Behind the Mask (MIRA) [Mass Market Paperback]

Though several years have passed, former Houston police officer Michael Sullivan still feels guilt over the death of his partner. Mike goes out of his way to help Pete's family. When Adam Webster offers a million dollars to find his missing wife and son, Mike accepts the offer though he finds his client distasteful. Mike sees the payoff as a means of assisting Pete's family.

Mike tracks Adam's wife to New Orleans where she works as a waitress at a diner. Lily Tremont claims to be a widow raising her son. She fled her spouse Adam not because of his treatment of her as a trophy wife sex kitten, but when she realized he will one day kill their child. Following the call back to Miami, Mike realizes he made an error and now tries to keep Lily and her son safe. However, as Mike and Lily fall in love, he wonders if he survives the evil chasing them how will he live with knowing he is Judas to a nice boy and the woman he cherishes.

Though the plot is exciting as so many romantic suspense novels are, Metsy Hingle freshens up the story line further through a strong cast. The lead couple is a wonderful pair and the secondary characters provide depth so that the audience understands the motives of Lily and Mike. Readers will wonder why Mike could not wait to learn why Lily gave up wealth for a diner even with the ticking clock and his obsession. This is a very powerful tale that will gain Ms. Hingle a lot of new readers.

Harriet Klausner

Adam Webster offers a million dollars for Michael Sullivan to find his wife Elisabeth and the disk she stole. Adam had groomed Elisabeth since she was fifteen for his private pleasure, and he intends to have her back. He has little regard for his missing son who monopolized his wife's attention, and has no qualms of disposing of the child. But he carefully guards his possessive streak and his hatred for his child from Michael.

Five years ago Michael abruptly resigned his position as a police officer in Houston following his partner's death. Michael holds himself responsible for Pete's death, believing that he could have prevented the tragedy. Consequently, he also provides financially for Pete's family, and a million dollars will go a long way to secure Pete's widow and son's futures. But when he finds Elisabeth, the facts do not match his preconceptions.

Elisabeth knows that behind Adam's mask of social perfection lurks a monster. In fear for her son's life, she fled her gilded cage, leaving Adam Webster his fabulous wealth far behind. But twice Adam's men have close to catching her, and Elisabeth cannot let her guard drop for even a moment. Not even for the handsome stranger who becomes her only chance for survival.

This richly textured plot keeps the pages turning quickly in Metsy Hingle's BEHIND THE MASK, as Elisabeth and Michael's traitorous emotions and savvy survival skills keep them alive. Each major character of the novel wears a mask: Adam wears a mask of respected businessman; Elisabeth wears a mask of beauty and little brains; and Michael wears a mask concealing his identity from the woman he falls in love with. Each possesses nuances and possibilities that none expect, and underestimating anyone can be deadly. These vividly realized characterizations and desperate motivations give BEHIND THE MASK a fascinating depth. Indeed, Hingle once again proves her consummate artistry as she paints her tale and her characters with vitality and verve. A riveting read that readers will find impossible to put down, BEHIND THE MASK earns the WordWeaving Award for Excellence.

From the back cover:

"I'll pay you one million dollars to find my wife and son."

Ex-cop turned bounty hunter Michael Sullivan doesn't think any woman is worth that kind of money, but a job is a job.

All he has to do is make the phone call...

Just drop in the quarter and tell his client he's earned his money. Lily Webster and her son are in New Orleans, where she's working as a waitress. One phone call and he can collect a cool million bucks...and forget the beautiful woman who seems to be hiding something.

Too late, he realizes he's made a mistake...

Only after he's made the call does he begin to realize what he's done. In the blink of an eye Michael Sullivan becomes Lily's only chance for survival. Now all he has to do is convince her to trust him. But why would she put her life--and life of her son--in the hands of the man who betrayed her?

And my review:

My first try of Metsy Hingle's writing, and it won't be my last. BEHIND THE MASK was a highly enjoyable, engrossing read, and usually I don't even like romantic suspense that much. This book is written in a wonderful, flowing style that is easy to read. The reader gets absorbed into the plot, because the author never sounds like she's trying to impress the reader with her vocabulary or an overly complex sentence structure. Given how many "flowery" romance novels there are out there on the market, finding a novel written in a down-to-earth style can be difficult.

The characters were wonderful, fully rounded people. Just flawed enough to be human, but not so overly flawed as to be unlikeable. They were real people, people that the reader could easily identify with. They felt like old friends by the end of the book. While Micheal was yet another tortured hero, he was also more than that. And I liked that Lily was a strong, plucky woman, in spite of her sheltered upbringing and miserable marriage to a domineering man. Also, Timmy, the heroine's son, was a complete character, and so adorable that any reader would love him by the end of the book. Children in romance novels often feel like nothing more than flat plot devices, but that wasn't the case here. Creating loveable, yet real, characters has to be one of the hardest things for a writer to accomplish, so I applaud the author for a job well done.

I also felt that the suspense was well executed. The mystery was pretty light and easy to figure out, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. The author still had me on the edge of my seat for much of the time. When my husband asked me if I wanted to watch a movie with him, I actually snapped at him to leave me alone so I could finish the book. (Oops. Sorry hon! :) It was just that exciting!

My only complaint with this book was that the love story felt just a little bit lacking. Not that they author neglected it, but I did feel that the suspense storyline overpowered it a little. However, that being said, both storylines were well done, and also woven together quite well, so it's only a minor complaint.

While BEHIND THE MASK wasn't a book that I'll be keeping to re-read, it was still well worth the read, and I do recommend it anyone who is a fan of romance, even those who (like me) generally don't like romantic suspense. If you enjoy the novels of Tina Wainscott, you'll probably enjoy this book as well.