Final Exit

FBI profiler Caroline Monahan, the indomitable heroine of this hard-charging romantic suspense novel, hasn t returned to her South Boston roots for a number of years. Guilt over her younger sister s brutal murder has kept her away, and ironically, death brings her back. Eager to put some distance between herself and Richard Armitage, her boss and former lover, Caroline moves to Boston temporarily to help the local police pinpoint a serial killer. Her homecoming gets off to a rocky start, however, when she learns that Conor Rafferty, another former lover of hers, is heading up the murder investigation. Breton (Coming Home) skillfully balances the suspense and romance plot threads, but the story skirts on the edge of melodrama as Caroline struggles with self-recrimination, her still strong attraction to Conor and a killer who may know something about her sister s death. Readers will identify with the outwardly tough yet emotionally vulnerable Caroline and admire Conor for his fortitude and loyalty. The identity of the killer may not come as a surprise to readers, but Breton s descriptions of the investigative process and the unsettling crime scenes are compelling. (Apr.)