ONE GOOD MAN - Cindy Spencer Pape & Lacey Thorn

Ellora's Cave  www.ellorascave.com

ISBN: 978-141991-457-7

November 2007

Erotic Paranormal Romance

Rated: E-rotic
 

Michigan - Present Day

His face disfigured from the war in Iraq, Grant Kincaid battles with emotional and physical pain everyday. Holed up in a tiny cabin deep in the Michigan woods, he is haunted by the death of his brother Lee, who died in the same attack that injured Grant. Content to be alone, Grant never imagined that a heart made cold from war would heat up once Casey Shields came into his dreary world. Yet, as beautiful as she is, she can't be all right in the head. She claims that a young man dressed in military garb helped her with a flat tire, and directed her towards Grant's cabin. The young man's name was Lee.

All she wanted to do was take some pictures of how beautiful Detroit is at night. Instead she watched a woman get thrown from the top of the building, and now Casey's life is in danger. Not only because the killer knows she was there, but because the victim was a notorious madam, and Casey is betting there's a lot of suspects. The only place she knows she will be safe is to hide out at her grandfather's old place, but thanks to a flat tire, she may never get there. But a handsome man dressed in a military uniform offers his help in exchange for a ride to his brother's cabin. After a nasty car crash, Casey is concerned that her savior is nowhere to be found. She's even more freaked out to learn from Lee's brother, Grant, that Lee died in Iraq.

Neither Grant or Casey understand what's going on, but for some reason, Lee wanted these two to meet. Can the ghost of a beloved brother help the two fated lovers as a psychotic killer comes looking for Casey? And also ease the guilt that plagues Grant's every moment?

ONE GOOD MAN had the makings of a great story. A war veteran tortured by his time spent in Iraq, and the consequences it had not only on him, but his family, who meets up with a woman who has fled Detroit after witnessing a murder. Along with that exciting premise, they are brought together by an urban legend, so I was more than happy to delve right in. And it started out pretty damned good. Suspense, depth, and a nice little ghost story had me wanting more. But then the characters met, and there was no chemistry at all between Grant and Casey. All the tension and mystery that had been built up to that moment fell flat as the characters became one-dimensional and were suddenly acting like randy teenagers. The book does manage to redeem itself close to the end as the characters I first fell for return for the climax.

Courtney Michelle