"Taut romantic suspense"
Like many NYPD Detectives and cops in general, Nick
Sinestra is divorced and supplements his salary by working
celebrity events as a guard. Unlike other police
officers, Nick also enhances his income by
selling "findings' to the sleazy Star Gazer tabloid. His
current target for both of his moonlighting jobs is shy
widow Portia Wells, whose deceased husband was the
president of the highly regarded Nature Preservation
Society. Nick follows her from Manhattan to New
Rochelle. When an aggressive reporter arrives, Portia
realizes that Nick sold her out. Because of a confrontation with a homeland security
specialist, Nick's superior places him on vacation for a
month, his first time off in over a year and a half. This
enables Star Gazer to send Nick to Colorado to find
information on the reclusive Portia. As he tries to
regain her trust, Nick realizes that someone is trying to
frighten Portia with each incident, more dangerous than
the previous one. As the New Yorker falls in love with
his pigeon and Portia reciprocates, thugs assault her
leaving his beloved ON THIN ICE. Lynn Erickson has earned a deserved reputation for
powerfully taut romantic suspense tales and her latest
AFTER HOURS will substantiate her esteem. The story line
starts slow as Ms. Erickson introduces the two key players
and the mistrust that is critical to the novel. Once
Portia returns to Colorado, the novel accelerates until
the final confrontation. Although the audience ironically
knows who is pushing Portia ON THE EDGE, readers will
appreciate the unfolding of the drama as Nick risks his
life to keep his beloved safe. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted June 6, 2004
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