STAY WITH ME is a Christmas-themed novella in Cynthia Eden's Lazarus Rising series. Although there is a couple all snug together in a cozy cabin in the woods, violence erupts every so often in STAY WITH ME to dampen the warm holiday glow. STAY WITH ME melds two of my favorite movies -- THE BOURNE IDENTITY and the classic Hitchcock film SPELLBOUND. When John Smith comes face to face with Shelly Hampton, he doesn't even know his own name, but he recognizes that she is vital to him in some elemental way.

Shelly is a sympathetic heroine, and it's easy to understand why she initially finds John so unnerving. It wouldn't be believable if she unreservedly embraced John's intensity and wild claims immediately. Shock gives way to empathy for Shelly, when she begins to appreciate John's predicament of having no memories except for a visceral reaction to her. She can relate to this stranger who finds himself all alone in the world because, after the recent murder of her brother, she is too. As John and Shelly alternately dodge assassination attempts and scope out Christmas trees, they grow closer and their passion for each other increases. True to form, Cynthia Eden keeps the characters off balance and readers on their toes by using misdirection and keeping the identity of the villain a secret until the end. The motive, like the identity of the unknown assassin, remains a mystery until the last possible moment, thereby building the suspense for maximum effect.

STAY WITH ME is a spicy holiday tale served with a shot of adrenaline. The setting of a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains makes for an idyllic spot for a romantic getaway, and a chillingly isolated hunting ground for a killer. It's great seeing cameos by characters from other books in this series. I eagerly await the next installment in Cynthia Eden's Lazarus Rising series.