"Leave all the lights on when reading this romantic suspense!"

E. C. Sheedy is a new author to me and can she write hair raising romantic suspense! This book kept me rooted to my seat wondering what would happen next!

Joy Cole receives the biggest surprise of her life when she finds out that her stepfather Stephen Emerson leaves her the decaying Hotel Phillip and one hundred thousand dollars to get it back into shape. He did have one stipulation. She had to take care of her mother, Lana. What Joy doesn't understand is why he didn't leave it to his son, Wade.

Joy and Lana haven't spoken for years. Joy wants nothing to do with her mother who uses and discards men like tissues. Joy may look like her but she's nothing like her in personality.

Lana has an ulterior motive for getting Joy back. Her latest lover David wants to buy the Hotel Phillip supposedly so he can tear it down and build something else there. What neither Lana nor Joy knows is that David has an ulterior motive.

When Joy gets to town and tours the Phillip, in her mind's eye she sees potential. She also finds out that there are people living there and there's a strange old man living in the penthouse. She also finds out that Wade Emerson is living in the hotel and he's just gotten out of prison. What Joy doesn't count on is being attracted to Wade.

Then strange things start happening at the Phillip. People start disappearing and others get hurt. Wade and Joy team up to figure out just what is going on. Can they discover what's happening before it is too late?

I was glued to this book. I will say one thing. Read this book with the lights on and with plenty of people around. I eagerly look forward to more of E. C. Sheedy's books!

Reviewed by Kathy Boswell
Posted June 27, 2004