Luz Maria Montoya has spent the last three years pissing people off for a living. She's spokesperson for the Voice of Poverty and speaks for those who can't afford expensive lawyers. Luz Maria has become Houston's gypsy warrior goddess. Along with letters of admiration and marriage proposals, she also gets her share of hate mail. But even her self-defense lessons haven't prepared her for the vicious attacker who has his hands tightening around her throat. And then her world goes black.

Luz Maria has no idea who her deadly perpetrator is, but she knows it's personal. Could it be someone who hates her role as a community activist? Could it be her former boyfriend (whom we loosely met in FADE THE HEAT) involved in the violent group calling itself BorderFree-4-All? Or maybe it's the partner of a cop whose life Luz inadvertently destroyed. The man who's assigned to find her attacker just so happens to be the one man she's not sure she can trust.

Investigator Grant Holcomb does not hide his feelings toward this Latino woman who ruined his partner's life. As Luz Maria continues receiving threatening phones call, Grant is torn between his loyalty to his dead partner and his ever-growing respect and passion for this brave and beautiful woman who's in terrible danger.

HEAT LIGHTENING is a page-turner. The whodunit plot is gripping along with the flawed characters you can't help but fall in love with. Ms. Thompson takes us on a roller coaster ride of mystery and intrigue that will keep every suspense/thriller enthusiast completely satisfied. The sizzling and combustible love story makes this a perfect read. Begin with FADE THE HEAT and finish with this winner. It's terrific.