Gina Ricci is desperate when she engages a firm of private investigators run by Cruz and Derek Winchester. She needs help to STAY HIDDEN from her ex-boyfriend Tony Marino. The gloss wore off the relationship pretty quickly. Tony demonstrated he was controlling and violent. She can’t live with that, and she’s expecting a baby. Tony would have the ultimate leverage over her – she needs help.

Not only is the PI firm a good one, but the fit and capable young men are related to several of the local law enforcement officers. The Winchester family features in the Heartland Heroes series, and this is the fourth book. Great Falls, Kentucky, is quiet enough, most weeks. Gina fled here and took a room anonymously, but she has now spotted her ex putting up flyers for his supposedly "missing" girlfriend in shops. Sadly, Tony gets a line on her address and assaults her new landlord. While the PIs sheltering Gina agree it’s hard to jail someone for a bad relationship or even domestic abuse, assault and murder change the story.

The friendship Gina develops with Cruz stems from her determination and self-respect, and his knowing what the right thing to do must be, paid or not. What would his mother say if he left a pregnant young lady to fend for herself? Cruz appoints himself as guard and moves Gina around, with Derek and their family members tracing the elusive Tony and his mounting tally of crimes.

I admire the characterisation, also how the author Julie Anne Lindsey works in little details from early in the story to tie up the drama at the end. There is a lot going on, as the horrible person Tony has become falls deeper into psychosis, and everyone else becomes even more determined to stop him. Gina has her baby’s welfare to consider, but she always thinks of the safety of other people around her too. The suspense is sustained through just about every chapter, and the romance is a slow build with a good outcome. STAY HIDDEN is well worth a read and may inspire some women to escape a bad situation.