BONE VALLEY
CLAIRE MATTURRO
ISBN# 9780060773663
May 2007
Avon Books
10 East 53rd Street, New York, New York 10022
Paperback
$6.99
316 Pages
Suspense
Rating: 4 Cups

Lillian Belle Rose Cleary is a defense attorney specializing in litigation for the law firm of Smith, O’Leary and Stanley in Sarasota, Florida. As a favor to Olivia O’Leary she has agreed to look into the defamation case of an orange, levied against Angus John Cartright by Delilah Groves. After researching the particulars of the case, she uncovers more than she bargained for and things really get sticky after one M. David Moody is found dead, drowned in a phosphogypsum pond. Having dealt with the aforementioned man, she knows he has made many enemies but what does he have to do with Delilah Groves Oranges and Antheus Phosphate Mining? What she manages to uncover is an intricate web of lies and deceit that will endanger her life.

Miguel is Angus’ co-defendant in the lawsuit and from the minute he has been introduced, there are sparks between Lilly and himself. Being a masseuse of very generous ladies in the community has made him quite successful and his business, conducted on his boat, sought after by many. Active in eco-terrorism in an attempt to halt the mining of land inhabited by the rare Florida panther along with Angus, he is thought to be responsible for Angus’death when his boat exploded from a fertilizer bomb. Hiding out wherever possible and popping in to see Lilly at unexpected times has made him the target of much speculation by both her and the law enforcement community. Could he have really killed his friend or has he been set-up?

Unable to resist looking into both Antheus and Delilah Groves incorporation papers, she comes across stipulations that point fingers at several people who could have had reason to want to kill M. David Moody and stop the eco-terrorists in one fell swoop. All Lilly’s snooping comes to an end when a blanket is thrown over her head while in her kitchen and she is whisked away by a muscular man. Will she survive her abduction? Is Miguel behind her kidnapping?

Ms. Claire Matturro has written an action packed tome, full of twists and turns that will have many a suspense lover’s minds in knots. Usually a suspense novel can be partially figured out and the evil doers speculated about by the middle of the book. With this book you are left in the dark until the last couple of pages, making this reviewer scratch her head and just marvel at the conclusion. The heroine has a life jam packed with colorful characters that will have you chuckling under your breath and the hero? Well even at the end, you are left unsure of his motives and his true story but there can be no doubt that he did feel something for his attorney. I enjoyed this book immensely.

Kathy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Reviewer for Karen find Out About New Books