A romantic crime mystery spiked with attitude (most of it warped) and enough steamy sex to drive those who dare read it racing for a cold shower
After a lifetime of impetuous mistakes, pet spa owner Grace Donnelly outdoes herself when she loses her elderly client’s prize pooch—a shoo-in to win the annual Jersey Shore Fur Ball. Money, careers, and lives are in jeopardy. Too bad her helpers consist of an aging hippie aunt, a renegade schnauzer, and a drag queen. Worst of all, the only man truly qualified to help is her former flame, the hunkiest bodyguard north of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Security specialist Nick Jackson faces his worst nightmare when Grace’s amateur investigation nearly blows his undercover operation. Unless he nails the con-artist who scammed local seniors and whacked a witness, his homicidal granddaddy will take justice into his own liver-spotted hands. To salvage his case, his sanity, and his ex-lover’s velvety skin, Nick joins forces with the sassy crusader who rubs him the wrong way—and so many right ways too.
Action bounces between a beach harboring washed-up corpses, a fancy yacht no honest preacher could possibly afford, and the bawdiest nightclub in Atlantic City. Hazards multiply like bunnies until exploding into romance, murder, and mayhem culminating in a Fur Ball extravaganza the locals will never forget.
Excerpt
When he freed her lips, her breath was coming hard and fast. More turned on than she could ever remember, she took another risk. Still gasping for air, she explained, “Most bondage scenarios revolve around a fantasy.” She paused for a beat, gathering her courage. “You said I’d be in charge,” she reminded him. “I want to act out a fantasy.”
He gave an audible gulp. “Anything specific?”
“Mmmm-hmmm,” she said around a deep, shuddering breath. One fantasy had tantalized her thoughts and tormented her dreams ever since she’d laid eyes on him. Breathing hard, she raised her head. “You’re the white knight. I’m a fair maiden you’re rescuing from the clutches of an evil ogre who has tied her up.”
His eyes blazed. “I can live with that, darlin’,” he said. “Is this fair maiden conscious or unconscious?”
A wave of hot desire thickened her speech. “Sleeping. The white knight is trying to awaken her.” Suffused with the heady liberation of surrender, Grace closed her eyes and held her breath. She didn’t have to see Nick to feel the heat of his gaze scalding her skin. The tension became unbearable.
Then the mattress sank under his weight. Although he didn’t touch her, his body radiated heat. The aroma of sandalwood and hungry male enveloped her. She compressed her lips on the moan that struggled to escape. If the white knight didn’t do something, and fast, she would jump clear out of her skin—if she wasn’t cuffed to the bed.
His mouth skimmed her cheek, trailed heat down her jaw line, feathered tiny kisses down her neck. He stopped above her right breast. She pictured him staring. Her nipples throbbed with anticipation, longing for the tug of his mouth. She held her breath, squeezed her eyes shut, forced her body to remain motionless. This was too good, too delicious, to break the spell. Her body was on fire simply from imagining his next move.
The mattress shifted. She opened one eye a slit to find him kneeling between her legs. Closing the eye quickly—before he noticed the fair maiden was wide awake and more than ready for action—she waited, clenched and quivering.
Professional Reviews
***** One for the Money Meets Best in Show
Grace Donnelly charges head-first into every situation. Which is why security specialist Nick Jackson left her--even though they were scorching hot together. No way is he going to watch her get herself killed. But when she demands his help finding a missing dog, his protective instincts kick in, even though it puts his own undercover operation in jeopardy. Fans of Stephanie Plum and dog lovers should love this one--it revolves around a dog show in an exclusive New Jersey community.
***** Couldn't Put it Down
I read Fur Ball Fever in one weekend because I couldn't put it down. Well written and very funny, this book has wonderful, well-rounded characters and a gripping plot with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. It's a unique and fun romantic suspense that makes for an entertaining read.
***** Fur, Fetishes, and Fun
Fans of the Stephanie Plum series will find some familiar elements in this funny, hot romantic mystery by Maureen Fisher. But make no mistake: Ms. Fisher makes this story her own, and if you like Stephanie, you're gonna love Grace. When a client's prize pooch goes missing, Grace is not afraid to strap on the leather to go undercover in a fetish club looking for clues. Nick is a hunky Texas-born security expert transplanted to Atlantic City, who has his own agenda. When these two get together, sparks fly. Add a hysterically funny sidekick in Grace's dope-smoking, magic-brownie-making aunt, plenty of suspects, and a fast-paced, nicely plotted mystery, and this book is a winner. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I hope the author is planning to make this a series. I'd love to read more!
