REVIEW: RIVER ROAD, BY JAYNE ANN KRENTZ

 

 

 

On a summer night, sixteen-year-old Lucy Sheridan had been invited to a party with the cool kids. Since she only occasionally visits Summer River, to stay with her Aunt Sara, she doesn’t know many kids. She is flattered by the attention.

But before the party even gets under way, Mason Fletcher has pulled her away from the party, and is driving her home. He uses words like danger, etc., and Lucy thinks he is worried about her getting into drugs or alcohol.

Before the next day is over, Lucy is flown back to her parents, as if she has been whisked away.

Now thirteen years later, Lucy is back, getting her aunt’s home ready for sale, since her aunt and friend Mary Colfax had died in a car crash. In the subsequent years, she has partnered with some friends to launch a company that investigates and finds lost heirs.

Mason is back, too, also visiting, taking a break from his investigating of cold crimes, and before long, the two of them are caught up in solving the mysteries of that long ago summer. As it turned out, one of the party attendees, Tristan Brinker, whose father was in business with Quinn Colfax’s father, had gone missing soon after as well.

What happened that long ago night? How did the events of that one evening inform all of their lives? And how does Lucy’s inherited shared of the Colfax Corporation seem to be stirring up all kinds of infighting in the Colfax family?

When Mason and Lucy find something unexpected in Aunt Sara’s fireplace, the possibilities grow exponentially, as they dig further into what might have happened long ago. And along the way, the sparks fly between them as well.

River Road was a page-turning romantic suspense story that had me guessing throughout. There were many red herrings along the way, but even guessing what might have happened did not lessen my enjoyment. There were some formulaic and predictable elements, but ultimately, I was quite surprised by the final denouement. Recommended for all who enjoy romantic suspense. 4.0 stars.