Prime Suspect

Called to St. Joseph’s church New Orleans Police Department Homicide Detective Slade Montgomery confronts not only a double homicide, but the memory of his own shattered dreams. As he investigates the chilling crime scene his memory goes back to the day Marisa Cooper, the only woman he truly loved, left him standing at the alter. With only her word their marriage would not work Slade has struggled to move on. Yet the return to the church brings the memories crashing in around him.

Before Slade can begin investigating bride Angelina Assimov and her groom’s murders he is called to another crime scene—that of Peter Assimov. Complicating the matter is the fact that Peter is the man Marisa, his Marisa, married. With Peter’s body lying in Marisa’s garage, to secure the crime scene, Slade escorts her outside. Just outside the front door is a package for Marisa with no return address and something about it just does not feel right to Slade. Letting instinct override sense Slade hurls the package away from the house just as it explodes. It soon becomes clear someone is systematically killing off the members of the Assimov family. Unfortunately for Marisa, the evidence begins to point to her, especially when her fingerprints are found on the gun used to kill Peter.

Adding to the difficulty of the investigation is Slade’s partner, Terry Barnes. Terry has his own set of problems that seep into Slade’s investigation. Shortly after Slade and Marisa arrive at a safe house Slade’s commander calls alert him their location has been compromised. As Slade and Marisa go on the run, more of the Assimov brothers’ lives are threatened and taken. Amidst a daisy wheel of wrong turns, more deaths that somehow seem related, yet with the primes suspect in protective custody Marisa and Slade begin to once again find their way back to each other.

The action in Melanie Atkin’s PRIME SUSPECT starts with the first sentence and does not let up until the very last sentence of the last paragraph of the last page. A page turner of the first water this Reviewer was on the edge of her seat throughout the entire book. Even without Ms. Atkins’ ability to paint each scene in a written buffet, PRIME SUSPECT would be a must read. With each scene Ms. Atkins brings the reader into the story, engaging all of the senses. The reader will feel the cold stone of the church as Slade’s footsteps echo towards the crime scene, feel the shudder of the bomb’s blast, smell each victim’s blood and have his or heart pound as Marisa and Slade rediscover each other.

PRIME SUSPECT is a perfect example of this reviewer’s comment in her review of VALENTINE VENDETTA that shorter stories some how seem so “cut to the chase” with little character development and story lines that end far too soon. In PRIME SUSPECT one of Ms. Atkins’ earlier works, readers are treated to the full breadth of her writing skills and she is good! Even when it becomes clear just who the suspect is the suspense does not end. In fact, the reader will wonder if that character really is the killer and if Slade and Marisa will survive to explore their feelings for each other.

Carefully researched police procedures add to the intensity of the story. From the courtroom to the women’s prison to the hospital corridors where the killer—or at least one of them, make their final stand it is clear Ms. Atkins took the time to get it right and weave a fantastic story.

Slade is a man any red-blooded woman would want. Sexy doesn’t even cover how potent he is. This reviewer truly wanted to slap Marisa up-side-the-head for walking out on him. What was that woman thinking?

PRIME SUSPECT is a must for any reader’s to be read—and enjoyed list. Whether you are a fan of mystery, suspense or romance, this is an excellent choice to top your list.

January 2007