hiding and deeper in trouble, Vanessa strikes a shaky bargain with the sexy bodyguard who’s an expert at finding people who don’t want to be found. How high a price will she have to pay the Bullet Catcher willing to put his life on the line for her? Will she sacrifice her pride . . . her heart . . . even her life?

Other books in this series:

Connie’s Quick Quack review of The Healer by Sharon Sala
Contemporary paranormal romantic suspense released by Mira 1 Apr 08

Jonah Gray Wolf appeared out of nowhere and has a connection to animals no one can explain and he is also a healer. This gift puts him and anyone he cares about in great danger because a man he once helped will do anything to get him in his power.

Jonah helps Luce by healing her dog and finds a kindred soul. Since winter is coming Jonah decides to go to ground in this little town where he thinks he will be safe for a little while but there is always someone hunting him for the reward on his head.

When Jonah’s gift draws attention to him he knows it is only a matter of time but this time instead of running he is making a stand for himself and Luce.

This was a quick read but good after you get into it. Sharon Sala is usually a good read.

Grade: B-

Summary:

It is a gift that may cost him everything

All his life, Jonah Gray Wolf has had an uncanny connection to animals and the power to heal the sick and wounded. Driven from the only home he’s ever known by those who wish to harness his gift for profit, he becomes a drifter, working in out-of-the-way towns, never staying long. It’s a lonely life, but Jonah knows he’s still being hunted-he can’t afford to get close to anyone who might learn his secret.

In West Virginia he finds Luce, a tough but beautiful loner who knows all about keeping people at a distance-a kindred soul with whom he might dare to make a life. But the hunters have caught Jonah’s scent again. Danger is coming to their mountain refuge-a confrontation that will be decided only by a force of nature.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Sundays at Tiffany’s by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
Contemporary fantasy romance hardcover released by Little, Brown 28 Apr 08

Jane Margaux grew up as a lonely single daughter of a Broadway producer.  She really only saw her mother on Sundays when they went to Tiffany’s together. She was never the “beautiful daughter” everyone expected her mother to have and was a little on the chubby side. Jane had an invisible friend named Michael who kept her company and got her through the lonely years until her ninth birthday and then he had to leave her to go to help some other lonely child. 

Years later Jane is as lonely as ever, even though she had success with the play she did about her relationship with Michael. Then Jane meets a man – it’s Michael! They start to spend time together but both are afraid he will have to leave again since he has never before met the adult version of a child he’s helped.

They spend time together and deepen their bond. Michael is afraid he was sent to help Jane through her death, so he breaks both of their hearts and leaves her, thinking to forestall her death.

This was a quick,easy read but you were happy for the characters and did not want Jane to leave him. There is a surprise twist to the end but you will enjoy getting there.

Grade: A

Read other reviews by clicking on the Sundays at Tiffany’s tag.

Summary:

As a little girl, Jane has no one. Her mother, the powerful head of a Broadway theater company, has no time for her. She does have one friend-a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael-but only she can see him.

Years later, Jane is in her thirties and just as alone as ever. Then she meets Michael again-as handsome, smart and perfect as she remembers him to be. But not even Michael knows the reason they’ve really been reunited.

SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY’S is a love story with an irresistible twist, a novel about the child inside all of us-and the boundary-crossing power of love.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s review of Triple Exposure by Colleen Thompson
Romantic Suspense released by Leisure 29 Jul 08

Photographer Rachel Copeland returns to her hometown of Marfa to escape a scandal and heal. Rachel was accused of killing a 19 year old stalker whose mother garnered a lot of public sympathy and gets Rachel tried in his death when Rachel was really a victim. Rachel must confront her jealous, unfriendly stepmother while trying to make a new life for herself.

Zeke is trying to hide from a tragic past but is drawn into Rachel’s life and her her problems. After so long being alone Zeke can’t help himself caring for Rachel while trying to stay hidden. Everyone thinks the kids mother is the one trying to harm Rachel since she fell apart on her sons death.

Marfa seems pretty small but you run into some unexpected strengths along the way. Rachel comes to terms with her stepmother, her tragedy and finally realizes what is important to her and Zeke realizes you can’t hide from your past that you must confront it and go on from there.

I enjoyed reading the story and especially Rachel’s grandmother. Tragic times lead to a sad story for one of the characters. Good book.

Grade: B

A mother’s love. A son’s life snuffed out. A killer at large. Snapshots of reality, except sometimes layered images do not add up to a whole picture of the truth.

Better than anyone, photographer Rachel Copeland knows the camera can lie. That’s how lurid altered pictures of her appeared on the Internet, starting a downward spiral that ended with her shooting a nineteen-year-old stalker in self-defense. Fleeing the press and the threats of an unidentified female caller, she retreats to her remote hometown in the Texas desert. In Marfa, where mysterious lights hover in the night sky, folks are used to the unexplainable, and a person’s secrets are off limits. But recluse Zeke Pike takes that philosophy even further than Rachel herself. In her viewfinder Zeke’s male sensuality is highlighted, his unexpressed longing for human contact revealed. Through a soft-focus lens, she sees a future for them beyond their red-hot affair, never guessing their relationship will expose the lovers to more danger than either can imagine.

