Nothing in life's been easy for Nikki starting with being
left at her grandmother's at the age of six and a marriage
with a cheating ex who is still hanging around like he hopes
for reconciliation. The most lush flowers were not going to
let Jack worm his way into Nikki's life; however, with the
economy playing havoc with her new art gallery, she was
virtually broke and she agreed to meet with him. Looking at
him with no emotional response spoke volumes to Nikki but
why turn down a good meal. As luck would have it that meal
turned out to be life changing for both Nikki and Jack. For
one thing, their food was laced with something designed to
make them both really sick. Lucky for Nikki the worse she
had was a really bad case of food poisoning requiring some
time to recuperate. Jack well he wasn't so lucky -- it
turned out to be his last meal. Someone was out to get Jack
and by the end of the evening he was found dead by none
other than Nikki in the trunk of her car. Well her
grandmother had warned her to stay away from the deadbeat.
Dallas, Tony, and Austin were partners in a private
investigation company called "Don't Mess With Texas." They
mostly did cheating spouse cases where they got the goods
for the betrayed spouse. But their true mission was to help
prevent miscarriages of justice. They learned the hard way
that justice is rather fickle and circumstantial evidence
is most often the key in criminal cases where sometimes the
innocent get incarcerated -- as did the three of them. They
made it out of prison but their time in jail left their
personal lives in shreds and each learned to cope quite
differently. Dallas learned that you can be betrayed
by those closest to you and the way to avoid getting your
heart trampled on a second time was to stay uncommitted. So
far that was working for him. But that was until he met
Nikki. Truly, it wasn't an auspicious first meeting but
let's say Nikki definitely made a lasting impression. And
because
it was quickly becoming obvious that the police were
putting their money on Nikki as the killer Dallas felt he
had to step in. Their case was full of holes and unanswered
allegations but Dallas was going with his gut reaction
which told him something more sinister was going on which
was supported by some very strange events involving Nikki's
gallery, friends, and home. As the danger to Nikki escalated
Dallas was compelled to keep her close to him for her
safety but who would know that in doing so their hearts
would be in jeopardy.
Okay who names a P.I. agency Don't Mess With Texas --
Christie Craig that's who. Along with her requisite talent for
the most engaging characters and laugh-out-loud dialog this
story challenges right to the end. If you're not already a
fan this story will get you on board.
Nikki Hunt thought her night couldn't get worse when her
no-good, cheating ex ditched her at dinner, sticking her
with the bill. Then she found his body stuffed in the trunk
of her car and lost her two-hundred-dollar meal all over his
three-thousand-dollar suit. Now not only is Nikki nearly
broke, she's a murder suspect.Former cop turned PI, Dallas
O'Connor knows what it's like to be unjustly accused. But
one look at the sexy-though skittish-suspect tells him she
couldn't hurt anyone. The lead detective, Dallas's own
brother, has the wrong woman and Dallas hopes a little
late-night "undercover" work will help him prove it . . .
Don't Mess With Texas is the first book that I have read by the humorous Christie Craig. Throughout the book I was rooting not only for Nikki to be proven of the potential murder charge against her, but for the secondary characters...Tony and LeAnn to work out their issues as well.
It's truly hard for me to say whose story I enjoyed more...Nikki and Dallas or Tony and LeAnn. However being the good secondary characters that they are Tony and LeAnn were content to remain in the background for the most part.
When I turned the last page of Don't Mess With Texas I was more than ready to not only read more about Nikki and Dallas, but to find out just who, how, and when Dallas' partners Austin and Tyler will be getting their stories!
If you like romantic comedy then Christie Craig should go on your watch list if she isn't already there. (Sandi Shilhanek 7:14pm October 16, 2011)
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