Bloodlines (MIRA) [Mass Market Paperback]

Olivia Sealy was kidnapped when she was 2, after a ransom of a million dollars was paid, she was found in a mall. Now 25 years later a 2 year old's skeleton is found in a wall in a suitcase. Olivia's family have a distinctive genetic defect, which Olivia and the dead child share, they were born with 2 thumbs on one hand. The extra thumb was removed at birth. So who is this child? The same age as Olivia and with the same distinctive mark on her hand it sets the stage for mystery and murder.

Trey Bonney is a detective with the Dallas PD. He was also Olivia's first love. Their love was broken up by her grandfather who is very rich. Trey was from the wrong side of the tracks. Althought 11 years have past, he and Olivia have never forgotten each other.

The man who picked up the ransom has just been released from prison. The money was never found. Now after 25 years in jail he finds the money he hid was burned up in a fire. Although he did not kidnap Olivia or murder her parents, he knows who was involved. With the police hunting him now for answers to the murder, what will he do? Will he run or finally tell them what he knows.

As if this is not enough, we have an abortion clinic bomber who is insane because when the bomb went off, a church bus had broken down in front of the clinic and several children were killed. Now he thinks God has given him a chance to redeem himself by killing Olivia.

The thing I love about Dinah McCall/Sharon Sala is that her books may be very dark but at the end you find compassion and understanding for all. The ending of this book made me sad and unfulfilled, because of the infidelity, greed, hatred, and manipulation which led to the crimes. I found the lead characters to be 2-dimensional, very easily swayed, and at the end I just didn't feel that the story came together in a smooth way to bring closure. It was a very deep dark mess. I really don't know why I felt that way I just did. This is only my review and I can only tell you what I think and felt. But in my opinion it is not as good as the rest of her books.

Ms. McCall/Sala is a very talented suspense author that normally offers readers an edge of your seat read. Perhaps this is why this read fell a little flat. Although this read did offer a very good "suspense" storyline...it fell short on delivery.

Twenty-five years earlier Olivia Sealy had been kidnapped, and her parent murdered. Olivia was later returned to her family (left in a shopping mall) but has no recollection of the kidnapping. Fast forward several years later...the discovery of a suitcase holding the skeletal remains of a two year old girl, killed twenty-five years earlier is found. Questions start being asked and Olivia suddenly finds herself becoming a target for murder. As if this isn't enough for her to balance...she has to deal with the detective that's investigating the case...her childhood sweetheart that her grandfather made her give up.

Trey Bonney thought he got on with his life but when the old bones lead to the doorstep of the only woman he's ever loved he's about to realize that he's not as put together as he thought he was. Trey and Olivia need to put the past to rest but those feelings aren't going away and in fact are growing in intensity. They're not children playing at love anymore, their adults with deep feeling. Will Trey be able to solve the old murder and keep his Livvie alive or will the past finally get it's revenge?

There were equal parts right and wrong with this read. The twenty-five year old murder with the players all coming together once the body was found had a whole lot of pontential for becoming a great vehicle for this story. It fell flat though with the unbelievable guile of Olivia where her grandfather was concerned. She let her "grampy" have way to much control over her. This was probably suppose to read as a deep and caring relationship...but instead it seemed too manipulative. Olivia and Trey again had the foundation for having a real good romantic storyline, but again Ms. McCall seemed to fail on the delivery there. The ending was not a surprise and this reader really has to admit to begining not to care one way or another if there was going to indeed be a happy ending. Overall this is not a read to avoid, but one that the reader should be cautioned about as far as storyline and execution of plot.

Official Reviewer for Romance Designs

I was surprised how weak,passive and easily led the heroine was. I found it annoying this grown woman calling her grandfather "Grampy" throughout the book. The romance didn't ring true. I think this book could have been a really good romantic suspense novel in different hands. The characters are two dimensional as stated by another reviewer. I had a difficult time even finishing this book. I was ready to fling it across the room but hate to waste the money and kept hoping the ending would be a redeeming feature but it wasn't.