AT CLOSE RANGE
JESSICA ANDERSEN
ISBN: 0-373-22911-9
April 2006
Harlequin Intrigue
225 Duncan Mills Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9
Paperback
$4.99
251 pages
Romantic Suspense
Rating: 4 cups

Evidence specialist Cassie Dumont always feels like an outsider as a female in a male-dominated occupation. She does not think the other police officers take her seriously, which makes her defensive. The cops of Bear Claw Creek, Colorado, thought they had nabbed the serial killer, but a new murder casts doubt on this assumption. Cassie finds herself teamed for the investigation with Seth Varitek, an FBI agent assigned to the case. She has clashed with Seth in the past, so she braces herself for the worst.

Seth refuses to be put off by Cassie’s prickly and territorial attitude. He also finds her extremely attractive. When it appears the new serial killer may be turning his attention to her, Seth is had-pressed not to panic. He wants to keep this intriguing and difficult woman safe, but she makes the task hard for him.

Seth and Cassie are very sympathetic characters, both suffering with baggage from their pasts. Even while attraction sizzles between them, they resist it as hard as they can, afraid of what they are feeling and the potential for hurt. Danger is a powerful aphrodisiac, constantly working its magic on them as they track the wily killer and danger ratchets up with every move.

At Close Range is a better-than-average romantic suspense spiced with authentic details by an author who has obviously done her homework. The shadowy world of serial killers forms a tense subplot and backdrop for the romance, without overshadowing it. The multi-dimensional secondary characters add interest and realism to the story. I recommend this book as a fast, high-tension read, seasoned with the kind of love story romance readers expect from favorite authors.

Alegria
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books