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New Eden, Montana, is a piece of heaven on earth where one woman died in her own private hell. Now it's up to ex-court reporter Marilee Jennings to decipher the puzzle of her best friend's death. But someone has a stake in silencing her suspicion. Someone with secrets worth killing for - and the power to turn this beautiful haven into a . . .Dark Paradise.
And as Mari digs deeper beneath New Eden's picture-perfect exterior, finding the truth is suddenly no longer a matter of justice.
It's her only hope of staying alive.
Bestselling author Tami Hoag’s novels have appeared regularly on national bestseller lists since the publication of her first book in 1988. She lives in Los Angeles.
She could hear the dogs in the distance, baying relentlessly. Pursuing relentlessly, as death pursues life.
Death.
Christ, she was going to die. The thought made her incredulous. Somehow, she had never really believed this moment would come. The idea had always loitered in the back of her mind that she would somehow be able to cheat the grim reaper, that she would be able to deal her way out of the inevitable. She had always been a gambler. Somehow, she had always managed to beat the odds. Her heart fluttered and her throat clenched at the idea that she would not beat them this time.
The whole notion of her own mortality stunned her, and she wanted to stop and stare at herself, as if she were having an out-of-body experience, as if this person running were someone she knew only in passing. But she couldn't stop. The sounds of the dogs drove her on. The instinct of self-preservation spurred her to keep her feet moving.
She lunged up the steady grade of the mountain, tripping over exposed roots and fallen branches. Brush grabbed her clothing and clawed her bloodied face like gnarled, bony fingers. The carpet of decay on the forest floor gave way in spots as she scrambled, yanking her back precious inches instead of giving her purchase to propel herself forward. Pain seared through her as her elbow cracked against a stone half buried in the soft loam. She picked herself up, cradling the arm against her body, and ran on.
Sobs of frustration and fear caught in her throat and choked her. Tears blurred what sight she had in the moon-silvered night. Her nose was broken and throbbing, forcing her to breathe through her mouth alone, and she tried to swallow the cool night air in great gulps. Her lungs were burning, as if every breath brought in a rush of acid instead of oxygen. The fire spread down her arms and legs, limbs that felt like leaden clubs as she pushed them to perform far beyond their capabilities.
I should have quit smoking. A ludicrous thought. It wasn't cigarettes that was going to kill her. In an isolated corner of her mind, where a strange calm resided, she saw herself stopping and sitting down on a fallen log for a final smoke. It would have been like those nights after aerobics class, when the first thing she had done outside the gym was light up. Nothing like that first smoke after a workout. She laughed, on the verge of hysteria, then sobbed, stumbled on.
The dogs were getting closer. They could smell the blood that ran from the deep cut the knife had made across her face.
There was no one to run to, no one to rescue her. She knew that. Ahead of her, the terrain only turned more rugged, steeper, wilder. There were no people, no roads. There was no hope.
Her heart broke with the certainty of that. No hope. Without hope, there was nothing. All the other systems began shutting down.
She broke from the woods and stumbled into a clearing. She couldn't run another step. Her head swam and pounded. Her legs wobbled beneath her, sending her lurching drunkenly into the open meadow. The commands her brain sent shorted out en route, then stopped firing altogether as her will crumbled.
Strangling on despair, on the taste of her own blood, she sank to her knees in the deep, soft grass and stared up at the huge, brilliant disk of the moon, realizing for the first time in her life how insignificant she was. She would die in this wilderness, with the scent of wildflowers in the air, and the world would go on without a pause. She was nothing, just another victim of another hunt. No one would even miss her. The sense of stark loneliness that thought sent through her numbed her to the bone.
No one would miss her.
No one would mourn her.
Her life meant nothing.
She could hear the crashing in the woods behind her. The sound of hoofbeats. The snorting of a horse. The dogs baying. Her heart pounding, ready to explode.
She never heard the shot.
Anonymous
Posted July 30, 2004
Tami Hoag seems to have an edge to her that is admirable and shows in her character, Marilee. The fire between Marilee & JD Rafferty was hot, both romantically and tempermentally. The twists and turns kept me reading and the characters almost seemed real. A book that was hard to put down. I read it in 2 days and will probably read it again. A must read for anyone who likes suspense, mystery & a bit of romance. I hope someone will eventually make a movie out of it!.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 9, 2003
I could not put it down. Suspense, mystery, romance, beautiful descriptions of the land and two main characters you fall in love with...what more do you need?
