Review: Dark Powers: Dead On for Romantic Suspense
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 2, 2012
When former Baltimore PD detective, Ben Walker, is assigned to investigate the disappearance of a young waitress and part-time co-ed from a picturesque town on Maryland's Eastern Shore, the last thing he wants is to partner up with the missing girl's sister, Sage Arnold. In his opinion, family members, especially attractive ones, only interfere with objective pursuit of the facts and Sage will be a liability.Sage Arnold isn't sure Ben is the man for the job, despite the fact that he saved her from being run over by a truck in the parking lot of Decorah Security just minutes before their formal introductions. He's irritable, arrogant, sexy--and claims he can communicate with dead people. With all the craziness in her family, the last thing she wants to add to the mix is an ex-cop gone to the dark side.Ben has a dark secret to go with his dark powers. Guilt over his inability to stop a series of murders on an S & M cruise ship while he was the chief of security dogs his every step. How can he possibly become involved with someone when he is so unworthy?Sage has had a series of relationships that have gone from bad to worse. She blames her mother's irresponsible behavior and bad role modeling for her poor choices and for her sister's disappearance. Sage is never letting another man take control of her life and emotions again.Despite her misgivings, she accepts Ben as the man for the job. For his part, Ben is forced to acknowledge Sage might be helpful in the small town where everyone knows what you had for lunch, much less who you've been sleeping with.They set off from Baltimore to Doncaster, the tiny waterside tourist trap. After a series of apparent attacks on Sage's life, they are forced to stay in the same motel room for her safety. As the probe into the missing sister's disappearance and possible death continues, attempts on Sage's life escalate, as does the sexual tension between the two.Dark Powers is a tale of small town politics mixed with shadowy secrets. The twists and turns of the plot and the growing romance between Ben and Sage are seamlessly interwoven by a gifted story teller. A compelling read, with just enough kink to ratchet up the sexual tension without overwhelming the story, Dark Powers is a real page turner. As one of a series revolving around the Decorah Security Agency, Dark Powers can be read as a stand-alone book. The author provided enough background to give the reader continuity without intruding into what is occurring on stage. However, after reading this novel, I'm going back to find the other ones. I highly recommend this book and give it five hot stars.