Tessa Jenkins and handyman Hansen Rye see a stranger in a business suit calmly walk out of the ocean and disappear into the woods. They certainly think it's odd, but when the man ends up dead near Tessa's cottage and Hansen recognizes him as an old enemy, he knows his past has finally tracked him down. The question is, since Hansen and Tessa know Hansen didn't kill him, who did? Tessa's past threatens to churn the waters, as well, as rumors swirl and danger mounts. Then the killer strikes again, throwing the island into chaos as Tessa and Hansen race to find the perpetrator before it's too late. A vivid, isolated setting and a colorful supporting cast add to the intrigue. VERDICT Lovers intent on putting their pasts behind them find fulfillment and danger on a secluded private island where everyone has something to hide. This riveting story with a sexy, edgy vibe moves at breakneck speed and splendidly launches a hot new series. Dimon (The Reluctant Heir) lives in San Diego.

Murder runs rampant on Whitaker Island, and the list of possible suspects is almost as big as the population in Dimon's intense romantic thriller. After fleeing scandal in D.C., Hanson Rye refuses to let his attraction to the smart, beautiful Tessa Jenkins interfere with his new, calmer life. Tessa knows there's more to Hanson than his grouchy personality; she's as tough as he is, but she has her own secrets to keep buried, so she will just admire his good looks from afar. Then she sees an unknown man who disappears as quickly as he arrived, and finds his behavior suspicious. When the only cop on the island accuses her of overreacting to the stranger, she launches her own investigation, and Hanson, not wanting the insufferable woman to get hurt, signs on as her protector . When they discover the body of the man (who turns out to be Hanson's arch-nemesis), Hanson becomes the prime suspect, and Tessa is the only one who's close enough to him to help prove him innocent. Dimon perfectly balances the romance with the suspense in this thrilling, action-filled whodunit. Agent: Laura Bradford, Laura Bradford Literary. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

It isn't every day you see a man in a business suit walk out of the Pacific Ocean, but then again, Whitaker Island is not your average, run-of-the-mill Washington State vacation spot. While the permanent residents of Whitaker many of whom harbor a secret or two tend to take the approach of ""don't ask, don't tell"" when it comes newcomers, Tessa Jenkins can't help wondering exactly who the stranger is; especially since she has been observing the boat from which he seems to have come for several days, seeing nary a sign of anyone being aboard. When the stranger winds up dead, Tessa finds herself teaming up with Whitaker Island's taciturn-as-hell yet sexy-as-sin handyman Hansen Rye in order to finally get a few answers to all of her questions. RITA Award-winning Dimon turns up the sensual heat level to full boil in the compulsively readable launch to her Whitaker Island series, while still delivering the razor-sharp wit for which she has become known and loved.--John Charles Copyright 2019 Booklist

A woman seeking refuge on a remote island inadvertently becomes an alibi for her sexy, grumpy handyman, who's being framed for murder.Whitaker Island, "the perfect place to disappear," promises sanctuary for Tessa Jenkins, but she didn't expect to meet someone like Hansen Rye, the hot island handyman who can fix anything but isn't much of a people person, ignoring all the women who flirt with him. When Tessa asks him to help her investigate a seemingly abandoned boat, they see a mysterious man walking out of the sea dressed in a suit. The man disappears into the woods, and neither Hansen nor his best friend, Ben, the island cop, can find any trace of him. When Hansen stops at Tessa's house to give her an update, he finds her terrified, since a fierce storm is raging and someone just tried to break in. He stays the night to make sure she's safe, allowing them each to hint at their mutual crush and offering Hansen an alibi when the man is found outside Tessa's home the next morning, murdered. Hansen, who hadn't seen the man's face on the beach, now recognizes him as the person responsible for a tragedy in his family, someone he'd threatened in the past. Tessa stands by Hansen, and together they and Ben try to solve the crime, which ultimately makes them targets of a variety of enemies. Dimon demonstrates her romantic suspense chops, setting her new series on an island full of residents who are part secret keepers, part gossipmongers. Tessa and Hansen's shared attraction, respect, and trust drive their inevitable happy-ever-after, and we are entertained and intrigued by the journey.A fun, sexy, romantic mystery and a great series launch. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.