Cold Midnight

Superficial characters and a predictable plot make this romantic thriller a disappointment. Ten years after a savage attack destroyed her knee and her promising tennis career, Kylie McKay has returned to Kendall Falls, Fla., for a new start. As construction for her new tennis center gets underway, workers find the baseball bat used in her attack. In charge of the cold case investigation, police detective Chase Manning must be impartial even though Kylie broke his heart when she left town after the attack. As assaults on Kylie and her loved ones start to escalate and evidence points to Kylie's half-brother, Quinn, Chase and Kylie attempt to resurrect their relationship. Savvy readers will always be one step ahead of Chase, and characters who hold no sympathy or depth make for unsurprisingly repetitive sex scenes and bland romance. (Aug.)