Don’t Close Your Eyes: Texas Justice, Book 1

In Craig’s clever first Texas Justice contemporary romantic suspense novel, the reopening of a cold case leads to passion and drama. Community college English teacher Annie Lakes moved to Anniston, Tex., to get some breathing room after losing her job and fiancé. But a new city and a three-legged cat companion don’t stop her from dreaming of her young cousin Jenny’s disappearance, a dream she’s had every night for 24 years. When she finally remembers new details about what happened to Jenny, Annie feels compelled to report that another family member may have killed the girl. Cold case detective Mark Sutton is teetering on the edge of a drinking problem, and his cases are often stressful and unsolvable. Still, he’s willing to help Annie, particularly since their mutual attraction is so palpable. He’s not convinced that Annie is a reliable witness, but as he and his team dive in, they begin to uncover her long-hidden family secrets. Their teamwork is also demonstrated in a well-plotted secondary story line about another cold case. Craig demonstrates strong characterization skills in building Annie and Mark’s imperfect personalities, and her supporting characters will be worth getting to know in the future. Romantic suspense fans will mark this as a series to watch. (Sept.)