Second in a series called Pacific
Coast Private Eyes
comes a tale of a lady who is a Navy chaplain. She has come
to Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey, having arranged to meet a
man whose soldier brother died in her arms. Angela
Gallagher now has PTSD from her experiences overseas but
she still tries to help others.
SEASIDE SECRETS are involved when a car bomb explodes and
Angela is horrified to see someone she'd just spoken to
being harmed. Also at the scene is Dan Blackwater, a heart
surgeon coming to terms with the end of his army medic
career, in his own way. He doesn't hesitate to try to
rescue the person in the car. Can they find what caused
someone to plant the bomb? Do they even trust each other?
Angela is helping out her sisters who run a private
investigation firm, while on leave, but she doesn't have a
PI licence. What's more, the police are adamant that they,
not the public, should look into the matter.
The seaside location in Cobalt Cove is well utilized, with
kayaking a nice interlude followed by getting cut off in a
lighthouse by high tide, a cliff climb and other escapades.
Kelp and driftwood wash up on the beach, in parallel with
drifting people who wash up in town. This tale by Dana
Mentink who lives in a northern Californian coastal
location will certainly appeal to those who enjoy outdoor
adventures. As a romance it's extremely restrained, with
the two main characters more concerned about talking
through their emotional problems. Until they each feel they
are healed, committing to any kind of relationship would
seem wrong and unfair. The war has wrecked their lives and
prospects in various ways but these courageous individuals
are taking one day at a time, realizing that the lessons
learned under fire can still save their lives and those of
others.
Firstly SEASIDE SECRETS comes across as a suspense novel
with shady characters, violence and misdirection along the
way. Dan learns that even here, not everyone around him is
to be trusted while Angela has to work at opening her
heart, not just her moral obligation of duty to others.
The first book in this series is appropriately
called 'Dangerous Tidings' but this understated romance
reads perfectly well as a standalone. I'll be looking out
for the next book in the series.
Navy chaplain Angela Gallagher wants to put the past behind
her, but she's still haunted by the wartime death of her
assistant. So when his brother claims he's in danger and
pleads for her to use her family's private detective
company's resources to help him stay alive, she can't turn
him down. But someone will stop at nothing—even murder—to
keep her from revealing their secrets. She'll have to depend
on a military colleague to keep her head above water. Dr.
Dan Blackwell was in the field with her when her assistant
died, and he's determined to keep her safe. Can they sift
through the web of lies to find the truth without losing
their lives?
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