KEEP YOU CLOSE by Mary Burton will be published on August 4th 2022 by HQ Digital. The novel was originally published 2005 under the title IN DARK WATERS.
Photo journalist Kelsey Warren returns home for her aunt's funeral and winds up caught up in a criminal investigation. During what should be a routine dive in a quarry to check out a submerged car, Kelsey realizes that the car belonged to her mom and that her mom's body is in the front seat. Donna wasn't the best of mothers, and for years Kelsey has believed that Donna abandoned her. Now she's come to find out that Donna was murdered. Kelsey's old flame, Sheriff Mitch Garrett, is in charge of the investigation. Kelsey is doing everything she can to keep him at arm's length. As more bodies start piling up, Kelsey finds herself in danger. The same person who killed her mother is now trying to kill her.
I have read a lot of Mary Burton's novels, and this is probably my least favorite. The mystery plot was interesting, but the romance was too quick and came off as very cheesy. I also didn't care for either main character. Kelsey is very immature. And, for someone who can't wait to leave town and never stays in one place long enough to put down roots, Kelsey somehow thinks it's a good idea to adopt a puppy. As for Mitch, he bungled their relationship the first time around. It's understandable. But now she's back, and he falls in love with her. He just doesn't go about it in the right way. Shoving your tongue down someone's throat is not the proper way to comfort them after just breaking the news that their mother was murdered.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.