New Releases by Mary Burton

“Murder, mayhem, and mystery! Every story . . . is filled with suspense, sizzle and startling twists. I loved it!” ―Lisa Jackson, New York Times–bestselling author Crime comes to the capital of country music in these all-new stories by mystery and thriller stars including Jeffery Deaver, Anne Perry, Robert Dugoni, Donald Bain, Jefferson Bass, and many more. “Settings include backwoods hollows, late-night recording studios, seedy dives, quiet suburbs, sleek yachts, and tropical islands. Readers will meet Civil War re-enactors, college professors, song writers, spies, and the requisite lawyers and cops, as well as a being that just might be the devil. Among the highlights are Anne Perry’s ‘Shutter Speed,’ which takes the reader back in time to the fashionable haunts of 1930s British aristocracy, with Wallis Simpson and Edward, Prince of Wales, putting in an appearance. In ‘Regression,’ Jeffery Deaver offers a fresh and frightening look at the potential benefits and pitfalls of successful psychiatric treatment, and Mary Burton warms up a cold case in ‘The Keepsake.’ This is a book to keep by your bedside for those nighttime short story cravings.” —Publishers Weekly Includes stories by Jefferson Bass, Catriona McPherson, Baron R. Birtcher, Donald Bain, C. Hope Clark, Jonathan Stone, Maggie Toussaint, Jeffery Deaver, Blake Fontenay, Jon Jefferson, Anne Perry, Heywood Gould, Dana Chamblee Carpenter, Mary Burton, Jaden Terrell, Robert Dugoni & Paula Gail Benson, Eyre Price, Steven James, Daco, and Clay Stafford

On a cold winters night at a federal prison in East Texas, sixty-one year old Beatrice Belladonna Harlow, a sociopath, voodoo priestess, and convicted black widow serial killer on death row, is brutality murdered in her cell by two prison guards and her body secretly buried in the prisons cemetery. Beatrices murder initiated an eerie and dark chain of events. In life she was a voodoo priestess; therefore, she will live foreverthat is her bestowed legacy. Yes, this voodoo priestess will indeed live forever, but not in her fleshy, earthly body, but as a spirit, an entity. Beatrices legacy is dependent upon one thing: another living human being, a host. Immediately upon death, her entity must enter the body of her chosen host. Thereafter, that unfortunate soul no longer has control of his thoughts or actions. And if that isnt bad enough, a shocking physical metamorphosis takes place. Years earlier, while sitting on death row, awaiting her execution, Beatrice used her time wisely. She had nothing but time; therefore, she spent countless hours planning every detail of her afterlife. She chose as her host her estranged, thankless, thirty-three-year-old adopted daughter, Lola Marie. Thus, the night Beatrice was killed, Lola Marie was awakened from a deep sleep by a very bright yellow light floating over her bed. This bright yellow light was her mothers spirit. In utter horror and unable to prevent what happened next, she watched that bizarre, bright yellow light enter her body. At first Lola Marie thought she was dreaming, but that was not the case. Her mothers dark entity had just entered and taken control of her mind and soul. She was now possessed. In the blink of an eye, Lola Marie unwillingly became her deceased mothers evil puppet and is forced to perform bloody, vengeful, heinous acts for her, even murder. To ensure her daughters compliance, Beatrice uses an extremely painful but unique control mechanism, a tattoo. Lola Marie quickly finds herself trapped in her dead mothers evil web with little hope of escape. Against all odds, can she find a way to free herself from her dead mothers voodoo clutches? And if so, at what cost to her? With a plot full of unexpected twists and turns, this high-energy, action-packed paranormal thriller will undoubtedly leave the reader spellbound and craving for more!

Stati Uniti, 1876 - Per proteggere Kate, la nipotina di cinque mesi, figlia della sorella morta di parto, Jenna Winslow è disposta a tutto, anche a rispondere a un annuncio matrimoniale, a dichiarare di essere una vedova con figlia a carico e a trasferirsi in una sperduta fattoria nel lontano Colorado per sposare uno sconosciuto allevatore di bestiame. Ma lei, una ragazza delicata, ingenua e inesperta, potrà abituarsi alle dure regole della vita nella prateria? E soprattutto, potrà andare d''accordo con Rowe Mercer, un ex implacabile cacciatore di taglie? Quell''uomo dispotico e intransigente e tuttavia comprensivo e generoso, oltre che dotato di un intrigante e prepotente fascino al quale Jenna non sa resistere, non è poi tutto da buttare, e Jenna se ne è accorta fin dal primo istante.

