"Excellent Suspense Thriller"

John Merrick was a career cop, a good cop until one fateful night when he accidentally killed a fellow officer. The horror of that mistake overwhelmed him and he turned in his badge, left Chicago for his hometown of New Orleans and turned to a bottle for solace to help him forget the horrifying images of a fellow cop dying in his arms.

Julia Wainwright had long ago gotten over her schoolgirl crush for John Merrick. She had since become a very private and independent woman, an antiquarian bookseller by day and secret author by night. Lately she had become the target of threatening letters that led her to believe someone knew of her alter ego. As a favor to her father, John had been talked into looking into the matter to discover Julia's stalker. John's intention had been to offer a quick security check then turn the whole business over to someone else --anyone else but him. Though when he discovered Julia 'all grown up' with gypsy blue eyes and a body fashioned for sin, turning the case over to someone else would no longer be an option.

*** The suspense of this well-written story was top-notch filled with an intriguing plot, plenty of vividly described action scenes that kept you turning the pages. The character definition was superior as well, so much so that this reader had no trouble becoming invested in the outcome of the mystery. However, with this said, I will also state that John Merrick was a not hero that I would have envisioned as a leading man and not one I could ever fall in love with. No matter the trauma, witnessing a man's journey to the bottom of a bottle is not romantic especially when it is so vividly portrayed. Obviously this is a catch 22 situation for an author when they can make the reader visualize the downside of a character's personality. Consequently, I didn't get a feel so much for romance between the two protagonists as a heavy dose of sensual lust. On the plus side, the stalker was drawn as a certifiably crazed madman and the author created situations that delivered edge of the seat imagery that are not for the faint of heart. Bottom line is you will be emotionally involved in this excellent thriller that should keep fans of Castillo coming back for more.

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO -- Reviewers International Organization

Reviewed by Marilyn Rondeau
Posted August 8, 2006

Summary

"An author at the top of her game,"(All About Romance) Linda Castillo has become renowned for her nail-biting novels of romantic suspense. Now she delivers an electrifying thriller about forbidden desire—and a secret that could mean one woman's demise...

Until now, no one has suspected the truth about down-to-earth bookseller Julia Wainright. But the arrival of six threatening letters indicates someone has discovered her secret—and wants her to pay for her sins...

Ever since he accidentally killed a fellow officer, ex-cop John Merrick has been tormented by the mistakes of his past. Now, called upon to repay a favor, he will do anything to keep Julia Wainright safe. To do that, though, he'll first have to figure out what the gypsy-eyed beauty is hiding...

As the threats escalate, Julia and John must find a way to trust each other. Because if they don't, a twisted stalker will make sure all the gruesome things he's promised will come true...