"This book pulsates with fluid suspense"

In the acknowlegement romantic suspense author Sharon Sala dedicates her latest intrigue DARK WATER to the survivors of stigma like her - who overcame the guilt of having an alcoholic father. Dark Water is at once a gripping thriller of restaurant operator Sarah Whitman returning to Marmet, Maine to seek redress of her grievances. Two decades ago, Franklin Whitman vanished with charges of embezzlement of the bank's money leaving Sarah to face the discrimination of the community and the devastating suicide of her mother. Now Frank's corpse has resurfaced - and Sarah finds herself believing in the innocence of her father - along with love-interest Tony DeMarco where Frank is his benefactor.

Sharon Sala steers the formulaic small-town mystery with a dark overtone and pulsating pace, brilliantly notching up the suspense with an ensemble of shadowy characters with plausible motives and atmospherically conveys the terror through swampy lake and dark water as a mirror of evil. She juggles the romance element by introducing Tony as a protector who jumps past the defenses of Sarah and into her heart. Her sub-characters are memorable - such as the psychic Aunt Lorett who glosses the story with a surreal supernatural realm. However what makes DARK WATER a riveting thriller is its emotional core - of Ms. Sala and the heroine Sarah - both fighting against odds as survivors and pursuing their happy endings with gumption and guts.

Reviewed by Desmond CHan
Posted December 29, 2002

Summary

The water is dark and cold . . . Two decades ago, Sarah Jane Whitman's father disappeared with an embezzled fortune from his local bank, an act of betrayal that subjected his wife and daughter to a vicious scandal. Now a body has been pulled from its watery tomb, a body that is identified as Frank Whitman's. This grim discovery proves Sarah's father was innocent . . . and that they real thief got away with murder. Now Sarah's obsession with uncovering the truth is making some people in Marmet, Maine, very nervous. Suddenly the prosperous citizens of this community are under intense scrutiny -- including Tony DeMarco, who grew up with Sarah. But is the concern Tony shows for Sarah's safety genuine or is he hiding something dangerous? And can she trust him with her future as a desperate killer tries to shut the door forever on the past . . .?