Sizzling sex, murder, and high suspense fill the pages of this engrossing erotic thriller…
Gold makes his debut with this fast-paced, entertaining tale in which a beautiful woman engaged in a love triangle finds herself entangled in a serial killing investigation. The ambitious young literary agent, Zia Lennox finds herself in a love triangle with a charming investment attorney, Bryce Fink and a tantalizing British author, Baxter Leopold who just happens to be her client. The stakes rise when Zia realizes the eerie similarities between the murders in Baxter Leopold’s books and those of a real-life serial killer in New York. Zia must put aside her conflicting emotions and work toward uncovering the truth. The narrative is heavy on romance and eroticism with uninhibited sex scenes, but Gold keeps the story from turning sweeter by introducing the subplot of the gruesome serial killings of women (the narrative is in monologues here from the killer’s perspective), igniting sufficient suspense to keep the tension high. He skillfully converges his multiple subplots (love triangle, brutal killings) while keeping readers thoroughly invested in the book: it’s clear that Bryce and Baxter will become Zia’s lovers, but Gold cunningly keeps the suspense rolling by introducing plenty of red herrings and shocking revelations throughout the narrative. Zia’s greatly conflicted emotions are off-putting at times, and her ability to charm two men of considerable means seems implausible. But she’s a well-developed, damaged soul who, despite her faults, comes out as a likable heroine. Her anxiety attacks are both relatable and convincing. The other protagonists and antagonists in the book are thoroughly sketched, easily identifiable, realistic characters. The narrative is swiftly paced, the suspense high, and characters’ sexual interludes steamy. The inclusion of heavy-handed eroticism (The graphic sex scenes depicting rough sex with the concept of submission and dominance are plenty and also form the crux of the major conflict in the story.)will please fans of erotic thrillers. While the murderer’s reasoning behind the vicious killings seems a bit far-fetching, Gold’s gripping writing style is a sure bet to keep readers turning the pages as fast as they can. The jaw-dropping, satisfying conclusion makes this a winning entry in the erotic suspense genre. Gold definitely knows his readers and doesn’t disappoint when it comes to creating a fast-paced, engaging tale of murder, passion, sex, and revenge. Lovers of steamy suspense will be delighted.