Connie’s review of Innocent As Sin by Elizabeth Lowell
Contemporary romantic suspense hardcover release by William Morrow 19 Jun 07
Massmarket paperback release by Avon 29 Apr 08 (book links to mmppb)

Contemporary romantic suspense often walks a fine line between the various elements that make them up. How to be contemporary without overloading on technical details. How to be romantic without sacrificing the suspense. How to be suspenseful without sacrificing the romance. This book didn’t do such a good balancing job.

All seems to be going well for Kayla Shaw until she barely escapes being kidnapped and accused of money laundering for a wealthy client. After five terrible years, Rand McCree may finally be able to get the man who killed his twin. The man who killed Rand’s brother is an international criminal and Kayla is slated to be his next victim.

Kayla decides to fight back and Rand needs her to get to the hated enemy so they join forces to stop him. Some people are realy evil and need to be stopped before more innocent people are hurt.

After more about gun-running and banking than I ever cared to know, they are trying to stay one step ahead and aren’t sure if they wil stop the evil but are willing to die trying. While they seemed to fall together pretty quickly, they forged a pretty good bond. Unfortunately, it wasn’t all that believable or interesting to me.

I’d recommend this book only to fans of the author (of which there are tons – she’s a good author – better than this book indicates).

Grade C-

Book summary:

One day Kayla Shaw was an underpaid and under-appreciated private banker in Arizona. The next day, someone tried to kidnap her.One day Rand McCree was painting daffodils in the Pacific Northwest rain. The next day, St. Kilda Consulting offered him something he’d wanted for five years: the name of his twin brother’s murderer.

Kayla had nowhere to turn, nowhere to run, no one to believe that she wasn’t a money launderer hiding hundreds of millions of dollars.

She was trapped.

Until Rand McCree appeared, offering safety. For a price.

Kayla didn’t want to trust him, but had no real choice. No police would believe that she had been set up, that she was innocent. And no civilian alone could stand against the international criminal who wanted her dead.

Even her own government was suspect.

Rand trusted Kayla as much as he trusted anybody-not much-but what he really wanted was revenge for his brother’s death. Everything else came last.

Then the man who had killed Rand’s brother sent a killer after Kayla Shaw. The violence of the past exploded into the present, leaving only a future that might be too dangerous to survive….

Read an excerpt (nice long one)

Connie’s review of Don’t Turn Around by Hunter Morgan
Romantic Suspense released by Zebra 1 Jul 08

I have been a fan of Hunter Morgan’s since her ‘She’ll Never’ series in 2004. She hasn’t let me down yet for a suspenseful read.

Casey McDaniels knows the consequences of domestic violence can be bad-really bad so when one of her clients at the hospital where she works is killed by her boyfriend Casey is determined he will pay for this. Unfortunately he is released and then Casey becomes the victim of a stalker. Casey is sure it is the killer but can’t prove it and runs into a brick wall. It seems only the bad have rights.

Casey is working, trying to care for a failing father and evade a stalker.

There are quite a few characters in this book. Some of the ones who aren’t big players are pretty likable. Casey’s father is frustrated by illness and rather grumpy but adds some comic relief and actually comes through for Casey when she needs him most. Both of Casey’s lawyers seem to be off a bit so you must decide who is good and who is bad but it keeps you guessing. I enjoyed reading this book quite a bit.

Grade: B+

DON’T TRUST ANYONE…  Casey McDaniel knows the unbearable consequences of domestic violence–and the darkness that can swallow a life. An advocate for victim’s rights, Casey is giving key testimony in the arraignment of the man who savagely murdered her best friend. But to her horror, he’s set free…

DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN…  He’s hiding in plain sight, following a plan that has worked before, performing each move with exact precision, waiting for the perfect moment to strike again–and this time, the victim will be Casey McDaniels…

AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T TURN AROUND…  At first, Casey suspects her friend’s killer is following her. She’s receiving threats over the phone and bizarre messages in the mail–strange, childlike drawings of human eyes. But then Casey starts to have doubts. Could someone else be stalking her? As Casey enters a deadly cat-and-mouse game, she soon comes face-to-face with her stalker–and her worst nightmare…

Connie’s review of Fast Track (The Sisterhood: Rules of the Game, Book 3) by Fern Michaels
Romantic Suspense mass market release by Zebra 1 Jul 08

In this Sisterhood book, the girls are approached to help the World Bank with a matter of missing money that should have helped poor countries but they also want to keep this from the world press. The start of the book finds the sisters leaving their mountain retreat to return to Washington at the British Embassy, which has been emptied for them.

