River Road

Summer River is a small town in the middle of Northern California’s wine country. This peaceful, serene spot is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of larger cities. In this return to romantic suspense, bestseller Krentz (Wildest Dreams: Velvet Touch) brings warmth and mystery to the sleepy burg. Lucy Sheridan returns to Summer River after the death of her beloved aunt and finds an old corpse stuffed into the chimney of her aunt’s house. She also encounters Mason Fletcher, the man who made a subtle but permanent impression on her 13 years before. Together, Lucy and Mason must puzzle out who placed the body in the chimney and whether the death of her aunt is somehow connected, while they also contemplate the renewal of an attraction neither was really aware of in their teen years. Krentz has done a solid job of melding the excitement of a thriller with the sweetness of new passion. Agent: Steve Axelrod, Axelrod Agency. (Jan.)