Paula Graves (1963–2017)

One of the better Harlequin Intrigues that I've read. This one involved a woman who was a psychic who had visions of a kidnapped little girl, and of course the cop who does't believe in psychics. I liked the way the author set up how the psychic ability worked. It was well written. The plot made sense of course once you bought the psychic angle. The relationship happened in a rush but I'm okay with it because it's kind of a given in a short romantic suspense that it would have to move fast. Still I liked the two of them together. The psychic little girl, Casey, stole the show though. Now I still have one sister's story to read. Looking forward to it.… (meer)

Three girls go missing while hiking up on Copperhead Ridge, in the Bitterwood mountains. One of them is heroine-investigator Laney Hanvey’s sister, Janelle. Laney meets Bitterwood’s new chief of police (hero) Doyle Massey. They eventually go up the mountain to look for the girls. They find Janelle shot, but alive, one girl is shot dead, and one is still missing. Will they find the missing girl in time? Who is behind the murder/shootings?

I enjoyed this book. Hero Doyle was a very likable guy, with a laid-back, pleasing personality. He was new around town and was trying to do his best. Laney was a good heroine who really cared about her sister. I enjoyed the suspense, the setting, the trips up the mountain to look for the missing girl. This is the first book I’ve read by Paula Graves. It is in a Harlequin Intrigue series called “Bitterwood P.D.”. My only complaint is that, sometimes in the book there were references to things that happened in previous books in this series, which I found confusing since I didn’t read the previous books. It is probably best to read this series in order or you may be a bit lost. The ending wrap-up was a bit abrupt and some storylines were still left hanging.

Overall, though, it was an interesting read. It just wasn't a good one to read as a stand-alone book.… (meer)

Good book, with a well-balanced mix of romance and suspense. Ten years ago, Charlie lost her best friend in a hit-and-run accident. Charlie was haunted by the fact that she has no clear memories of the events of that night, only a big, blank hole. Recently she began having disturbing dreams of that night and believes that those dreams are resurfacing memories. Shortly after asking some questions about that night, she started having the eerie feeling of being watched. Independent and practical, Charlie signs up for a self-defense class where she draws the attention of instructor Mike Strong.

Mike is a former Marine and a new hire at the Campbell Cove Academy. His years in the Corps and the things he saw made him somewhat cynical about people and the state of the world. Charlie's actions rouse his suspicions, so Mike checks into her background, raising more questions. When he witnesses an attempt on her life, Mike offers to be her bodyguard and help her in her search for answers.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Mike and Charlie. Mike is intrigued by Charlie from the moment he met her, and not just because he suspects she's hiding something. She's not like any other woman he's known, and the more time he spends with her, the more he wants to know about her. As they look into her past and her friend's death, Mike's protective instincts are roused as he worries about Charlie's safety. Charlie is wary of Mike at first. She grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and had some trust issues because of it. He earns her trust when he saves her life and then believes her when she describes her concerns. The more time they spent together, the more the feelings between them grew. The sparks of attraction also built. Just as things started heating up between them, the murderer struck again. The final confrontation was intense with a twist I did not see coming. With the mystery solved, I loved seeing Mike and Charlie find happiness together.

The suspense of the story was well done. I ached for Charlie over the loss of her friend and her feeling that something isn't right. It was easy to feel her fear and worry when she first started the self-defense class. I could also feel her frustration at the slow speed of the class and had to laugh when the second class went differently. The tension began to ramp up when a sabotaged car was quickly followed by someone trashing Charlie's apartment. I liked how Mike supported Charlie in her search for answers. The scene at the bar was intense, especially in the way it mirrored the original event, and I was impressed with Charlie's actions. I was surprised by the presence of Detective Trask and the conversation he later had with Charlie. Her determination to do anything that would solve the case put her a little at odds with Mike until they found a workable plan. I was on the edge of my seat as they carried it out, especially with the twist that had Charlie in danger, after all. I had to laugh at Mike's comment that night to Maddox Heller: "And you can take Charlie off my self-defense roster when you get back to the Academy." "Yeah? Why is that?" "Because she already passed."… (meer)