Veteran romance writer Gist (A Bride Most Begrudging
) teams with tyro crime writer Bertrand to create a mix of their specialties. Their hybrid is a crime mystery with an irresistibly attractive and oh-so-naïve dog walker named Rylee Monroe. A young adult resident of Charleston whose parents are dead, Rylee is accused of robbing her wealthy dog-owning clients. Aghast at being accused of theft, she pleads her case to her newspaper reporter beau, Logan Woods. Certain that sweet Rylee is innocent, Logan tries to protect her reputation until even he grows suspicious of the mounting evidence against her. Enter in old family ties and unanswered questions regarding Rylee's parents' deaths, and even Rylee is confused as to who's telling the truth. Fans of Gist will appreciate her characteristic genteel manner of presenting the male/female courtship dance. Bertrand's deftness at adding in the crime dimension lends depth to this likable yet predictable story. (Feb.)