\"When a woman is found dead with the same number of stab wounds that veterinarian Leah Carson''s ex-husband gave her, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent Alex Morgan suspects that Leah''s ex is still alive and targeting her,\"--NoveList.

LEUR DERNIER SOUFFLE... Lorsque Charlotte Wellington, avocate de la défense, se retrouve à enquêter sur une série de meurtres abjects, elle est loin de se douter que son passé trouble va remonter à la surface. Mais avec l’aide du détective Daniel Rokov, elle va découvrir qu’elle est la cible principale de ce tueur qui noie ses victimes pour les laver de leurs péchés. Un tueur qui souhaite exposer sa vraie nature et l’entendre hurler tandis qu’elle se repent... « Vous n’oserez plus dormir dans le noir. » Publishers Weekly

Le chalet des secrets, Justine Davis Des traces de pas dans la neige, sous ses fenêtres... Son mystérieux visiteur est revenu. Que peut bien chercher cet inconnu, à errer ainsi autour de son chalet ? Méfiante, Kit fait tout pour l’éviter. Jusqu’au jour où, alors qu’elle s’est blessée au cours d’une promenade, il lui porte secours. Soudain, face à lui, elle ne sait si elle doit le remercier ou le fuir. Pourtant, son visage est si doux que, quand il lui révèle qu’il est en cavale, Kit n’écoute que son intuition et accepte de l’héberger... L’innocence menacée, Margaret Watson Cette voix... Pas de doute. C’est bien celle d’Andi... A peine arrivé en Amérique du Sud, Chase retrouve par hasard l’agent Andi McGinnis, et il est bouleversé. Jamais il n’aurait pensé revoir celle qu’il a passionnément aimée, et qui l’a trahi... Andi lui explique qu’elle doit protéger Paolo, un orphelin de quatre mois recherché par un dangereux criminel, et Chase n’hésite pas une seconde : il l’accompagnera dans sa fuite. Même si cette proximité forcée va immanquablement réveiller le désir sauvage qu’il a toujours éprouvé pour elle... Une troublante disparition, Mary Burton Une riche héritière disparaît le jour de son mariage avec, sur elle, des bijoux d’une valeur inestimable... Telle est l’étrange histoire de Kit Landover, qui a fait scandale un an plus tôt. En décidant d’écrire un article sur ce mystère jamais résolu, Tara est loin de s’imaginer que sa vie va changer du tout au tout. Car non seulement rouvrir une affaire classée ne lui attire pas que des amis, mais elle doit également réprimer son attirance pour Mitch Kirkland, l’inspecteur en charge du dossier. Un homme dont elle a toutes les raisons de se méfier...

"It''s that time of year when the world falls in love. . ." Join four of your favorite authors for tales of Christmas romance to remember forever. "Under the Mistletoe," Lisa Jackson Megan Johnson''s marriage is over—or so she thinks. When her husband Chris lands in the hospital, fighting for his life, she remembers the unexpected joy of their first Christmas together. . . "A Ranger for Christmas," Mary Burton The holidays bring painful memories for history professor Marissa Thompson. Agreeing to help Texas Ranger Lucas Cooper solve a case offers the perfect distraction. But as danger threatens, the joy of love has never been more tempting. "A Southern Christmas," Mary Carter Reporter Danielle Bright is heading home for the holidays to write up a feature story about Christmas down south—and possibly win back her ex. But Sawyer, the sexy photographer along for the ride, is determined to jingle her bells. . . "Christmas in Montana" Cathy Lamb Family is the ideal antidote to getting fired, but Laurel Kelly isn''t prepared for the changes at home in Montana—or the fact that her college boyfriend Josh Reed now owns the family land. But a blue Christmas could be the perfect surprise for a holiday to remember.

