Still reeling from her mother's death, Karen Whitlaw is stunned when she receives a package containing a cryptic notebook from her estranged father, who she hasn't seen in decades. As she tries to make sense of this strange delivery, Karen gets a shocking phone call: her father has been murdered on the gritty streets of New Orleans.

For homicide detective Marc Chastain, something about the case of a murdered homeless man just doesn't add up--especially after he meets the victim's daughter. Far from the cold woman he expected, Karen Whitlaw is warm and passionate. She is also in serious danger.

A string of mysterious accidents shakes Karen to her core and forces her into the protective embrace of the charming detective she vowed to resist. Together they must unravel a disturbing web of politics, power, and murder--and face a killer who will stop at nothing to get his hands on her father's secrets.

With her signature thrilling prose and high-voltage passion, Linda Howard "meshes hot sex, emotional impact, and gripping tension in this perfect example of what romantic suspense ought to be" (Publishers Weekly, starred review).