Jill Gregory, Thunder at Dawn

Thunder at Dawn

Jill Gregory

Dell, Jul 2005, $6.99

ISBN: 0440241782

Assistant District Attorney Faith Barclay needs time away from the job following the Jimmy Clement prosecution that led to his execution and subsequent proof of innocence and an ancient leaning judge letting free abusive ex-cop Hank Baymon on probation. Before leaving Philadelphia for her hometown of Thunder Creek, Wyoming, Faith arranges for Hank's wife and children to disappear because she knows he will kill them.

In Thunder Creek, Faith and Zach McCallum are stunned to see one another for the first time in a decade since he left her to marry his pregnant girlfriend in Texas. Now divorced, he raises his son Dillon by himself. Faith and Zach realize they remain attracted to one another. Unbeknownst to her, Hank is stalking her as he plans to first take care of Faith and then his wife and her kids; no one walks out on Hank and lives to tell it. Meanwhile Zack courts a reluctant Faith who does not trust him while someone has begun killing people in Thunder Creek with Faith seemingly in the center of the bulls-eye.

The suspense is high and increases throughout the twisting plot as the audience anticipates a showdown between the villain and the heroine. Adding to the tension is the likable lead couple who belongs together, but must overcome their history. Jill Gregory wisely also sends his too precocious son away on vacation so he is not a pawn of the killer or a matchmaker both over done in literature. The final twist seems improbable, but romantic intrigue fans will still take delight in the third terrific Thunder tale (see THUNDER CREEK and NIGHT THUNDER).

Harriet Klausner