Series:
Shield of Honor (Book 1)
He has a serial killer to catch
And she's the perfect bait
FBI Special Agent Rhys Keller's biggest clue to the
identity of the Composer is the music the killer has tattooed on each dead
woman. No one knows the tune, until Julia Harcourt recognizes it as a piece
she's written herself. The lovely violinist is also a perfect physical match to
all the victims. For the hunt to finally end, Rhys needs Julia to risk
everything to catch the killer…before the elusive killer catches her first.
Terrific mix of second chance romance and suspense. Rhys
is an FBI agent assigned to find a serial killer plaguing his hometown. The
biggest clue is the music tattooed on the back of each victim. A break in the
case comes when the town prodigy recognizes it as a piece she wrote. Now Rhys
needs Julia's help to catch the killer.
Rhys and Julia have a history together. They were in love
as teenagers, making plans for their future, when Rhys suddenly broke up with
her. Brokenhearted, Julia left for Europe and hasn't returned for twelve years.
Tired of the stress of constant performances, she plans to rest, relax, and
spend time writing music and playing with the local symphony. The last thing
she wants is to risk her heart by getting involved with Rhys again, but she
can't say no to helping stop the killer.
Matters become complicated very quickly when Julia is
attacked. Determined to keep her safe, Rhys moves into Julia's house to stay
close to her. It is immediately apparent that the sparks between them have
never died. Rhys refuses to contemplate renewing his relationship with Julia,
as his reasons for the breakup haven't changed. I ached for Rhys and the events
that had such a devastating effect on him and his family. Julia also prefers to
protect her heart from being broken again. Rhys and his family were the only
people she felt loved by until that brutal rejection by Rhys. I hurt for Julia
and her lonely childhood and how that extended into her adult life. Her music
is the only thing that gives her joy.
I liked watching the rekindling of their romance. No matter
how they try, there is no denying that they still care for each other. The more
time they spend together, the harder it is to maintain a "friends-only"
distance. I loved seeing Julia welcomed back into the circle of Rhys's family
and how his brothers and father tried to make him see that they belonged
together. Julia can tell that Rhys is hiding something from her that keeps him
from giving in to their growing feelings. It takes nearly losing her to the
killer for Rhys to realize the truth behind his fears and overcome them. I
loved the ending and seeing them looking toward their future together.
The suspense of this story was outstanding. I was sucked
into the story immediately by the unusual actions of the killer. Once Julia
came on the scene, the action and suspense built quickly. Besides the serial
killer and his apparent link to Julia, there was also a stalking mystery to be
solved. It was interesting that Julia had received threatening letters as a
teen and started up again after she returned. Are there two different criminals
haunting Julia, or are they the same person? As the investigation continued, Rhys
felt that they were finally closing in on the killer, then an unexpected twist tossed
a new player into the mix. The final confrontation was terrifying, and I was glued
to the pages until it was all over. There was a twist at the end regarding
Rhys's mother, and I wonder if that will continue into the next book.
I liked Rhys's brothers and father. I understood Rhys's
anger at his father over the tragic events of his childhood. While it brought
the three brothers closer together, seeing its effect on their father was
painful. I liked how their father ultimately took responsibility for what he
did (and didn't) do and was taking steps to mend their rift. I loved that all
three brothers were in law enforcement and that they worked together to solve
the case. The current sheriff is worse than useless, and it is hard to fathom
his actions regarding his treatment of Julia. I'd love to see Rhys's brother,
Joshua, become sheriff.
No comments:
Post a Comment