Her
Deadly Secrets
by Laura Griffin has plenty of action and suspense with a
touch of romance. Readers are easily drawn into the investigation
of a murder mystery involving the mob and a surprise villain.
The setting of Houston adds to the intensity of the story.
“I put the story in Houston, where I grew up. Because
I had an internship with a law firm there, I had a feel for
the place and could describe the behind the scenes stuff.
This is a place I know and love. Since Houston is so hot in
the summer, everyone takes the tunnels. Wearing business attire
and high heels anyone going out in the heat would be soaking
wet, so everyone takes the tunnels. They are elaborate with
many stores and restaurants. It connects all the major downtown
buildings.”
The plot starts with a bang, literally. The heroine, Kira
Vance, a private investigator, arrives to a meeting with her
boss/mentor, Ollie Kovack, and the lead defense attorney Brock
Logan. Unfortunately, she finds herself in the wrong place
at the wrong time. Shortly after arriving, she witnesses the
murder of Ollie and the attempted murder of Logan. Because
the trial will not be postponed, Logan asks Kira to take over
the case. She finds that Ollie has unearthed relevant information
that might throw doubt on the person up for murder. Kira is
now more determined to find out who killed Ollie and are they
related to the possible new suspect.
Wolfe Securities is hired by Logan to protect all the defense
team because of the possible dangers. Knowing this protection
will hamper her ability to investigate Kira agrees to it with
limitations. She allows Jeremy Owen, a former Marine, who
is assigned to protect her, to be covertly present dutifully.
As they work together to solve the case of her co-worker Ollie’s
murder, both learn to respect what the other does.
The other female protagonist is Detective Charlotte Spears.
She trusts her instincts when it comes to her job and people,
which included following leads offered by Kira. She’s
tough, no-nonsense and clever. Dedicated to her job, she’s
a terrific investigator and someone who weighs the clues carefully.
Griffin shows the different points of view between the detective
and a private investigator. Readers see the diverse sides
of the investigation, as well as how the two women, came to
an understanding in regards to sharing information each considered
confidential from the other.
Kira is written as intelligent, independent yet a vulnerable
young woman, doggedly determined, highly astute and a quick
learner. She is sassy and tough. This is directly in contrast
to Jeremy, who is the silent type, appears grumpy, and is
very intense. “When I wrote the heroine and hero, I
decided to contrast their personalities. Kira is underestimated
because of her being petite. Kira flies under the radar and
literally can slip into and out of places because she is good
in blending in. She uses that to her advantage when investigating.
Very resourceful, outspoken, driven, headstrong, and is hard
to pin down. On the other hand, Jeremy is very protective,
focused, disciplined, controlled, and quiet. He hides his
emotions.”
Griffin is able to create female characters who are capable,
intimidating, and uncompromising. She contrasts them with
the male lead who are tough yet very placid. Her stories never
disappoint. The problem with finishing one of her books is
that readers will long for a new story right away.
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