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 29, 1999
This was a very good book! It's a mystery with a romantic twist. The characters were well crafted and the plot was adventursome. My only complaint was that it ended too soon!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 6, 2012
I love everything this author writes. She keeps you guessing to the very end.
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Posted January 30, 2012
I just recently started reading Tami Hoag's books and love them all. This book was great!
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Posted January 24, 2012
I loved this book, the town, the characters, the unexpected twists, and who doesn't want a rough, sexy cowboy with hands of steel? Hot and steamy - J.D. wins my vote!
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Posted January 10, 2012
Boy, i really misunderstood the description for this book and thought it was a mystery, but it was just a really bad romance novel. The mystery may have gotten better later in the book, but I couldnt get past all the stupid dialogue and romance scenes between two people that hate each other. Give me a break! Stick with the mysteries Tami, PLEASE!!
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Posted May 7, 2011
I love Tami Hoag and this particular book was amazing. Not your average murder mystery that is for sure. Set in the wilds of Montana, this story really fires the imagination. Rich charecter development coupled with descriptive prose that bring the beautiful surroundings to life. Fun twists in the plot that keep you guessing! Have fun, I also recommend 'Deeper Than the Dead' from Ms. Hoag. She never disappoints. Happy reading!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I loved this book. It is my favorite book by Tami Hoag. Anyone who loves mystery/suspense and romance, this book is for you. I wish there was a sequel.
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Posted January 18, 2011
Sorry....I thought it was boring.
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Posted August 9, 2007
Another great book by Tami Hoag. I found that I really didn't want this story to end. I feel like I want to keep reading to see what happens to the main characters. I did enjoy the mystery of Lucy's life. It kept me guessing and was not what I thought. Though it took me awhile to like J.D. I found myself feeling for him. Great characters, I especially liked Mari.
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Posted August 30, 2006
This is my second Tami Hoag audio. It is a very good theme with strong characters and story line. Joyce Bean did a fine job of narrating. I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a mystery. Kit
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Posted August 2, 2006
This book was great. I enjoyed the characters and storyline very much. A good read!! I could NOT put this book down. Great author as well.
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Posted May 3, 2005
This was the first book that I have read by Tami Hoag. I would recommend this book to first timers like me.
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Posted March 25, 2004
She never disappoints. Couldn't put it down. Never a dull moment in her books. Always guessing and when you think you know who did it, your wrong. Surprise endings.
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Posted November 1, 2003
I had already read one othe Tami Hoag book when I read this one and I was thouroughly pleased. Most of her books have a romance undercurrent, but his one really tugged at me. Here we had a misfit in Mari, and a rigid guy under a nasty murder. Mari does not want her friend to have died in vain no matter how loose and blackmailing she was. Mari tries to find the truth through the people involved. This story is very rich in charaters, murderers, starting over theme, and ultimate answers. The supporting characters were very well defined and easy to understand and relate to, even if they made bad choices. I usually read straight romantic suspence, but Hoag writes an overall good story with very vulnerable main chacters. I have read this more than omce.
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Posted May 1, 2003
If you like suspense, and a bit of mystery, and romance, this is definately the book to read! It keeps you hooked all the way through-out the book. I read it in a day, and I've read it 5 times since then! It's such a good book. I never grow tired of reading it.
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Posted May 9, 2003
This was an excellent book, I couldn't stop reading...every one should read it.
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Posted April 11, 2003
This was the 3rd book by Tami Hoag that I read and I enjoyed it the most by far. She kept the suspense and the mystery just right, along with the promise of romance to come. I loved this book and recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery with romance.
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Posted April 17, 2002
This was one of my favorite books by Tami Hoag. The plot twists were excellent and I loved the characters. I would recommend this to anyone.
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Overview
New Eden, Montana, is a piece of heaven on earth where one woman died in her own private hell. Now it's up to ex-court reporter Marilee Jennings to decipher the puzzle of her best friend's death. But someone has a stake in silencing her suspicion. Someone with secrets worth killing for - and the power to turn this beautiful haven into a . . .Dark Paradise.
And as Mari digs deeper beneath New Eden's picture-perfect exterior, finding the truth is suddenly no longer a matter of justice.
It's her only hope of staying alive.