Deadline

July 29, 2013
Domestic terrorism provides the backdrop for this uneven romantic thriller from bestseller Brown (Low Pressure). Dawson Scott, a veteran journalist traumatized by his work in Afghanistan, rejects the fluff piece his editor urges him to write, and instead travels to Georgia to cover the trial of Willard Strong, accused of murdering his wife and her lover, Jeremy Wessum, and feeding them to his fighting dogs. Dawson can’t resist reporting on the case after his godfather, a former FBI agent, tips him off that Wessum might be the son of a pair of famous terrorists. The journalist comes prepared for some courtroom drama, but what he’s unprepared for is falling in love with Wessum’s former wife, Amelia. The death of the nanny of Amelia’s two young sons suggests that a murderer may still be on the loose. Dawson and Amelia’s contrived, torrid love affair undermines an otherwise straightforward whodunit. Readers should be prepared for some cringe-worthy dialogue before reaching the propulsive final scenes. Agent: Maria Carvainis, Maria Carvainis Agency.