High Noon
At the start of this scintillating slice of romantic suspense from prolific bestseller Roberts (Sweet Revenge), Lt. Phoebe MacNamara, the chief hostage negotiator for the Savannah, Ga., PD, meets Duncan Swift, a sports bar owner, as they both try to prevent a suicidal bartender Duncan fired from jumping off a roof on St. Patrick's Day. In the aftermath, a romance develops between Phoebe and Duncan, though in typical Roberts style the enigmatic Phoebe's devotion to career and family, who include a young daughter and an agoraphobic mother, creates tension in their relationship. After Phoebe survives a vicious attack within her own precinct house by an unknown assailant, it becomes clear that someone is intent on harming Phoebe and those close to her. A courageous protagonist, deft plotting and the sultry Savannah backdrop all add up to another winner for consummate storyteller Roberts.(July)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.