When a Heart Stops (It Might be the Reader's!)

When a Heart Stops
(Deadly Reunions #2)
Lynette Eason
(Revell)
ISBN: 978-0800720087
October 2012/336 pages/$14.99
A killer's deadly game needs new players . . . but someone's about to change the rules

As a medical examiner, Serena Hopkins is used to dealing with death. But that doesn't make it any easier when she's called to the eerie scene of a murder--especially when Serena realizes that she knows the victim. Nearly as unnerving is the presence of FBI agent Dominic Allen, her childhood crush.

As evidence mounts and points to a serial killer with disturbingly familiar methods, Serena and Dominic must work to find a pattern and stop the killings before the murderer strikes again. And when Serena's own life seems at stake, she must decide if the secret she has been keeping has put her next on the killer's hit list. Can she trust Dominic with the truth before it's too late?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lynette Eason is the author of several romantic suspense novels, including Too Close to Home, Don't Look Back, A Killer Among Us, and When the Smoke Clears. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. A homeschooling mother of two, she has a master's degree in education from Converse College. She lives in South Carolina.



MY THOUGHTS

The heading on Lynette Eason's Infinite Suspense website says "Welcome. . .to the edge of your seat!" That pretty much nails it! She became a must-read suspense author for me two years ago with her Women of Justice series and only solidified that status with this Deadly Reunion series. (My review of When the Smoke Clears, is here.) When a Heart Stops is another must-read, but I must warn you: don't plan to read it in small snatches because you will not be able to put it down! The main character, Serena, has appeared as the medical examiner in each of Eason's previous books and I enjoyed having her "star" in her own story, although I wasn't certain she would survive it! The characters are masterfully portrayed, presenting the conundrum of liking them while simultaneously wondering if one is the murderer hiding in plain sight. Eason paces the suspense perfectly, periodically providing a peek into the unknown villain's mind, stamping each chapter with the day and precise time, and periodically placing a scene alone in a chapter that takes less than a page. At times, I found myself hesitant to turn the next page but at the same time, I couldn't read this book fast enough! Read this one with the lights on, preferably when you aren't home alone, but don't miss it!

I was so happy to meet Lynette Eason at the ACFW conference in September. She and another author happened to sit next to me at breakfast one morning and when I saw her nametag, I almost fell out of my chair! She is a delight.





Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”