Tough Customer
Sandra Brown
Simon and Schuster
391 pages
Dodge Hanley (Smash Cut) has spent the last 30 years trying to forget the biggest mistake of his life, he’s done it by drink and by smoke and by recklessness, it only took a 30 second phone call to bring it all back. Thirty years ago Caroline King threw away the man she loved, she couldn’t live with his betrayal, but now she needs him because the daughter he’s only seen once needs him more. Berry is a successful advertising employee, she’s got the world by the tail until it stops turns around and bites her, she’s got a stalker, someone she knows and now fears and he’s getting more and more seriously unstable. Deputy Ski Nyland has investigated a lot of crime in his time but there is something seriously wrong with this one, he has to use all his ingenuity and all his tricks to solve this one. But it doesn’t stop at stalking and Dodge and Ski and Caroline have to unite their efforts to protect Berry from a “tough customer”.
Sandra Brown is the reigning queen of romantic suspense and her crown can be fitted for more jewels after this one. Her plot is thoughtful, imaginative and creative and could be plucked out of any large city or small town news report. Her dialogue is the no-nonsense you’d expect from private eyes and seasoned cops mixed with the southern belle narrative of Caroline and a combination of the two for Berry. Her characters are memorable, in fact they’re unforgettable and the four main protagonists share the spotlight equally in their importance and what they bring to the story. The two couples are very different and yet very right for each other and we have two very different love stories one of second chances and one of getting it right the first time and both for all practical purposes both a love at first sight story too which make the emotions more intense. The love scenes are sensual and spicy and yet leave some room for the imagination.
So if your meter is running low for a great romantic suspense, a chilling thriller, a commanding mystery or just a must read. Give Tough Customer a try, you won’t be sorry you did.
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