cover image Slow Burn

Slow Burn

Heather Graham, Heather Graham Pozzessere. Mira Books, $5.99 (0pp) ISBN 978-1-55166-000-4

First in Harlequin's new Mira imprint, this fastpaced yarn by award-winning Pozzessere (Game of Love) combines mystery with sizzling romance. When Miami police officer Danny Huntington is gunned down, the suspects include a cult leader, a crime boss and the husband of a murdered heiress-all involved in cases Danny had been working on. Danny's wife Spencer and his ex-partner and best friend David Delgado begin a search for Danny's killer that leads them from Miami to the mansions of Newport. Soon Spencer's life appears to be in danger and her grandfather, Sly, asks David to act as her bodyguard. Complicating matters is the fiery attraction between Spencer and David that started in high school only to be cooled by her parents' disapproval of David's Cuban heritage. Pozzesserre, who lives in Florida, adds some nice local detail and shows what it was like to grow up as a Cuban refugee in Florida. The romance, however is more satisfying then the mystery, as the murderer turns out to be incidental. Despite this, and the fact that it is sometimes difficult to keep the numerous relatives and suspects straight, Pozzesserre has delivered an enjoyable read. Major ad/promo. (Oct.)