After Dark

After Dark is one of Barton's older novels so you may already have it. It is however, one of her best. The characters are well drawn and we have so much sympathy for this woman who has loved this man her whole life. Now she is willing to go to jail to protect the child she loves so much. There are so many twists and secrets that I do not want to reveal anything that will prevent you from enjoying the whole novel. My only regret is that he took so long to return home and then only at the behest of someone else. Do not miss this one.

Beverly Barton is one of those authors I buy because of her name. It's not to often that she disappoints. Certainly not with this book. It was great. Johnny Mack is summoned back to his home town by a letter telling him his son is in trouble. As he left town after someone tried to kill him, he has no knowledge of what has happened there, and he surely knows nothing about a son. Arriving in town he discovers that one of his old flames was pregnant when he left. But the kicker is that his son was adopted at birth by the only woman he has ever loved. Not that he has ever told her. He respected her to much to touch her. Now she is the chief suspect in the death of her abusive husband. They had been divorced for several years. She only married him so she could save Johnny Mack's son. During the 15 years he has been gone, Johnny has turned his life around and is a multi-millionaire. In a town where he was known as a piece of trash, the same people who hated him before, hate him now. Facing the woman who has never forgotten him and his son is a new experience for a man who has kept himself seperate from emotional ties. The search for the killer and the ties that remain from his past, lead us through a very unhappy childhood and finally to the actions that have lead up to these murders. All in all a very good read.

As a hugely popular category romance author, Beverly Barton has proven herself supremely skilled at creating small, scandal-ridden southern towns and three-dimensional southern characters. Her first single title romantic suspense novel lives up to her established readership's expectations, and then some. The atmospheric setting enhances the intrigue, and the rekindled romance is ultra-passionate. My guess is that the disappointed reviewers were looking for a straight suspense novel, rather than a romantic suspense novel, which is a genre in itself. This is a terrific romantic suspense read, and I can't wait to pick up Beverly's next one!

After Dark is packed with secrets that keep you turning the pages. Just when you think you know whom the killer is, Ms. Barton changes your mind. This is a must read for the Romantic Suspense lovers. It grabs you and won't let go.The hero, Johnny Mack Cahill is every woman's dream who likes that "Bad Boy" image who makes good. Lane Noble Graham is the perfect heroine to every female who has ever sat on the sidelines and been left out.Both Lane and Johnny Mack exceed their circumstances and come into their own. Johnny Mack becomes as rich as his persecutors and turns the tables on them. He returns wheeling as much power as they do. They can no longer best him.It's a success story packed with suspense and secrets and most important of all a love to die for. A warm relationship builds and glows between the three main characters that you will become a part of. You do not want to miss this one. It's wonderful to curl up with next to a lit Christmas tree during the holidays. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could not put this story down until I found out every detail, but I hated for it to end.

Fifteen years ago Johnny Mack Cahill left his hometown of Noble's Crossing, Alabama, vowing to never return. Johnny settled in the Houston area and became a successful wealthy businessman. Now Johnny has received an anonymous note from his hometown, stating: "Your son needs you. Come home." Johnny never knew he had a child, but the accompanying picture from a newspaper article is that of a younger him. The mother being Lane Noble Graham also mystifies him since she is the only magnolia he failed to score with during his time in town. Finally, he cannot believe that Lane is the prime suspect in the murder of her former spouse as the article also says.Johnny returns to Noble Crossing to meet his son and to learn the truth about who the biological mother is, who sent the note, and who killed Kent. As he begins his search for answers, a killer will murder again to keep certain secrets hidden. As his love for Lane rekindles and she reciprocates, he remains stubbornly convinced that she is too good for him.AFTER DARK is an exciting southern romantic suspense tale. The story line is fast-paced as the mystery supplements a wrong side of the track romance. The support cast adds depth, atmosphere, and dark secrets to the stirring plot. The lead couple is the typical "good girl bad boy" mix yet Beverly Barton brings a feel of freshness to that theme in this engaging book.Harriet Klausner