Category: Romance Publisher: Terry Odell
Type: Fiction
Pages: 304
Copyright: July 28, 2012
The trouble with running away is that you take yourself with you. After police officer Colleen McDonald is injured in a case gone south and her partner dies, she leaves her job and friends in small town Oregon for a fresh start as a civilian in Orlando. When a deputy sheriff comes to her door investigating a possible missing person, she’s determined to get him out of her life by beating him at his own game.
Jeffrey Walters is missing—or is he? His stepdaughter insists he is. His aunt claims he’s simply out of town on business. His former business partner knows nothing. There’s a stranger living in his guesthouse.
To Deputy Sheriff Graham Harrigan, finding Jeffrey might be his ticket to a permanent slot in the Criminal Investigations Division. He’s determined to prove he’s worthy of the promotion despite an unearned reputation passed down by an unsavory training partner. The attractive woman living in Jeffrey’s guesthouse complicates matters. Their rivalry becomes a partnership that stretches the boundaries of a professional relationship.
Nowhere to Hide is a Pine Hills Police Spinoff, featuring Colleen McDonald, whom readers might remember from Finding Sarah.
Colleen McDonald, small town Oregon cop can't seem to recover from a domestic violence case gone bad.Convinced her fellow officers blame her for the death of another cop on the case, she takes a disability pension from the force and runs as far away as she can, to Orlando, Florida.
Within days of her arrival, she finds herself caught up in a mystery that will have her facing her doubts and fears.
When Jeffrey Walter's stepdaughter calls the Orlando Sheriff's Office to find out why her stepfather isn't returning her calls, Deputy Graham Harrigan takes the call.He gets no answer at the main house, but finds no signs of foul play or anything suspicious.At the guest cottage, Instead of Doris Walters, Jeffrey's elderly aunt, he finds Colleen.
Colleen claims no awareness of Jeffrey, and when she finds out that Doris doesn't own the house or cottage, she worries that she will have to find another place to live.When Harrigan comes back and finds Doris at home, she tells him that Jeffrey is away on a business trip and out of communication.
Harrigan is aspiring to move up from Traffic to Criminal Investigations and gets permission to look into the case.At first, an excuse to call on the pretty red-head he'd found in the cottage was enough motivation, but when Jeffrey's stepdaughter pushes, he realizes this might be a real case after all, and he is given a temporary assignment to CID and starts a more serious investigation.Without evidence of foul play, he's limited in what he can do, but Colleen has none of the same constraints and isn't above a little snooping.
Their rivalry becomes a partnership that stretches the boundaries of a professional relationship.
Excerpt
In the steamy cocoon of the shower, Colleen McDonald fingered the dimpled scar the bullet had left on her thigh, and the long, straight one where they'd repaired her femoral artery. She knew the scars were no longer a garish red, but she refused to look at them. Thankfully, the exit wound on the back of her leg was out of sight unless she worked at it. The physical pain had gone, but not the ugly reminders that screamed "failure."
She watched the sudsy water swirl down the drain, willing it to take her memories along.
Get a grip. It's over. Forget Cedar Grove. You made your choice, so get on with your life.
She declared yesterday a do-over. Hell, as long as she was changing the rules of time, the last three months had never happened. But then she'd still be a cop in Cedar Grove, Oregon, instead of a basket case in Orlando, Florida.
Wrapped in a towel, another turbaned around her head, Colleen padded into the living room of her new home, looking for the carryon suitcase she'd abandoned last night. She dragged it into the bedroom and dumped the contents onto the bed, mumbling a quick thanks to her mother's advice to pack a day's worth of essentials into her carryon.
A distant rumbling, like an approaching thunderstorm, reverberated through the room. She slid a corner of the curtain aside and peered out at a cloudless blue sky. Not a leaf or branch moved. She had a lot to learn about Florida weather.
The doorbell rang, and she grabbed her robe. Who came calling at seven in the morning? The airline delivering her luggage? That would be too much to hope for. More likely Mrs. Walters, her new landlady. Another ring, followed by a determined knock.
She wriggled into her robe. "One minute. Who's there?"
"Orange County Sheriff."
What the…?
Her pulse raced. She yanked the towel off her head, shook out her hair and went to the door. Tightening the belt on her robe, she squinted through the peephole at a man in a dark green uniform.
God, had someone on the Cedar Grove force called in a favor, asked the locals to check on her? Hey, I've got a friend who's close to the edge. Drop in, make sure she's all right. Right. As if they cared.
Take it easy. Find out what he wants.
Colleen pulled the door open enough to talk, not enough to invite him in. Tall as he was, and with his eyes obscured behind mirrored sunglasses, Colleen fought the urge to slam the door.
Professional Reviews
Nowhere to Hide
5 Blue Ribbons
NOWHERE TO HIDE is an enjoyable and well plotted mystery. Terry Odell details police procedure and nails down routine investigation customs in a way that draws the reader in. She drops a steady stream of subtle clues, building up to more obvious ones as the conclusion nears, but works in enough turns to make the mystery a tough one to solve... If you enjoy a good investigation novel and a touching romance, this is the book for you.
Pamela Denise, Romance Junkies
Nowhere to Hide
NOWHERE TO HIDE has a page-turning plot that is fresh and compelling with plenty of twists and turns to keep us on our toes. Romantic suspense author Terry Odell presents genuine characters that grow and develop as their story is told. Sharp dialog, likable characters, passion and an engaging storyline make NOWHERE TO HIDE an entertaining read.
Donna, Single Titles
Nowhere to Hide
NOWHERE TO HIDE is a romantic suspense that will leave you guessing until the end. Ms. Odell’s characters breathe off the page and beg you to join them in a world of desire, lies, and yellow police tape. Once you start, you will not want to put this book down.
Angelique, Happily Ever After Reviews
Enchanted Desire, published by The Wild Rose Press, tells the story of a beautiful young college student, Shanna, who is looking for a fresh start and a way out of a bad relationship. She meets and falls in love with Kenny, a sexy 6 foot 8 Native Ame
