Copyright: 2005
Pages: 384 (paperback edition)
Setting/Type: Contemporary/Romantic Suspense
Grade: B+
Twenty-five years ago Olivia Sealy was kidnapped for ransom. Today she has no memory of the terrible event, yet an uneasy feeling still haunts her – a fear that is realized when an infant’s skeleton is found and a connection is made to Olivia’s past.
As news of the discovery makes headlines, Olivia and the people close to her suddenly become targets for a murderer bent on revenge. Still stunned by the revelation and its implications, Olivia puts her trust in Trey Bonney, the detective assigned to the case. But neither counts on a madman who may hold the answer to the twenty-five-year-old mystery – a secret someone hoped was buried for good.
Wow, where has this author hidden until now? Why did I only discover her now? This book was simply fantastic. Plot, suspense and characters and an extraordinary villain had me glued to the pages until 3 am!
Olivia has been kidnapped 25 years ago when she was barely two years old. During this event also her parents have been murdered. Today she can’t remember anything about this time, but in a convoluted way she feels guilty for her parents’s murder and her grandfather’s loss.
When a retired house owner discovers a skeleton of a two year old child in a suitcase, immured into the wall of his house, the whole case is unrolled again. One of the leading detectives is Trey Bonney. He and Olivia have a past history, they have been deeply in love during their high school years, yet when Olivia’s grandfather requested their separation, Olivia broke up with Try out of guilt and loyalty to her closest relative. When Olivia and Trey meet again it’s like they have been never separated. Trey forgives her and both know that this time they will finally stand up for their love.
Trey and Olivia are two immensely nice and wonderful characters. Their undying love for each other rings so true, so right it really warmed my heart and made me sigh. No commitment phobia, no single complex, simply true and basic love. Such a wonderful change to all those other relationship problems.
I first thought Olivia’s grandfather is going to be one of those possessive, unbending characters, but no, Marcus Sealy is much more complex than that. He realizes his mistake and becomes deeply reflective about his relationship with Olivia and also tries to mend his long ago mistake.
The suspense plot itself was one of the best I have read in a long time. Fantastic, non-stereotypical and especially unforeseeable, therefore I don’t want to write too much about it in order not to give away any clues. Let me put it this way, the villain in this story is very special … and I can honestly say I have never met quite another one like this person.
Any recommendations? I definitely want to read more from this author who – so I discovered – also goes by the pen name Dinah McCall.
