South of Paradise

I had never read anything by Marcia Martin but am glad I picked this one up. I'm more a fan of mysteries than romantic suspense, but this one was entertaining, suspenseful and packed an emotional punch. South of Paradise is very well written. There is no simpering femme fatale, nor is there a blustering macho hero. Martin explores the characters thoroughly and does an wonderful job of delving into each one's personality -- touching on both their strengths & their vulnerabilities. The scenes are carefully set and artfully described. And she was able to wrap it all in a mystery where evil is uncovered yet not exploited. It was easy to fall into this story and keep on reading. The story is about a woman haunted by a past she cannot forget, and a man captivated by a woman he barely knows. She has spent years mysteriously moving in and out of wealthy men's lives, leaving behind nothing but questions -- taking with her their most prized possessions, and sometimes their hearts. Her reasons are not revealed until the very end, though subtly hinted at throughout the book. She finally reaches a point in her life where she is literally forced to stop running and must face not only her past, but her future as well. Ms. Martin is a master story teller, well within the leagues of Tami Hoag and Lynn Erickson -- I'm surprised to not have heard of her before, but I look forward to reading others by this very talented author.