I like all the tricks Charles has up his sleeves. Unfortunately the empty embassy does not go unnoticed and raises questions with Ted and some fellow reporters who just want a story and get back to important matters. Their idea of a solution sends shock waves and terror through the community.

The girls are trying to rush their mission through so they can disappear again and not be recaptured. They meet one of the main squeezes of the man they want and proceed to get her help in bringing this nab down.

I like this series and this was no exception but I felt like in the end the guy did not get enough of what he deserved. Maybe I’m blood thirsty but when you steal food from a hungry child’s mouth you deserve the worst that can happen to you.

Grade: B

WHEN YOU NEED THE BEST, YOU NEED THE SISTERHOOD…It’s been years since the members of the Sisterhood first banded together, with the help of their mentor Charles Martin, to exact their own form of justice on those whose crimes had gone unpunished by the legal system. Now, back in the United States after an enforced exile, and ensconced in a new home on Big Pine Mountain in North Carolina, Myra, Kathryn, Annie, Alexis, Isabelle, Yoko, and Nikki are breathing easy at last-but not for long. One dark night, under cover of a vicious storm, a helicopter lands on their mountain. The Sisters aren’t about to wait to be ambushed. Braving the storm, they set out to greet their guests, only to be told by Charles that the mysterious visitors are the Sisterhood’s new employers, and they’ve got a dangerous new assignment in mind. The task they face is daunting. If they succeed, the Sisterhood will be rewarded beyond their wildest dreams. If they fail, they’ll forfeit much more than a paycheck. But if the Ladies of Pinewood have learned one thing over the course of their adventures, it’s that when friends band together, miracles can happen…

Connie’s review of Dark Matter by Cameron Cruise (no author site avbl)
Romantic suspense released by Mira 1 Jul 08

One by one the Indigo children are disappearing and turning up dead. Seven and his partner Erica are to work with the FBI to try to stop a set of psychic twins before they can kill more. Seven must now work with a psychic from another case and her daughter Stella who is picking up her own “ghost.”

FBI Agent Carin Barnes is pushed to solve this case and hope to help her autistic brother in his silent world. Carin has already risked her career to help him and is not about to stop now but one of the evil twins has already been trying to meld their minds together to create greater power and finally reach the goal their father has pushed them toward since his wife died.

Unfortunately Gia’s daughter is coming into her own as a psychic and has picked up a ghost boy who later turns out not to be dead but he sticks with her and she is trying to help him since he will not leave her alone. Stella wanted to be normal but coming from a family of strong psychics means this is not an option.

I bought the first in this series and did not finish it. I found both books to be a little weird and they did not move well enough to keep my interest. This book seemed to pick up about half way through but I found the whole concept rather weird. I am not in line for the next book of the series. I feel this author has put out much better other books…

I bought the first of this series new and never did finish it. This book seemed to really drag until about half way through and then seemed to pick up but I do not think psychics are that nutty.

Grade:D-

There are those among us whose mental capacity is so evolved that they are able to tap into abilities that are beyond this world. Often diagnosed as autistic, these medical marvels have led quiet lives, ignored by science.

Until now.

One by one, these special “Indigo children” are disappearing and turning up dead. Now a boy handcuffed in a basement awaits his turn while two predators fulfill a mission for a madman.

Caring for her own autistic brother, FBI agent Carin Barnes is driven to find the missing boy and hunt down his abductors—psychic twins Adam and Evie. At the command of their father, the pair are collecting children for torturous experiments he believes will lead to the evolution of the human race.

But in order to succeed, they need one powerful element…something that Carin and her brother possess…matter that elevates some minds to the highest levels of intelligence—and drags others to the deepest pits of hell.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s review of No One Left To Tell by Jordan Dane
Romantic suspense released from Avon 29 Apr 08

The body of a brutally slain man is found by a priest in a chapel. Detective Raven Montgomery and her partner are trying to find who would do such a thing and when they found who the guy works for they have to toe the line. Mickey worked in security for a crime family. Christian Delacorte is the liaison to the crime family but he has the skills to have killed Mickey.

Rebecca and Christian must hunt out the truth about his past to find out who wanted to start this vendetta since the head of the crime family finds out her sins have come back to bite her.

Christian does not remember a lot about the night his family was killed and Fiona does not want him to find out what she has done. Christian is really hurt by her betrayal and it causes a rift between them that Fiona only hopes time will heal.

There are plenty of bad guys here and one develops an obsession with Rebecca and wants her along with trying to carry out orders on the vendetta and Christian must try to save them all.

I thought the hunk guy would not work a second time but Jordan Dane manages to make a guy you want to come out on top after all he has been through. I enjoyed this book and now I am on my 3rd Jordan Dane book which should tell the rest of Christian’s story.

If you have not tried this author you might want to. These are page turners!

