Catherine McCoy is running from her past when she winds up in small town Butte Crest, Texas with a nearly empty wallet and a sputtering car. Unfortunately, the first person she meets is Sheriff Matt Ballard who pulls her over for a traffic violation. Recognizing a woman in need, Matt forgoes the ticket and gives her tips on a couple of jobs that might be available around town. Catherine finds work at the local bar where she runs into Matt as he's investigating the disappearance of a young woman. When the woman is found dead and made-up like a porcelain doll the authorities aren't sure what to think. Then another woman goes missing and they realize they have a serial killer on their hands.
As Matt leads the investigation to find the killer before any more lives are lost, he turns to Catherine for support and affection. When Catherine disappears, Matt races against the clock to find the woman he's growing to love before the killer turns her in to his latest green-eyed doll.
Jerrie Alexander's debut novel THE GREEN-EYED DOLL is a gritty, thrilling can't put it down romantic suspense. The villain is suitably menacing and difficult to identify, I was left guessing until the very end. Catherine and Matt are complex characters with their own secrets to reveal and wounds to overcome as they work towards loving and trusting each other. Ms. Alexander is definitely an author fans of romantic suspense should keep an eye on. I'm looking forward to seeing what she has for us next.
Catherine McCoy is running from her past. She's been on the move for a year, hiding the secret and guilt in her heart. When she lands in small–town Texas and meets Sheriff Matt Ballard, he ignites a flame she thought lost forever.
Matt has scars of his own. He left the big city after an undercover operation went bad and his partner was killed. Now, as Matt hunts for a serial killer who paints his victims like porcelain dolls, Catherine becomes a safe haven for him. Two tortured souls finding comfort in each other's arms—until he uncovers her secret, and their bond of trust is broken.
When Catherine disappears, Matt races to find her, fearing the murderer has found his next green–eyed doll. But the killer has a surprise coming. Catherine will fight to the death before she'll be a victim. But will her determination be enough?
Dark circles and cold, weary, blue eyes marred Matt's Michelangelo face. His black hair fell in disarray and looked like he'd raked his fingers through a number of times today. His chiseled jaw and chin were dark with a long day's stubble. With a couple of long strides, he pinned her between him and the counter. He framed her face with his hands, closed his eyes, and lowered his forehead to hers. They stood in silence for a long time, unmoving, their bodies not touching. Fear for the missing woman radiated off him.
His anguish, more than she'd planned for, hit her hard. His dedication and concern, traits she admired, shook her conviction that no man could be trusted. His tenderness, something she'd never had, touched a long–neglected place in her soul.
In that small space of time, where no one else in the world existed, Catherine's heart found hope. Tears, she'd promised herself never to shed again, slid unchecked down her cheeks. But these tears weren't because of her pain or grief. She cried because Matt suffered and grieved for the missing woman. She slid her arms around him, stroking his tense muscles.
"Hey, yourself." He leaned back and studied her face. The warmth behind his eyes returned as he wiped away her tears with the pads of his thumbs. "Were those for me?"
She nodded and emotions swirled in her head. Catherine struggled to regain her perspective. "I have to remove no more tears from The Never List."
"Why would you hold yourself to such a never?"
"The only thing crying gets you are red eyes."
"Okay, tough guy. Maybe someday you'll trust me enough to explain. Why'd you break a rule for me."
"The worry for Annie Travers in your eyes broke my heart. I've never known anyone with your compassion and dedication."
"Careful." The corners of his mouth lifted. "You'll be calling me John Wayne again."
"Same soul."
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