Three single women, living alone in an isolated part of the Jersey shore, support each other through a period of terror. The protagonist, Garner Quinn, a brilliant 39year-old woman, talks to and confides in the readers. Quinn's round character contains many dimensions, which makes it easy to identify with her. She is perceptive, flawed, and readers can likely identify with her status as a divorced mom raising a child on her own. The author reveals Quinn's character by having her describe herself.

For example, Quinn describes her "rules," such as: "Thou shalt not marry a lawyer.

Thou shalt not get emotionally involved with a subject. Remember the deadline date and keep it holy." "Exercise caution." "Danger is my middle name."

Quinn, on hiatus from her true-crime writing, longs for a lover, Dane Blackmoor, who left her in a previous novel in the series. Readers...