"Terse romantic suspense"
The Seattle police felt that Ellis Purcell committed the
serial murders of eleven women though they never found the
evidence to prove their case. The investigation went cold
when Ellis, dubbed the Sandpoint Strangler, committed
suicide. His adult daughter Madison firmly still believes
he was innocent. Her marriage to Danny ended and she
struggles to raise her six year old daughter Brianna by
herself while trying to make a go of it in real estate.
However, Madison's belief in her dad is shook when she
finds evidence in her parents' attic that links him to the
murders of the women. At about the same time that Madison finds damaging proof
of her father's guilt, true crime author Caleb Travato,
who was a cop on the Strangler task force, leaves San
Francisco for Seattle to help his ex-wife Holly find her
missing sister Susan. He rents a cottage on Madison's
property, but hides his identity from her because he knows
she will toss him out. As he searches for the missing
Susan and tries to learn what his landlady is hiding,
Caleb falls in love with Madison and she reciprocates. As
the Strangler truth shockingly surfaces, Madison knows he
must reveal his identity to his beloved and her daughter
whom he cherishes as his own, but realizes that she may
never trust him again. Though the Strangler seems too weird, fans will be
grateful for this terse romantic suspense with the
emphasis on the tension. Except perhaps for self-centered
dopy Danny, the cast makes the story line as readers will
like the responsible caring lead couple and appreciate the
support players especially the "hopelessly" clinging
Holly, Brianna and her widowed grandma, and a tough cop.
The audience will receive plenty of satisfaction from
Brenda Novak's high octane serial killer tale. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted January 25, 2004
SummaryJust when you think you know someone...
The Seattle police suspect Madison Lieberman's father was
the serial killer they call the "Sandpoint Strangler."
Madison refuses to believe it. Her father is now dead, and
all she wants is the chance to create a new life for
herself and her six-year-old child.
Then she discovers something in the crawl space beneath
her parents' house. Something that makes her question her
father's innocence. Or the innocence of someone else who's
equally close to her...
When another woman turns up dead, crime writer Caleb
Trovato wonders whether they're dealing with a copy cat
killer. Or is the real Sandpoint Strangler still alive?
He's sure Madison knows more than she's telling, and he's
determined to find out what. But he doesn't expect to fall
in love—or to lead Madison and her child into
danger...
| 
