Linda Lael Miller, Deadly Gamble

Deadly Gamble

Linda Lael Miller

HQN, November 2006, $13.95

ISBN: 037377141X

At five years old, Mary Joseph "Mojo" Mayhugh watched in horror as her sixteen year old half brother Geoff murdered her parents. The family's neighbor Lillian kidnapped the child and raised her as her own, while her sibling was convicted for the homicides. However, a couple of decades later, Lillian lives in Sunset Villa nursing home where she seems to be wasting away, while Mojo resides above Bert's Biker Saloon in Mojo Creek, Arizona, not remembering anything before the abduction.

She is now twenty eight years old, and her love life is either too hot or too cold, and her employment record stinks. Now her late former husband Nick decides to haunt her and she is seeing ghosts; though some are still alive, as her maternal Uncle Clive Larimer claims chance enabled him to find her after twenty three years, and Geoff is out of prison stalking her. She is attracted to undercover cop Tucker Darroch, which irritates Nick. Finally, Lillian's stepdaughter Greer hires Mojo to learn if her husband is cheating. Mojo believes she has found her calling, as she ponders what Nick and the other ghosts, her politician uncle, and convict Geoff want of her, what to do about her past as a Mayhugh and her future perhaps with Tucker, and finally what about that allegedly cheating spouse; all that, while someone wants the truth to remain buried.

DEADLY GAMBLE is a fun zany contemporary tale that has elements from several sub-genres that mix delightfully well together into a wonderful cohesive novel. Mojo keeps the storyline focused, as she finds her past and present crashing on her head making her future not look too bright, while the support cast enhances understanding of the pressures that converge on the beleaguered, bewildered and benign heroine. The storyline is action-packed, filled with Lind Lael Miller's trademark amusing asides and barbs. Fans of paranormal romantic suspense will want to read Ms. Miller's marvelous madcap mayhem.