By Dana Marton
Publisher: Independent
Release Date: August 16, 2013
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As first lines go, that one's a winner. Dana Marton grabbed my attention with that first sentence and proceeded to take me on a roller coaster ride filled with chills, thrills, sizzling emotion and non-stop action. I was riveted to this story from beginning to end, so much so that I read the entire book in one afternoon and then immediately downloaded the other books in the Broslin Creek series. This author knows how to write romantic suspense!
Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. When Kate Bridges visits a childhood friend she ends up being the only witness in the world who can identify a notorious assassin, an assassin who will stop at nothing until he silences Kate forever. When an attempt to kill her leaves her seriously injured but alive, the FBI announces her death then takes her into protective custody and sets a trap for the killer...at Kate's funeral. The trap goes wrong, the killer escapes and Kate, knowing nobody can keep her safe, flees for her life.
Eighteen months later...
For Kate, the past eighteen months have been a series of small towns, odd jobs and never, ever letting down her guard. When she awakens in the middle of the night to find a large man towering over her bed she's sure her time has run out.
Returning home from Afghanistan, wounded in body and spirit, Murphy Dolan, an Army Reserve soldier and Broslin Creek police officer, is shocked to discover his brother has taken it upon himself to earn a little extra cash by renting out Murphy's house. Murphy wants the woman gone. Kate has no place to go. Neither one trusts the other.
Kate has had a rough life including childhood abuse and a series of foster homes before she and her baby sister were finally adopted by a loving couple when Kate was twelve. Those parents are responsible for the person Kate is today - strong, courageous and caring. Kate misses her family terribly, as well as the traumatized children she treated in her career, but she doesn't regret her decision to let people believe she's died. Keeping her secret is the only way to keep the people she loves safe.
Murph's cop instincts are working overtime. It's obvious Kate is terrified and also hiding something. He won't let her stay in his home unless she tells him everything and when she does...everything changes. Murph's protective instincts kick in and he's determined to keep her safe, especially as they grow closer and feelings between them begin to deepen. But even though they're working together, Kate still battles her fear and Murph's PTSD demons won't subside. When clues point to a villain on the scene, Murph is certain the assassin has tracked Kate to Broslin Creek but Kate wonders...what does she really know about Murph? Is it the assassin she needs to fear or have the post-deployment demons that plague Murphy finally caused him to snap? And will she figure out who is the good guy and who isn't before it's too late?
This is an outstanding book. The only thing that kept it from being a 5 star read for me were some loose ends at the conclusion of the book. I admit it, I prefer things tied up nice and pretty. However, even though this is the third Broslin Creek book to be published, it's the first story, chronologically, so perhaps my questions will be answered in the other books. I'll find out soon!
~PJ
This review is part of the Deathwatch Blog Tour. I received an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Other stops on the blog tour are listed below as well as a link to the tour contest.
Click here to enter rafflecopter giveaway.
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Amazon link for Deathtrap