Grade: B+

Summary:

A Dark Message…  The body of a brutally slain man is found on the holy grounds of a chapel, and a cryptic message pinned to his chest unravels the lives of people touched by a dark secret. Detective Raven Mackenzie and her partner uncover the dead man’s connection to a powerful female crime boss, leading them to her mysterious head of security, Christian Delacorte, who soon becomes the prime suspect.

Triggers His Nightmares…  Yet when Raven sifts through Christian’s past, she discovers the man is plagued by deeply rooted nightmares—and a shadowy childhood tragedy linking him to the case. Convinced his past holds the key to finding the real killer, she defies her partner, following her gut instincts and trusting her undeniable bond with Christian.

And Arouses a Killer…  But Raven shares her own date with destiny when she crosses paths with a heartless killer. And when he unleashes his rage, there will be no one left to tell.

Read an excerpt. 

Connie’s review of No One Heard Her Scream by Jordan Dane
Romantic Suspense released from Avon 25 Mar 08

This book is set in San Antonio and features a female detective whose sister was abducted and killed and no one was ever caught. Understandably she wants to be in on the investigation but her superior feels she is too close to the case.

When the body of a young girl is found interred in an old theater it becomes important to find out what happened to her and give her family a sense of closure. While on the search for what happened to the girl she meets the most delectable man who leaves her white roses on her fire escape.

Diego Galvin is rich and a hunk but is he involved with what is going on in the city? Rebeccca found him at the crime scene and then finds him when she talks to the wealthy man who once owned the theater and he pretends to just meet her. I he to good to be true?

There is no shortage of suspects and no shortage of really bad people and Diego and Rebecca seem to be caught in the middle .I really enjoyed this book and even the Hunk was one you want to be one of the good guys.Hope to see more of this author.

I really enjoyed this book and even the Hunk captures you as he did Rebecca. How many men even know what flowers are?

Grade: B+

Burdened by Grief, She Hunts a Killer

They never found her sister’s body, but Detective Rebecca Montgomery knows her murderer is still out there. In the five months since Danielle went missing, there have been two more brutal abductions. A savage menace stalks the women of San Antonio, and the relentless detective will do anything to find him.

And a Seductive Stranger Shadows Her Every Move

But her latest case—the discovery of a young woman’s remains inside the wall of a burned-down theater—plunges Rebecca from her grief into a brand-new nightmare. She soon meets handsome, mysterious Diego Galvan at the crime scene, and his shadowy connections will lead to her first break in both cases. But when Rebecca submits to his considerable powers of seduction, she will leave herself vulnerable to a merciless killer . . . and when he attacks, no one will hear her scream.

Connie’s Review Mercy Street (Mercy Street Foundation, Book 1) by Mariah Stewart
Romantic Suspense released from Ballantine (Hardcover) 13 May 08

When a scandal forces Mallory Russo to quit the police department, she decides to write a true crime book. However, her heart lies in investigating the crime and she agrees to help a grandmother find her grandson who is suspected of murder and has been missing since the incident.

While checking out the crime scene she runs into the new detective who is assigned to take over the case. Together they hope to be able to bring the matter into the open and give several people some closure.

The priest where the kids go to school has a wealthy cousin who no longer has any interest in life after the loss of his wife and only child. Hoping to resolve the matter, he agrees to pay for Mallory to look into it. Mallory and the detective bring the matter to a successful conclusion, bringing closure to the wealthy cousin and giving him a new lease on life.

Mallory is a well-drawn character who became the victim of a couple of people who called themselves cops. Eventually they are found out but the damage was done. The new cop on the local police force, Charlie returns to his dying hometown only out of obligation to his family. Both of the main characters were enjoyable and figured out how to carry on when life dealt them some bad blows. I enjoyed reading this book.

Grade: B

Summary:

On a balmy spring evening, four high school seniors–three boys and a girl–enter a park in the small Pennsylvania city of Conroy. The next morning, two of the boys are found shot to death, and the girl and the third boy are gone. After three weeks with no leads and no sign of either of the two missing teenagers, the chief of police begins to wonder if they too were victims. But with no other suspects, the authorities conclude that one of these kids was the shooter.

The missing boy’s grandmother, a secretary at the local parish church, maintains his innocence. On her behalf, the parish priest, Father Kevin Burch, hires former detective Mallory Russo as a private investigator to figure out what happened in the park that night. Mallory had ended her nine-year stint with the Conroy police force some time ago after becoming a target of a smear campaign. Now a true-crime author, Mallory is surprised to receive the priest’s offer–and highly intrigued by the case. She can’t help but accept the challenge–especially when she learns that her investigation will be financed by Father Burch’s cousin the reclusive billionaire Robert Magellan, a man whose own wife and infant son disappeared without a trace a year ago, a man who understands the heartache of not knowing what happened to a loved one.

