Aris Whittier, Fatal Embrace

Fatal Embrace

Aris Whittier

Five Star, Dec 2004, $26.95

ISBN: 1594141789

Former police detective Michael Carven agrees to help his former partner Dan Walker stop a serial killer who has raped, strangled, and stolen the underwear of three white females between the ages of twenty and twenty-five in Riverdale, Montana. To take over the investigation, Michael hires Jess Walker to replace him as temporary foreman of his ranch, only the new employee is a forewoman.

Michael and Jess get off on the wrong side as he does not want a female to share his home with him (part of the job) since he still has not stopped grieving the murder of his fianc e three years ago by an unknown culprit; she reacts to his sexism with humor. However, he quickly changes his mind when he sees how good a horse trainer she is. As they live together and share special ranch moments, they fall in love. However, the killer is striking closer to home and Michael worries that his beloved could be a victim since she is out in the open alone a lot and the culprit seems to know what he and Dan plan.

In a Monday quarterback way, the killer seems obvious after a final twist occurs; however, that climatic spin seems to be a lot for readers to accept. Michael is a terrific protagonist who returns to life because of the investigation and the love of Jess. His counterpart Jess is a likeable person whose amusing retorts will leave the audience smiling. The official inquiries are handled interestingly with Michael taking charge so that readers will enjoy this fine police procedural romance.

Harriet Klausner