Older titles, particularly those by Daphne DuMaurier (Rebecca) and Ellis Peters (House of Green Turf) remain readable and should be kept if you can, as they make excellent suggestions for readers who appreciate a spirited, old-fashioned story combining danger and romance. Authors and titles that exemplify the subgenre’s new direction, such as the authors listed below, should be owned by all libraries.
Brockmann, Suzanne. Unsung Hero. New York: Ivy Books, 2000 (ISBN: 978-0-8041-1952-8).
In this first in her popular Navy Seal Team 16series, injured Seal Tom Paoletti is on his way home to recover his health and his memory when he spots a terrorist long believed dead. Unable to gain official authorization or assistance in tracking down the killer, Paoletti enlists his own team, including the newly rediscovered love of his youth. Fast-paced action and steamy romance follow apace.
Brown, Sandra. Chill Factor. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2006 (ISBN: 978-0-7434-6677-6).
When his attempt to reconcile his marriage fails, police chief Dutch Burton heads back to the sleepy North Carolina town where he lives. His ex-wife, Lily, an Atlanta magazine editor, waits too long in their mountain cabin and is trapped by a blizzard–stranded with a man who might be a killer. A menacing atmosphere with building suspense, breakneck pacing, and satisfying plot twists characterize this fast-paced, claustrophobic tale.
Garwood, Julie Heartbreaker. New York: Pocket Books, 2001 (ISBN: 978-0-671-03400-9).
When a killer confides his crimes in the confessional–and threatens the priest’s sister, Lauren–Father Tom Madden turns to his best friend, FBI special agent Nick Buchanan, to protect his sister. Investigative details and Lauren’s haunting dreams frame this story, while mounting suspense and cliffhanger chapter endings quicken the pace toward the final confrontation with the killer. Although she doesn’t write a series, Garwood weaves familiar characters in and out of her novels as main and supporting characters.
Lowell, Elizabeth. Always Time to Die. New York: William Morrow, 2005 (ISBN: 978-0-06-050419-9).
Genealogist Carolina May discovers dangerous secrets in a politically prominent New Mexico family’s past. Surprisingly, her research puts her own life in danger. Who is trying to kill her and why? Assisted by Dan Duran, a man with his own secrets and extensive commando skills, Carolina unmasks the villain and, in the dangerous melee, discovers love. Lowell also has written two popular romantic suspense series featuring the Donovan family of rare gem traders, and the Rarities Unlimited group, whose interests include ancient manuscripts and more.