Midnight Betrayal by Melinda Leigh – a Review

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Description:
Curator Dr. Louisa Hancock left behind Maine and her troubled past for Philadelphia and a job at a prominent museum. Just when it seems that Louisa’s new life is safe from her dark secrets, the body of a museum intern is found—the victim of a brutal and baffling murder.

Louisa realizes this is no random crime. And when another intern goes missing, the abduction is linked to the only man who has ever tempted Louisa’s heart—Conor Sullivan, the sexy owner of a Philly sports bar. Louisa’s past has taught her to be wary, but her heart refuses to believe Conor is guilty.

Now Conor and Louisa must dodge a police investigation—and their growing desire—as they race to find the real killer before another girl turns up dead. But trusting Conor could be deadly, especially as the evidence against him mounts…and as a merciless killer targets Louisa as the next victim.

Review:

Louisa cannot catch a break. Six months ago, her pleasant life in Maine took a turn for the deadly (Midnight Exposure). Now she’s in South Philadelphia trying to rebuild her career and more significantly, her social life, when her past catches up and places her in the spotlight. Midnight Betrayal is book 3 of Melinda Leigh’s Midnight series and she’s made us proud!

For the second time, items stolen from her museum had been used by a killer. Six months ago in Maine, a madman had used stolen museum pieces in bizarre Celtic rituals that killed several people. Now it was happening again. Connor Sullivan had pulled her into the investigation.

If a colleague’s murder wasn’t terrifying enough, Louisa’s young assistant has gone missing and Louisa is mad with worry. Good thing Conor lives by. Good thing Melinda Leigh loves her fans! 😀 In spite of their brief interaction in book 2, Conor and Louisa’s collaboration was effective, pivotal to a case, and laced with attraction. I knew this book, their book, would be great – Ms. Leigh tempted us and delivered! Midnight Betrayal finds Louisa seeking out Conor for his assessment of the disappearance and assistance figuring out this mystery.

But the simultaneous disappearances of the replica knife and two young women tainted his pleasure. There were too many twisted connections in the events with Louisa, her intern, and the museum for Conor’s comfort. Something was brewing.

Can I just say that I loved Conor’s no-nonsense approach to Louisa?! He was so happy she sought him out. After listening to her concerns, his inclination to just take her hand was refreshing (as was all the other steam he directed her way). Swoon. Yes, her instinctual walls came up, pretty flimsy since she’s just as interested, but his 38 year old pride wasn’t so wounded; he was confident they’d figure it out. The stars have aligned – Louisa’s swooning pretty hard herself! ;D

When Conor turns out to be the prime suspect in the disappearance of Louisa’s assistant (whaaaat?!), Louisa is unfazed. Though their relationship has not progressed to professions of love, Louisa believes in Conor’s innocence and together they initiate a private investigation. It’s the fact-finding search that leads to the actual culprit, but the process is what enables them to pursue matters of the heart. I couldn’t love this book more! Conor and Louisa aren’t from the same walks of life, an issue that will undoubtedly make you want to wring Conor’s neck, lol, but their personalities are complimentary and the results rewarding.

In the middle of solving the case, Melinda Leigh weaves in another tense subplot: Louisa’s past. A deplorable man resurfaces alongside her despicable aunt whose presence only serves to taunt Louisa. Ms. Leigh knows how to entice her readers and allowing the POV of a murderer was an exciting, albeit disturbing element. The ramblings were gripping as you tried to decipher clues!  

There are murders to solve, friends to trust, hearts to heal, a love to grow. Midnight Betrayal stands as another success in Melinda Leigh’s awesome series. We are treated to updates on the Sullivan family (Jayne and Reed as well as Danny and Mandy), but the luster of Conor and Louisa was as brilliant as their predecessors. I miss them already! Not sure if there’s a next installation, she’s busy creating a new world for us to love, but we can always hope for more…more ANYTHING by Melinda Leigh!  

Reviewed by Carmen

Copy provided by Author