The Pretender: Games People Play, Book 3

Dimon smoothly integrates suspense and romance in her tense third Games People Play contemporary (after The Enforcer). When Harrison Tate, a Robin Hood who steals wrongfully acquired artworks in order to return them, stumbles upon the bloodied body of a woman in the middle of an isolated mansion, he hastily removes his traces from the crime scene and flees, leaving the victim’s sister to top the suspect list. Gabby Wright has been rightly accused of a lot of things—including being spoiled, behaving selfishly, and orchestrating her own kidnapping 10 years earlier to get to her parents’ money—but she’s not a killer. When her only surviving family member, her uncle Stephen, crusades to hold Gabby responsible for the murder, Harris has no choice but to return to Tabitha Island to unmask the real murderer and clear her name. He teams up with his buddy Damon to lead a secret investigation, taking on an assumed name. Harris opens up to Gabby in order to get her to do the same, and what starts off as crime research and intense physical attraction evolves into profound trust, deep respect, and mutual love—until she learns the details of his first trip to the island. Riveting action, a twisty plot, and strong character development make Dimon’s fast-paced romance a winner. (Jan.)