Kiss It Away

...of the relentless fear and paranoia that sweep through this fine novel. In Kiss It Away, a young man named Ben takes a very ill-advised walk through a park at night. He is raped by another young man, Nick, who is in the midst of 'roid rage. Shortly after this rape Nick murders a young woman in cold blood leaving her body to be found by the police. Unfortunately for Ben, ha also leaves evidence that ties the murder to Ben, although the police do not yet know who he is. Ben has a girl friend. Ben is too ashamed of the rape to tell her what happened, but she knows it was something that has left a life changing trauma inside Ben. As the police escalate their search for the murderer, she begins to suspect Ben. Ben, too, can feel the police closing in, and his actions become more secretive and elusive, creating the impression that he has something horrible to hide. Will Ben find a way to clear himself, or is he doomed? It's a great hinge for a plot and one that is handled admirably by Carol Anne Davis, who is a writer who can be tough as nails. I love all of her books. This is the first one I read and it is really good. If you like this, be sure to read her Safe as Houses. It's even better.