“God, she was so cold. She hugged the sheet more closely, then wrinkled her nose. Why was the sheet covering her face?”


This is an unusually subdued Mills and Boon Intrigue which is also atypical in that this one is much more focused on the mystery than the romance. In fact, the romance is barely one at all until the very end, the gradual feelings very low-key. Though it is firmly steeped in the Mills and Boon sub-genre of intrigue mixed with romance, it has a slightly better and more serious story to keep the reader interested throughout, skirting the edges of its Harlequin/Mills and Boon limitations.

This is a Colby Agency entry, and while it gets a bit eye-rollingly pulpy at times with tropes like a CIA “legend”, the mystery is just complex enough and interesting enough to keep the reader turning pages. It helps that there is a terrific opening, with a petite blonde woman with no memory of who she is, waking up in the hallway outside the morgue. Obviously, she’s frightened, and realizes she couldn’t have ended up there by mistake. Realizing someone wanted her dead, but not knowing why or who, she high-tails it out of there. But what then?

“A pang of sadness settled deep in her chest. Maybe that was the worst part of all. Not having anyone who really cared whether she lived or died. No one should be that alone.”

Enter the Colby Agency, run by Victoria Colby-Camp. Former Marine Captain Windy Millwood is assigned the case with Patrick O’Brien. He is still reeling from his wife’s death, and what he found out about her because of it. This is his first field assignment. Debra Webb does a good job making a pretty wild premise seem just realistic enough that the reader just goes with it. Sande Williams — if that’s her real name — seems to be a harbinger of death to anyone Patrick questions, and soon the bodies pile up. This sadly includes one of the agency’s own. The deaths are mostly after-the-fact, off-screen, so there’s no gore, but there is plenty of mystery surrounding what’s going on. It’s also a mystery in regard to Sande’s memory loss. Was it drugs which caused it, or was it trauma?

An elaborate identity theft operation appears to be at the heart of things, and possibly a covert FBI operation. A homicide detective and his partner also want answers. Once Sande Williams remembers who she is, things take another intriguing turn. That change of roles is handled fairly well, as are the low-key romantic feelings brewing in Patrick O’Brien’s heart, surprising him because he’s been emotionally withdrawn since his wife’s death. Another nice point in the narrative is the author’s willingness to go places you don’t usually associate with this genre:

“Sande had no idea if she was a spiritual person or not, but just then praying felt like the right thing to do. She stepped beneath the spray of hot water and she prayed. Prayed for God to help her find the truth and for him to forgive her for whatever wrong things she might have done in the past.”

Once the startling revelation of Sande’s identity is revealed, the narrative picks up speed, and takes on a slightly different tone. There is a small twist, and the action is wrapped up nicely. The romance, like everything in the book, is handled with a modicum of passion; more a promise of what might happen down the road. There is also an addendum concerning the Colby Agency adding a new department, which might tie in with “Sande’s” future, and of course, Patrick’s.

Overall this is a tidy and enjoyable little mystery with just a dash of romance. I suspect it won’t appeal to all Mills and Boon Intrigue fans as this isn’t a “fun” romance, there is no “steam” to speak of, and the romance definitely takes a backseat to the mystery. It’s pretty good stuff, if perhaps a tad low-key at times, but recommended more for those who enjoy the mystery more than the romance. ( )

I found myself surprisingly really enjoying this, and will definitely read more by Webb!

There's not really all that much romance, with the captivating story gripping the reader instead, wondering about what happened to Sande Williams, the protagonist in the story, who wakes up in a morgue with no memory of her past. But when it comes, it's fierce, and you're hungry for more! Will definitely be reading more of the M&B Intrigue genre! ( )