Jemology

After severing with her past at age 18, Molly Kincaid has never looked back. With the help of her foster parents, she has carved success after success leading to her own very lucrative private law practice. But on her 39th birthday, the past came calling again--in the form of a dying man's last whisper.

Molly House on Fire is an excellent and well-balanced mix of drama, romance, mystery and thriller. If the author's very popular Rainey Bell series is a little light on the romance, this one isn't. Although it doesn't start up right away, the development of the romance--from the initial attraction, the flirting (loved all that sexual tension in the midst of the mystery), the hesitation, the refusal to let go of past habits and fears, the LQs and the makeups, in other words, everything--was very well paced. It isn't just romance though. There is also friendship, camaraderie and loyalty. Molly's interactions with her partner Randy, her friends (a certain famous FBI profiler makes more than a cameo here!), and even the baddies, are lively and engaging. But the best is reserved for one bittersweet relationship, as Molly finally gets to know the woman she's loved all her life but never knew. Perfect.

Drama aside, the author also weaves a rich and intricate mystery that requires the reader to pay careful attention. Four murders, 2 mysterious deaths, anonymous threats and a legendary treasure everyone is after but no one has ever seen--Molly must figure out how they're all tied together--while defending an autistic boy from a murder charge.

My only beef has to do with the lead-up to the climax. The actions of the two main characters are like something from 'Dumb and Dumber'. Fortunately, this led to one of the most memorable and morbidly efficient (lol) climaxes in all of lesfic. :)

5 stars.