Maggie Shayne delivers an uncompromising, impossible-to-put down and addicting story of suspense in her latest release, Kiss Me, Kill Me.

Yearning for motherhood but told, medically, that this would be an impossibility, Dr. Carrie Overton meets fate one late night, as she helps a young mother deliver a baby along the roadside. When she returns from searching for help, Carrie discovers the mother gone and the baby wrapped tightly, along with a note saying that the young mother believes that it was fate that brought her and Carrie together and that she wants Carrie to raise the baby as her own.

Knowing that, legally, what she is doing is wrong, Carrie knows in her heart, that she would be a wonderful mom and that this is her chance to make her dreams come true. With every intention of finding the biological mother, Carrie soon discovers that very shortly after giving birth, the mother is found dead. So begins the search for the missing baby.

Sixteen years later, Sam has grown into a magnificent young man, Carrie an adoring and protective mother, hoping her secret will never emerge. Then teenagers begin disappearing and dead bodies piling up. Carrie fears that her son will be next and will do anything to protect him and keep him safe.

When a stranger, Gabriel Cain, appears in town, Sam is quickly taken with him and questions begin to form. A strange resemblance between Sam and Gabe is apparent and a shocking revelation comes to light. A sizzle of ignition sparks between Carrie and Gabe, Sam’s sudden disappearance brings heated feelings to a peak and the race to find Sam is ticking quickly away. Will death reach Carrie’s son before she and Gabe can, or will the killer win?

Kiss Me, Kill Me is the third in the Secrets of Shadow Falls series and honestly, my favorite. The characterization of Carrie is excellent and her feelings are truly felt—her compassion and intense love for her son and desire to keep him safe at all costs, shines through without a doubt and is easily relatable by any parent. Gabe is amazing, sexy and delightful. With a few secrets of his own, the reader will quickly become engrossed in what will happen once these secrets surface and his ability to bring a positive vibe to any scene is refreshing.

Below is the scene after Sam’s girlfriend has been discovered missing and shortly following the murder of his best friend:

Carrie moved closer to her son and slid a hand to his shoulder. “We can go into town, join the next shift of volunteers, if you want. Or we can get a supply of posters and drive around putting them up.”

He finally met her eyes—his so woefully tormented that she nearly gasped aloud. “I don’t know what to do.” Then he looked at Gabe. “What do you think we should do?”

Gabe drew a breath, pulled a chair in front of Sam’s and sat down, leaning forward, elbows on his knees, hands clasped. “You shouldn’t take action until you get your head straight about a matter. I know it sounds like New Age fluff, but everything that exists was a thought before it was a thing. And the thing usually follows the thought. So we need to get our thoughts about Sadie into line with the outcome we want here, and I think we’d better do it soon.”

As a suspenseful and tense-filled story, Kiss Me, Kill Me is perfect. Each page leaves the reader racing to flip to the next, dying to see what happens and holding their breath as one thrilling moment leads to the next. As well as suspense, Kiss Me, Kill Me is sprinkled with a healthy dose of romance, sizzle and sparks as the relationship between Carrie and Gabe takes off. Their desire and attraction is highly palpable and adds a delightful dimension to the story.

Maggie Shayne is a mesmerizing talent and her stories delight and exalt. Kiss Me, Kill Me is no exception and will bring thrilling pleasure to a vast audience of readers. ~ April