"Strong police procedural romance"

In Miami, Florida, talented artist Ashley Montague attends the police academy while living with her uncle and his girl friend on top of a bar-restaurant he owns near a marina. Homicide Detective Jake Dilessio has just relocated his houseboat to that same marina. When the two first meet, neither likes the other.

Ashley draws the scene of a terrible accident she has seen. Later she learns the victim is a high school friend Stuart Frecias whose body is filled with illegal drugs as he resides in a coma. Ashley believes he would never do drugs insisting something sinister happened while Stuart was undercover working on a story for some rag.

Meanwhile Jake's worst nightmare returns when a woman is found mutilated in the Everglades with the same MO as that of a serial killer five years ago. As he makes no progress, he agrees to look into Stuart's situation. Wondering if Ashley's theory is correct, Jake sees a potential link between his homicide case and that of Stuart even while he and Ashley fall in love and she accepts a job as a forensic artist.

Fans of Heather Graham recognize that her novels always contain gripping suspense and the right portion of love. PICTURE ME DEAD is a strong police procedural romance that grips readers until the final twist. The engaging lead couple is typical of the genre as they initially detest each other, but ultimately love one another. The story line is filled with intrigue, but contains too many turns losing some credibility yet Ms. Graham is so good her audience will finish the novel in one sitting.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted February 22, 2003

Summary

A seasoned cop working too close to the edge and a smart, sexy officer-in-training get more than they bargained for in this intriguing new page-turner from New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham.

Ashley Montague is nearing the end of her police training—but nothing has prepared this rookie for the rite of passage that will take her on a deadly ride into the underbelly of Miami's drug world. It begins with the shocking discovery of a body on the highway and her glimpse of a mysterious hooded figure watching from the side of the road.

At another crime scene in the heart of the Everglades, Detective Jake Dilessio stares at the body of a mutilated woman—the victim identical to the victims of a cult leader he had put behind bars five years ago. Is this a copycat killing, or have his deepest fears been realized? Is the wrong man behind bars and the real killer still on the hunt?

Ashley's investigation into the highway incident shockingly reveals a connection to Delessio's case. Now she needs answers badly enough to turn to an obsessed cop willing to do whatever it takes to get to the truth in a conspiracy that has stayed one step ahead of him for five years.

The last thing they want or need is the electric pull of desire as they are dragged deeper into a dark, dangerous world of corruption and evil, where a callous traitor in the ranks of the police force and a cold, calculating mastermind of terror are waiting for them. Now, with time running out and their lives on the line, Ashley and Jake have everything to fight for...and everything to lose.