¿Había ardido su pasión hasta consumirse por completo? Estando comprometida con otro hombre, Alanna Patterson decidió volver a encender cualquier rescoldo de deseo que Caleb Pitt hubiera dejado en ella. ¿Podría su robusto capitán, convertido en un solitario farero, rescatarla de un mar de pesares? ¿O la tragedia habría ahogado cualquier esperanza de un amor duradero? Caleb Pitt había creído una vez que el amor era eterno como el mar porque Alanna Patterson había prometido amarlo para siempre. Pero, a pesar de su palabra, lo había abandonado para que se ahogara en la desgracia. Ahora, años más tarde, Alanna volvía a buscarlo, tan hermosa y seductora como una sirena…

Será que a sua paixão ardera até desaparecer por completo? Estando comprometida com outro homem, Alanna Patterson decidiu voltar a estimular qualquer vestígio de desejo que ainda sentisse por Caleb Pitt. Poderia o seu robusto capitão, convertido num solitário faroleiro, salvá-la de uma imensidão de pesares? Ou a tragédia teria apagado qualquer esperança de um amor duradouro? Caleb Pitt acreditara que o amor era eterno como o mar porque Alanna Patterson prometera amá-lo para sempre. Mas, apesar das suas palavras, abandonara-o. Agora, anos mais tarde, Alanna voltava a procurá-lo, tão bonita e sedutora como uma sereia…

Seria o amor capaz de superar a traição? A vingança era a sua missão… Ninguém fizera o sangue de Travis Rafferty ferver tanto quanto a enfermeira da Guerra Civil Meredith Carter. No entanto, quando o prisioneiro de guerra tentou fugir, ela traiu-o e aos seus homens. Agora, anos depois, a vingança levava-o numa viagem ao Oeste, com pesadelos de campos de batalha na sua cabeça. Desta vez, Meredith não escaparia… O amor era a sua cruz… Ela tinha de persuadir Travis da sua inocência. Mas como iria convencê-lo do que quer que fosse quando reagia tão intensamente à presença dele? Tratar das feridas dele e ficar com ele era o único modo de lhe mostrar o que sentia: que traí-lo seria trair a sua própria alma.

The Son He Never Knew… When Cole McGuire learns that he had fathered a son, he returns to White Stone, Colorado, to claim what''s rightfully his. But it''s clear the town is hiding something, and he''s got a feeling he knows exactly who''s behind it all. The Widow''s Secret… Rebecca''s heart stops when Cole McGuire walks back into town, his green eyes blazing with passion. And the longer he stays, the more she wishes for the love she never had. But will Cole ever forgive her for hiding the truth—that the son she claimed as her own is the child he''s been searching for?

Keeping secrets is no way to start a marriage But what else, Jenna Winslow muses, can a woman running from scandal do? Who would ever want an unschooled virgin with a fatherless baby in tow? Certainly not rugged rancher Rowe Mercer, a man with demanding standards—and compelling charms! Ex-bounty hunter Rowe Mercer has spent a lifetime riding with danger. Now, when mail-order bride Jenna Winslow arrives, he wonders if his prayers for a quiet life have truly been answered. Could there possibly be a future for this polished Eastern angel and a man with a past he''d rather forget…?

Revenge is his mission… No one had ever caused such fire in Travis Rafferty''s blood as Civil War nurse Meredith Carter. Yet when the prisoner of war attempted an escape, she''d betrayed him and his bedraggled men. Now, years later, he''s led west by vengeance, with nightmares of battle on his heels. This time, Meredith won''t get away… Love is his due… Meredith has to persuade Travis of her innocence. But how can she convince him of anything when she reacts so wildly just standing next to him? Nursing his wounds is the only way to show him how she feels, that she could no more betray him than her own soul….

Ross has his pride… Ross McCain is determined to bring a schoolteacher to town, even if he has to carry her all the way out West. But he''s not anticipated Miss Grimes being so hard to live with—or that he''d wind up proposing to her just to keep her from leaving! Jessica has a secret… Forced to flee Sacramento, posing as a schoolteacher, Jessica Tierney is out of her depth. She knows nothing of country living, let alone children! And now rancher Ross McCain is insisting that they marry. But how can she let their marriage be based on a lie—especially when she discovers she''s falling in love with him?

He Will Never Forget The broken body hanging from a tree in Texas Hill Country. . .the frozen figure huddled in a meat locker. . .only at second glance does the truth become apparent. What seems like suicide is far more sinister, and the terror is only beginning. . . Never Forgive One devastating moment changed Greer Templeton''s life and ended two others. Now, with a body found on her property and Texas Ranger Tec Bragg on her doorstep, Greer''s nightmare has returned. With each new victim, her link to Tec''s case grows, and soon it will be too late to run. And Never Let Them Live. . . Greer hoped the past was behind her, but an obsessed killer has never forgotten the bond that unites them. One by one, he will track down his victims, finish what was started--and make Greer''s dying wish come true. . . Praise for Mary Burton''s The Seventh Victim "Dark and disturbing, a well-written tale of obsession and murder." —Kat Martin "Burton delivers action-packed tension." —Publishers Weekly

