August 1, 2010
Sent into the sizzling Arizona desert to expose a dangerous religious cult and find a missing girl, undercover operatives Rachel Jessop and Nate Ferrentino pass themselves off as husband and wife to infiltrate the isolated ghost town compound. But grim, razor-wire-rimmed, and ironically named Paradise is anything but heavenly, and what Nate and Rachel eventually uncover is even more diabolical than they could have guessed. A botched romantic past ramps up the sexual tension as the protagonists struggle to get answers and maintain their cover as they are sucked more deeply into this murky world of deadly lies, psychopathic delusions, and salacious religious rites. VERDICT First in Novak's new romantic "thrillogy" (Body Heat, Sept.; Killer Heat, Oct.) featuring agents of the private security contracting firm Department 6, this gripping, twisted tale draws readers into a brutal, starkly drawn world of white heat and dark deeds. Novak (The Perfect Murder) lives in the greater Sacramento, CA, area.
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