"Intricate plot, hot sex, appealing characters, fast and funny dialogue."

Two years ago, thirty-something Max Starr had it all: a gorgeous, successful husband, a good shot at making partner in her accounting firm, a beautiful condo. One horrible night robbed her of all them, a night in which her husband Cameron was gunned down by robbers at a convenience store and she was brutally beaten and raped by his killers. Now Max lives in a single room, picks up strangers in a country Western bar for loveless sex, works temp jobs which barely pay the bills. If that weren't enough, she's been cursed with visions of murder and her only ally is a blonde hunk of a detective (he resembles Dudley Do-Right) named DeWitt Long who isn't certain he believes her.

Well, there is one bright spot on her dreary life. Her late husband can communicate with her — and, while she can't see him, she can sure feel him, and he's still as studly as ever.

This time out, Max sees a dark, good-looking man seduced on the dance floor of that country western bar she favors, and having sex with her in a stall of the men's room while crowd of men cheers them on. That little gem leaves her with the horny gal stuffed inside her brain. The second half is from the viewpoint of a drunk homeless man who witnesses the woman's body tossed into a dumpster outside the club by two people dressed as Frankenstein and Dracula. Max brings the info to Witt, who offers to drive to the crime scene with her — where the police are already investigating, and he's way out of his jurisdiction. Unsatisfied with Witt's refusal to help, Max sneaks back that night to search the dumpster for clues and learns that the drunk had a red and black snake tattoo. Unfortunately Witt catches her at it — and the spirit of the murdered woman, puts Max in touch with her Inner Slut, something she's had to fight since she first met Witt, who has made it plain he'd like to get to know her a lot better. Fighting off the victim's libidinous urges, she persuades Witt to tell her the name of the woman -- Tiffany Lloyd - and that she worked at a hair salon nearby.

Never one to let sleeping dogs lie, Max wangles a job as a receptionist at the salon, A Cut Above. She learns that Tiffany was heartily disliked by her fellow stylists, was into casual sex, and still liked an occasional bout of fun with her ex who was still hopelessly in love with her. SO many suspects, so little time. Max has to struggle with her growing attraction to Witt (her late husband seems determined to shove her into Witt's bed), a desire shared by the promiscuous Tiffany, while trying to get the goods on the murderer.

If you like your mysteries dark, tightly plotted, and with a plethora of suspects, this will keep you turning the pages. Max is a believably imperfect heroine with a troubled past which goes way back beyond her husband's murder, and enough issues to keep a shrink busy for several profitable years. Despite her problems, she's a likable lady who wishes her newfound talent (along with the emotions of Tiffany the Tramp, who has a one-track mind) would Go Away for good, so she never has to deal with the very tempting Detective Long ever again. And on the subject of that detective — Witt's a charming, lecherous Brendan Frasier lookalike whose off color quips mask a big heart and real concern for Max. Any guy who wants you to meet his mother cannot be shallow! Intricate plot, hot sex (most of it between the heroine and her invisible but very corporeal late husband), tons of suspense that will keep you reading late into the night (I did), appealing characters, fast and funny dialogue and an undertheme of redemption and the undying nature of love — what more can you ask for?

Sensuality rating: lots of hot, straight sex — albeit most of it is the heroine with her incorporeal late husband.

Reviewed by Gillian Fitzgerald
Courtesy Sensual Romance Reviews
Posted February 15, 2004

Summary

When Max Starr tells Detective Witt Long she's had a second vision of a murder, Witt knows he's in for another crazy adventure. The police aren't going to solve the crime without Max divulging what she saw, but that will only move her straight to the top of the suspect list. For the second time in less than a month. So Max goes on the hunt for the murderer herself, dragging a reluctant Witt along with her. But the deeper she ventures into the dead woman's life, the more she sees that nothing is as it seems and everyone has something to hide. As she stirs up a hornet's nest, Max soon begins to fear she might be the next victim.

Even scarier, Witt makes it clear he wants her. Badly. Just how long can she resist him? When it comes to Witt and her very sexy visions about him, she suspects that resistance is futile.