Customer Reviews

The Matchmaker

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Greer survived a trauma two years ago...and lost everything. Her career and her marriage. She came home looking for peace and quiet, but evil is at home even in small towns. Now, Greer's husband has come to help solve the crimes. Is it too late for their relationship to heal?

Jamie Denton's The Matchmaker is a white-knuckle story.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Jamie Denton has written a fast paced psychological thriller with The Matchmaker.

Greer Lomax quit the Bureau after a hunt for a serial killer nearly cost her her life... at the killer's hands. Now she works for the Sheriff's office at the small town she hails from. Plagued by panic attacks and nightmares that would drive a weaker woman insane, Greer is barely surviving. When a contested will requires an exhumation of the dead man's body Greer's life shifts on its axis once more. In the tomb a second body is found, sparking a new investigation which brings all her fears back to the forefront of her mind.

Greer turns to the FBI for assistance, and the one man she wishes she could forget comes to her aid... her estranged husband and FBI profiler, Ash Keller. Ash blames himself for the horrors Greer faced in the lair of that madman. He alone can even come close to understanding what is running through Greer's mind and he swears not to let her down again.

Now these two must tiptoe through another killer's mind, if they have any hopes of stopping the serial killer dubbed "The Matchmaker." Can Greer escape the terrors locked in her mind? And what of the still flaming passion between Greer and Ash? Can they cross the chasm between them?

From the moment the first victim is found, readers are taken on a life or death journey through the twisted mind of a killer. It's quite fascinating, as strange as that may seem, to get this point of view in the story. To learn what drives someone to this kind of behavior and what made them into a monster is very intriguing. Getting into his head, knowing who he is from early on, does not hurt the story at all. There are still a few wrenches thrown in the works that will surprise the readers and provide for an attention grabbing showdown.

Readers get deep into Greer's head as she tries to deal with what happened to her and recover from it. The frequent anxiety and panic attacks she experiences make her that much more real to us. Facing another serial killer is the last thing she wants to do, but she knows that she must face her internal demons if she ever hopes to get herself back. Watching Greer face her fears in an effort to overcome them engaged my emotions in the story even more than they already would have been.

Ash has his own battles to fight as well. He has suffered a lot since Greer was almost killed and later left him. Though he understands to some extent why Greer left, he doesn't fully comprehend the depth of her struggles. Coming to her aid on this case makes him feel like he can redeem himself in her eyes, though she is very resistant to him throughout most of the investigation.

The Kensington Brava line is known for a high heat level between the hero and heroine. Though on the surface, The Matchmaker doesn't feel as hot as may be expected, the sexual tension between Ash and Greer sizzles. When they finally overcome their differences long enough to come together, passions run high, sparking hot enough to start fires.

The Matchmaker by Jamie Denton does not disappoint. It is a very compelling read, and kept me on the edge of my seat, reading late in to the night, eager to find out what would come next. I look forward to future books by Jamie Denton.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, October 2006. All rights reserved.

Greer Lomax is haunted by her last case with the FBI. A case gone wrong that left her in the hands of a serial killer. The reason behind this...a miscalculation on the part of her husband Ash Keller a top FBI profiler. Needing space and time to deal with what happened to her, Greer moves to Magnolia, North Carolina in order to renovate a rundown Victorian. While doing this she deals with her mother, and with the stress of being deputy for the local police force. But when a serial killer starts operating in her county she is forced to face her demon's sooner then she is ready for and this also brings her estranged husband to town. Together these two work a new case but Greer has lost her trust in Ash and that could be a problem, especially when the heat and fire still burns between them. Will this be the final thing that tears them apart or will this be the case that allows them both to heal and believe in the love that is between them?

This was a fair romantic suspense although there were parts of the story that seemed to drag a little. The "mystery" of the killer is not really that much of a mystery and will not be the element that will keep the reader engaged. Rather it's the dance the two main characters perform while dealing with the issues between them. At times the reader may find themselves frustrated with Greer's stubborn nature but bare with her. The romance between her and her estranged husband will make up for it.

When a grave is opened due to a contested will, authorities discover an extra body in the casket. This is the last thing burned out FBI profiler and now small town deputy Greer Lomax needs. Haunted by memories of the last FBI case she worked on, she escaped to her hometown to avoid these kinds of crimes. The killers MO is to match recently deceased men with the perfect woman for them. The only problem is that the women aren't dead yet. When she records the crime in VICAP, it comes to the attention of the FBI, and her ex-husband Ash Keller arrives on scene to take over the investigation. Greer has difficulty working with Ash, as she still holds him responsible for becoming the target of a serial killer. Will they be able to put their differences aside to find the killer, who is amassing several victims?

Denton has been primarily known for her Harlequin Blaze romances. Denton has taken a departure in her writing, weaving a fascinating and psychological thriller, with a touch of spicy romance. "The Matchmaker" is definitely not for the squeamish, but it's a good thriller overall. Those familiar with publishing house Brava (light erotic romance) might be a little disappointed, as the sizzling sex scenes are kept to a minimum.

