Hide From Evil by Jami Alden

Publisher: Hatchette Book Group

Published: 11/01/2011

Buy here

Rating: Entrée










As a prosecuting attorney for the city of Seattle, Krista Slater has to rely a great deal on her instincts and ability to read people and judge their character. She pegged Sean Flynn as a sure bet for murder and rape, won her case against him and made sure the death row population of Washington state was increased for a short time by one. She was dead wrong, and after almost three years and a very close call with a fatal needle, Sean is a free man. He is forever damaged, but he is no longer living on the taxpayer’s dime. Living in an isolated mountain cabin, Sean is trying to deal with his trauma as best he can, so when Krista shows up asking for his help in the continuing investigation of the case, he is just a tad bit put out. By ignoring the warnings to drop the investigation, Krista has brought the wrath of a powerful crime syndicate onto her and, now Sean. Once again she has brought danger and the threat of death back into his life, so it is a mystery to him that Krista is the one woman who brings his neglected libido back on line.

Oooo-weee, this book was scary good. I had completely forgotten how intense Jami Alden's writing was but was quickly and most staunchly reminded. Within the first few pages I was right back in Seattle and chewing on my fingernails wondering how Krista and Sean were going to come out of this alive. I was so glad when Sean was released from prison at the end of Beg for Mercy, but I knew that two years on death row and the looming specter of the poison needle would be difficult for him to overcome. It wasn't glossed over at all and was handled quite realistically from my point of view. I don't know too many people who could come out on the other end of something like that with a happy,happy, joy, joy attitude. Krista's belief in herself and her abilities have taken major blows but she is trying to make amends and be true to the core beliefs that made her a prosecuting attorney. Her foundation is in for a few more gargantuan cracks as she learns Sean is basically the only person she can trust anymore, and that includes herself. The big difference that stood out for me was the hotness factor in Hide From Evil. Sure, Beg For Mercy had some really good and steamy scenes, but this book...... Jehoshaphat! It was nuclear. The chemistry between Sean and Krista just leaped off the pages and under the readers skin. It almost made me forget about the big baddies trying to kill everybody. 

In addition to being super hot, and having truly realistic and interesting characters, there is also a very good criminal suspense story being told. The action is fast and comes straight at you in a very dark, graphic fashion. There is always a danger of books of this ilk being too dark and depressing. Not so in this story, even when the situation seems hopeless, there was always some quip or action that is cleverly and sneakily introduced with just the perfect amount of humor (albeit sometimes gallows humor) to lighten the tension. The underworld of Seattle is in for a major shake-up and I can not wait for Jack and Talia's book. If it's half as good as the first two, I'll be in literary heaven.