Meet sixtyone-year-old vodou priestess, convicted black widow serial killer and cop killer, Beatrice Belladonna. She is a death row inmate housed at The Federal Medical Center, Carswell, Texas, and is five months shy of her scheduled execution date. Seeking notoriety after death, Beatrice accepts A&E Networks request for a televised interview. During this six-hour interview, she reveals her life story which includes being sexually abused as a child by her stepfather and abandoned at the age of sixteen by her mother. Consequently, it is no surprise that Beatrice evolved into a sociopathic black widow serial killer at a very young age, eighteen. On camera, she coldly confesses to murdering all of her subsequent lovers for profi t and states that after their deaths, she felt absolutely no remorse, only sheer elation. Naturally, being a vodou priestess has its advantages when it comes to cold-blooded murder. Find out how Beatrice used her vodou black magic powers to kill her lovers and how she managed to elude arrest by the police for over thirty years! Beatrice Belladonnas bizarre and macabre life story is truly remarkable and one that will not soon be forgotten.

Death de LYX: Die besondere Thriller-Reihe von LYX - jeden Monat eine neue Zerreißprobe für die Nerven! Um den Mörder ihrer besten Freundin zu finden, muss sich die Fotografin Nicole ihrer Vergangenheit stellen, die sie am liebsten vergessen wollte. Doch um die Wahrheit herauszufinden, braucht sie die Hilfe von Detective David Ayden. Doch die Nachforschungen, die beide anstellen, bringen Nicole und David in ungeahnte Gefahr ... Ca. 150 Buchseiten. Death de LYX - regelmäßig spannende Kurzgeschichten mit Nervenkitzel-Garantie als E-Book. Stöbern Sie auch in den anderen Titeln der Reihe! "Denn entkommen wirst du nicht" erschien bereits in der Reihe "Romantic Christmas".

Convinced that the wrong man is in prison, public defender Rachel Wainwright reopens a decades-old case and finds herself targeted by a killer who is ready to show her just how brutal the truth can be.

Christmas Past is a seasonal, serial-killer-thriller from New York Times bestselling author, Mary Burton. Photographer Nicole Piper just received a very unwelcome Christmas gift - a letter that holds clues to an elusive killer''s identity. Uncovering the truth means enlisting homicide detective David Ayden''s help, and embarking on a road trip that will take them both into the heart of danger and desire . . . Christmas Past is a pacy, action-packed novella that''s guaranteed to send chills down your spine - the perfect Christmas scare-fest that will appeal to fans of Tess Gerritsen, Kathy Reichs and Karin Slaughter. Mary Burton''s other titles include I''m Watching You, The 7th Victim and No Escape. Praise for Mary Burton: ''A twisted tale . . . I couldn''t put it down'' Lisa Jackson ''Will have readers sleeping with the lights on'' Publishers Weekly (starred review) Mary Burton is the New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed author of I''m Watching You, Dead Ringer, Dying Scream, Senseless, Merciless, Before She Dies and The 7th Victim - all set in Virginia, USA, where Mary lives with her family.

HE WAS TAUGHT HOW TO KILL Even behind bars, serial killer Harvey Lee Smith exudes menace. Psychologist Jolene Granger has agreed to hear his dying confession, vowing not to let the monster inside her head. And Harvey has secrets to share—about bodies that were never found, and about the apprentice who is continuing his grisly work . . . AND NOW HE’LL TEACH THEM He buries his victims alive the way his mentor Harvey did, relishing their final screams as the earth rains down. And as one last gift to the only father he knew, he’ll make the most perfect kill of all. HOW TO DIE Everything about this investigation is unnerving Jo, from Harvey’s fascination with her to the fact that she’s working alongside Texas Ranger Brody Winchester, her ex-husband. Harvey’s protégé is growing bolder and more vicious every day. And soon the trail of shallow graves will lead them to the last place Jo expected, and to the most terrifying truth of all . . . “A thrill a minute . . . there is no escaping the fact that with No Escape, Mary Burton delivers again.” —The Jefferson County Post (Tennessee)