Jamie Denton has writing a spine tingling, toe-curling novel of romantic suspense. It will keep you on the edge through out the whole story.

Greer Lomax ran from her job as an FBI profiler back to her hometown. She took a job as a small town deputy hoping it would keep her demons at bay. Greer was the victim of a sadistic man on her last case and it torments her daily. When a body turns up where it's not supposed to be Greer's anxieties are heading into overdrive. But this dead body brings to her and her town the one person she wanted to avoid.

Special Agent Ash Keller reads about the going on in Greer's hometown and it sends a red flag to his profiler instincts. This mission is two fold for Ash; he needs to see if this is really a serial killer and to get Greer back in his life. Ash's feelings for Greer have never died and he would do anything to get her back.

Ash's and Greer's relationship is not your typical romance. Its deeper and more painful since their last cast together effected them both. These two character though wounded by their past are strong and powerful. They send sparks off each other whether they are arguing or making love. The suspense is riveting and will keep you reading well until you have finished the novel. This book ranks right up there for me as a spectacular romantic suspense novel. I can't wait to see what this author brings next.

When I started reading this book, I thought for sure it was a 5-star winner given the storyline and the set up of characters by the author. However, as I continued with my reading, I couldn't believe the horrid writing technique of the author. This book started to sound like a total amateur had written it. First of all, Greer Lomax, ex-FBI agent, has some serious psychological problems and no town, no matter how small and desperate for good help, would want someone with her mental issues as deputy protector of their townspeople. How can someone with such problems herself be expected to deal with law and order and the safety of others? Then as I read on, Greer has a set back where she almost shoots the man she loves and in the same breadth argues with him that she is healthy enough to continue on with the investigation of a serial killer! The author's technique of writing and the believability of the details in the story get worse as the story continues. There is really no excitement to the climax in the unveiling of the killer. It was no surprise at all in the end and again the conclusion left me flat and very disappointed. How could the main male figure in this story (Ash Keller, big-time FBI agent) even consider the reliability of such a weak heroine? Granted, he does spend a lot of time telling her how thin and frail she is, so I'll give him some credibility there. In addition, I found Greer's attitude toward her mother absolutely disgusting. She puts her down, ignores her and all but can't stand her and then, later on in the book, Greer's mother talks of her love and concern for her daughter which further confirms what a weak character our female lead actually is. Also, where did all this sisterly love for Vivien come into play??? (I guess almost losing her sister to the killer made Greer figure it wasn't so bad after all having her around). Throughout the length of the book, Greer basically couldn't stand to be around anyone in her family. I have come to the conclusion that I am very spoiled by authors such as Nora Roberts. To read one of her works and then pick up a story such as "The Matchmaker" makes me really question how books and writings of this caliber are actually published. Don't waste your time with this one! Sorry, Jamie, I doubt I will ever pick up another one of your works in the near-to-distant future. I generously gave it 3 stars because the groundwork for a really good story is there - the writing of it is what tore the whole thing apart for me.

This book kept me glued to the pages. I enjoyed reading everyone's perspectives of what was going on, including the killer's. What Greer went through 2 years ago at the hands of a serial killer would likely send most women to an institution, but Greer has survived (barely). She is merely existing rather than living, but she doesn't know any other way. That is until her estranged husband Ash enters the picture due to some recent murders in her small town (at the time, they were not certain it was at the hands of a serial killer). Ash forces Greer to include him in her life and he in turn helps her deal with her past.

It's a great book and I enjoyed the suspenseful nature.

Over two years ago, former FBI profiler Greer Garson Lomax's life collapsed. First there was the botched serial-killer case that led to the estrangement with her lover Agent Ash Keller. After quitting the Feds, she moved to Magnolia, North Carolina to start over by converting a dilapidated mansion into a bed and breakfast. However, to pay her renovation costs and other bills, Greer accepts a job as a deputy sheriff in a town where major crimes never happen.

Because of her background with the FBI, Greer is assigned to investigate "the Matchmaker" case. . Greer believes funeral home owner Parker Hennessy is an escaped convict who lures females to his parlors so that they can accompany their lifemate, a dead man, into the afterlife. Greer realizes she needs help to bring Hennessy to justice and to keep her and her sister Vivien Lee from becoming soulmates of recently demised men; she asks Ash for help.

THE MATCHMAKER is a terrific romantic suspense thriller that avoids going over the top as many serial killer tales do because of the anchor of the realistic lead pair. Greer is a wonderful protagonist, who wants to run away again rather than face her darkest fears after her last Fed case collapsed so badly, but she cannot leave as her sister and other women are in jeopardy. Thus she displays great courage. Ash is still angry with Greer for dumping him rather than turning to him, but he will never allow her to confront evil alone again. Together they make a formidable team battling a dangerous, clever and malevolent psychopath who ironically serves as a matchmaker for them. Jamie Denton is at her best with this gripping thriller.

Harriet Klausner

I waited a year for this book to finally come out. I was a little disappointed with the story line.