Rick's first wife Jennifer enjoyed living on the edge. She
made choices that were sure to cause pain and suffering to
everyone, including herself. Dying in a single car
accident, Jennifer left behind Rick, her ex-husband by that
time, her daughter Kristi, and lingering doubts about her
lifestyle in those who knew her best. Twelve years after
the accident, it seems as if the damage Jennifer
inflicted may have been repaired; Rick rejuvenated his
career as police officer by moving from L.A. to New
Orleans, he's stopped drinking, is happily married to
Olivia, and raised Kristi into a fine young woman.
Everything changes again after Rick has an accident that
puts him into a coma for two weeks. After waking it's his
physical condition that causes concern, with a damaged
spine and leg, but soon it will be his emotional condition
that takes center stage. Put on leave from the NOPD until
his injuries won't prevent him doing his job, Rick has more
time to think about the vision he had as he emerged from
his coma. He's sure he saw Jennifer. Then he receives
recently taken photos of "Jennifer" in Los Angeles and a
copy of her death certificate with a red question mark. He
can't let it go, even though he's sure someone is messing
with him, and he flies to L.A. to figure out who's behind
it all.
When Rick left the LAPD, he left with some black marks on
his record. No one in the department is too happy to see
him and it's a struggle to get anyone to take his problems
seriously. Starting his own investigation he begins to
question old friend of his ex-wife, but he rarely likes
what he's hearing. Jennifer was more troubled and
troublesome than Rick had ever realized. He's
spotted "Jennifer" around town repeatedly and women Rick's
come in contact with begin to die. As the tension increases
around his investigation in LA, things back home begin to
heat up as well. Olivia is getting threatening calls and it
seems almost too likely that whoever is after Rick may use
his wife to get to him. What's true, what's imagined, and
who's behind it all? Who will survive the killing spree?
And who won't?
This the latest entry to the New Orleans series. Rick began
his journey in Hot Blooded, was joined by Olivia in
Cold
Blooded, and both were included in Kristi's story Lost
Souls. Rick's partner had his story told in
Shiver. Before
and Absolute Fear are also part of this grouping.
There's
plenty of background, so readers won't be lost if they
start with MALICE but you'll probably want to go back to
read more about these characters anyway. There's plenty of
clever plot turns and the suspense builds from the
beginning of the book. Put aside some time because once you
start reading, you won't want to stop.
The scent is unmistakable – gardenias, sweet and delicate,
the same perfume that his beautiful first wife, Jennifer,
always wore. Opening his eyes in the hospital room where
he’s recovering from an accident, New Orleans detective Rick
Bentz sees her standing in the doorway. Then Jennifer blows
him a kiss and disappears. But it couldn’t have been
Jennifer. She died twelve years ago...
Once out of the hospital, Bentz begins to see Jennifer
everywhere, haunting and taunting him, then vanishing
without a trace. Could she still be alive? But it was Bentz
who identified Jennifer’s body after her horrible car wreck,
and there had been no question in his mind that it was her
crumpled form behind the wheel, her clothes, her wedding
ring. He’s never doubted it – until now. He can’t tell his
new wife, Olivia, about the sightings or his secret fear
that he’s losing his mind, even though he knows she suspects
something is wrong. But Olivia is also hiding a secret...
When a copy of Jennifer’s death certificate arrives in the
mail, emblazoned with a red question mark, Bentz follows the
postmark trail to Los Angeles, returning to the painful
memories he’s tried so hard to forget, and straight into a
killer’s web. Reconnecting with his former LAPD colleagues,
Bentz begins to piece together Jennifer’s last days, but
each new discovery only serves as a chilling reminder of how
little he really knew about his first wife. Then the murders
begin, each victim a part of Jennifer’s past, each grisly
corpse pointing to Bentz as the prime suspect.
Someone’s been waiting patiently, silently. Someone who
knows exactly what happened that night twelve years ago and
has been anticipating Bentz’s every move. Soon it will be
Bentz’s turn to suffer for his sins. But he won’t be the
only one made to pay the ultimate price. For a diabolical
killer has now made Olivia the prime target...
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