A DARK AND GRIPPING PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE THAT WILL KEEP YOU UP ALL NIGHT . . . FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ''Kept me enthralled from start to finish'' 5***** Reader Review ''Will have readers sleeping with the lights on'' Publishers Weekly ''A real page turner with twists and turns'' 5***** Reader Review ________ The one who got away - is the only one he wants. It''s been seven years since the Seattle Strangler terrorised the city. His victims were all young, pretty, with their lifeless bodies found wrapped in a white dress. But there was one who miraculously escaped death. . . Lara Church has only hazy memories of her long-ago attack, and she''s since managed to rebuild her life in a new city, Austin. But then she gets some shattering news: The Strangler is back. And this time, he''s in Austin. ________ ''A twisted tale . . . I couldn''t put it down'' Lisa Jackson ''Couldn''t stop reading this'' 5***** Reader Review ''Really enjoyed this book and was unable to put it down'' 5***** Reader Review

If At First You Don''t Succeed It''s been seven years since the Seattle Strangler terrorized the city. His victims were all young, pretty, their lifeless bodies found wrapped in a home-sewn white dress. But there was one who miraculously escaped death, just before the Strangler disappeared. . . Kill Lara Church has only hazy memories of her long-ago attack. What she does have is a home in Austin, a job, and a chance at a normal life at last. Then Texas Ranger James Beck arrives on her doorstep with shattering news: The Strangler is back. And this time, he''s in Austin. . . And Kill Again. . . He''s always craved her, even as he killed the others. For so long he''s been waiting to unleash the beast within. And this time, he''ll prove he holds her life in his hands--right before he ends it forever. . . Praise for the novels of Mary Burton "Will have readers sleeping with the lights on." --Publishers Weekly on Before She Dies (starred review) "Terrifying. . .this chilling thriller is an engrossing story." --Library Journal on Merciless

In the first sequel, Rebecca contemplates how to end her twenty year loveless marriage to her greedy, controlling, abusive, womanizing, but extremely wealthy husband, Marcus. Marcus, also desiring to free himself from his marriage contract, decides killing his estranged wife instead of divorcing her is a more lucrative option. Therefore, he hires a hit man, Big Al, to murder Rebecca however his attempt is unsuccessful and Marcus refuses to pay him. Consequently, Big Al, determined to collect his money, breaks into Marcus mansion and robs, mutilates, brutally assaults him, and then dumps his lifeless body in the Mexican desert. After an extensive search by the Mexican Federal Police, remains of an American male matching Marcus description are found and he is presumed dead. During an unexpected confrontation between Rebecca, Big Al, and Big Als younger crack head brother, David, Rebecca is forced to shoot and kill Big Al. David, determined to atone for his brothers death, becomes Rebeccas constant tormentor. As the saga continues in this novel, Rebecca, believing Marcus is now deceased and she and her two children are finally free from his abuse, attempts to settle his estate and move on with her life. After putting Marcus lavish mansion up for sale, via an estate auction, she moves into a new home and while unpacking her belongings, remembers a key she found hidden in Marcus bedroom at the mansion. Rebecca discovers that the key is to a storage unit and what she finds stashed in Marcus secret storage unit is a shocking surprise. In the final sequel, Rebeccas world comes crashing down when she discovers that the remains found in the Mexican desert were not Marcus and that he has returned toAtlantato reclaim his fortune and seek revenge. Follow the adventures of the returning cast of characters, particularly the villains, Marcus and David, in this unforgettable shock and awe climax.

The killing just won''t stop as a ruthless psychopath revisits his greatest obsession--but this time, a Richmond, Virginia homicide detective is determined to stop him in his bloody tracks. . . An aspiring artist. A high-school senior. A stripper. Three missing women with only one thing in common--wealthy Craig Thornton knew them all. For that, they paid the ultimate price. When Craig''s widow, Adrianna, begins to receive cards and flowers from her late husband, she assumes it''s someone''s cruel joke. Then grisly remains are found on the Thornton estate. Detective Gage Hudson believes the bodies are linked to Craig. But the biggest shocks are yet to come. A psychopath has resumed his work, each death a prelude to his most cherished target. The only way to stop him is to uncover a family''s dark past--and a twisted love someone will kill for, again and again. . . "A twisted tale. . .I couldn''t put it down!" --Lisa Jackson Praise for the novels of Mary Burton "Will have readers sleeping with the lights on." --Publishers Weekly on Before She Dies (starred review) "Terrifying. . .this chilling thriller is an engrossing story." --Library Journal on Merciless "Stieg Larsson fans will find a lot to like in Burton''s taut, well-paced novel." --Publishers Weekly on Senseless

He Could Never Love Again Of that, Matthias Barrington was certain, despite the well-intentioned meddling of his neighbors. But now they’d sent him a special delivery in the form of the very comely Miss Abigail Smyth, who’d stepped off the stagecoach and announced that he needed a wife—and she was just the woman! Mail-order bride Abby Smyth just wanted a place to belong—preferably at rancher Matthias Barrington’s side, making a home for his motherless boys. Ever practical, she knew love wasn’t necessary, really. Yet the more she learned of this decent, honorable man, the more she knew the only place she wanted was one securely in his heart!

