This is a difficult book on many levels. To withstand. To read. To enjoy. Mistakes were made. Relationships fluctuated. Hard to read.

While jogging an off-duty police officer comes across a man assaulting a woman. She attempts to get him to stop. He runs. She chases. He trips. Turns, brandishes a knife, lunges, is shot. Killed.

Police arrive. Other police. Assaulted woman is no where to be found. IA is called. In the form of Inspector C.J. St. Claire. Who is awoken in the arms of her life partner Captain Alex Ryan.

C.J. learns that the off-duty police officer is actually the new detective in the investigations department. Contacts head of that department. One Captain Ryan.

Investigations by IA, lead by Inspector St. Claire, and investigations by an outside party, to investigate the criminal part occur.

Chris Andersen, the off-duty police officer who shot and killed that man who was attacking the woman, acts like a jackass throughout. Flirts outrageously. Sleeps around. Acts like she has the maturity level unsuited for police work.

Investigations continue. Conflict develops between one C.J. St. Claire and one Alex Ryan. Investigations end. Book over.

Interesting enough book. Painful book in many ways. Story told from the point of view of CJ St. Claire, Alex Ryan, and Chris Andersen. Characterizations were quite good all the way around. Main, side characters. Story-line was solid, if painful. Mystery was . um . . . plausible.

I rather liked the book for the vast majority of it. I think the epilogue was . . . fluffy and stuff, but . . . not something I really wanted to read. I don't mean I liked it but for the epilogue. I think I enjoyed 75% of the book. 24.9% of the book was painful. 0.1% was fluffy. I have no idea what I mean by that.

What I do know is that I was ready to immediately read the second book after I read the first book in this series. Then I read the description of that book. And reviews for that book. And took forever to actually try it. Then I finally did. And liked it well enough. Now I want to rush out and read the third book. Maybe I should just get it and read it without reading the description and reviews, hmms? Bah, who am I kidding. I can't do that. I have to at least look at the description. ( )

Do not read this book unless you have read 'Fragmentary Blue'. While the story can stand alone, you'll not understand nor appreciate the characters' actions here unless you knew their backstory which was fully explored in the first book.

Alex and CJ's relationship is tested severely in this sequel as someone gets in the way...someone both of them are trying their utmost to help. And sometimes, even crossing the line of propriety.

Unlike the first book which was a suspenseful and thrilling police procedural with a nice murder mystery and hot romance attached, this is more of an Internal Affairs investigation thing where they were just trying to justify a police killing. The bad guy is dead. The good guy (a lesbian cop) pulled the trigger. But politics wants to make a big stink out of it, at the expense of the cop. Innocent or trigger-happy? Thats the main mystery here.

The author weaves a believable and realistic IA investigation while at the same time exploring the various issues that couples face after they get together--jealousy, insecurity, office flings, trust, forgiveness.. It's excellent as a character study and if you love Alex and CJ from the previous book (which I did), then don't miss this. Alex and CJ's love is tested to the limits--can they get back on track? And will Chris, a player and heatbreaker, ever change her ways?

Otherwise, if murder mysteries are your thing, give this a pass. ( )