Sunday Book Review

I know I've been remiss in my reviews. First, I wasn't reading anything I could review, then I was reading so many great books, I couldn't choose just one. For instance, I read several good books this week and last. I thought picking one to review would be really hard.

Until I read Roxanne St. Claire's latest installment of her Bullet Catcher series: Hunt Her Down. (No offense intended to the other authors I read recently.) I haven't read all the Bullet Catchers, but the last four were awesome. They just kept getting better, and this one tops the others.

Maggie Varcek did some bad things when she was younger, but she's changed. She's a great mom, and a solid businesswoman who's trying to make a go of a bar. Too bad her past is coming back to haunt her. Fourteen years ago she slipped away from a drug raid and watched the man she loved get wheeled away under a shroud. Now not only is she running from the drug kingpin who thinks she's holds the key to his missing millions, but the man she needs for protection is the same one she thought was dead.

Dan Gallagher didn't mean to fall in love with the girlfriend of a drug dealer, but Maggie was so perfect for him. When doing his job meant faking his death, he did what he had to do - he walked away from the only girl he ever fell for. As a Bullet Catcher, he has the resources to protect her and her child from the dealer who wants thinks she was the mole, but he never counted on discovering the kid he's protecting is his own son.
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Through this series, I've been watching Dan work in the background - always solid and seemingly in love with his boss - Lucy Sharpe. In the previous book, Dan loses even the chance for a relationship with Lucy, and I felt bad for the guy. He's a bit of a hothead, but he didn't deserve to be alone. I'm really glad Ms. St. Claire found him love, and gave him a good reason to realize he never really loved Lucy in the first place.

Anyway, even if you've never read the other books in the series, Hunt Her Down can stand alone - as with all the books in this series. Hell, I started with the fourth book, and just kept going (which means I have another series I have to backtrack on, but that's just me).

Keep up the good words, Ms. St. Claire. I can't wait to see what you have planned for the Bullet Catchers in your next book: Make Her Pay (due out 9/29/09).

(If you're interested in learning more about the author, she blogs with the gals at Murder She Writes, and you can find her at: Roxanne St. Claire's Official Website.)