"Nail Biting Romantic Suspense"

Like many romance authors, Ms. Garwood has turned her attention to the sub genre of romantic suspense. Her successful transition has proven her skill and versatility as a writer, and this latest novel is no exception.

Though merely a data entry specialist for the FBI, Avery Delaney is very good at her job. Her analysis of crime scene data actually enabled her to predict the next time and locale of a bank robbery. Needing a break from her stressful job, she decided to join her Aunt Carrie, a successful Hollywood agent, at Utopia, a top notch Colorado spa. But when her Aunt fails to show at the expensive paradise, Avery meets someone else who is also looking for Carrie. Believing that a hired killer, Monk Edwards, is after Carrie, John Paul has his own personal reasons for helping Avery find her Aunt before her time runs out.

As the adventures of Avery and John Paul unfold, Ms. Garwood deftly weaves into the mesh secrets of their pasts, especially Avery's. Shot and left for dead by a boyfriend of Jilly, her mother, eleven-year-old Avery miraculously recovered from her injuries but not without some deep emotional and physical scars. Abandoned by Jilly as a baby, Avery was raised by her grandmother and Aunt Carrie. And John Paul's secrets are slowly revealed as his military expertise becomes a presence when the pair tries to evade Monk's deadly bullets.

Fans of Ms. Garwood will recognize John Paul as the brother of Theo, one of the main characters in her prior read, MERCY. Brooding but sensitive, John Paul is the perfect ex-military operative, tough, but with a sensitive side that only the right woman can reveal. With the sizzling chemistry between them, their race to find Carrie while eluding the clever Monk, is a nail-biting thrill ride certain to appeal to a broad range of fans of romantic suspense. Readers searching for the true who-done-it type of mystery may be disappointed in this one as the suspense lies in the thrill of the chase and the connection between the players.

Reviewed by Sheri Melnick
Posted September 22, 2002

Summary

Avery Delaney has always tried to put the past far behind her. Abandoned by her rapacious, conniving mother when she was only three days old, Avery was raised by her grandmother and beloved aunt Carolyn. Then, when she was eleven, she witnessed her grandmother's violent death, before Avery herself was shot and left for dead. Miraculously she survived. The man responsible is serving time in a Florida prison. This traumatic experience propels Avery into a life of law and order.

Her razor-sharp mind and ability to gather data and decipher evidence has made Avery an expert crime analyst for the FBI. But soon she will have to use every one of her adroit skills on a case that hits painfully close to home.

Avery's workaholic aunt, Carolyn Salvetti, is certain her (hopefully soon-to-be ex) husband sent her the gold embossed reservation to the posh Utopia Spa in the mountains of Colorado. At first she is resistant, but then figures it will be a welcome respite from the cutthroat advertising business, not to mention a networking extravaganza. Plus she persuades her niece to join her for the two weeks of luxury and decadence.

But Carolyn never makes it to Utopia. Under false pretenses, she is taken to an isolated retreat by a handsome stranger with a dazzling smile, suave demeanor, and the darkest of motives. His name is Monk, a hired assassin. Now, with scant clues and fewer resources, Avery must track down and save Carolyn—and outmaneuver a brilliant killer who is part of an elaborate plot of madness and lethal vengeance.