Series: Cavanaugh Justice (Book 33)
For Susannah Quinn, heartbreakingly handsome detective Christian Cavanaugh O'Bannon is trouble that she doesn't need. Still, her CSI instincts tell her a serial killer's on the loose, so she agrees to work this case with Chris through long days -- and even hotter nights. But his reckless charm is allowing him perilously close to her darkest secrets.
Going by the book has never been freewheeling Chris's style, so an unofficial partnership with Susannah is just what he needs to stop a vicious murderer in his tracks. While he struggles to win the beautiful blonde's trust, mutual desire puts them both in harm's way…
Another terrific Cavanaugh story where an unsuspecting Cavanaugh finds more than just the answers to a mystery. Chris is a member of a newly discovered branch of the family and was recently transferred to Homicide. He works hard, but he also plays hard. The story opens on the morning after a party he attended, one where he was getting to know an attractive woman until she disappeared. He's still tired and frustrated because he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her when he spotted a couple of teenagers running away from an empty store. Discovering that they found a dead body, Chris begins his investigation with a call that brings out the CSI team.
Susannah joined the Aurora department nine months earlier after moving from Arizona. Her boss is impressed with the work she does, but worries about her tendency to arrive early and stay late. I loved his gentle teasing as he tried to get her to relax a little. Susannah is also a very private person and Sean gets the feeling she has secrets. Susannah's one venture out to a party ended when she unwillingly found herself drawn to a man she met.
I really liked both Chris and Susannah. Chris is an all-around nice guy. He comes from a large and loving family, even before he knew about his connection to the other Cavanaughs. He's cheerful, charming, and a bit of a flirt. He's also serious about his work and determined to bring justice to the murdered woman. Susannah is driven, determined, and haunted by her past. She is passionate about her work and looks at the current case as a way to make amends for what she sees as a huge failure on her part.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Chris and Suzie. She works very hard to keep him at a distance, with sarcasm as one of her greatest weapons. It was fun to see most of her attitude roll right off Chris's back. He likes her a lot and is determined to get to know her. I loved seeing that bit of protectiveness come out as he takes each chance he can get to make sure she eats and gets away from her desk. He also quickly comes to respect her abilities. Suzie was a much harder sell on getting to know Chris. She keeps everyone at a distance because she doesn't want her past to be known. With Chris, no matter what she does or says, she can't get him to back away. The more time they spend together on the case, the more she starts to trust him. The scene where Chris got Suzie to open up about her past was deeply emotional. I loved how he didn't push and let her talk at her own pace until she was able to get through it all. The passion that burst into flame between them took them both by surprise and I loved how they both embraced it fully, adding another layer to their connection. With the events at the end, Chris realized just how much he loved Suzie and made sure that she knew it. He also continued with his sensitivity to her fears and gave her the time she needed to answer him. I loved her timing when she did. It made me laugh out loud at Chris's reaction.
The suspense of the story was fantastic. From the moment the first body was discovered I was riveted to the pages waiting to see what was going to happen. The description of the boys' reactions as they told Chris what they saw was so vivid and real that I felt as though I was there. I loved how Suzie's instincts and experience told her that they were dealing with a serial killer, and how she was able to convince Chris. Their teamwork was fantastic, and I really liked the way that they balanced each other. Suzie's need to do something sometimes ran up against Chris's knowledge that some of the rules needed to be followed. I ached for her as she saw history repeat itself with the murders. As things began to escalate, I loved seeing Chris and Suzie close in on their main suspect. I could easily understand Suzie's certainty that he was the one, as he gave me the creeps each time he appeared. The final confrontation was intense, with a race against time to save the killer's latest target - Suzie herself. I loved her part in the takedown since she was the one who figured out the connection. The final scene with the Chief of Detectives was great, especially with the revelation of just how big a case it turned out to be.
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