Elaine Raco Chase reminded me of all the things I grew up loving, in the cinema and in my reading choices—things that are too often missing from today’s offerings.

The Blurb:

The 7 Deadly Sins have never been so – Deadly!
Or so much fun!

Meet Nikki Holden – she may know 140 characters but social media is not her venue. She’s an investigative reporter with more enemies than friends – and her friends are very shady.

She’s on the trail of a stunning story at Pleasure Island. And she doesn’t mind using her pick pocket talents or a well-aimed champagne cork or even a pair of 38’s (boobs not guns) to get her story.

She’s tenacious, sarcastic and an ex-con.

Meet Roman Cantrell – ex-army ranger who couldn’t stop fighting, he went off the grid doing Black Ops but came back to the US to start an international security firm.

He keeps popping into Nikki’s life at the most inconvenient times.

And he knows too much about her past.

He also knows she’s not capable of good behavior.

Is Roman looking for the person Nikki’s …kidnapped? Or is he looking for a more intimate connection.

One thing for sure -They’re both heading into murderously Dangerous Places.

Dangerous Places is sharp and well-written, with a roller-coaster ride of a plot and two alpha characters who will capture your heart and your imagination.

Nikki Holden is everything I look for in a heroine—she’s edgy, intelligent, independent, ambitious, a bit morally flexible and carries the weight of past secrets held tight… that is, until she crosses paths with Roman Cantrell who keeps showing up like a bad penny as Nikki creates just the right opportunities for the interview of a lifetime. The chemistry between them sizzles from the get go: an investigative reporter with a bulldog mentality decked out in a killer little black dress and the PI with a no nonsense approach and take no prisoners ‘tude… what’s not to love?

Nikki’s no lightweight in her profession. What seems like a simple expose for some questionable goings-on in the sport of jai alai rapidly becomes more, and events unfold as if ripped from today’s headlines. Roman has been tasked with finding the daughter of a billionaire businesswoman but finds himself, instead, hot on the heels of Nikki who just happens to have said teen in her firm embrace. Of course, nothing is quite what it seems, and with a large cast of fabulous supporting characters (both good and bad) bringing depth and some misdirection to the mystery, you are in for one heck of a ride.

What I loved was how Ms. Chase wove Nikki and Roman’s backstories into the narrative—it was seamless and masterfully done. We discover that part of what drives Nikki is a past she’s been running from, yet when Roman intercedes she finds that having a safety net isn’t all that bad. Roman is ex-military with a brief stint as a mercenary. He’s well-connected and respected at many levels within law enforcement. He is also yin to Nikki’s yang, but trust between them doesn’t come easily and their budding collaboration takes both of them on a journey that will test them at every turn.

The suspense builds as events unfold, each hard-hitting twist and turn driving the plot to a surprising and heart-stopping conclusion. The dialog is intelligent, witty, and at times laugh-out-loud funny—it will remind you of the glory days of Hepburn and Tracey. Nikki and Roman became my instant favorite dueling characters, and I can’t wait to see where their budding partnership takes them next.

Dangerous Places is a clear winner, a Five Star read all the way!