Brenda Novak, Dead Giveaway

Dead Giveaway

Brenda Novak

Mira, Feb 2007, $6.99

ISBN: 0778324796

In Stillwater, Mississippi, almost two decades ago, highly regarded Reverend Lee Barker vanished without a trace. His family, with one noted exception, and the townsfolk believe that either his second wife or his then teenage stepson Clay Montgomery killed him. However, no proof or corpse was ever found so no one was arrested for the crime.

Former Chicago cold case Detective Allie McCormick, accompanied by her child Whitney, has come home to work for her father, the Stillwater police chief, following a divorce from a person who detested their daughter for no reason except her "intruding" on their lifestyle. Allie plans to uncover the truth behind the Barker disappearance, but also finds herself attracted to the prime suspect Clay, who she thinks knows what happened but is protecting someone, probably his mom, his two sisters or his stepsister.

Noted for her fast-paced, romantic, suspense thrillers, Brenda Novak heats up Mississippi with this cold-case investigation. The fascinating twist to the tale is that fans know early on that Clay knows what happened to the missing Reverend and Allie believes he is innocent, but protecting someone. The support cast is top-rate as each has a reason to either conceal the truth or want the truth revealed. The romance adds fun as Allie begins to doubt her professionalism as she falls in love with the townsfolk only suspect. As with DEAD SILENCE and BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY, Ms. Novak writes a tense suspense-laden tale.

Harriet Klausner