Detective Charlie Wanamaker is facing another sort of tragedy. He fled Conroy years ago with no plans to return to what he considered a dying factory town–until a family emergency brought him back. Finding the situation much worse than he’d thought, he trades his job as a big-city detective for one with the Conroy police department. Assigned to the park shooting case, Charlie quickly realizes that the initial investigation left a lot of questions unanswered. Unofficially, he teams up with Mallory to uncover the truth and find the two kids, dead or alive. What Charlie and Mallory discover will take them down a twisted path that leads to an old unsolved murder–and justice for a killer with a heart of stone.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s review of The Night Cafe by Taylor Smith
Thriller released from MIRA 1 Jun 08

Gun for hire Hannah Nicks agrees to take a job for her sister’s longtime friend. All Hannah needs to do is deliver a painting to a gun runner in Puerto Vallerta. This simple, well paying job goes bad when Hannah reaches the gun runners estate and finds everyone dead. Hannah hides the painting and returns to her home only to find her sister’s friend has been murdered.

Hannah finds the gun runner is alive and will go to great lengths to find his picture. Hannah is trying to figure out why he paid so much for a painting that is so unappealing, why everyone is dying and why everyone she knows is in danger from this man.

Hannah’s neighbors are a gay couple with an adopted special needs child. The guys are likeable and you don’t want to see them hurt because they are friends with Hannah.

Will Teagarden does much to explain Hannah’s problem and is an appealing characer with great charm. I like happy endings and this was mostly happy. One character was a loss and I would have enjoyed seeing him again. Over all interesting story from a new to me author I will read again.

Grade: B-

Blurb:

Hired by her sister’s friend, a gallery owner, Hannah sets out to transport a minor artist’s painting to its buyer in Puerto Vallarta. But when Hannah arrives at the delivery point, she finds the tail end of a massacre and is nearly killed herself. She hides the painting, fearing it is not a meal ticket but a death warrant, and flees back to the States.

But it only gets worse for her in L.A. The gallery owner has been killed, and Hannah is named as the murder suspect. In order to prove her innocence, she must hunt down the person who framed her…and uncover the secret of a deadly work of art.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s review of The Angel by Carla Neggers
Romantic Suspense released by Mira Books (Hardcover edition) 29 Apr 08

While in Ireland, searching for a mythic stone angel, Keira becomes trapped in a ruin. Keira’s uncle is a Boston homicide detective and is worried, so he asks Simon Cahill, who does search and rescue work, to find her. Since he’s recently been working on the take down of a major criminal network, Simon figures now would be a good time to get away for a while, and agrees to help.

Keira’s mother is a religious fanatic living in the middle of nowhere. Her daughter barely knows her, and is unaware that one of her childhood friends was murdered. Keira is an illustrator and folklorist so the stone angel idea inspires her to hunt for it while in Ireland.

Violence follows Keira and Simon to Boston and they realize evil can come in many forms.

There are quite a few characters in this story, mostly family and friends that aren’t drawn well and the reader barely gets to know. Having enjoyed Carla Neggers’ books in the past, I found myself disappointed in The Angel. I found the pace of the story slow, and when it finally does begin to pick up steam, the reader is very near the end of the story.

Grade: D

     Blurb:

     Her passion for myth and magic leads a woman into the heart of a murderous evil

     On a remote stretch of the rugged coast of Ireland, folklorist and illustrator Keira Sullivan pursues the mysterious Irish legend of an ancient Celtic stone angel. As she searches an isolated ruin, she’s certain she’s discovered the mythic angel, but before she can examine her find, she senses a malevolent presence…Is someone in there with her? Then the ruin collapses, trapping her.

     Keira’s uncle, a Boston homicide detective, enlists the help of Simon Cahill to find his missing niece. Simon, an expert with Fast Rescue, a rapid response search-and-rescue organization, is trying to keep a low profile after secretly assisting the take-down of a major criminal network, but he rushes to Ireland, pulling Keira out of the rubble just as she’s about to free herself.

     Simon isn’t interested in myths or magic, nor is he surprised when Keira can’t find a trace of her stone angel. He doesn’t believe it exists. But the gruesome evidence of a startling act of violence convinces him that whatever she found in the ruin, the danger she faces is real.

     When the violence follows them to Boston [and escalates], Simon and Keira realize that the long-forgotten story that has captivated her has also aroused a killer…a calculating predator who will certainly kill again.

     Read an excerpt.

Connie’s review of Don’t Let Go (SEALs Book 5) by Marliss Melton
Romantic Suspense from Forever Grand Central 15 Apr 08

If you are new to the author, Don’t Let Go is Book 5 in Melton’s Navy SEALs series and follows Next to Die.

When a Navy SEAL Solomon McGuire rescues heroine Jordan Bliss from Venezuela he makes her leave behind an orphan she has come to care for as her own. Later, Solomon regrets it when he finds his long lost son and reunites with him.

Jordan is determined to get Miguel back – no matter what. Solomon agrees to try and help her but she doesn’t trust him enough. The lack of trust between the two of them cause some very scary time they barely escape with their lives. There isn’t a lot of time spent on the relationship between Jordan and Solomon and in the end it feels under developed.

