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Mariposa
borders Yosemite and it's a quiet, sedate
town where
not much ever happens...until now...
Sheriff
Bill Ashton, once an L.A. cop, is a simple man who
enjoys the serenity of his
home and land. But when five bodies of
young women are found, his every thought and conception of his town is
put to
the test. Not only does he have five murdered women, but Bill also has
an out
of town woman missing, whose car was abandoned with a duffel bag full
of half a
million dollars in it...
Air Force
Captain, Arden Jones, has had to bail her sister out of one mess after
another
all her life. Having not seen or spoken
to Samantha in fifteen years, Arden is surprised when she
receives a
call from Mariposa Sheriff Bill Ashton, telling her that her stolen car
had
turned up there and the cell phone he found inside was in her sister's
name. Arden heads to Mariposa
despite the
Sheriff's protests to see if she can find out what has happened to
Samantha. Arden has always felt second
best to Samantha
her whole life but she is scared when she learns that bodies have been
found in
the small-town and Samantha is missing...
Bill and
Arden are not eager to have the other around, but they work together to
discover what is going on in the once quiet town. The
last thing either of them wants is an attraction
which is undeniable. But the more they
uncover about the madman running rampant trying to recreate the Wiccan
goddess,
Diana, the more they find they need each other...
I haven't
been this jazzed about an author since finding author, Patricia A.
Rasey and
began reading J.D. Robb. I have added
T.L. Schaefer to the list with these two other amazingly talented
authors who I
found have an incredible preciseness for mystery, chilling madmen and
an abundance
of outstanding writing. The
Summerland hooks the reader immediately and keeps us guessing
through
it all. The suspense and intrigue in
this tale is extreme and tension-filled.
The Wiccan religion (or obsession) of the madman who
has one thing on
his mind is powerful and bone-chilling.
Ms. Schaefer gives us many glimpses into the
villain's mind and we feel
the darkness surrounding him through her words.
Bill, Arden
and even Samantha are strong and profound characters.
All three are smart, strong and controlled
and it was with sensual satisfaction to see Arden and Bill lose control
while
in each others arms. There were many
secondary characters that were enjoyable as well, Josie Galloway, Adam
Porter
and Frank Drebin to name a few.
T.L.
Schaefer is a great author. She pens
murder, startling tension, chilling mayhem and satisfying characters
that are
unforgettable in The Summerland.
This is an author I will be mentioning when asked to
recommend someone
who writes good mystery and romantic suspense!
Reviewed
by Tracey West for The Road to Romance
May
19th, 2004
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