Author: Melinda Leigh
Genre: Romantic suspense, mystery
Published on: November 28, 2011 by Montlake Romance
Elizabeth was a young widow with two small children when she met Congressman Richard Baker. Handsome and wealthy, with a sparkling public image, Richard seemed like the perfect man to provide the security that Beth and her kids were craving. But when she uncovers a dangerous secret about her new husband, Beth realizes he will go to any lengths—even murder—to keep it. After barely escaping with her life, she and her children flee. They eventually make their way to a secluded estate in the Pennsylvania countryside, where Beth dares to hope she has found a safe place at last…
Forced into retirement by an unexpected injury, Philadelphia homicide detective Jack O’Malley is mourning the loss of his career when his uncle abruptly dies, leaving Jack to dispose of his crumbling country house. Unbeknownst to him, his uncle engaged a caretaker just before his death, a mysterious woman with two children and a beautiful face that haunts his dreams. Determined to know her, Jack begins an investigation into Beth’s past. When he uncovers the shocking truth, and a local woman is viciously murdered, Jack puts his own life on the line to keep Beth and her children safe.
She Can Run is a sexy, satisfying debut from award-winning author Melinda Leigh, packed with enough suspense and romance to get even the tamest heart racing!
This is the first Melinda Leigh novel I’ve read. It’s a romantic suspense about a woman on the run with her children. She’s Elizabeth “Beth” Markham, the main protagonist. Beth was forced to flee from her house for reasons not revealed at the start. You meet Beth and her children (Ben and Katie) as they arrive to their potential new home. It’s a secluded estate in a small Pennsylvania town. An old man named Danny O’Malley, longtime friend of someone who’s protecting Beth, owns the place. He agreed to hire Beth as the new caretaker.
Beth runs into an issue right away. Three men are in the house, but none of them are Danny. Instead, one of them is Jack, Danny’s nephew. He’s an ex-police officer who was forced to end his career after an accident. It’s apparent right away that Jack’s a good man. He lets Beth and the kids stay while they figure things out. This doesn’t last long; Jack honors his uncle’s decision and agrees to keep Beth as caretaker. For some reason, she asks for a two-week probation period. Beth no longer feels safe, so she thinks she may have to leave.
Almost from the start, Jack feels attracted toward Beth. He’s not a jerk about it, though. Beth and Katie act rather terrified around him at first. It takes some time for Jack to win their trust. He’s sharp enough to suspect that Beth and the children are in some kind of danger. Beth won’t say anything, though. Jack doesn’t push in fear that Beth may leave without telling anyone. He wants her and her family to feel safe in his house. Having Beth around is a good thing in one way. She knows her way around horses. Danny had several, and Jack doesn’t know the first thing about looking after them.
There's an important subplot that provides She Can Run with another antagonist. He's the Riverside Killer, a criminal who's eluded authorities for years. The madman kidnaps young women, who are soon afterward found dead in bodies of water. Beth fits the kind of woman the Riverside Killer likes, so she catches his attention. Fortunately, it's not easy to get to Beth. Jack may be partially crippled, but he's still a formidable ex-cop. The O'Malley household also has a German Shepherd pet who didn't make it as a K-9. So who's the Riverside Killer, and does he succeed in taking Beth?
I really enjoyed reading She Can Run. The protagonists are likable, and they're surrounded by great supporting characters. The story is also good, as Beth's and Jack's romance evolves steadily. There's also plenty of suspense with two main antagonists after the heroine. I'm not fond of small towns, but that She Can Run is set in one didn't make the book any less good. The events couldn't have taken place in a city the likes of Chicago. All in all, this was an excellent debut novel. She Can Run also gave me a taste for romantic suspense fiction. I strongly recommend it.
My rating: ★★★★
4 stars - Definitely enjoyed it!
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