Since I am reading more for the suspense and less for the romance that was fine with me! I find myself really enjoying Marliss Melton’s novels and her SEALs. Good Read!

Grade: B

     DON’T GIVE UP.

     It’s love that keeps teacher Jordan Bliss up at night: the lost love for a Venezuelan orphan named Miguel…and the memory of a Navy SEAL tearing him from her arms. Now in the U.S. and longing for her child, Jordan vows to somehow, some way, bring Miguel home.

     DON’T LOOK BACK.

     To Navy SEAL Solomon McGuire, orders are orders. But the fierce passion in Jordan’s voice and the fire in her eyes when he separated her from her son haunt his dreams. Eager to make amends, Solomon promises to pull every string he can to find Miguel. Ony time will tell if Jordan can trust him and forgive him. One thing is certain: His desire for her is relentless and irresistible. And soon their indestructible love will be tested by a terrifying trap of violence…

     DON’T LET GO.

Connie’s review of Trapped by Chris Jordan
Suspense Thriller from MIRA 1 Nov 07

Jane Hartley’s 16 year old daughter fought and beat leukemia when she was a young child. And since she beat it, Kelly has been fighting her mother’s desire for her to ‘take it easy’. This all comes about in the first chapter as Jane is ‘tsk, tsk’ing a young, tattooed woman, who is too stupid to have on a helmet, while holding onto her boyfriend (with one hand!) as he recklessly drives his motorcycle on the freeway.

Of course, she is shocked to see the young woman is her daughter. Suddenly, everything Jane thought she knew about Kelly disappears faster than you can say ‘Myspace.’ Sadly their mother/daughter relationship isn’t the only thing that is missing – so is Kelly. And the police seem to think she has ran off with motorcycle driving bad boy (boyfriend?) Jane knew nothing about. [Ed. note: she is still only 16! I don't understand why that wouldn't be an issue!]

So she does the only thing she can think of doing and hires a former F.B.I. agent to help locate Kelly. And things go from bad to worse – not only did her 16 year old daughter have a boyfriend she knew nothing about, she met him online and Seth is no boy but an adult.

They are finally lead to Florida but really on their own because they keep hitting walls and no one seems to be able or want to help them. Even though Kelly is something of a brat you want her to be okay. She is a childhood survivor of leukemia, Jane’s been thru the pain once before, and there is no fear worse for any woman then losing her child.

I read this book with my breath held hoping everything would be fine. Yes this is MIRA and is published from Harlequin but make no mistake – THIS IS NOT A ROMANCE.  Honestly, that was disappointing because all the pieces were in place and it could have tied up very nicely on the romance side of things without taking away from the suspense plot, but, the author (a man) didn’t go that way.

The characters are really enjoyable – one of my favorites would be “Fish” – but it does drag in places. And gets to be too detailed and boring in spots. Over all not a bad story, but if the ending had tied the characters together, I would have ended up much happier as is I was left with a very confused feeling at the end of the book.

Grade: C -

Read an excerpt.

“Mom, I need your help. Please call—” That’s it. The call cuts off in midsentence. No static. Nothing.

Just an overwhelming silence.

Long Island single mom Jane Hartley is frantic when her sixteen-year-old daughter, Kelly, a survivor of childhood leukemia, disappears from her bedroom one night. To Jane’s frustration, the police believe that Kelly ran off willingly with her boyfriend, Seth. Unaware that her daughter even had a boyfriend, Jane soon discovers that Seth is no boy. He is an adult—a man who, after meeting Kelly on the Internet, took the teenager on one thrill-seeking ride after another. From motorcycles to skydiving, Jane’s little girl has been hiding some dangerous secrets.

Like mother, like daughter.

Adamant that Kelly is not a runaway but, rather, is being held against her will, Jane hires ex-FBI agent Randall Shane to follow the trail of her missing child. But every step brings them closer to a cold-blooded predator lurking in the shadows… coiled around Jane’s shameful secret…waiting to strike.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s review of First You Run (The Bullet Catchers, Book 4) by Roxanne St. Claire
Romantic Suspense by Pocket Star 25 Mar 08

There are three other books already released in St. Claire’s Bullet Catchers series: Kill Me Twice (Book 1), Thrill Me to Death (Book 2), and Take me Tonight (Book 3). First you Run is the first novel I have read by Roxanne St. Claire. I am happy to say the novel stands alone and I hope to get a chance to read more by her.

Bullet Catcher Adrien Fletcher asks a favor of Lucy Sharpe, the operative in charge of the group, in order to get the go-ahead to find a ‘shelia’ for a friend. This isn’t just any woman but one who was an illegally adopted baby.

He is off duty for a month, so you might wonder why he needs permission, well he is anticipating this will require Bullet Catcher resources and possibly her support. The catch? The friend is an ex-Bullet Catcher, Jack Culver, who she striped of responsibility and fired just the year before.

