"Unique paranormal plot concept and interesting characters make this a great story."

As a research assistant at the Belvedere Center for Sleep Research, Isabel Wright analyzes and interprets the dreams of special clients. She's especially drawn to the fascinating, complicated dreams of Client #2, who's a Level 5 on Dr. Belvedere's unusual Lucid Dream Scale. Isabel fantasizes about #2 and thinks of him as Dream Man. With no formal training (her last job was with a psychic hotline), Isabel finds herself without a job when Dr. Belvedere suddenly dies and his son discontinues his father's mysterious dream research, destroying all the files.

Ellis Cutler (also known as Client #2) has been ordered by his boss to find Isabel now that she's been fired and her dream research discontinued. The highly-classified government agency Ellis works for has been secretly funding the special project with Belvedere to test the possible value of lucid dreaming. Once Ellis finds Isabel, whom he calls Tango Dancer because of the way she floats through his dreamscapes, he realizes that a professional relationship with her will be hard to maintain. After all, this is the woman who's been reading and experiencing his dreams. It's unsettling for both of them when they finally meet in person. The attraction is strong and can't be denied.

But soon, dreams turn into nightmares as murder and betrayal erupt in their lives. And nothing is as it seems for anyone involved as another dreamer becomes part of the volatile equation.

Ms. Krentz makes quite an impact with this unusual novel. The unique concept explored in the plot is highly entertaining, and the cast of characters is three- dimensional and quite interesting. I became quickly immersed in the story from page one and couldn't put it down. Another great read from the incomparable Ms. Krentz!

Reviewed by Tanzey Cutter
Posted October 18, 2004

Summary

A red scarf. A roller coaster. A tidal wave of blood...

Isabel Wright spends her days at the Belvedere Center for Sleep Research analyzing the dreams of others. Dr. Martin Belvedere, a pioneer in the field, recognized her unique talent for what he calls Level Five lucid dreaming. It's satisfying, lucrative work, but it can be emotionally draining. Especially when one of her anonymous subjects, known only as Client Number Two, captures her imagination through his compelling dream narratives. Secretly, she thinks of him as "Dream Man."

His real name is Ellis Cutler. A loner who's learned not to let anyone get too close, he works for a highly classified government agency with an interest in the potential value of lucid dreaming. And he's just been ordered by his boss to make contact with Isabel, who's been fired after the sudden death of Dr. Belvedere. Heading to California, he pushes his fantasies out of his mind, determined to maintain a professional relationship with the woman who reads his dreams, the mysterious figure he has come to think of as "Tango Dancer."

But when they meet in the flesh, the dream becomes real enough to touch. And a waking nightmare begins—when a suspicious hit-and-run leads them into a perilous web of passion, betrayal, and murder, and forces them to walk the razor-think line between dreams and reality.