Dead Certain (Mass Market Paperback)

Amanda Crosby is angry with her business partner Derek England because he purchased an illegal stolen Iranian goblet that they will have to return. Amanda leaves a voice message on Derek's server that she will kill him. Derek agrees to meet Amanda, but he never arrives at her home.

The next day Broeder, Delaware Police Chief Sean Mercer informs Amanda that Derek was murdered, she is a suspect because of the voice message and that the victim apparently knew the killer. However, Sean becomes concerned that someone is stalking Amanda and is made to look like imprisoned Archer Lowell is dong it. When her neighbor is killed, Sean is DEAD CERTAIN that that someone with insider information on the Lowell stalking is plotting Amanda's destruction.

The second murderer-switch tale is an enjoyable police procedural romance starring a fine cop, a beleaguered heroine, and a fully developed support cast including two vile villains (one in prison and one as his surrogate killer). The story line moves quickly forward as the proxy killer causes havoc in which evidence points towards Amanda or Archer. Fans will appreciate this solid tale and look forward to the final member of the unholy trio doing his damage.

Harriet Klausner

Amanda Crosby was furious at her business partner, Derek. Derek went to Italy to find items for their antiquities shop. What he purchased and shipped to Amanda turned out to be stolen goods. Amanda was having to send the item back to the Middle East, where it was stolen, and the shop would have to take a huge loss in money. Amanda swore she'd kill Derek, as she swears every time he did something stupid. But this time, someone killed Derek before she saw him again and Amanda's threat was still on Derek's cell phone voice mail. She instantly became the number one suspect.

Chief Sean Mercer of Broeder Police did not want the beautiful lady to be a killer. He was very attracted to Amanda. But Sean went by the book, so he forced himself only to think of her as "the suspect". When Marian, the lady who owned the store next to Amanda's was murdered, Sean was sure the two killings were connected. Yet he could not figure out how. It soon became apparent that the only connection between the two murdered people was Amanda. The second murder proved that it could not have been Amanda. Sean was positive it all had something to do with Amanda's old stalker, Archer. Problem was that Archer was still in prison, made no phone calls, had zero visitors, and not a single friend in jail or out. But someone was killing for Archer and Sean knew Amanda would be next.

***** Author Mariah Stewart gets better and better with every book she writes. I feel sorry for anyone who misses this trilogy. It is one of the best ones I've had the pleasure of reading. Mariah Stewart ROCKS! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.