Fade To Red (Berkley Sensation) [Paperback]

Linda Castillo (Author)

Book Description

Series: Berkley Sensation | Publication Date: May 4, 2004

A chilling urban legend becomes a terrifying reality . . .

After receiving a frantic message from her estranged sister, Lindsey Metcalf travels to Seattle to find her--only to realize Traci has vanished without a trace.  As Lindsey delves into her sister's disappearance, she realizes young Traci has been leading a shocking double life.  Lindsey files a missing persons report but, having had her share of run-ins with the police, Traci isn't high on the department's list of priorities.  And the only man able to help Lindsey find the truth has his own trouble with the law . . .

Set to go to trial for a brutal assault charge, ex-cop turned private eye Michael Striker plays by his own rules. Facing conviction and a possible prison term, he's got nothing left to lose--except his final two weeks of freedom. The last thing he needs is more complications--and nothing about this case, or Lindsey Metcalf, is simple.

Their search for the truth will plunge them into a seedy world darker than they ever imagined--and  prove the existence of a chilling urban legend in which none of the victims survive . . .

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Gritty and atmospheric...a terrifying and gripping drama."--RT Bookclub

"...dark and dangerous..."--All About Romance

"...a chillingly graphic depiction of what could happen to a young woman ... and those who put themselves in harm's way to find the person they love."--The Best Reviews

From the Publisher

Rita Award finalist Linda Castillo has been hailed as "masterful and heart-stopping . . . an author to watch."—RT Bookclub. Now, this bestselling author returns with a romantic thriller chock full of dark secrets and even darker passions . . .

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (May 4, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425196577
• ISBN-13: 978-0425196571
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #781,984 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Linda Castillo lives in Texas with her husband and is currently at work on her next thriller set in Amish Country and featuring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder. Her first novel in the series, Sworn to Silence, was a New York Times bestseller.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine hardboiled mystery written by a woman, May 26, 2004

By 

John Black (REDMOND, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fade To Red (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)

At the risk of sounding sexist, I have found many mysteries written by women to be involving, but more romantically melodramatic than hardboiled (by the same token, some male authors tend to be hardboiled without any balancing emotionalism). This book, the first I've read by this author, hits a near-perfect balance between hard-edged and sensitive situations. I enjoyed it very much, enough so that I shall seek out the author's other mysteries.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars exciting private investigative romance, April 29, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fade To Red (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)

The voice message from her sister Traci sounded like she was frightened, something her younger sibling never is. Return calls only get Traci's answering machine. Desperate to learn what happened to Traci, Lindsey Metcalf flies from Columbus to Seattle, but Traci has vanished. The cops feel that Traci skipped town to avoid jail time on a drug charge. Since there is evidence that Traci was seeing former cop Michael Striker, Lindsey visits him. However, he blows her away telling her to go home. Michael has his own problems as he faces ten years in prison for assaulting the suspect who murdered his partner.

A friend on the force informs Michael that someone broke into Traci's home and attacked Lindsey. Unable to stay on the sidelines, he comes over to see if the Midwesterner is okay and offers to search for Traci though he believes the latter is dead. Lindsey soon learns the truth about her sister's dangerous life in the sexual underground while falling in love with her champion who reciprocates, but knows his prison time insures nothing can happen between them.

This is an exciting private investigative romance with a major touch of amateur sleuth to get the tale off the ground. The story line is action packed and never lets up from the moment Lindsey arrives in Seattle. Though the epilogue following the climax is too simplistic, readers will take immense delight with the lead couple as they tour the shadiest part of the city. Fans will demand a Buckeye romance starring Lindsey's bossy spicy business partner Carissa soonest.

Harriet Klausner

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good reading..., May 25, 2004

By 

Huntress Reviews (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fade To Red (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)

Even though she and her sister, Traci, have drifted apart somewhat, Lindsey Metcalf is protective of her; and when Traci vanishes, Lindsey is determined to find her. Unfortunately, Traci has led a shadow life, hidden from her family, but one the police know all about. That makes her disappearance more a convenience than anything else. Her only hope is a former cop with little to lose. Michael Striker has two weeks of freedom before he faces a likely jail sentence for assault. Helping Lindsey might not be the best way to spend that time, but it's the right thing to do, so he does it. Diving into Traci's world is full of unpleasant surprises Lindsey didn't want to find, but she finds something more than that; love with Michael. Yet, how can she hope to have a happily ever after if the man she loves is in jail, or she's dead?

*** With the ultimate good/bad boy hero and a tense, edgy plot you will be glued to the page of this thriller. Linda Castillo is emerging as a guaranteed winner for romantic suspense. ***
Amanda