"entertaining romantic suspense investigative tale"

Former Army Ranger turned writer Nick Sirocco meets with private investigator and former cop Danni Hawkins because he believes that that someone murdered her father and cleverly disguised it as a suicide. He says he was close with her dad Paddy who was helping him on a police procedural; Danni is jealous because her father never had time for her when boobs began to appear on her chest as he was to busy helping male teens in trouble. Nick admits he was one.

Nick persuades Danni to help him investigate who killed Paddy and why. The police believe Paddy took his own life because the evidence points overwhelmingly in that direction and insist the motive was his inability to accept retirement. As the duo works closely together, they fall in love, but someone believes they know something and not only trash their homes, but tries to kill the pair.

AROUSE SUSPICION is an entertaining romantic suspense investigative tale that contains two wonderful protagonists whose conversations are amusing as each unsuccessfully tries to get the other to shut up when they are in their respective milieu. Readers will appreciate the tense story line as the duo struggles with their feelings for one another and for her father, a killer and the attitude of the police who believe case closed. Having Rick as an ex-Ranger makes him to conveniently capable, fans will appreciate the strong yet vulnerable heroine as she and her temporary new partner make inquiries into her father's death and a second so called suicide.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted October 27, 2004

Summary

When police officer Paddy Hawkins is found dead in his bedroom with a revolver in his hand and a note on the nightstand, all the evidence points to suicide. Case closed—except to one man. Ex-Army Ranger Nick Sirocco was the last person to hear from Paddy. And the message that Paddy left him didn't sound like a man about to take his own life. To find out what happened to his friend, Nick will turn to the one woman he knows he can trust...

Ex-cop Danni Hawkins didn't buy that her father was murdered—until she heard his final message. Now, with Nick's help, she must uncover the tracks left behind by an elusive killer. She can't afford to let herself get distracted by the steamy attraction between her and Nick. But as their trail takes them deeper into the heart of corruption, Danni realizes the killer may be closer than she ever thought possible...