White Hot

June 7, 2004
White-hot labor disputes, family conflict, murder and romance are ablaze in bestselling Brown's latest romantic thriller (after Hello, Darkness
), when Sayre Lynch returns to Destiny, La., for her brother Danny's funeral. Estranged from her family for 10 years, Sayre arrives in town believing Danny committed suicide, but suspects otherwise after a surprise encounter at the cemetery and a disquieting interview with the sheriff's deputy. The Bayou-born firebrand now San Francisco interior decorator stays to investigate her brother's last days, confronting her father, Huff Hoyle, the powerful owner of the foundry that provides most of the town's jobs and all its corruption; defying her brother Chris, Huff's heir apparent and OSHA's worst nightmare; and becoming the first woman on the floor of the hellish factory that fuels the family fortune. At every turn, Sayre crosses paths with Huff's handsome lawyer henchman, Beck Merchant, irresistible although he represents everything she despises. The steamy pair cannot escape each other or their conclusions about Hoyle Enterprises. Brown makes up in pace and intensity what she lacks in prose style, guaranteeing readers a brain vacation in print, much like watching a favorite movie: an exciting yet familiar experience, the satisfactory resolution never in doubt. Agent, Maria Carvainis.

July 1, 2004
Interior designer Sayre Lynch vowed never to return to her hometown of Destiny, LA, yet she finds herself on a plane headed there after learning about her little brother Danny's suicide. Wanting nothing to do with her ruthless family, she plans on attending the funeral only. But Sayre stays when the new deputy sheriff tells her Danny was murdered, perhaps by Chris, his own brother. Sayre also learns about past family crimes, gets involved with a labor dispute at the family-owned foundry, confronts her father for meddling in her affairs, and finds herself attracted to Beck Merchant, the family lawyer/lackey. Brown's (Hello, Darkness) latest plods along at times but is helped by its human, realistic characters and exciting ending. This should be a popular late-summer public library choice. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/15/04.]-Samantha J. Gust, Niagara Univ. Lib., NY

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2004
Brown's latest thriller centers on a successful but corrupt family in Destiny, Louisiana. Sayre Lynch vowed never to return to Destiny after she changed her last name and finally escaped from the influence of her controlling father, Huff Hoyle, who owns the iron foundry that the town is built around. But when Danny, her younger brother, is found dead with a shotgun in his mouth, Sayre reluctantly goes to Destiny for his funeral and is annoyed when her father's handsome lawyer and go-to man, Beck Merchant, approaches her. When the young officer investigating the case notes that some of the evidence points to murder rather than suicide, Sayre finds herself unable to leave Destiny. She's annoyed by Beck's constant presence, and she's not sure if he's trying to help her or throw her off the trail. Nor does she trust her father or her older brother, Chris, who is just like him and is a prime suspect in Danny's murder. Sayre isn't convinced of his innocence, by any means. As she tries to figure out how the intriguing, charming Beck fits into the picture, she finds herself deeply attracted to him. Although not quite as successful as her last few thrillers, Brown's latest still sizzles, thanks mainly to a compelling cast of characters.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)