Once the project is approved and Fletcher sets out to find the woman in question, the one who once…

“…I find her, chances are I’m going to get her naked, rock her world, and then make her wish I were dead.”

Things begin to really get interesting. And a hunt for a tattooed woman begins.

Dr. Miranda Lang is an expert in Maya studies as well as the author of The Cataclysn’t: The End of the Myth, Not of the World and Fletcher discovers getting her out of her clothes for a tattoo check isn’t as easy as he expected. The trick is to keep her safe from a group of zealots, while trying to discover if she is his mystery woman and if possible – not destroying her life in the process.

The problem is no one wants these secrets revealed… For my first Bullet Catcher’s novel and with such great characters, interesting elements and it won’t be my last.

Grade: B

From the back cover:

     AN UNSTOPPABLE BODYGUARD ON THE HUNT.

     A WOMAN HIDING A SECRET EVEN SHE DOESN’T KNOW. A PASSION THAT BEGINS WITH DANGER….

     Bullet Catcher Adrien Fletcher is on a mission to track down a baby given up in a black market adoption thirty years ago. He has a list of possible names and one tantalizing clue: the infant girl had been marked with a tiny tattoo. And since tattoo-hunting will mean getting up close and personal with the women on his list, he’s the perfect man for the job. But when Fletch meets Miranda Lang, he knows she can never be just a name on his list. If she’s not his target, he should move on and find the right woman, despite their electrifying attraction. But Miranda is on her own mission, and every step takes her closer to a deadly trap. Fletch may be the only man who can protect her…forcing him to choose between duty and desire.

     Read an excerpt.

Connie’s review of Silent Run by Barbara Freethy
Romantic Suspense released by Onyx 4 Mar 08

This is the second novel I have read by Barbara Freethy and despite the slow, very slow start and amnesia plot I was very happy to have Silent Fall to start when I closed this book. Sarah Tucker doesn’t know who she is, that she had a baby or why in the world she would have left a perfect man like Jake Sanders.

And really Sarah doesn’t want to know more about this person she seems to be because the more we learn about her the more rotten she seems to have been. Her life was nothing more but lies, smoke and mirrors. And Jake… not so much. Even though he isn’t a nice guy when we met him. He has been running after Sarah for a while and he doesn’t her back, he wants his child. The baby she can’t remember, the child that is lost and could be dead for all they both know.

I really want to tell you more about Silent Run but I can’t – see “amnesia plot”. If you can make it past the really slow start and get out of the hospital and see the Sarah and Jake together searching for their daughter. You will grow to like them because you will learn they didn’t really know each other before and I am afraid I can’t say more but must be silent.

Grade: B

     RUNNING SCARED

     A woman wakes in a hospital bed with no idea of who she is. Her memory is gone, her baby missing. All she has is the gripping certainty that she is in mortal danger. Then a handsome, angry stranger barges in and makes a terrible accusation. He was her lover–and her child’s father–until she disappeared seven months ago.

     RUNNING BLIND

     Jake Sanders swore he’d never forgive Sarah Tucker, but he isn’t about to let her get away again–especially not with his daughter still missing. If he has any chance of recovering his baby, he must help the woman who betrayed him retrieve the pieces of her shattered memory–without letting his feelings get in the way.

     RUNNING FOR THEIR LIVES

     Haunted by troubling flashes of memory, Sarah begins to realize she’s lived a life of lies. Now, a relentless killer is closing in on her, determined to make her pay for the sins of her past. Sarah and Jake must put their trust in each other to defeat an enemy who is hot on their heels and closing in fast.

     Read an excerpt.

Connie’s quickie review of Victim by Gayle Wilson
Romantic suspense released 1 Feb 08 by MIRA

After Sarah Peterson’s son is murdered and justice fails her she decides the only choice left to her is to kill the murderer. Detective Mac Donovan manages to stop her, only to leave the killer with the idea Sarah is a worthy prize. The only thing left up to Mac is to protect her and he is determined to see her safe.

Victim is a sad story, as any novel is when it involves murdering children. Justice does finally win the day but it is a great ride to get there. I loved Sarah’s character. The strength she finds in herself after such a horrible event and her determination to see her child avenged was something I could relate to and I think many a mother will see themselves in Sarah.

Grade: B

Summary:

     She has nothing left to lose…

     Like all clichés, this one is true at its core. Racked with grief over her son Danny’s brutal death, Sarah Patterson steels herself to take revenge on his murderer. When detective Mac Donovan stops her from shooting Samuel Tate on the courthouse steps, he risks his career-and the case against Tate-to protect her.

     With a serial child-killer now walking free, New Orleans is taut with anticipation of his next savage crime, and the police and FBI are helpless. But Tate has developed a sick fascination with Sarah Patterson-and he’ll kill to keep her attention. With Mac’s help, Sarah positions herself at the center of a dangerous operation designed to stop Tate for good.

