DANGEROUS PASSAGE by Lisa Harris

Avery North is a detective in Atlanta, Georgia. She was investigating the death of an unidentified girl when they find another young girl dead. They discover that both girls have a tattoo on their shoulder of a magnolia. Because of that they suspect it's the work of a serial killer. Jackson Bryant is the medical examiner who is trying to help Avery solve the crimes. In trying to answer questions, Jackson discovers evidence that sends the case in another direction. One that was quite unexpected. As Avery and Jackson work together they also discover their relationship is much more than just a working one. Both have suffered deep pain and aren't sure they want to put their hearts on the line again. Can they put their trust in the only one who is unchangeable, even in the most painful changing moments?

Dangerous Passage was overall a good romantic suspense. It started off strong and pulls the reader in but I must admit that it seemed to lag a little in the middle. The last half of the book things started to pick up and the last quarter was especially good. There was a particular twist along the way that I didn't expect and was very surprised by it. You'll have to read the book to find out what it is. I enjoyed the characters. Avery was strong and capable but struggling with several things in her life. Jackson was a great guy. As a couple, they blended well together although I didn't fully feel the chemistry between them. They don't really spend a lot of time together which may be why I felt that way. I did enjoy the secondary characters. Avery's father and her partner, Mitch, in particular. I appreciated the message that God doesn't change. He is always the same no matter what we believe and no matter what happens. I also appreciated the author's note at the end. Although this story had a conclusion, there are some unanswered questions that I'm guessing will be explored in Book 2, Fatal Exchange, due out in Summer 2014. It's one that I plan on reading.

Series: Southern Crimes (Book 1)
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Revell (September 1, 2013)
ISBN-10: 080072190X
ISBN-13: 978-0800721909

*This complimentary copy was provided by Revell through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

For more information about this book or other books by Lisa Harris, I encourage you to visit her website http://www.lisaharriswrites.com/Welcome.html