Bestseller Palmer mixes aw-shucks small-town romance with cookie-cutter crime drama, but still scores points with a slowly sizzling lead relationship. Texas FBI agent Garon Greer is 36; having lost his wife to cancer 10 years earlier, he has recently moved from San Antonio, Tex., to nearby Jacobsville, where his not-quite-estranged brother Cash (from Palmer?s Lawless) is police chief. The angelic Grace Carver, 24 and mourning the death of her grandmother, is the still-recovering victim of a childhood sexual assault, and Garon?s next-door neighbor. As Garon tracks a serial killer who strangles his child victims with a red ribbon, Garon avoids Grace-who may in fact may hold the key to catching the killer. Romance fans will savor Grace?s indomitable spirit and quiet power over Garon, though mystery readers may find the resolution a foregone conclusion. (June) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

Harboring horrible secrets, Grace is in self-imposed exile, living with her ailing grandmother in Jacobsville, Texas. After his pregnant wife dies of cancer, FBI agent Garon leaves San Antonio for ranch life in Jacobsville, where his once-estranged brother Cash, from Lawless (2003), is chief of police. When Grace'sgrandmother dies, Garon, who has secrets of his own, offers comfort and friendship to Grace, then is shocked when the investigation into the Red Ribbon Serial Killer, a child murderer, leads straight to Grace. Palmer's unforgettable characters include Grace's grandmother (as loving as a python ), Garon's bossy housekeeper, and Garon's feminist secretary. The popular Palmer has penned another winning novel, a perfect blend of romance and suspense, and her fans will be delighted to see characters from her other books pop in like old friends. --Shelley Mosley Copyright 2007 Booklist