Review: Whisper of Warning

Whisper of Warning
Laura Griffin
Romantic Suspense
Glass Sisters/Book 2
Pocket/April 1, 2009

From the back cover ~

WILL HE HELP PROVE HER INNOCENCE... OR LEAD A KILLER TO HER DOOR?

Courtney Glass has been in trouble all her life, but nothing tops being an up-close witness to a brutal murder. Until she’s accused of the crime.

Every scrap of evidence points to her guilt, and only Courtney knows what really happened. Now she must prove that she's not a murderer...but is one of the killer’s intended victims. As police investigators hammer her for answers, Courtney knowns she has two choices: run, or trust the brooding, sexy detective who's made it clear she's his prime suspect.

Will Hodges doesn't need Special Forces training to know that, despite Courtney's killer looks and razor-sharp tongue, her tough-girl act hides a vulnerable woman with a deadly secret. As the body count rises, Will realizes that a lethal enemy has Courtney in his crosshairs. The killer is waiting, watching her every move - and he won't stop until her fear has grown from a whisper to a scream...

I've been looking forward to this book ever since I read Thread of Fear, Courtney's older sister Fiona's story. Actually even before that when I read Untraceable in which the hero, Will Hodges, was a secondary character. Anyway, I've been wanting to read Courtney and Will's story and it certainly didn't disappoint!

We first got to know Courtney Glass in Thread of Fear, when she moves in with her sister Fiona because she's low on funds and her heat isn't working at her place. She crashes on her sister's couch and generally makes a nuisance of herself. Thankfully, Courtney now has her act together. She's back at her duplex, working as a stylist at a upscale salon and has sworn off men, at least for now. Then she finds herself in trouble, the "dead guy in her car" kind of trouble and her world shatters. There is a silver lining, Courtney meets Will Hodges, the detective assigned to the case. Courtney's stubborn streak flies high when Detective Hodges questions her. She's attracted to him but she's not trusting anyone at this point. Not when Will's boss is ready to arrest Courtney for murder.

Detective Will Hodges is a quiet man, former military, who is on his first homicide case. He's worked hard, making his way up the ranks, so he's not happy when Courtney Glass begins to interfere in the investigation. And he's certainly not happy when he begins to have feelings for her, knowing this could not only compromise the case but get him thrown off it. The author did an excellent job of showing how Will, this by the book cop, falls for a suspect and has to deal with this assault on his integrity as a police officer. It doesn't matter that he thinks she's innocent, it still goes against his beliefs to become romantically involved with a suspect. Will was a compelling and well written character. I wish more heroes were like him.

The murder mystery was complex with suspicion falling on more than one character. It was complex enough that I didn't know who did it until the end. I love when that happens! There was a lot of suspense throughout the story. Courtney's life was threatened, the police were after her - not just Will. Courtney herself provided some drama with her own investigation into the murder. All of this and still Griffin was able to keep the story balanced between the suspense and the romance.

Courtney and Will - a case of opposites attract. Courtney is an outgoing girly-girl, into clothes and accessories. She's a hairstylist and loves to change her looks, which are far from conservative. Will is wearing his hair like he's still in the army. He tends to keep to himself, doing his job but he's not exactly the open book kind of guy. When these two meet is oil and water but there's that attraction that doesn't go away. The connection between them was built throughout the book. It didn't happen fast but the author allowed it to grow and allowed the reader to see where it would lead. We know they'll get together but it's the path that they take that made this such a believable romance. By the end, I believed in this couple and that doesn't always happen.

The book went rather quickly, keeping my attention divided between the murder mystery and the romance. Courtney and Will had a heck of a lot of obstacles to overcome before they could even think about a HEA. There were some minor points that left me questioning why Fiona, Courtney's sister, wasn't more concerned and involved in Courtney's problems. Her sister is a murder suspect and Fiona seemed too easily put off by Courtney's lies that everything was going to be okay. Courtney was almost too distrustful of everyone. The lies she told were understandable to a point, but I felt she should have trusted Will sooner than she did.

If you want a story with an interesting suspense plot and a hero and heroine who have to work for their well deserved HEA, then this is the book for you!

Rating: A-

Related Books ~

Thread of Fear