     Nothing can bring Danny back…but Sarah is hell-bent on ensuring that no other mother will suffer as she has at the hands of his murderer.

     Read an excerpt.

Connie’s review of Blood Dreams (Bishop/Special Crimes Unit Novel) by Kay Hooper
Romantic suspense hardcover released 31 Dec 07 by Bantam Books

Blood Dreams is the latest Bishop/Special Crimes Unit novel. I have been a long time reader of the series. I like Noah Bishop, as well as the other people in his unit. Their talents shine in every character and each tale brings them together to create a successful team. This review will be short because the summary is practically a full book on its own.

Dani Justice and her sister are in a small town and a murderer finds his way there. Bishop’s team is aware of this and carefully protects them from the enemy.

Dani fights her way to the end and there are sad developments along the way. My main problem was it was too quick and I would have liked to have the story fleshed out a bit more. But it does make for a quick read, and it is always nice to revisit old friends. Kay Hooper is an author to keep up with and still seems to be going strong!

The author’s site has several extra resources to help you understand the series – timelines, etc.

Grade B-

Summary:

This killer dreams in shades of death….

In each of her New York Times bestselling novels, critically acclaimed author Kay Hooper has led readers to unforgettably chilling encounters with fear and evil. Now, in her latest thriller, she takes us on a terrifying manhunt for a serial killer no ordinary cops can stop–a psychopath who seems to step out of a living nightmare.

He’s the kind of killer we instinctively fear the most. A killer without boundaries, without conscience, without any fear of being caught. And his latest victim is terrifying proof that no one is safe: the daughter of a powerful U.S. senator.

Now, with the national media calling for justice and a grief-stricken father seeking vengeance, Bishop and his FBI Special Crimes Unit find themselves in a unique situation. This time even psychic cops aren’t enough to stop evil. Aid comes in the form of a fledgling civilian organization of unorthodox crime stoppers. Operating outside of any government oversight, without sanction or official authority, they are comprised of a membership every bit as talented and eccentric as Bishop’s SCU–if not more so. And that is no coincidence. For Bishop helped launch this organization barely two years before.

Dani Justice knows all about monsters. They haunt her nightmares–and her life. But she never expected to find herself doggedly on the trail of a real flesh-and-blood predator so cunning, he’s eluded the best law enforcement could send up against him; so deadly, he doesn’t hesitate to kill even a senator’s daughter. Or a cop.

Dani doesn’t want to hunt this killer. She doesn’t want to risk the life she’s made for herself, or her hard-won peace. But she doesn’t have a choice. Because his bloody rampage has hit far too close to home. Because Dani alone commands a weapon powerful enough to destroy him.

And because Dani knows something even Bishop doesn’t. Dani knows how the hunt ends. It ends in fire. And blood. And death.

What she doesn’t know is who will survive.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s QQ review of Unmanned by Lois Greiman
Mystery published 06 Nov 07 by Dell

Psychologist Christine McMullen seems to have a lot of people trying to kill her, of course her family is reason enough. Mostly she just needs to get laid but our cop is holding back.

The author has a lot of sassy things to say but I see that wearing thin over time. Liked the dog.

Grade: D

Sybil’s review of Unmanned by Lois Greiman

I typed this up about 1am this morning and before I knew it was 3:30 and I had read the book. A couple of things to note: this is a mystery, number 4 in a series, 1st person, naughty words a plenty, fucktard usage made me giggle and there no HEA. Unnerved is set to come out in 2008.

This is the only book in the series I have read and it is cute, fun, flirty and if I had read all four books and if Christina and Rivera have been dancing around each other the whole time I would be really annoyed. So it would be interesting to see what someone thinks who is a reader of the series.

I can’t make up my mind really why I liked this book. Christina gives new meaning to stupid at times. Rivera can be something of an ass. I have no clue why Christina deals with her family or why her brother Pete didn’t make me throw the book at the wall.

But Chrissy and Rivera are cute together. And banter goes from sweet to hawt and I will be checking out the next book because if these two end up together I would be interested in reading more. But I couldn’t do another book of lusty wooing. I don’t think Chrissy can either since she was about ready to go off and get down with just about any man who wanted her. And of coure they ALL did.

Connie said it best, Christina seriously needs to get laid.

Grade: B-

Even in a city of long, tall beauties, psychologist Christina McMullen is used to getting hit on. But she’s definitely not accustomed to having a hit on her. Until the day a charming stranger shows up at her door and someone guns him down right in front of her.

For Chrissy, shootings and explosions are what pass for normal in her tempestuous relationship with sexy LAPD lieutenant Jack Rivera. But the real mayhem begins when her brother Pete blows in from the Windy City trailing clouds of trouble in the form of a pregnant girlfriend, “borrowed” money, and a mobster named “D.” Chrissy always said her family would be the death of her… but even L.A.’s sassiest shrink isn’t prepared for the truth behind her brother’s link to the dead stranger… or the killer who threatens them both.

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