River Road

November 25, 2013
Summer River is a small town in the middle of Northern California’s wine country. This peaceful, serene spot is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of larger cities. In this return to romantic suspense, bestseller Krentz (Wildest Dreams: Velvet Touch) brings warmth and mystery to the sleepy burg. Lucy Sheridan returns to Summer River after the death of her beloved aunt and finds an old corpse stuffed into the chimney of her aunt’s house. She also encounters Mason Fletcher, the man who made a subtle but permanent impression on her 13 years before. Together, Lucy and Mason must puzzle out who placed the body in the chimney and whether the death of her aunt is somehow connected, while they also contemplate the renewal of an attraction neither was really aware of in their teen years. Krentz has done a solid job of melding the excitement of a thriller with the sweetness of new passion. Agent: Steve Axelrod, Axelrod Agency.

December 15, 2013
Returning to Summer River after 13 years, Lucy Sheridan learns that a mortifying event from her adolescence was actually a rescue, and her teen crush and savior, Mason Fletcher, makes a great partner--in life and in crime investigation. As a forensic genealogist, Lucy is used to family disputes over money and property, so when her aunt and the woman's partner are killed in a car accident and Lucy learns she's inherited their estates--including some decisive shares in a family-owned company that is considering a merger--she is wary. Returning to her aunt's home in Summer River after 13 years, Lucy runs into her teen crush, Mason Fletcher, who is taking a break from his security consulting firm. The last time Lucy visited her aunt in Summer River, she was a teenager, and Mason had pulled her out of a local party, humiliating her in the process. Turns out, though, that Tristan, the local magnetic-yet-psychopathic teen bad boy, had some nefarious plans for Lucy, and Mason had saved her from a devastating experience. Now that Lucy is back and knows the truth, that long-ago night casts a chilling shadow across Summer River as she and Mason make a stunning discovery in her aunt's home, and an unknown accomplice to Tristan's misdeeds will kill to protect long-buried secrets. Add in a power struggle for control of Lucy's shares and the future of the company, a few more mysteries, a dead body or two, and a full slate of suspects, and Lucy and Mason have their hands full. Thankfully, they're both really good at solving mysteries, since the more questions that arise, the more attention they draw from someone (or ones) who'd prefer they'd stop asking. As danger and attraction flare, Lucy and Mason are convinced they have a bright future together, if they can survive the investigation. Krentz returns to her romantic suspense roots with an intriguing premise set in charming wine country, using her typical finesse with dialogue, characterization and storytelling in support of an intricate and engrossing plot. Another Krentz winner.

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Starred review from December 1, 2013

Thirteen years ago, "guardian angel" Mason Fletcher rescued 16-year-old Lucy Sheridan from becoming the victim of sociopathic classmate Tristan Brinker. Now Lucy is back in Summer River, CA, to fix up the vintage Craftsman-style home she inherited from her Aunt Sara. Mason, on a break from his Washington, DC, security consulting business, is also back in town, to help out his uncle. When he and Lucy open up the old fireplace in her house, a body falls out, and things take an ominous turn. VERDICT Wonderfully appealing protagonists, a clever, skillfully crafted plot, soul-stirring sensuality, and delicious flashes of humor result in a classic tale of romantic suspense from the ever-popular Krentz (Dream Eyes). Seattle-based Krentz also writes as Amanda Quick and Jayne Castle.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 15, 2013
The last time Lucy Sheridan saw Mason Fletcher was 13 years ago, when he extracted her from a wild teen party and took her home to her aunt Sara. It doesn't take Lucy long to realize Mason hasn't changed a bit in all that time: he still has a protective streak a mile wide, and he still loves giving orders. One thing that has changed is Lucy's hometown of Summer River. The ever-expanding push from Napa Valley for more vineyards has turned the once-sleepy little Summer River into the latest wine-country hot spot. Property values are skyrocketing, and Lucy would be a fool not to sell the home she inherited from Sara. However, as she embarks on some renovation work, she discovers something that may seriously drag down her asking price: a dead body walled up behind the fireplace. Best-selling Krentz returns to her classic romantic-suspense roots with a spine-tingling tale of a small town harboring deadly secrets. With its irresistible mix of scintillating humor, stunning suspense, and sexy romance, River Road is a complete page-turner.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)