COLD HEARTED
Beverly Barton
Zebra
Romantic Suspense
ISBN: 9781420100495
Jordan Price has a history of losing the men in her life. Two husbands, her college fiancé and a former boss all met untimely deaths under suspicious circumstances. At the request of Ryan Price, Senator Daniel Price’s brother, Rick Carson is the Powell Agency investigator assigned by Nicole Powell to find out if Jordan’s most recent husband, the Senator, was murdered or committed suicide.
When Rick observes Jordan at the Senator’s funeral, his first impression is that she is “cool, controlled and calculating.” In spite of the sad circumstances surrounding her husband’s death, Jordan doesn’t shed a tear. Rick also notices how intimate she seems to be with Devon Markham, the Senator’s "sinfully handsome" younger assistant. It’s apparent to Rick that Jordan and Devon share a special bond --- and perhaps a few secrets.
Back at Price Manor, the Senator’s ancestral home in Georgia, Jordan is surrounded by her extended family, which includes Devon and several others who have known her for years. Jordan carries a secret that, if revealed, could bring shame to her and the memory of her husband.
The pain of losing her husband and the secret within her take a physical and emotional toll on Jordan. As she grieves the loss of loved ones, she is suspected of infidelity and murder, yet she is the one who comforts others and worries about their well-being, in the fashion of a true “steel magnolia.”
As the body count increases, so does the suspicion cast on the wealthy widow. There is also a list of other suspects with possible motives for murder, all of them connected to Jordan. Someone, maybe even the widow herself, seeks to punish her for past sins or wants to protect her so fiercely they are willing to do anything to destroy any perceived threats. Behind the scenes, someone familiar with the investigation and Jordan’s past is leaking damaging information to the press that could humiliate Jordan, the memory of her husband and those closest to her.
Loyalty and the importance of family --- no mater how one defines family --- are common threads throughout the novel. Controversial issues facing society, such as mental illness and intolerance of those who are somehow “different,” are also brought to light.
Some scenes in the book are sad, others are warm and tender; still others are violent or include graphic sex and sexual references. Griffin and Nicole Powell, and Sanders and Barbara Jean, from THE MURDER GAME, make brief appearances in COLD HEARTED. There is also mention of more to come about the intriguing Dr. Yvette Meng in future titles.
New York Times bestselling author Beverly Barton has penned a fast-paced novel with a modern, Southern-style twist on the black widow theme. Complete with robust and colorful characters, several brutal murders and explicit sex scenes, COLD HEARTED is sure to please Barton’s fans who have come to devour her romantic suspense stories set in the Deep South.
--- Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt (dvolkenannt@charter.net)
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