Buried Secrets

March 2, 2015
The author of more than 45 novels, Hannon (Deceived) introduces Lisa Grant and Mac McGregor in her Men of Valor series. Both have left stressful jobs, Lisa as a Chicago homicide detective and Mac as a Navy SEAL. Remaining in law enforcement, Lisa becomes police chief of Carson, a small town near St. Louis, while Mac is a county detective. When skeletal remains are found in Carson, the two law enforcement officers find themselves working together to solve the case. Although Hannon writes in the romantic suspense genre, she produces little suspense or romance in this tale. The narrative frequently mentions sparks and electricity (“the relentless buzz in his nerve endings put there by a certain gorgeous police chief”) between Lisa and Mac, but doesn’t go further than that into romance. The investigation of the remains, though intended to reel the reader in, fails to add appreciable tension, and the early revelation of the villain also trips the pacing. At times the secondary characters attract more attention than the main characters. Although it’s promising at the outset, Hannon’s newest unfortunately falls short.

April 1, 2015
Hannon (Deceived, 2014) brings Chicago homicide detective turned small-town police chief Lisa Grant and Navy SEAL turned detective Mac McGregor together to investigate an unearthed skeleton. Although the bones have been buried for decades, someone still has a lot to lose if his or her secret crime is uncovered. As Lisa and Mac pursue the truth, they long to pursue each other, but their professionalism prevents them from taking the romantic leap until they wrap up their inquiry. New crimes disguised as accidents pique their interest, and when their suspect begins to act dangerously, all bets are off. Having concluded her best-selling Private Justice series, Hannon launches the new Men of Valor series, drawing readers in with an ideal blend of romance and intrigue. Women will especially love the strong, independent Lisa and the way Mac respects and admires her intelligence. As they fall for each other but insist on putting work first, readers will avidly pick up each clue, eager to see Hannon's irresistible characters close the case and make room for love.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)