Independent and tenacious journalist Vivian DeMarco is back in Walton, Georgia, for one reason–to do her job and get out. When her boss suddenly dies under suspicious circumstances, Vivian’s only hope for finding the truth–and the next big story–is small-town law enforcement’s lanky poster boy, Deputy Ryan Frost. But the deeper they dig, the more twisted the truth becomes, and Vivian finds herself fighting for not only answers but also her life. False leads, incriminating emails, and someone called The Watcher force Vivian to confront the secret of her past and decide: How much is she willing to risk for the sake of a headline?
Author Natalie Walters welcomes you back to Walton, Georgia, where everyone knows your name–but no one knows your secret.
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Sexual Content - 1/5
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Violence - 1/5
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Language - 0/5
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Drugs and Alcohol - 0/5
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Summary
3.5 stars
"I've got a marmalade dropper, and I think . . . . I think it's the story you've been waiting on."
Harold Kennedy's cryptic message took Vivian DeMarco straight to his front door. At nearly midnight, what awaited her was not a news story, but a tragedy; bringing her face to face with the one person from her not so distant past who might be willing to help assuage her guilt and unravel some very confusing clues.
Deputy Ryan Frost is pretty certain that Vivian DeMarco is not telling him everything she knows about the death of her beloved editor. And as the case morphs from accidental to homicidal, he becomes convinced that working alongside the tenacious journalist will keep her safer, but neither of them could have predicted the magnitude of the case nor the "unexpected, but not awkward" steps towards attraction.
While the story line steadily advances, it's about half-way through the book before the depth of its characters really begin to impact the outcome. Ryan and Vivian are both bruised by their pasts and tend to tip-toe around issues that could ultimately make a difference. Will their walls remain built with bricks of "abandonment, rejection, alone and unloved" or can they be replaced with "family, friendship, belonging, and love"? Ultimately, it's a race against time and a matter of life and death.
Enjoy this ingenious suspense with its many "harbored secrets", while being reminded that hope shines brightest in the darkest of moments.
I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing through Interviews and Reviews. The opinions stated are entirely my own.