Merciless (Zebra Romantic Suspense) [Paperback]

I've finished "Merciless" the sequel to "Senseless" by Mary Burton.

Product Description

Each skeleton is flawless - gleaming white and perfectly preserved, a testament to his skill. Every scrap of flesh has been removed to reveal the glistening bone beneath. And the collection is growing. When bleached human bones are identified as belonging to a former patient of Dr. Dillon Dixon, Detective Malcolm Kier suspects the worst. Dixon was recently acquitted of attempted murder, thanks to defence attorney Angie Carlson. But as the body count rises, Kier is convinced that Angie is now the target of a brutal, brilliant psychopath. Angie is no stranger to the dark side of human nature. But nothing has prepared her for the decades-long legacy of madness and murder about to be revealed - or a killer ready to claim her as his ultimate trophy.
 
Product Details
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Zebra; Original edition (February 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420110209
ISBN-13: 978-1420110203

My Review:
 
Angie Carlson known as the Barracuda has made a name for herself as a no-nonsense, tough as nails defense attorney. Angie got plastic surgeon, Dr. Dillon Dixon off on charges of raping a prostitute (see Senseless), having ripped the victim to shreds on the witness stand, after proving she lied about her drug use. As a favor to her sister Eva, the same prostitute now wants Angie to help her get her child back, swearing she is clean and no longer hooking. But when the client doesn't show up for her court appearance, something doesn't sit right with Angie. After more bones are found, and they are believed to be that of Angie's client, it doesn't take long for the pieces of the puzzle to fall into place. Adding in a slew of other prostitute murders and a 30-year-old murder, it becomes quite clear that there are three common denominators - Angie, Dr. Dillon Dixon, and once again, the Cross Family. 
 
Malcolm, fighting his attraction to Angie because of his involvement with another woman, knows he must do whatever it takes to protect Angie from this obviously incredibly bright killer before he takes her as his final prize. 
 
Wow some of the names Malcolm calls Angie are quite harsh and hurtful!  But she sure could give it back to you!
 
We got to see the same scenes from the eyes of the cops viewpoint to the possible victim trying to save herself and the devious minds of two sick and demented killers.  Really enjoyed how the viewpoints were switched from Angie to Malcolm and the two killers!
 
Glad to see the romance between Malcolm and Angie slowly formed and they got to know each other and dealing with their issues before jumping into a relationship.

5/5

Thanks Joy from Joan Schulhafer Publishing and Media Consulting for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

Senseless [Paperback]

I've finished "Senseless" by Mary Burton.

Product Description

The vicious burns scarring the victims' flesh reveal the agony of their last moments. Each woman was branded with a star, then stabbed through the heart. With every death, a vengeful killer finds a brief, blissful moment of calm. But soon it's time for the bloodshed to start again. Ten years ago, Eva Rayburn and her sorority sisters were celebrating the end of the school year. That party turned into a nightmare Eva can't forget. Now she's trying to start over in her Virginia hometown, but a new nightmare has begun. Every victim is linked to her. And Detective Deacon Garrison isn't sure whether this mysterious woman needs investigating - or protecting. Only Eva's death will bring peace. Only her tortured screams will silence the rage that has been building for ten long years. Because what started that night at the sorority can never be stopped - not until the last victim has been marked for death.

Product Details
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Zebra; 1 edition (January 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420110195
ISBN-13: 978-1420110197

My Review:
 
Storyline:  Ten years ago Eva while partying with her sorority sisters she was raped and branded with a star-shaped pendant.  She barely escaped when a fire started and her rapist Josiah Cross is killed.  She is charged with his murder but she doesn't remember much what happened that night (she's certain she didn't kill Josiah).  Her sorority sisters testified she was the one who killed Josiah and she was convicted for ten years.  Now she's in her late twenties but looks 15 or 16.  Now bodies are turning up with the same star-shaped branded onto them so she teams up with Deacon to find out who the killer is and why they are killing?  She doesn't tell her sister Angie that she has moved back to the town she grew up in.  She works as a bartender at Kings, an attendant at a half way house and as a process server in between. 

Characters: All the characters were well written so it feels like you know them in real life.  Eva is such a great character because she is determined to prove she didn't kill Josiah and to find out what really happened that night.  Deacon makes a great hero beacause he's determined who the killer is and why they are killing.  He doesn't really want to believe that Eve is a killer and involved in the recent killings of her sorority sisters.

Romance:  I really liked the romance between Eva and Deacon because he's extremely attracted to her but she's a suspect in the recent murders (a conflict of interest) and he's fighting it.  Their romance didn't start until half way though the book and it was slowly built up.

Killer:  Never figured out who the killer was until the end and that was such a delight.  The killer is able to function in the real world as a normal person and that is really scary!

5/5
 
Thanks Joy from Joan Schulhafer Publishing and Media Consulting for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!