Customer Reviews

Dark Water (Mira Romantic Suspense)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found myself quickly pulled into this story by the 'whodunit' aspect, I thought twice I had the killer pegged and was wrong both times! The main characters Sarah Jane and "Silk" are interesting and their chemistry together is wonderful. Also interesting is Lorett, the woman who raised Sarah Jane after both her parents died, she brings a supernatural aspect to the story. The suspense in this story will keep you turning the pages and the ending is a shocker!! Dark Water was my first Sala book, but won't be my last.

Twenty years ago Sarah Jane Whitman's father supposedly robbed the bank he managed in Marmet, Maine, making off with a cool million. Her mother couldn't stand the innuendos and committed suicide. Alone in the world, Sarah went to New Orleans and was raised by a woman she called her aunt.

Now, her father's body has been found in a trunk in Flagstaff Lake outside of Marmet. So maybe he didn't steal that money after all.

Jane has grown into an independent woman who owns her own trendy restaurant, called Ma Chère, but she's not going to let her business keep her from going back and clearing her father's name.

Tony DeMarco owns a nightclub in Chicago called by the name he went by in high school back in Marmet, Silk. Franklin Whitman, Sarah's father was the only person who believed in Tony back when he was sixteen years old. He loaned Tony enough money to start a small business. When he hears Franklin's body has been found, he goes back to Maine to help Sarah.

However there is someone who doesn't want the truth to come out and will stop at nothing, not even murder to keep it buried. But when someone tries to kill Sarah, she becomes even more determined to stick it out and find her father's killer, no matter what the danger. Luckily she has Tony by her side and her mystical aunt.

Ms. Sala has written a gripping romantic thriller that had me hooked with the first sentence: "If Avery Wheeler hadn't robbed an armored truck in Farmington, Maine, and taken a woman hostage, the state police would never have given chase when he headed north up Highway 27." With an opener like that, how could you do anything else but read on. And that just what I did.

This novel has great thrills, creepy twists, and amazing characters. "Dark Water" has characters that are in-touch with the world today. Sarah Whitman's father allegedly stole [money amount]from the bank where he worked twenty years ago, took off, and was never heard from again. Believing he went off in luxury with his money, Sarah's mother killed herself. All of this happened to Sarah at age ten, and she was sent to live in New Orleans with her mother's good friend Lorett Bordeaux. Twenty years later in Flagstaff Lake in Marmet, Maine, a skeleton in a trunk at the bottom of the lake has been recovered, soon identified as the body of Frank Whitman, Sarah's dad. Now all these years he's been dead, and when Sarah comes back to reclaim her father's remains, she realizes that he was murdered, and she will not leave Marmet until she finds justice and clears her father's name. Tony "Silk" DeMarco felt guilty because he wasn't by her side when her mother died, and now he wants to make it up to Sarah. He leaves Chicago and offers Sarah a place to stay while she is in Marmet. While someone is trying to kill Sarah so as not to reveal what happened twenty years before, Tony and Sarah are falling in love. Now, he is her protector, and Lorett has a "psychic power" and knows all before they happen. With a wonderful plot and a heart-stopping ending, this novel is sure to please anyone who likes the romantic thrilling genre.

Sharon Sala used to write for Kismet books (now defunct.) I always enjoyed her stories for being a little different from the traditional romance format. I was delighted to find this book.
Like many of Sala's books, the emotions are a little darker; the danger is more dangerous.
When her father's body is discovered, Sarah goes back to the town in which she was raised to claim the body and demand justice. Her father had been accused of a crime and the town gossips had never let her or her unfortunate mother forget.
Tony, a friend from her past, goes with her to make up for the guilt he feels about the past. The acton starts when she announces that she will not leave town until justice is done--setting a killer on her trail. Tony comes to her rescue and she comes to his.
The emotional bond that forms between the two is extraordinary. There are several dark currents in the town leading to confusion about exactly who's doing the killing. I couldn't put this book down and it has led me back to Amazon looking for other books of Sharon's.

