Drawn to psychology after witnessing her father's gruesome murder, Dr. Jordan Sloan runs her own counseling practice in New York City. There she lives with her daughter, Lilly, and her husband, who has moved to an upstairs studio after the couple's separation.
Early in the story, Jordan learns that her father's murderer, Dan Mallory, has been paroled. Jordan already is plagued by images of her father's gruesome death in his own jewelry store, so after a series of strange calls and hang-ups and the appearance of a stranger outside her home, she begins to worry that Mallory is after her. But, Jordan's friends and family are convinced she's overreacting, especially her teenage daughter, who has become obsessed with Zen Buddhism and first love. So begins, M. J. Rose's newest erotic thriller, IN FIDELITY.
A Rose mystery has signature markings. Readers encounter psychological suspense, adventure, and erotica all woven together, giving readers a story with many different chords. The characters tend to suffer conflict between their rationale and instincts and their passions. In the end, they learn how to take ownership of their desires. The mystery often is the journey on how they get there.
In IN FIDELITY, Jordan's reawakening takes place through a series of symbolic encounters. Her transformation initially begins with one of her patients, Adrienne Blessing, who brings to her therapist sensuous gifts and shares stories of her outrageous peccadilloes. Jordan finds herself aroused by Blessing's stories and offerings of chocolates and figs; she begins to feel sexy and alive again. At this point, Jordan rekindles romance with her estranged husband --- much to her surprise, as she had been prepared finally to end the marriage.
Jewels and precious stones are strong images in the book; Jordan stays locked in her sad past by hanging onto the jewelry her father created and some precious stones. There are signs of hope when she designs a bracelet for her daughter, relinquishing some of the most precious of the stones. It's not until the story's end, in a deadly confrontation, that we see Jordan fully let go of her guilt and pain over her father's murder. It is then that she is struck with her own prescription for happiness.
What I most enjoy about M. J. Rose's mysteries are her smart and struggling characters, who, when infused with Rose's flair for erotica, stimulate the reader's brain and gonads! With a book like IN FIDELITY, ""curling up in bed with a
good mystery"" carries a whole new innuendo.
--- Reviewed by Laura Donnelly
Click here now to buy this book from Amazon.com.
© Copyright 1996-2008, Bookreporter.com. All rights reserved.
Back to top.
