A late client of mine recommended this author to me. His granddaughter had recommended the author to him, bringing him a book from the library, and at the time I spoke to him, he was enjoying the book. So when I saw this book on the free rack at the library, I thought I'd take a chance.

The plot was very convoluted, but I did guess who the perpetrator was before it was revealed. The prologue scene seems unrelated at first but does contain key elements to figuring out what happened. I didn't guess the star and how the numbers laid out until Paterno figured it out.

The book has a lot of action: there's arson, murder, kidnapping. There are also lots of secrets: Travis doesn't reveal what he knows of Dani's birth mother to her so she starts searching on her own, making her a prime target for deception; the Flannery brothers have a pact; at least one Flannery brother has leads on the Stealth Torcher that he hasn't shared with law enforcement; Nate Santana seems to have a secret life.

The plot was compelling most of the time, keeping me turning the pages. I do admit though that the sections with Dani dragged for me, especially the time she was being held by her abductor and trying to work the nail from the board. Don't get me wrong--I admire her ingenuity and her spirit and applaud her for not being a "helpless victim"--she's trying what she can to find a weapon or a way to get away--she's observing as much as she can around her to find ways to escape and clues to lead the police to him if she gets away. I admire all that, but I still felt her sections halted the flow of the plot and the build up of suspense.

I do wish the author hadn't included the (what seems to be obligatory for this genre) sex scenes in the book. I could forgive the dream sequence one--not that the author had to include it, but dreams were a part of Shannon's character--because to the character, it was a dream, and not something she could fully control. And I might even have forgiven the first scene because they were tired, discouraged, and in a situation where they turned to each other--if it hadn't been so graphic. They came so late in the book that I was kind of hoping I was wrong and that they wouldn't be included at all. ( )

Really good sequel to deep freeze. Travis and Shannon are looking for Travis daughter Dani and there is a crazed arsonist killing people ( )

Edge of your seat read :)

Her books always present something new. Not same ole, same ole.
Good plot, held my attention. ( )

This was another recommended author. It took me two months to read it, and I kept plodding through it, only because I wanted to see how it ended and who the arsonist/stalker/kidnapper was.I overlooked the chicky parts and the occasional inconsistencies because the storyline was pretty good.It picked up in the second half and had a twist in the ending. Overall a good story, but I probably won't be reading any more of this author unless she has a bigger publisher with better proofreaders. ( )