"Exhilarating romantic suspense thriller"

Seventeen year old runaway Julie believes that her mentor, cult prophet Mordecai Young is insane and dangerous. She worries that he will choose martyrdom for him and his followers in their upcoming confrontation with the law. Julie fears for his infant daughter and the mother of the child Lizzie. The assault occurs, but Julie rescues the child. Lizzie and Mordecai apparently died in the fiery inferno.

Sixteen years later, Julie is a successful Syracuse news broadcaster though raising Dawn on her own. Harry Blackwood, brother to a state senator, has blackmailed Julie threatening Dawn with information he obtained on their days in the cult. Julie confronts Harry, but finds him dead. Julie knows that the killer has the damaging information that Harry used on her. Though she feels he is an uncouth boar, Julie turns to her co-anchor Sean MacKenzie who observed her pull a crime scene stunt and a break and entering so he helps her while they fall in love.

Though there has been a bundle of news romance tales especially in the movies, readers will appreciate THICKER THAN WATER. The story line is fast-paced as the seemingly prim and proper Julie tampers with a crime scene and breaks the law in an attempt to protect Dawn. Sean is an intriguing hero who cannot believe what Julie has been doing since the discovery of a dead Harry. Though the final twist or two seem odd, fans of exhilarating romantic suspense thrillers will want to read Maggie Shayne's fine tale.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted October 13, 2003