"solid serial killer romance"

Two years have passed since the car accident that took the lives of her husband and four-year-old son, but free lance photographer Sara Martin still grieves. When the phone calls begin, her friend Bess Haskins pushes Sara to talk with her husband Tony, an Austin police detective for advice. Sara reluctantly does, but Tony misses the appointment. His partner Eric D'Angelo takes time from the Sinatra serial killer case he works to provide her with practical tips.

Surprising both Eric and Sara, they feel an immediate attraction to one another as neither has found any recent interest in the opposite sex until now. However, the Sinatra case intersects with Sara as the killer, over the phone, begins describing the grisly scenes to her in some sort of macho boasting manner. If he did not love her, Eric would wonder if Sara was helping the murderer, but because he does he concludes that she is the ultimate target, but who is this Sinatra fan?

Though serial killer romance tales have been in over abundance of late, this novel is a refreshing entry due to the Sinatra angle. The story line is loaded with action that turns quite frenzied when Eric realizes that his beloved is in danger. The lead couple is a charming pair and his partner and her friend add depth to the stars. Dee Davis furbishes a strong police procedural romance and readers will enjoy DANCING IN THE DARK (but keep the lights on -- it's hard to read in the dark).

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted August 25, 2003

Read an Excerpt

Dancing in the Dark...a melody for murder

Summary

She was hiding from the future.

Now she'll do anything to live until tomorrow.

Two years after the accidental death of her husband and son, Sara Martin is still wearing her wedding band, using it as a shield against a future without love. Then a persistent prank caller shatters her fragile peace of mind and brings detective Eric D'Angelo into her life. Eric reminds her of the passion she never thought she'd feel again—and the idea of surrendering to it scares her. But Sara will soon discover that she never knew the meaning of the word fear... until now.

Even for a seasoned detective like Eric D'Angelo, the rash of murders haunting the city of Austin seems unbelievably grisly. Still, he's worked enough of these cases to know that eventually even a murderer as meticulous as the Sinatra Killer will make a mistake. Then Sara becomes the madman's target. Between fighting off the ghosts in her past and the monster in her present, Eric is forced to wonder if their hopes of a future together will ever see the light of day...