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Nighthawk Island #11
In the Flesh
LIKE AN ILLUSION THAT CAME TO LIFE, HE WAS THERE...AND ALL TOO SEXY TO IGNORE!
Detective Cortez drove hard to close an open case. The man was bold, single-minded in his pursuit and determined to work his way under Dr. Jennifer Madden's skin. His security details and around-the-clock surveillance were becoming all too personal. And the detective's protection was making a menace out of a stalker. If the beautiful doctor had any chance to survive she'd have to surrender to a protector who demanded her full cooperation...and then some.
Detective Cortez drove hard to close an open case. The man was bold, single-minded in his pursuit and determined to work his way under Dr. Jennifer Madden's skin. His security details and around-the-clock surveillance were becoming all too personal. And the detective's protection was making a menace out of a stalker. If the beautiful doctor had any chance to survive she'd have to surrender to a protector who demanded her full cooperation...and then some.
212 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2008
About the author
Rita Herron
324 books948 followersUSA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Rita Herron fell in love with books at the ripe age of eight when she read her first Trixie Belden mystery. But she didn’t think real people grew up to be writers, so she became a teacher instead. Now she writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job.
With over ninety books to her credit, she’s penned romantic suspense, romantic comedy and YA novels, but she especially likes writing dark romantic suspense and crime fiction set in small southern towns.
For more on. Rita and her titles, visit her at www.ritaherron.com. You can also find her on www.Facebook/ritaherron.com and Twitter.com/ritaherron.
With over ninety books to her credit, she’s penned romantic suspense, romantic comedy and YA novels, but she especially likes writing dark romantic suspense and crime fiction set in small southern towns.
For more on. Rita and her titles, visit her at www.ritaherron.com. You can also find her on www.Facebook/ritaherron.com and Twitter.com/ritaherron.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 5, 2008
Zipped right through this one...yet another great HQ Intrigue from Rita Herron. The book has a small connection to the previous Nighthawk Island installment...this story focuses on Detective Raul Cortez who is trying to find a serial killer who strangles women and in the last book, Under His Skin, the first victim was killed and there is a mention that Cortez was the lead Detective on that case. So this book follows up with that storyline. I enjoyed it all around...great characters and romance, solid storyline. I had one somewhat major annoyance after I finished which dealt with the side storyline of the heroine's mother. Herron never gave us the full details of what happened to her and kinda ticked me off not to know. But otherwise, a great book.
March 26, 2013
Detective Cortez had to work with Dr. Jennifer Madden. He didn’t like her, and didn’t want her on the case. He judged her before he ever met her. Jennifer quickly put him in his place. He learned quickly All that he perceived about Jennifer was wrong. Both Raul, and Jennifer had events happen in their life that really made me feel for both of them. Their past hurts made them vulnerable. There was a killer on the lose in Savannah, and they had to work together before another young lady lost her life. Dr. Madden is a therapist. She wonders if it is any of her patients. Detective Cortez wants Dr. Madden’s patient records. She said no, and said he would have to get a court order. Before he did, Jennifer went missing. Detective Cortez was working against the clock to find Dr. Madden. I loved this book. I felt a connection to both Jennifer, and Raul. The author threw in a few more charactors, and was able to finish the story line by pulling everything together in the end. I am so glad it had an epilogue, the ending was perfect. This book just became one of my favorites. I will have to read more books by Rita Herron
Sample from Chapter 12
Jenny couldn’t give up, She struggled against her attacker, swinging against her attacker, swinging her hand sideways for something to defend herself, but she grasped at dead air. The man wrapped something silky around her throat and was using it to choke her. A tie? Silk scarf? Panties? God was it the strangler? He pulled tighter, and she gasped for air, grappling for a weapon, and finally her fingers closed around the bedside clock. She swung it up and slammed it into the side of his head. The blow jarred him just enough to loosen his hold, and she raised her knee and thrust it against his groin. He howled and punched her across the face, and stars shot before her eyes.
Sample from Chapter 12
Jenny couldn’t give up, She struggled against her attacker, swinging against her attacker, swinging her hand sideways for something to defend herself, but she grasped at dead air. The man wrapped something silky around her throat and was using it to choke her. A tie? Silk scarf? Panties? God was it the strangler? He pulled tighter, and she gasped for air, grappling for a weapon, and finally her fingers closed around the bedside clock. She swung it up and slammed it into the side of his head. The blow jarred him just enough to loosen his hold, and she raised her knee and thrust it against his groin. He howled and punched her across the face, and stars shot before her eyes.
