Home Before Midnight (Berkley Sensation) [Paperback]

Virginia Kantra (Author)

Book Description

Series: Berkley Sensation | Publication Date: August 1, 2006

USA Today bestselling author Virginia Kantra delivers a haunting novel of suspense and passion, in which the sins of the past are never forgiven—and murder is never forgotten...Years ago, Bailey Wells left behind her small-town North Carolina roots for the high life in New York City, working as a personal assistant to bestselling true crime author Paul Ellis. Now, Ellis and his wife are moving to rustic Stokesville, North Carolina, and Bailey follows them—right back home.When Ellis’s wife is murdered in their new house, Bailey attracts the attention of tough police detective Steve Burke, who cannot share his growing feelings for her as long as she is a murder suspect. But Bailey soon discovers that the violence is far from over. And that to bury a secret from the past, someone is willing to kill again...

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; Regular Print/Single Titl edition (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425211088
• ISBN-13: 978-0425211083
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,619,615 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stories are magic. Even in tough times, they have the power to sweep us away.

Up and down the British Isles, people tell stories of the selkie, immortal creatures of the sea living apart from humankind who come ashore to take human lovers. The Children of the Sea series, set off the rocky coast of Maine, was inspired by those legends.

USA Today bestselling author Virginia Kantra is the winner of numerous writing awards, including two National Readers' Choice Awards. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of three kids, she is a firm believer in the strength of family, the importance of storytelling, and the power of love.

For excerpts and more, visit her on the web at http://virginiakantra.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WOW!, August 9, 2006

By 

iheartjackbauer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Home Before Midnight (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)

Virginia Kantra is definitely an author to watch!

Bailey Wells left her hometown of Stokesville, North Carolina to hit it big in the literary world. She returns several years later, not as a successful author, but as an assistant to a true crime writer. Paul Ellis has returned to his wife's hometown to write a book about a gruesome crime that happened over 20 years ago when a 16 year old boy killed his grandmother, his mother, and his sister. They never could have guessed the lengths someone would go to keep the secret of what really happened that night.

When Paul's wife, Helen, turns up dead in their pool, Detective Steve Burke immediately suspects Bailey. He can see that there is something going on between Bailey and Paul and he is surprised by the dissapointment he feels. The more Burke interviews Bailey and Paul, the more he likes Bailey and the less he likes Paul. Soon it becomes clear that there is more at play than just the murder of Helen Stokes-Ellis.

While I absolutely loved the book, the reason I gave it four stars was because it was never made clear who actually killed Helen. I felt like the author killed Helen off specifically so Burke and Bailey could meet, then just let that storyline dribble away with no real resolution to what happened. Aside from that, the relationship between Bailey and Burke and Burke and his daughter, Gabrielle was fabulous.

I definitely recommend this book!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Suspense, February 22, 2007

By 

Heather M. Riley (IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Home Before Midnight (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)

Bailey Wells is the personal assistant to bestselling true crime author Paul Ellis. She left her small town behind to go work for him, but now his work is taking her right back home. When Bailey finds Paul's wife murdered in their new home, suspicions arise.

Police detective Steve Burke is called in to investigate the case. Bailey makes an easy suspect. She found the body, and there are those who say her relationship with her boss isn't so professional. Steve isn't sure what to believe just yet, but he knows that he needs to curb his attraction to her before it clouds his judgement.

Clues start falling into Steve's lap, a little too easily. It soon becomes apparent that someone is setting Bailey up for the fall. Trying to find the reason behind Mrs. Ellis' murder will drudge up a mystery from the past and someone who's willing to kill to keep the secret safe.

HOME BEFORE MIDNIGHT is wonderful work of romantic suspense from author Virginia Kantra. I love the edge-of-your-seat action as you're trying to figure out who did it and why. The sexual tension between Bailey and Steve is excellent. They're drawn to each other, but they know they must keep their distance. The double mystery aspect of this mystery makes it all the more exciting. Be sure to get a copy of this one today.

This review was originally posted on The Internet Book Database. [...]

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars up past midnight, August 6, 2006

By 

Judith Arnold - See all my reviews

This review is from: Home Before Midnight (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)

Virginia Kantra's HOME BEFORE MIDNIGHT kept me up past midnight. It is a can't-put-down novel--smart, sexy, suspenseful and satisfying. Kantra skillfully intertwines a decades-old mystery with a shocking present-day murder in a small Southern town and creates an appealing, multi-dimensional hero and heroine to lead the reader through the twists and turns. Definitely one of her best.