Laurie Breton, Criminal Intent

Criminal Intent

Laurie Breton

Mira, Mar 2006, $6.99

ISBN: 0778333807

In Atchawalla, Mississippi, widow Robin Spinny finds documents her late spouse Deputy Sheriff Mac left behind that incriminates his boss Sheriff Luke Brogan of doing illegal activities. She took the evidence to Mac's best friend Deputy Boyd Northrup, father of two with a third on the way, who officially commits suicide. Robin believes otherwise, and feels that Luke and his brother murdered Boyd and her husband, who two years ago allegedly died in a car accident. With her daughter Sophie, Robin flees with intent to hide in plain sight elsewhere in the country.

Robin changes her name to Annie Kendall, and two years later, with teenage Sophie she opens up the Twilight Motel & Video Store in Serenity, Maine. As acting police chief for two months, disgraced former DEA Agent Davy Hunter finds Annie quite attractive, but believes she is hiding something. At the same time Luke is closing in on the woman who could expose him. Only Davy and a deputy not happy with his appointment stand in their way, but Luke has killed two law enforcement officials and has no problem with adding one more to his list.

CRIMINAL INTENT is an exhilarating suspense thriller with a romantic subplot that takes a back seat to the action. The storyline centers on the woman (and her daughter) in peril from lethal law enforcement officials who want to insure her silence, even two years after she vanished. The hired gun, though he makes limited appearances, is an intriguing character, while the Brogan siblings don't appear enough to make them as dangerous as they apparently are. Davy sees the Kendall females as his redemption, but has doubts he can do the job. Fans will enjoy this solid romantic suspense thriller with the emphasis on the paths leading to a High Noon confrontation.