Good mix of suspense and romance. The book opens with Wyatt discovering a dead body on his property. Wyatt is a former FBI agent who left the bureau when his last case went wrong. Now, all he wants is to live in peace in his mountain hideaway. But as he looks at the crime scene, something doesn't add up. Though he reports the body to the sheriff and tells him of his suspicions, Wyatt has no intention of getting involved. He's done with that life.

Everly is the victim's sister. She comes to town to identify and claim Axl's body. When she hears the circumstances of his death, she insists that someone murdered her brother. The sheriff is skeptical and uninterested in pursuing her claims, so Everly goes to Wyatt for help. He still says no, but when someone attacks Everly, his protective instincts kick in, and he decides to help after all.

I liked the development of the relationship between Wyatt and Everly. It gets a somewhat rocky start because Everly pushes Wyatt so hard to help her. But there are sparks of attraction under the antagonism, and they draw Wyatt and Everly closer together. Because of his past, Wyatt feels that Everly should not trust him and is determined to resist the attraction. I ached for Wyatt as the story of why he left the FBI comes out and explains why he's so down on himself. I liked Everly's determination and strength. Though independent, she isn't stupid and accepts his invitation to stay with him for protection. The feelings between them continue to build, but they must overcome obstacles if they want a future together. A life-threatening situation reminds them of what is important.

The suspense of the story was gripping from the start. The attacks on Everly made it clear that someone wanted her out of the way. As soon as she and Wyatt began digging into Axl's death, Wyatt noticed disturbing similarities to his last case in Las Vegas. Add in some creepy scenes from the killer's point of view, and I was glued to the pages. The unraveling of the clues was fascinating and full of tension, especially given Wyatt's suspicions. I did not see that twist coming, and the danger to Everly was terrifying. The confrontation at the end was a nail-biter. The epilogue was a lead-in to the next book with one vital matter to be resolved. ( )