December 19, 2021
I just finished reading In The Flesh book #11 in Night Hawk Island by Rita Herron. The plot is a powerful story of lost love, family, revenge with deep hated towards women, murder, find out the truth about a rape that held Jenny's mom prisoner for many years, her brother's problem with drugs and alcohol, and finally finding love again with a man who loved her as much as she loved him. You need to read this book it will have you reading all the way until the end.
March 28, 2023
Hottttt
July 21, 2016
4-4.5 stars for In the Flesh...I haven't decided yet beause that ending was wicked cliched.
Thought and Plot
Detective Cortez is a man with a mission. Ever since his wife and unborn child were killed by a man released until his trial date, Cortez has lived for nothing but his job; putting away criminals before they hurt anyone else's loved ones. Dr. Jennifer Madden works with dangerous people, trying to help them gain control over their...urges, which makes them a threat to society. Many of the people she works with are convicted of some sort of sexual crime, from having sex in public to killing a woman by strangulation during sex.
Dr. Madden is called in by Cortez's boss to consult on a series of brutal sexual murders they have reason to believe are all committed by one man. You plettery much can take it from there yourself.
It's amazing how a book can be so awesome that you are completely on board, you can't figure out who the murderer is, the cliche policeman falls for the girl is completely taking the back seat to the actual plotline (mostly), everything is wrapping up nicely and you've thoroughly enjoyed the story but in the last 10 pages (or whatever that brief horrible period at the end was) you find it falling into the old cliches of some horrible romance novel written to make you want to vomit and you're screaming "NNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" as loud as you can in your own head but it can't block out what you're reading...sigh.
Who writes these endings??? Why can't you leave it at a good place???
I swear they (publishers) have some cheap washed out romance novelist in the backroom somewhere they have write these horrible endings to these awesome books. The language used in the last bit isn't even the same!! It felt like someone tacked it on to make it fit the plot structure some of these publishing companies require in order to publish your book!
So disappointed!!!
Perfectly good murder/mystery/thriller ruined! Darn you publishing companies!!!
In Conclusion
This books was totally awesome, totally pulling a 5 star out of me after all the crap I read before it...and then that ending happened and crushed my hope of this being the perfect suspence/romance.
Thought and Plot
Detective Cortez is a man with a mission. Ever since his wife and unborn child were killed by a man released until his trial date, Cortez has lived for nothing but his job; putting away criminals before they hurt anyone else's loved ones. Dr. Jennifer Madden works with dangerous people, trying to help them gain control over their...urges, which makes them a threat to society. Many of the people she works with are convicted of some sort of sexual crime, from having sex in public to killing a woman by strangulation during sex.
Dr. Madden is called in by Cortez's boss to consult on a series of brutal sexual murders they have reason to believe are all committed by one man. You plettery much can take it from there yourself.
It's amazing how a book can be so awesome that you are completely on board, you can't figure out who the murderer is, the cliche policeman falls for the girl is completely taking the back seat to the actual plotline (mostly), everything is wrapping up nicely and you've thoroughly enjoyed the story but in the last 10 pages (or whatever that brief horrible period at the end was) you find it falling into the old cliches of some horrible romance novel written to make you want to vomit and you're screaming "NNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" as loud as you can in your own head but it can't block out what you're reading...sigh.
Who writes these endings??? Why can't you leave it at a good place???
I swear they (publishers) have some cheap washed out romance novelist in the backroom somewhere they have write these horrible endings to these awesome books. The language used in the last bit isn't even the same!! It felt like someone tacked it on to make it fit the plot structure some of these publishing companies require in order to publish your book!
So disappointed!!!
Perfectly good murder/mystery/thriller ruined! Darn you publishing companies!!!
In Conclusion
This books was totally awesome, totally pulling a 5 star out of me after all the crap I read before it...and then that ending happened and crushed my hope of this being the perfect suspence/romance.
July 24, 2011
I enjoyed the suspense portion of this story, but the romance initially felt a bit forced. Cortez was so harsh (although understandably so, considering his past) that I had a hard time with his transition to desire for Jenny. Likewise, it was sometimes hard to see why she wanted him with his attitude toward her. But as the story progressed the connection grew. He softened in demeanor and become a protector, with his hostility focused on the bad guy. Some lovely, poignant moments in these pages!
April 27, 2008
Very nice romantic/suspense, this one is worth going in the cart.
May 5, 2013
Children can't be held responsible for adult problems.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews