Pretend You’re Safe

Ivy (Charred by Darkness) sets up a satisfying mystery in this standalone contemporary romantic thriller. Heron, Mo., along the banks of the Mississippi River, is a typical Midwestern small town, but heavy flooding breaching the levees has brought with it something sinister: a decomposed body. For Jaci Patterson, the gruesome event brings back memories of a mysterious stalker who made her high school years a living hell. Past events become present-day distress when the stalker’s ghastly presents begin showing up at Jaci’s front door again. Sheriff Rylan Cooper, who once dismissed the stalker’s actions as tasteless pranks, now helps Jaci track down the clues to the killer. She’s drawn to him, but what if he has something to hide? Ivy’s clever foreshadowing keeps the tension high throughout this fast-moving tale, and the romance sizzles. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency. (Sept.)