Zelia Thompson's friend and fellow gallery owner, Alexus Feinstein, has died of an overdose, a devastating circumstance that is compounded because Zelia knows Alexus didn't touch heavy drugs. Suspicious that foul play was involved, Zelia seeks the help of Gabe Conaghan, a crime fiction writer who happens to be visiting Solace Island. Gabe, taken in by Zelia's good looks and utter determination, begins to use the many resources he's picked up through the years to help put her suspicions to rest. As the two uncover more concerning activity, Gabe realizes he'll do anything to make Zelia happy. Zelia is stuck between what she thinks she wants and the future Gabe is offering. VERDICT Tilly continues to play in the foggy shadows of charming Solace Island (after Cliff's Edge), giving fans the intriguing combination of a hot romance and a disturbing crime spree.—Kellie Tilton, Univ. of Cincinnati Blue Ash

Tilly's third standalone romantic thriller set on idyllic Solace Island (after Cliff's Edge) fails to deliver on its intriguing premise. When crime-fiction writer Gabe Conaghan arrives on Solace Island, he is expecting merely to fulfill his father's request to inspect an estate. He's hardly prepared to meet stunning gallery owner Zelia Thompson or get wrapped up in her amateur sleuthing. Though the death of Zelia's friend and fellow gallery owner was declared a drug overdose, Zelia is sure the story is a cover-up for a murder. Enlisting Gabe's assistance, Zelia sets to work uncovering a dark conspiracy that endangers everyone on Solace Island. An overly complex plot and exposition-laden dialogue bog down the pace and make the protagonists' passion feel forced rather than fated. Though Tilly's fans may enjoy returning to Hidden Cove, this installment never rises above its heavy-handed narration. Agent: Kimberly Witherspoon, InkWell Management. (Oct.)