Sarah was only 10 years old, when her beloved father Frank vanished, along with one million dollars from the bank that employed him. The ensuing viscous scandal prompted Frank’s wife to commit suicide, and Sarah was sent to her Aunt Lorett in New Orleans, much to the relief of the citizens of Marmet, Maine. 20 years after the scandal, Frank’s body is recovered from the bottom of Flagstaff Lake, and Sarah returns to Marmet, convinced he was murdered, not the thief he was made out to be. Enter Tony “Silk” DeMarco, local bad boy who turned his life around, thanks to Frank’s help, when he was a teenager. Determined to assist Sarah in her quest for retribution, and to repay old debts to Frank, Tony and Sarah begin their search for the killer. Attempts are made to silence them, and Tony’s feelings for Sarah rapidly grow to more than just protector. Aunt Lorett comes toMarmet lend her support to Sarah, and proves a most interesting secondary character, along with other townsfolk and muscle Tony brings in to aide in the search for the killer.

“Dark Water” is a fast paced suspense, with just the right amount of romance mixed in. “Silk” is a hero to die for, as is customary for Sharon Sala’s leading men, and Sarah is a remarkably strong woman, considering what she has been through. All in all, a very enjoyable read.

Dark Water had me hooked from the beginning. The suspense was just enough to keep pulling you along. It was not a steamy romance but enough of romance in the story line to make you feel the passion. The author does a good job of keeping you guessing who the killer is until the very moment it is necessary. It makes for a good read because you keep guessing until "Bam" there it is. I only just finished this a few hours ago and I am still trying to absorb all the information. It is so addictive that you will be done with the book before you know it. I thoroughly recommend this book.

After twenty years, Frank Whitman's body is found in the murky depths of a lake. This discovery calls Sarah Jane, his daughter, out of the exile the citizens of Marmet drove her to when he was accused of stealing a fortune. Her return opens the door to secrets long buried, secrets that lead to the identity of a thief and murderer. Her ally in the search for the truth is town bad boy, Tony De Marco, a man she once and still loves. The passion between them will have to take second place to solving the mystery, before the killer silences Sarah Jane and the truth permanently.

[...] Sharon Sala once again has a winner on her hands and a treat for her readers in DARK WATER. Though I have enjoyed other books of Ms. Sala's more, one of her works can never be a waste of time or a disappointment. Her heroines are always determined, strong women who are capable of taking care of themselves, yet the addition of a sexy hero is nothing to be ignored. Tony is in every way the alpha male, yet a sensitive and caring one, despite his tainted past. Supporting cast members round out the action filled plot to create a world well worth visiting. ****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

This is my first book by Sharon Sala and it certainly will not be my last. I absolutely fell in love with the main characters and loved their story. I was only sorry that the story came to an end. I would love for it to continue. I just could not get enough!!!

I found this book in a thrift store and it was the best 10 cent purchase that I've made! I immediately connected with the main character. The growing suspense and romance kept me wanting more. The setting was lovely and I was kept guessing until the end to find out who the murderer was. This is a book not be be missed.

When she was ten, Sarah Whitman's life was turned upside down; her father was accused of robbing his bank when he disappeared at the same time a cool million bucks went missing. Her mother, unable to cope with the humiliation, committed suicide, leaving Sarah to grow up with an "aunt" in New Orleans. She returns to Maine upon discovery of her father's body, which is found at the bottom of a lake outside town. Sara insists the bank heist investigation be re-opened. She also plans to avenge the devastation that the town brought to her family. Her first love, Chicago nightclub owner Tony returns to stand by her, something he failed to do 20 years earlier. But someone would rather see Sarah dead then the past revisited.

Overall, the plot is a bit thin and somewhat predictable; I guessed the bad guy early on (a rare occurrence for me). But Sala always creates such engaging characters, and despite its predictability, I found it to be an interesting story.