Their Grand Passion Had Burned Too Brightly To Survive But faced with wedding another, Alanna Patterson was determined to reignite any smoldering embers of desire Caleb Pitt might still harbor for her. Would her brawny captain, now a solitary lighthouse keeper, rescue her from a sea of regrets? Or had tragedy both public and private sunk any hopes for a lasting love? Caleb Pitt had once believed love was eternal as the sea, for Alanna Patterson had promised him forever. But despite her vow, she’d left him to drown in disgrace. Now, years later, she’d reappeared on a storm-tossed wave, beautiful as a siren…and just as seductive!

When Danger Took Root, Her Courage Grew Strong… And Rachel Emmons fled her violent marriage, seeking a safe haven. Her brave escape led her to the saving embrace of Ben Mitchell, the man who rescued her from the depths of the ocean and made her determined to heal…. The island locals claimed he’d drawn a mermaid from the sea, and light keeper Ben Mitchell agreed. Certainly Rachel possessed sirenlike beauty her widow’s weeds could not hide, and the bruises she bore testified to secrets as deep—and dark—as any hidden beneath the waves. But could he help her see that happiness—together—was on her horizon?

THREE RUGGED WESTERN MEN THREE COURAGEOUS LADIES THREE FESTIVE TALES TO WARM THE HEART THIS CHRISTMAS! Rocky Mountain Christmas by Jillian Hart Summoned on a dangerously snowy night to deal with two stowaways, Sheriff Mac McKaslin discovers they are none other than a homeless young widow—Carrie Montgomery—and her baby. But will the sheriff send them out into the cold…or find a warm place for them in his heart? The Christmas Gifts by Kate Bridges When Sergeant James Fielder arrives with a baby on his sled, he turns to Maggie Greerson for help. This special interlude allows Maggie to fulfill her secret dream of having a child—and explore the attraction that has always drawn her to James…. The Christmas Charm by Mary Burton Determined to prevent her younger sister from marrying the wrong man, widow Colleen Garland enlists the help of her onetime love, Keith Garrett. Will their rescue mission finally lead them on the road to true love?

De bruid verdween, er waren liters bloed overal, maar een lichaam is nooit gevonden. Journaliste Tara Mackey, die een geweldig verhaal ziet in de verdwijning van de rijke Kit Westgate Landover, haalt rechercheur Alex Kirkland over om de zaak opnieuw te openen. Zijn aanpak gaat haar echter niet snel genoeg, en roekeloos stort ze zich zelf in het onderzoek. Maar hoewel ze resultaten boekt, blijft haar gegraaf niet zonder gevolgen. Als er doden vallen, staat Kirkland voor een dilemma: moet hij de onbezonnen Tara stoppen? Dit verhaal is ook verkrijgbaar in 2-in-1 bundel.

Un privé trop désirable, Justine Davis Vengeance ? Rivalité ? Victoria n’a que des questions et pas de réponse quand, sur ses terres, on s’en prend mystérieusement à ses chevaux. Elle fait alors appel à Cole Bannister, un enquêteur privé, qui considère avec une déplaisante arrogance l’affaire qu’elle lui soumet. Piquée au vif, Victoria n’en est que plus déterminée à percer le mystère qui compromet sa réputation et celle du ranch. Même si elle doit, pour cela, lutter contre l’irrésistible et incompréhensible attirance qu’elle sent naître en elle au contact de Cole. Protection dans l’ombre, Mary Burton Kristen pensait avoir définitivement clos un épisode douloureux de sa vie. Installée à Lancaster Springs sous un nouveau nom, elle n’aspire désormais qu’à oublier la mort de son fiancé. Et, qui sait, à connaître de nouveau l’amour. D’ailleurs, Dane Cambia ne fait pas mystère de ses sentiments pour elle. Mais quand le bras droit de son frère, un redoutable trafiquant de drogues, retrouve sa trace, Kristen voit s’envoler ses rêves et a peur pour sa vie. Elle décide alors de dévoiler à Dane son passé et de s’en remettre à lui pour sa protection.