Eighteen years ago, in a hotel on a small island off the Washington coast, Madeline and Daphne are forever bound by the terrible events of a dark night filled with bloody death. Though they swear to be secret sisters, their lives take different paths after leaving the island that night.

Now living in Arizona, Madeline has recently inherited a company of boutique hotels following her grandmother's mysterious death. Though not wanting to do so, Madeline must return to the island's abandoned hotel. It seems the secret she and Daphne have been hiding for almost two decades has been exposed -- and someone else has died because of it.

Knowing she cannot go to the island unprotected, and not trusting the local police, Madeline enlists the aid of the hotel chain's security expert, Jack Rayner. Though Jack's fledgling security business is small, Madeline trusts him to handle whatever situation arises. Jack strongly affects her senses, and from past personal experiences, they both know about living with secrets. With Jack's computer-guru brother, Abe, as well as Daphne, joining them on the island, the team of four must confront a vicious killer before more lives are lost.

In SECRET SISTERS, Jayne Ann Krentz keeps a mysterious plot progressing swiftly as romance blossoms during adversity. As always, characterization is precise and the atmospheric description of locale gives an edgy feel to the plotline. Krentz is a first-rate novelist of romantic suspense, and SECRET SISTERS is another example of her expertise.