Promise Not to Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Title: Promise Not to Tell
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: Cutler, Sutter, & Salinas, #2
Pages: 304
Publisher: Berkley
Date: January 2, 2018
Summary:
A painter of fiery, nightmarish visions throws herself into the sea—but she leaves her secrets behind . . .
Seattle gallery owner Virginia Troy has spent years battling the demons that stem from her childhood time in a cult and the night a fire burned through the compound, killing her mother. And now one of her artists has taken her own life, but not before sending Virginia a last picture: a painting that makes Virginia doubt everything about the so-called suicide—and her own past.
Like Virginia, private investigator Cabot Sutter was one of the children in the cult who survived that fire… and only he can help her now. As they struggle to unravel the clues in the painting, it becomes clear that someone thinks Virginia knows more than she does and that she must be stopped. Thrown into an inferno of desire and deception, Virginia and Cabot draw ever closer to the mystery of their shared memories—and the shocking fate of the one man who still wields the power to destroy everything they hold dear.
Review:
This is the second book in what will be a trilogy about three brothers who survived an early childhood in a cult. The first, When All the Girls Have gone, came out in 2016 and was wonderful. Of course, all of Jayne Ann Krentz’ books are wonderful.
In my opinion, these two books are a little darker than her earlier works. The focus is on the suspense rather than the romance. Make no mistake, the romance is there. It is just not the focus. As with all of her books, there is a strong, alpha male and a strong female that takes no guff from him. And, in my opinion, that’s where the humor comes into this book.
There is one scene where Cabot is upset with his family. He accuses Virginia of taking their side. She tells him:
“I’m not taking sides. I’m offering advice.”
“I don’t need advice.”
“Doesn’t mean I’m not going to give you some. Don’t worry, it’s free.”
In an earlier scene, Virginia is “having words” with her grandmother and Cabot proves his intelligence.
He kept his mouth shut. A smart man did not step between two quarreling lionesses.
It is these moments of lightness that I consider a trademark of a JAK book right along with her alpha males and strong females.
Although this is the second book in a trilogy, it could be read without the first. I don’t recommend it, but you could. -grin- The mystery in this book is resolved, but there is an overarching plot which is not. It all goes back to the cult.
This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Elaine Reads . . . constantly! 