Passion to Die For, by Marilyn Pappano, Reviewed.

This romance is more than a mere love story, otherwise, as a man, Iwouldn't have read it. With its undertones of menace, thread of injustice, mysteryto be solved and unspoken comments on small town American life this is a novelthat should attract readers from both genders and all adult age ranges.The characters are alive and, whether nasty or nice, cynical or naive, beautifulor ugly, they portray traits we can all both recognise and empathise with. Themain story, of unrequited love, is interwoven with another that deals withjealousy, intrigue, hatred and injustice. The reader is driven to first trust the heroine and then doubt thattrust, as she grows through the experiences she faces and even doubts herself.The hero remains a stalwart but retains his professional concerns andsuspicions so that he is reluctant to make the conclusions necessary to end thedoubts he's faced with.I won't spoil the story by alluding to the ending, except to remarkthat it is apposite; it fits without being contrived.As a reader of many different styles and genres, I found I was drawninto this novel by the characters very early on. The mystery and intrigue keptme absorbed and the emotional content, coupled with the well-drawn characters,carried me through to the ending.A book I enjoyed and can happily recommend to men and women alike.